Widening the Welcome 2013, Press Release

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Jess Chancey

UCC Disabilities Ministries and UCC Mental Illness Network

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Coordinator: Rev. Kelli Parrish Lucas, UCCDM Secretary
email: kelli@womenwhospeakinchurch.com

Widening the Welcome: Inclusion for All, Pre-Synod Event June 27, 2013 Movement for Inclusion Hopes to Welcome Synod Attendees

The United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries (UCCDM) and the United Church of Christ Mental Illness Network (MIN) will offer a fourth Widening the Welcome (WtW) experience. The Fourth Widening the Welcome Conference will be held as a one-day Pre-Synod Event on Thursday, June 27th, 2013. This event is scheduled to be held in Long Beach, exact location TBD.

The theme for Widening the Welcome 2013 is “God’s Vision: The Great Dinner is Open to All” (Luke 14:15 ff). Two keynote speakers are expected. The Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroder, Founder Mental Health Ministries, will speak on “Mental Health as a Spiritual Journey” and offer a workshop on “Mental Illness and Families of Faith: How Congregations Can Respond.” The Rev. Kathy Reeves, Coordinator for the Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network-North America, a program of the World Council of Churches will also offer a keynote address/workshop. Both keynote speakers have self-identified as persons with disability and/or a persons in recovery.

Workshops focusing on how congregations can become Accessible to All (A2A), how congregations can develop mental health ministries will be available. Workshops such as “Prison Ministry and Mental Health as a Justice Issue,” “Cherish the Parents, Care for the Child: Supporting the Emotional Well Being of Families from Birth to Young Adulthood,” “Pastoral Care with People with Disabilities & Brain Disorders of Aging”, and topics not previously presented at WtW conferences are planned for this conference.

“Widening the Welcome” was termed “a movement within the movement” of the UCC by General Minister Geoffrey Black. WtW continues with its vision/mission:

to educate about mental illnesses/brain disorders and disabilities;
to teach how to develop Mental Health Ministries and A2A (Accessible to All) Covenants in your congregation;
to share best practices by telling stories, learning from each other, and networking;
to equip pastoral leaders to understand and provide quality pastoral care to men and women addressing these concerns; and
to offer spiritual support group experiences and worship together.###

Widening the Welcome III

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Jess Chancey

Widening the Welcome III, the third disability ministries conference to be sponsored by UCCDM and the UCC Mental Illness Network will be held at the Holiday Inn, Columbus-Worthington in Columbus, Ohio from November 1-3, 2012.

For full conference information please see the Widening the Welcome Conference website at:

Widening the Welcome Website

Amazing and well known speakers have been scheduled. Continuing Education Credits are being offered for Chaplains. And a wonderful of time of fellowship for ALL is planned. We hope to see you there!

Widening the Welcome II: Join the Movement!

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Jess Chancey

The website is up with all the information for the second Widening the Welcome conference, happening in Columbus Ohio from Sept. 29th to Oct. 1, 2011. Check it out and plan to attend! This event is co-sponsored by the UCC Disabilities Ministries Board and the UCC Mental Illness Network. Visit the website at www.wideningthewelcome.com.

WIDENING THE WELCOME 2

Posted on February 26, 2011 by Jess Chancey

Save the Dates! Widening the Welcome 2011 – Sept 29-Oct 4 – Columbus, Ohio
campaign.r20.constantcontact.com
Widening the Welcome, a movement within the United Church of Christ, has just announced the dates for their 2011 National Gathering in

Columbus Ohio. Visit www.wideningthewelcome.com or visit us on Facebook (widening the welcome and/or ucc disabilities ministries) for updated information. In the meantime, consider travel plans to Columbus!

Save the Date, Widening the Welcome 2010

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Jess Chancey

This content was part of the post about the Mental Illness Network until it was made it own post on January 4, 2014.

SAVE THE DATE
September 23-26, 2010
forThe 2010 UCC National Gathering in St. Louis

Widening the Welcome: Inclusion for All

Your congregation is a people that is called to be a welcoming community. In Romans we read, “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” Romans 15:7, 13. Welcome embraces the involvement of everyone, including people who have been touched by or have experienced a mental illness/brain disorder and/or a disability, apparent or unapparent. Sponsored by the United Church of Christ (UCC) Disabilities Ministries and the UCC Mental Illness Network, the purposes of this Conference are:

i. to educate about mental illnesses/brain disorders and disabilities;
ii. to learn how to develop Mental Health Ministries and A2A Covenants in your congregation;
iii. to share best practices by telling stories;
iv. to network, staying in touch with each other and learn from each other;
v. to offer spiritual support group experiences;
vi. to worship and offer devotions;
vii. to wrestle the words and actions for the UCC MIN Covenant;
viii. to plan activities around UCC Synod, including the Covenant; and
ix. to work toward encouraging every UCC congregation to be committed to compassionate action and widening the welcome for all.

