Workshops

We enjoyed 32 great workshops at the Mercy Conference! We have posted links below that will lead you to the audio recordings, handouts, and other materials the speakers have provided to us.

NOTE: Click on the headers to sort by WHEN, TITLE, SPEAKER.

Files	Title and Description	Speaker's Bio
The Chalmers Center Recommended reading	What is poverty? How to help without hurting Before we seek to alleviate poverty, we need to understand the root of the issue. This workshop will introduce you to the basic principles of When Helping Hurts and their implications for our work with low-income households.	Andy Jones | Chalmers Center Andy is the Director of Development and Communications at the Chalmers Center where he develops and sustains vital partnerships with individuals, churches, and foundations. He is an ordained minister and previously served as the Senior Minister of Peace Presbyterian Church in Cary, North Carolina.
The Chalmers Center Recommended reading	Dignity-driven mercy ministry If we believe that God has endowed every human with unique gifts, skills, and abilities, what difference does it make when it comes to our mercy ministry? From our benevolence policies to our short-term mission trips, this workshop will propose practical ways to interact with the poor that affirms their God-given dignity.	Andy Jones | Chalmers Center Andy is the Director of Development and Communications at the Chalmers Center where he develops and sustains vital partnerships with individuals, churches, and foundations. He is an ordained minister and previously served as the Senior Minister of Peace Presbyterian Church in Cary, North Carolina.
Cheryl Crocker's workshop	Merciful medical missions At the start of Matthew 9:35-38, we see Jesus healing people, and just a few short verses later we read His plea to pray for the Lord to send out laborers for the harvest. Come learn how Jesus' ministry of healing is still at work today in medical missions throughout the world, how this encourages and shapes the church, and the great need for laborers in this unique ministry. Jesus healed people and changed their lives. God continues to change hearts through medical missions. Those who go and give — and those who receive and respond.	Cheryl Crocker | MTW Mercy Cheryl Crocker is a nurse and has ministered as a Global Medical Missionary with MTW since 2000. At the invitation of MTW missionaries and national church leaders, Cheryl recruits, prepares and leads medical teams to assist in foreign church-planting efforts through compassionate care, prayer and evangelism. As Christ demonstrated His concern for physical as well as spiritual healing in Matt. 9:35-37 MTW medical teams pray to have His eyes of compassion for those who are "harassed and helpless" because they are without the Shepherd.
Chris Sicks' workshops	Can you pay this bill? If your church has a phone number or a doorbell, you probably get requests for financial help. Folks ask for rent, utilities, food, gasoline, etc. What is the right response? How does God want us to use His resources? For whom, for what, and in what way? Join us to discuss various approaches to this perennial issue, including the respective roles of the pastor, deacons, church secretary, and congregation. Discover ways your church can be loving, responsible, and Biblical as you respond to these requests.	Chris Sicks | Alexandria Presbyterian Chris Sicks serves as Pastor of Mercy at Alexandria Presbyterian Church (APC). He leads and trains the deacons and Mercy Committee as they show mercy to the hurting within the congregation and the community. Previously, Chris was a deacon and Director of Mercy Ministry at APC. He has also worked at a homeless shelter and drug recovery program in DC, and served as executive director of a mentoring and scholarship program for DC children. He is the author of Tangible: Making God Known through Deeds of Mercy and Words of Truth from NavPress.
Nancy Booher's workshop	ESL ministry as outreach God has literally brought the World to our Doorstep. Look around: immigrants, refugees and International College Students are our new neighbors. By offering ESL Classes we can reach them with the Gospel and help them with their daily lives in America. Come hear amazing stories of what God is doing across the nation in ESL Ministries. Found out how your church can start an ESL School. Volunteers don’t need to speak a foreign language and they don’t have to be professional teachers. All they need to do is speak English and love Jesus and we can teach them the rest!!!	Nancy Booher | MNA ESL Leader Nancy Booher is an accidental missionary. She has been volunteering at her home church (Chapelgate in Marriottsville, Maryland) as their ESL (English as a Second Language) Ministries Director since 2000. In 2005, MNA created the position of ESL Ministries Director in response to the recognition by many PCA Churches nationwide that God was literally sending the world to our doorstep. No one was more surprised than Nancy to be asked to be on MNA’s Senior Staff. Since that time she has helped more than 200 churches start ESL Ministries. She has been married to her supportive husband, Ron, for 34 years. Without him she would never get to most places she needs to be! She has two grown sons and three beautiful grandchildren that fill her hours with joy!
