where I'll be writing & speaking in 2015
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This blog has been quiet, in part because of the holidays (Christmas break doesn't offer a lot of writing time!) and bouts of sickness (when does cold and flu season end?) but also because I've been elsewhere online. To find me when this space in quiet...
CAFO 2015
Longhollow Baptist Church
April 30-May 1, Nashville
The Christian Alliance for Orphans’ CAFO2015 Summit inspires and equips Christians to care for orphans with wisdom-guided love. The CAFO Summit has become the national hub for what Christianity Today called, “the burgeoning Christian orphan care movement.” Last year’s conference drew 2,600 foster and adoptive parents, orphan advocates, pastors and leaders from 35 countries.
Last year I spoke about Making Your Church a Welcoming Place for Families with Special Needs, and this year I'm following that up with a session titled Post-Placement Church: Children's and Youth Ministries That Are Safe Places for Special Needs.
Southeast Disability Ministry Summit: Irresistible Church
Christ Covenant Church
September 18-19, Charlotte
I'll be joining John Stonestreet and Emily Colson (who is truly one of my favorite people in the world!) at this amazing conference hosted by Joni and Friends Charlotte. My workshops will be on Joy Prom 101, which I'll co-lead with Katie Honeycutt, and The Special Needs of Foster & Adoptive Families. This conference will have a substantial ministry track as well as smaller family/caregiver and worldview tracks. If you're in the Southeast, you don't want to miss this!
Together for Adoption 2015: Simple
Summit Church
November 5-7, Raleigh
I'm not sure if I'll be speaking at this conference this year, but since it's in my hometown, I'll definitely be there!
On the first Monday of each month, you can find my writing at Not Alone, a special needs parenting site:
I also contribute guest posts elsewhere, and I'll do my best to link up to them more regularly here.
conferences
Global Access Conference
presented by Joni & Friends
February 17-20, near LA
The Global Access Conference will bring together disability leaders, ministers, educators and practitioners from around the world. It’s an unprecedented opportunity to share experiences, forge strong working relationships, and learn how to practically and effectively promote disability ministry in the Christian community.
I'll be leading two sessions:
Accessibility Summit
McLean Bible Church
April 17-18, near DC
I'm not speaking this year, but many good friends will be - Matt Mooney, Harmony Hensley, Jolene Philo, Barbara Newman, Amy Kendall, Marie Kuck, Jackie Mills Fernald, and Emily Colson - so I'm excited to learn, enjoy, and recharge at this well-established special needs ministry conference. I am, however, moderating a pre-conference panel of some AMAZING leaders titled Tips, Tweaks, & Tune-Ups for Sunday School Curriculum & Classrooms. For more information, click here.
presented by Joni & Friends
February 17-20, near LA
The Global Access Conference will bring together disability leaders, ministers, educators and practitioners from around the world. It’s an unprecedented opportunity to share experiences, forge strong working relationships, and learn how to practically and effectively promote disability ministry in the Christian community.
I'll be leading two sessions:
- The Special Needs of Foster and Adoptive Families and
- What are some practical implications of the verse "Blessed are the nations whose God is the Lord? (a roundtable discussion follow-up to Nick Vujicic's main stage talk).
Accessibility Summit
McLean Bible Church
April 17-18, near DC
I'm not speaking this year, but many good friends will be - Matt Mooney, Harmony Hensley, Jolene Philo, Barbara Newman, Amy Kendall, Marie Kuck, Jackie Mills Fernald, and Emily Colson - so I'm excited to learn, enjoy, and recharge at this well-established special needs ministry conference. I am, however, moderating a pre-conference panel of some AMAZING leaders titled Tips, Tweaks, & Tune-Ups for Sunday School Curriculum & Classrooms. For more information, click here.
CAFO 2015
Longhollow Baptist Church
April 30-May 1, Nashville
The Christian Alliance for Orphans’ CAFO2015 Summit inspires and equips Christians to care for orphans with wisdom-guided love. The CAFO Summit has become the national hub for what Christianity Today called, “the burgeoning Christian orphan care movement.” Last year’s conference drew 2,600 foster and adoptive parents, orphan advocates, pastors and leaders from 35 countries.
Last year I spoke about Making Your Church a Welcoming Place for Families with Special Needs, and this year I'm following that up with a session titled Post-Placement Church: Children's and Youth Ministries That Are Safe Places for Special Needs.
Southeast Disability Ministry Summit: Irresistible Church
Christ Covenant Church
September 18-19, Charlotte
I'll be joining John Stonestreet and Emily Colson (who is truly one of my favorite people in the world!) at this amazing conference hosted by Joni and Friends Charlotte. My workshops will be on Joy Prom 101, which I'll co-lead with Katie Honeycutt, and The Special Needs of Foster & Adoptive Families. This conference will have a substantial ministry track as well as smaller family/caregiver and worldview tracks. If you're in the Southeast, you don't want to miss this!
Together for Adoption 2015: Simple
Summit Church
November 5-7, Raleigh
I'm not sure if I'll be speaking at this conference this year, but since it's in my hometown, I'll definitely be there!
*More to be announced soon*
as I'm in talks with a few other adoption, women's, and children's ministry
conference organizers to firm up those opportunities
(Side note: I'm available to speak on a variety of topics related special needs parenting, adoption/foster care, disability ministry, and extending grace to ourselves as women, so please contact me if you're looking for a main stage speaker, workshop presenter, or panel member for an upcoming event. That said, I do have to be selective about speaking engagements because of family and local church responsibilities that come first, so please understand that I turn down great opportunities each year and yours might have to be one of them.)
regular contributions and guest posts
I blog a few times each month for Key Ministry, including these recent posts:
- Hi, I'm Shannon, and this is my family
- The four kinds of special needs in foster & adoptive families
- To love foster & adoptive families, (1) avoid treating us like idols.
- To love foster & adoptive families, (2) churches should become trauma- and attachment-informed.
- To love foster & adoptive families, (3) partner with us.
- To love foster & adoptive families, (4) let our kids be kids.
- To love foster & adoptive families, (5) be willing to listen and learn.
- When it's scary to say yes
- I love adoption, but...
- HIV and other blood-borne pathogens in children's ministry
- Please don't say "all kids do that" to foster and adoptive families
- Does love heal all wounds of childhood trauma?
On the first Monday of each month, you can find my writing at Not Alone, a special needs parenting site:
I also contribute guest posts elsewhere, and I'll do my best to link up to them more regularly here.
so please like it if you haven't yet!)
So please forgive me for being a stranger here from time to time! I hope to see you around elsewhere and, of course, here too. As a matter of fact, I have a bunch of new posts coming soon that you are not going to want to miss! (Way to leave you in suspense, huh?)