Workshop List

I. FAMILY AND CAREGIVERS’ INTERESTS

Coping with Grief in the Lives of People with Intellectual Disabilities and/or Autism. Rev. Bill Gaventa, M.Div., Founder and Director Emeritus, Institute on Theology and Disability, and Meggie Beaudoin-Kobb (Texas)

The 5 Love Languages for Families Affected by Disability and The Mess That Stress Builds and What To Do About It. Jolene Philo, Author and Speaker, (Iowa)

Parenting Special Siblings and The Energized Caregiver: Tapping Your Unique Strengths. Lisa Jamieson, Exec. Director, Walk Right In, (Minnesota)

The Spirituality of Caregiving. Maureen Pratt, Author and Speaker, (California)

Parent Connection-A Movement toward Wholeness. Tom Jones, Founder of SHARE (Texas)

Balancing Children, Marriage and Self Care in a Special Needs Family. David and Mercedes Rizzo, Authors and Speakers (New Jersey)

Spirituality in the Context of Nonverbal Autism. Karenne Hills, Ph. D. (Australia)

II. FIRST-PERSON ACCOUNT – SELF-ADVOCACY INTERESTS

“Roll Called… Living with a Purpose”. Angela West, (Virginia)

You Have to See IT To Be it…Or So I Thought. Rev. Padraic Collins-Bohrer, (New York)

Weeping together: When a Minister Struggles with Mental Health. Pastor Joanna French (Kansas)

Living with Autism and Growing in Faith. Ron Sandison- (Michigan)

A Path Forward – Helping Empower People with Disabilities to Find their Voice through Self-Advocacy. Lorraine Friedman-(Texas)

III. CONGREGATIONAL AND MINISTRY INTERESTS

Roll Called…Living with a Purpose. Angela West-(Virginia)

Building the Next Inclusive Generation: Partnering with Youth, Children and Families to Create Inclusive Communities and Room to Breathe: Creating and Sustaining Supportive Community Groups for Parents of Children with Disabilities/Special Needs. Bronwyn Murphy, Inclusion Coordinator (California)

The Tikvah Program at Camp Ramah: 50 Years of Inclusive Camping and Still Evolving. Howard Blas (Connecticut)

We Are Able: Offering Inclusive Service Opportunities for Youth and Young Adults. Jeanne Davies, Executive Director Anabaptist Disabilities Network (Indiana)

Cyber Catechesis – We Can Adapt! Part I and We Can Adapt: Materials and Methods that really work! Part II. Sister Kathleen Schipani, IHM (Pennsylvania)

Successful Inclusion of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Disability Ministry Programs. Rebekah Dyer, Ph. D. (Arizona)

B’nai Mitzvah: Creating Meaningful Coming of Age Ceremonies for Jewish People with Disabilities. Shelly Christensen, MA, Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer, MA, and Howard Blas

Building Your Disability Ministry Team and Starting your Disability Ministry. Samantha Jones, CEO and Founder, Benevolence United

How Do We Keep on Learning? Religious Education and Congregational Belonging for Adults with Disabilities. Maureen Pratt, Speaker and Author (California)

“Be Together: Building Relationships Across Difference.” Mary Ruppert, L’Arche USA

“Special needs in the Muslim community: Past, present, and future.” Imam Nadim Bashir, (Texas)

The Future of Discipleship and Special Needs Ministry. Catherine Boyle (Virginia)

Muhsen Mosque Certification- A Process for Awareness, Accommodation, and Acceptance in places of Worship. Shaykh Tariq Musleh (Illinois)

Belonging in Action. Shelly Christensen, MA. Inclusion Innovations (Minnesota)

“I’m Trying to Get My Family To Church” and Why is This Parent So Angry? Michelle Munger (Virginia)

“Mental Illness: What is it and why does it matter for your faith community?” Pastor David Eckert, Director of Intersect-(Pennsylvania)

“Supporting Those with Mental Illness in Your Congregation and Community.” Pastor David Eckert, Director of Intersect-(Pennsylvania)

Weeping together: When a Minister Struggles with Mental Health. Pastor Joanna French (Kansas)

Reading our civic text in order to form coalitions within and beyond the disability community. Rev. Justin Hancock, Co-Founder, The Julian Way (Texas)

Faith and Advocacy: Engaging our elected leaders for changes at local & national levels. Rachel Chung, Disabilities Coordinator ADW DSNM (Washington DC)

Opportunities for Professional Caregivers to Promote Faith and Spirituality in Person-Centered Planning. Shelly Christensen, MA and Debby Fisher, PsyD

IV. DISABILITY AND THEOLOGY TRACK

Reconsidering Charity Within the Body of Christ. Anne Masters, Ph.D., FAAIDD, (New Jersey)

Accessibility, Ableism and the Church. Jasmine Duckworth, Christian Horizons (Canada)

Show Me: The Biblical Backing for Special needs Ministry. Pastor Joanna French (Kansas)

The gospels and the models of disability. Rev. Justin Hancock, Co-Founder, The Julian Way (Texas)
Spirituality in the Context of Nonverbal Autism. Karenne Hills, Ph.D. (Australia)

Click here for detailed workshop descriptions and bios of speakers.