Disaster response workshop	Is God in the storm? God's love on display through disaster response God shows up in profound ways during natural disasters. Storms expose people to needs they never imagined, revealing hope where they never considered looking. During the response to a disaster, churches have a unique opportunity to imitate Christ’s incarnational love by moving toward those in need and displaying His love through physical acts of mercy while offering the hope of the Gospel through proclamation of the Word. Join us during this session to understand the mechanics of launching a disaster response team at your church and joining in what God is doing.	Arklie Hooten and Curt Moore | MNA Disaster Response MNA Disaster Response provides support to PCA churches in disaster-affected communities. MNA recruits and mobilizes volunteers, receives and distributes supplies and equipment, brings awareness of specific needs, channels recovery funds, focuses prayer and provides spiritual encouragement to our PCA family and their communities. Curt Moore has served as MNA’s Disaster Response Specialist for the Gulf Coast Region since 2006. He trains and equips churches and presbyteries to provide relief and response to communities in need and is often deployed after a disaster to provide assessments and help churches develop strategies for relief and response. When he is not responding to natural disasters he serves the saints at Willow Creek Church (PCA) as the Pastor of Discipleship. He lives in Winter Springs, FL with his wife, Kelly, and their cocker spaniel, Bailey. He also likes Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain. In the fall of 2005, Arklie Hooten moved to Mississippi immediately after Hurricane Katrina made landfall to coordinate volunteers, establish worksites and to marshal critically needed resources to churches impacted by the storm. He reorganized the ministry structure to empower lay leadership and further expanded this vital denominational ministry. Subsequently this network of relief providers has trained, equipped and mobilized more than 100,000 volunteers to disaster-affected communities in desperate need, including rebuilding 19 PCA churches.
Dave Perrin's workshop Recommended reading	Church partnerships with social service agencies The state governments have entire departments of employees that serve the poor and needy in our communities every day. They know the situation. They have vast experience and years of training. They are great resources in our community. But has the “separation of church and state” made them OFF LIMITS to churches? Is there any way that churches and the Department of Social Services can work together… and even be partners of redemption? Come hear how God connected a few key community leaders in St. Mary’s County, MD, and created a partnership between DSS and churches that is redeeming the community. Speakers will include Kerry Miciotto, Team Leader at DSS; Sara Martin, Church Administrator at Lexington Park United Methodist Church; and Dave Perrin, Director of Ministry Development at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church.	Kerry Miciotto, LCSW-C | St. Mary's County Department of Social Services Dave Perrin | Cornerstone PCA Sara Martin | Lexington Park U. Methodist Kerry Miciotto graduated from University of Maryland School of Social Work in 1993. She serves in the St. Mary’s County Dept of Social Services as Program Manager for In Home Services and Team Leader for the Lexington Park office. She has received public recognition for her community efforts with the St. Mary’s County Judy Center and Board of Education, and received an Award for Innovative Programs for development and collaboration with community partners using an Asset Development Community Model Approach. Dave’s career path has not been normal – first flying jets in the Marine Corps, then designing computer systems for Northrop Grumman. God then called Dave to serve Cornerstone (PCA) as director over all ministry teams. But a large part of Dave’s tasking was to further develop Cornerstone’s Mercy Ministry. This has resulted in new and deepening partnerships in the community, including teaching faith-related Financial Literacy classes to welfare recipients at the request of the Department of Social Services. Dave is married to Tracie, they have 6 kids (3 adopted and 3 biological), and have lived in Southern MD for the past 15 years. Sara has over 20 years of experience working with the local community. Her position as Church Administrator provides many opportunities to provide guidance and encouragement to both impoverished and homeless people. Sara pioneered a new method in which her church provides financial help to those in need by forming a relationship with the Department of Social Services, and she encourages other churches to adopt such an approach. Sara is Vice-chair of the Homeless Prevention Board. She served on the Board of Directors at the Three Oaks Shelter, and is an advocate for the homeless and persons on the verge of becoming homeless.
