Caregiving
Jolene Philo
November Is Family Caregiver Awareness Month

November is Caregiver Awareness Month. As someone who became one of my dad’s caregivers before I started school, I grew up thinking everyone in the world was aware of caregivers and caregiving. As a young adult my husband and I cared for a son born with a life-threatening medical condition, and his typical sibling. As members of the sandwich generation, my brother, sister, and I cared for our mother for 15 years after she was diagnosed with dementia. This explains why, when I first heard that November is Caregiver Awareness Month, I was incredulous, and I still am. 

November Is Family Caregiver Awareness Month
Care and Support, Disability Ministry, Special Needs Ministry
Larah Roberts
A Conversation with Lauren Hickman from Hope ...

In this episode, Lauren Hickman shares her personal journey and calling to disability ministry, describing how God has guided her every step of the way to serve families impacted by disability.

A Conversation with Lauren Hickman from Hope Allen Center: Podcast EP 125
Autism, Care and Support, Church Support, Disability Ministry, podcast, Special Needs Parenting, Special Needs Ministry, Sandra Peoples
Sandra Peoples
Strategies for Small and Normative Sized ...

 In today’s episode, Sandra talks about the challenges small to normative-sized churches face in disability ministry and shares how the churches she’s been a part of have overcome these challenges.

Strategies for Small and Normative Sized Churches with Sandra Peoples: Podcast EP 124
Care and Support, Church Support, Disability Theology, Hope, podcast, Special Needs Parenting
Elaina Marchenko
Prepping for the Holidays, a Pastor & ...

This week Elaina, from Key Ministry, sits down with Sergei Marchenko, Lead Pastor of Chatham Bible Church, and Special Needs Parent. They discuss preparing for the holiday season, church inclusion, special needs parenting and more!

Prepping for the Holidays, a Pastor & Parent Perspective with Sergei Marchenko: Podcast EP 123
Mental Health Ministry, Strategies, podcast, #MHATC2024, Announcements, Catherine Boyle
Catherine Boyle
Wrap-Around Mental Health Support: 4 Steps Any ...

In this episode of Key Ministry the Podcast, Catherine Boyle shares 4 steps any church can take when an individual or family has a significant mental health need that may require ongoing church support.

Wrap-Around Mental Health Support: 4 Steps Any Church Can Take: Podcast EP 122

Trauma

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Why Christians Don't Get Mental Health Treatment

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Why Christians Don't Get Mental Health Treatment

Since 2005, I have served on my church staff to provide clinical mental health counseling services to our congregation and others in our area. I have known people who wanted counseling but couldn’t get it, and others who had access to counseling but didn’t get it. I’ve known pastors who burned out without even considering seeking mental health treatment, and I’ve also known pastors who sought periodic counseling just as a personal self-care routine. Why is it that some people with symptoms of a mental illness go to counseling while others don’t?

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A Guided Prayer for Adoptive and Foster Families at Easter

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A Guided Prayer for Adoptive and Foster Families at Easter

As Easter nears, we humbly ask for Your tender care in the lives of each child and family. May our church services truly be a place of sanctuary for all families this Easter, as we gather to honor You, Lord.

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Waking a Sleepy Church: The Urgent Need for Mental Health Ministry

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Waking a Sleepy Church: The Urgent Need for Mental Health Ministry

Janet Parshall issued a powerful call to the church to minister more effectively to persons with mental illness in this keynote presentation from Inclusion Fusion Live 2019, a national disability ministry conference hosted by Key Ministry. She identifies key biblical figures who experienced symptoms of mental illness, challenges church leaders to end their stigmatization of persons with mental health issues and pastors to begin addressing the topic in the course of their preaching.

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5 Ways the Church Can Foster Healthy Attachment in Adoptive Families

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5 Ways the Church Can Foster Healthy Attachment in Adoptive Families

Many Christians build their families through adoption out of loving concern for orphans and to live the faith James describes. I hope churches continue to bring the orphan crisis to light. And, as they do, I pray we—as the Church—can come alongside the families whose children’s past trauma continues to cause the “distress” James 1:27 mentions.