That All May Worship-2015 Embracing Inclusion

Who should attend That All May Worship-2015

Embracing Inclusion Conference?

Advocates/Service Providers

Religious leaders/Educators/Clergy

Self-Advocates/Family Members

Disability Ministry Volunteers/

Special Education Teachers

Anyone who wants to create a more welcoming environment in their own faith community for people with disabilities and their families!

Conference Schedule

8:00 am               Check in- Visit Displays/Networking time

9:00 am                 Welcome and Presentations by

Leaders in the Faith and Disability National Community

10:30 am               Break- Visit Displays

11:00 am               Breakout Session I

11:45 am               Networking Lunch

12:45 pm               Breakout Session II

1:30 pm                 Panel Questions and Closing

 

PRESENTERS:

Erik Carter, Vanderbilt University

Rev. Bill Gaventa, Summer Institute on Theology and Disability

Shelly Christensen, Inclusion Innovations

Lorna Bradley, The Hope and Healing Institute, TX

Jolene Philo, Different Dream

David Morstad, Bethesda Institute

Dan Vander Plaats, The 5 Stages, Elim Christian Services

Stephanie Hubach, MNA Presbyterian Church, Special Needs Ministry

Jeff McNair and Kate Brueck, Joni and Friends

Jan Benton, National Catholic Partnership on Disability

Mohammed Yousuf, EquallyAble Foundation

Barbara Newman, Christian Learning Network, CLC

Milton Tyree, USA Presbyterian Church, Disability Ministry

Bios of Presenters:

Erik Carter is an Associate Professor in the Department Special Education at Vanderbilt University and a member of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. His research and teaching focuses on evidence-based strategies for supporting access to the general curriculum and promoting valued roles in school, work, and community settings for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Prior to receiving his doctorate, he worked as a high school teacher and transition specialist with youth with significant disabilities. He has published widely in the areas of educational and transition services for children and youth with significant disabilities. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Early Career Research Award from the Council for Exceptional Children and the Early Career Award from the American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Rev. Bill Gaventa is currently the Director of the Summer Institute on Theology and Disability, funded by The Bethesda Institute, and a consultant, trainer, and speaker. He served as Director of Community and Congregational Supports at the Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities, and Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School until June 30, 2013.  He now lives in Waco, Texas.

Shelly Christensen, MA literally wrote the book on inclusion of people with disabilities, the Jewish Community Guide to Inclusion of People with Disabilities. Her award-winning work as Program Manager of the Minneapolis Jewish Community Inclusion Program for People with Disabilities at Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis led her to co-found Jewish Disability Awareness Month with the Jewish Special Education Consortium in 2009. Shelly’s work as founder and Executive Director of InclusionInnovations, where she provides training, organizational and community development, and strategic planning so Jewish organizations and communities can become more welcoming and inclusive, is the standard in the field of sacred community inclusion.

Rev. Dr. Lorna Bradley, an ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church, received MTS and Doctorate of Ministry degrees from Perkins School of Theology. Her D. Min project examines how churches can provide a holistic welcome to families raising children with special needs by meeting the emotional and spiritual needs within the entire family. In addition to developing curriculum for special needs parent support, she has led a parent support group for four years and worked in welcoming ministries for ten years. She and her husband have an adult son with who has Asperger’s Syndrome. Lorna enjoys spending time with her family, entertaining, traveling, scuba diving, and running.

Jolene Philo is the daughter of a father who had disabilities and she parented a child that had special needs as a baby and toddler.  She’s a former educator with 25 years of public school experience. Her books related to special needs include the Different Dreamseries, The Caregiver’s Notebook, Every Child Welcomeand a new book about PTSD in children soon to be released. She speaks frequently at special needs andfoster care conferences around the country and conducts special needs ministry training workshops for churches. Jolene and her husband Hiram live in Boone. They are parents of two married children and grandparents to three beautiful grandchildren.

Since 2010, David Morstad has served as executive director of the Bethesda Institute. Created in 2009, the Institute is the primary outreach division of Bethesda, providing consultation, resources, research, education, professional training and leadership development. Prior to becoming executive director of the Institute, Morstad served in a number of different roles with the organization since 1977, most recently as vice president of Communications. He’s a widely published author of educational resource materials. In 2010, he received the Henri J.M. Nouwen Award from the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Dan Vander Plaats is the Director of Advancement at Elim Christian Services in Palos Heights, Illinois, a ministry that exists to equip people who live with disabilities to answer God’s call on their lives. He is also a member of the advisory committee for Disability Concerns for the Christian Reformed Church. In 2009, he developed “5 Stages: The Journey of Disability Attitudes” as a resource for Elim. The 5 Stages helps churches and individuals assess their attitudes toward people with disabilities. He is married to Denise (Hiemstra), and is father to Ben and Emma. They are members of Orland Park Christian Reformed Church in Illinois.