This National Gathering will be hosted by the UCC Mental Illness Network (MIN) and UCC Disabilities Ministries (DM). This Conference will be held Thursday, September 23-Sunday, September 26, 2010. It will be in St. Louis. This gathering is for clergy, consumers, laity, families, and mental health professionals.

So far the speakers include Dr. Nancy Kehoe, a nun and a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School, author of “Wrestling with our Inner Angels: Faith, Mental Illness, and the Journey to Wholeness” Dr. David Greenhaw, President of Eden Theological Seminary, the Rev. Jane Fisler-Hoffman and the Rev. Bob Molsberry, UCC Conference Ministers, the Rev. Jeanne Tyler with the UCC DM, Mr. Jeffrey Pollack Esq., Attorney in Cleveland, the Rev. Dr. Craig Rennebohm, author of “Souls in the Hands of a Tender God”, and the Rev. Alan Johnson, author of “Encounters at the Counter: What Congregations can learn about Hospitality from Business”.

For more details and information, email Alan Johnson, Chair of the UCC MIN, revalan2004@comcast.net

Invitation to Widening the Welcome 2010

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Jess Chancey

This was part of the post about the Mental Illness Network until it was made its own post on January 4, 2014.

April 22, 2010

You are Invited to Join Others to Support The UCC Mental Illness Network and the UCC Disabilities Ministry National 2010 Conference “Widening the Welcome: Inclusion for All”

Faith Communities are called to be a welcoming communities. In Romans we read, “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:7, 13. Welcome embraces the involvement of everyone, including people who have been touched by or have experienced a mental illness/brain disorder and/or a disability, apparent or unapparent.

This first National Conference will be held in St. Louis, at the Drury Inn, on September 23-26, 2010. This Conference is for clergy, consumers, laity, families, and mental health professionals. The purposes are:

to educate about mental illnesses/brain disorders and disabilities;
to learn how to develop Mental Health Ministries and A2A Covenants in your congregation;
to share best practices by telling stories;
to network, staying in touch with each other and learn from each other;
to offer spiritual support group experiences, to worship and offer devotions;
to plan activities around UCC Synod; and
to work toward encouraging every faith congregation to be committed to compassionate action and widening the welcome for all.

As a financial supporter of this Conference you will be taking a step in this new frontier of inclusion for all. Many people are marginalized in our society because of their mental illness/brain disorders or disability/impairment. You will be among those who will be voicing and acting on your commitment to be a more whole and strengthened faith community.

The speakers include Dr. Nancy Kehoe, a nun and a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School, author of “Wrestling with our Inner Angels: Faith, Mental Illness, and the Journey to Wholeness”, Dr. Debbie Creamer, Associate Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, author of “Disability and Christian Theology Embodied Limits and Constructive Possibilities”,
Dr. David Greenhaw, President of Eden Theological Seminary, the Rev. Jane Fisler-Hoffman and the Rev. Bob Molsberry, author of “Blindsided by Grace”, UCC Conference Ministers, the Rev. Jeanne Tyler with the UCC DM, Mr. Jeffrey Pollock Esq., Attorney in Cleveland, the Rev. Dr. Craig Rennebohm, author of “Souls in the Hands of a Tender God”, and the Rev. Alan Johnson, author of “Encounters at the Counter: What Congregations can learn about Hospitality from Business”. There will be Worship, Workshops, Panels, Videos, Display Tables and opportunities to share in small groups.

We, the Planning Team, ask for you to support this Conference not only with your prayers but also with a financial donation. You and/or your congregation would be listed on the Conference Program in any of these categories. We would also introduce you at the Conference, if you are present.

Leader: ($1,000 and more)
Advocate: ($500-$900)
Sponsor: ($100-$400)

Your check can be made payable to Conference Office and sent to:
Summit Meetings, Inc., 90 Madison Street, Suite 403, Denver, CO 80206.
For more details and information, email Alan Johnson, Chair of the UCC MIN, revalan2004@comcast.net

United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries

on a mission to make the UCC Accessible to All (A2A)

Tag Archives: Widening the Welcome