Since May 2007, Stephanie Hubach has served as Mission to North America’s Special Needs Ministries Director. Mission to North America (MNA) is associated with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). She currently serves on the Lancaster Christian Council on Disability (LCCD) and on the advisory board for Chosen Families. For eight years prior to her appointment at,MNA, Steph and her husband Fred led the Special Needs Ministry at Reformed Presbyterian Church in Ephrata, PA. Steph also formerly volunteered as a member of the board of directors for The Arc of Lancaster County, chairperson of the Lancaster County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Advisory Board, and president of the board of directors for the Infant Evaluation Program of State College, PA.  Steph is the author of Same Lake, Different Boat: Coming Alongside People Touched by Disability (Presbyterian and Reformed Publishers, September 2006), director of a Christian Education DVD series by the same title, and author of All Things Possible: Calling Your Church Leadership to Embrace Disability Ministry (Joni and Friends, August 2007).

 

Jeff McNair, PhD, is the Director of the Public Policy Center at the Joni and Friends Christian Institute on Disability. Dr. McNair is also a faculty member at California Baptist University where he oversees the M.A. in Disabilities Studies program which is a collaborative effort with the Christian Institute on Disability. He has been a professor of special education for over twenty years and is recognized as an expert in the area of moderate to severe disabilities. Dr. McNair is a regular contributor to journals and magazines and is a highly sought after speaker on issues of community and social integration through churches and disability ministry.

Kate Brueck is the Church Relations Manager for Joni and Friends Charlotte, training, equipping and resourcing churches and families throughout the Southeast and Dominican Republic for effective disability ministry. She speaks regularly at workshops, church consultations, and conferences. Kate holds a BM in Instrumental Music Education from Furman University and taught in a variety of schools for seven years, five in America and two in Kenya. She and her husband Richard live near Charlotte, NC.

Mohammed Yousuf is the founder and president of the EquallyAble Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering people with disabilities globally.  Since 2001, the EquallyAble Foundation has provided inclusion and disability awareness information in seminars, workshops and events to thousands of people across the United States.  Approximately 5000 individuals with disabilities have also received assistance globally including allowing around individuals to create small businesses.

Barbara J Newman is a church and school consultant for CLC Network. She is the author of “Helping Kids Include Kids with Disabilities”, “The Easter Book”, “Autism and Your Church”, “Any Questions? – a Guidebook for Inclusive Education”, “Nuts and Bolts of Inclusive Education”, “Circle of Friends Training Manual”, and “Body Building: Devotions to Celebrate Inclusive Community”. She has written curriculum for Friendship Ministries, was a major contributing author of “Special Needs SMART Pages” for Joni and Friends, co-authored the “G.L.U.E.  Training Manual”, and is a frequent national speaker at educational conferences and churches. In addition to writing and speaking, Barb enjoys working in her classroom at Zeeland Christian School.

Milton Tyree’s work is centered on offering people with disabilities ways of participation in valued aspects of everyday life. He coordinates several initiatives for the University of Kentucky’s Human Development Institute. “Putting Faith to Work,” is a Kessler Foundation funded project exploring possibilities for people with disabilities pursuing good employment through the supports inherent in their faith communities. “The Supported Employment Training Project” seeks improved employment opportunities through the human services sector. Another statewide project, “Endeavor for Excellence,” is built around a small community of practice focused on devoting time to know people with disabilities, and then learning about and developing relevant valued social roles, in addition to the employee role — for example, becoming an active member in a faith community.  He also consults via e-mail and phone for the Presbyterians for Disability Concerns about the benefits of congregational inclusion as well as possible integrative approaches. Milt lives in Louisville with his wife of thirty years, Vicky, and their 17 year old daughter, Kaylyn.

Sponsor/Vendor Information

Vendor: ($50) Includes a vendor table and one lunch

Bronze Level Sponsor: ($100) Includes 1/4 page ad in program, vendor table, listing on FIN website and 2 conference registrations

Silver Level Sponsor: ($200) Includes 1/2 page ad in program, vendor table, listing on FIN website and 3 conference registrations.

Gold Level Sponsor: ($300) Includes One full page ad in program, vendor table, listing on website and 4 conference registrations.

Corporate Level Sponsor: ($500+) Includes onen full page ad in program, vendor table, listing on website, 8 conference registrations, reserved seating and invitation to private pre-conference dinner reception Thursday evening, March 19