Kevin and Jessica Schick's workshop	Counseling troubled hearts and minds All of us in ministry encounter people who are struggling with negative emotions--perhaps depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts. How do we help these people? How do we know our limitations, and when we should either get a team of helpers around a needy person or get the help of a professional? Can we know when God is calling us to go the extra mile or when He is calling us to say 'no' to a legitimate need? What steps can I take to ensure I am in the healthiest place in my own life, so that I am able to go the distance with others?	Kevin & Jessica Schick | Emmaus House Counseling at 4th Presbyterian Kevin and Jessica obtained degrees in Counseling from Reformed Theological Seminary in Florida, where they met. They are Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPC) and National Certified Counselors (NCC). Early in their career they were blessed with opportunities to provide counseling and counseling training in Ukraine and Scotland. They have had many opportunities for teaching and speaking from men’s retreats (Kevin), deacon training, leadership trainings, adult Sunday school classes, and leading small groups. Kevin and Jessica are the counselors at Emmaus House Counseling at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Maryland where they feel blessed to counsel people from all around DC area. Each are passionate and honored to help people heal from life’s difficulties and also to equip others to be agents of healing. Kevin and Jessica love sharing life’s journeys with each other including raising their two wonderful boys.
Shangwok Deng's workshop	Refugee ministry: God's call to serve sojourners The challenges of forced migration--refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced people--are among the biggest facing the world today. No country is left untouched. Some paint the issue as a security threat. Others say refugees and migrants are an economic problem and social burden. Some make it a polarizing political issue, while yet others emphasize the humanitarian mandate to assist forcibly displaced people. As followers of Jesus, we need to take time to be Biblically informed when we help refugees understand the Biblical mandates. While the Bible is filled with references to “aliens” and “strangers,” in this workshop I will share my own background, marrying my faith with my immigrant experience. Using scripture, personal stories, and examples from the encounters between WEPC and its immigrant friends, I hope this workshop will help us better understand God’s heart for immigrants and refugees.	Shangwok Deng | Deacon on staff, West End Pres Shangwok was born in Malakal, South Sudan. His family sent him to Khartoum, Sudan at a young age for schooling and he moved to Syria with his brother’s family for high school. It was in in Syria where he met and married his wife, Matbein. After being granted status as asylum refugees, they were resettled in Richmond in 2003 and became U.S. citizens in 2010. Matbein and Shangwok have four wonderful children, three girls and one boy. They began attending WEPC in 2005, and Shangwok has served as Director of Neighborhood Outreach since 2011.
Graham Scharf's workshop Recommended reading	Let the little children (and their parents) come to Me: Breaking cycles of poverty where they start Most Christian mercy work focuses on relief. Increasingly, the focus is shifting to development through education, debt counseling, micro-enterprise, affordable housing, etc. In this workshop, we will go a step further to explore church-based, community-oriented pursuit of renewal in the most powerful institution – the family – during the most sensitive period of human development – early childhood.	Graham Scharf | Author, The Apprenticeship of Being Human Graham Scharf is a father, the husband of a developmental pediatrician, and the author of The Apprenticeship of Being Human: Why Early Childhood Parenting Matters to Everyone. He has worked in team development, taught early elementary grades as a NYC Teaching Fellow, co-founded Tumblon.com, and is full-time dad to his 9- and 4-year-old daughters.
Joe Magri's workshop	Leading in love: Deacons, mercy, and redemptive suffering Deacons are called to lead people in service and develop the grace of liberality in giving among church members. But how do we motivate others to share in suffering they could or would rather avoid? This workshop seeks to describe the basis for mercy and good deeds and the spiritual blessings that may be gained by taking risks and loving well.	Joe Magri | Trinity Pres, Charlottesville Joe is the Assistant Pastor for Local Outreach and Mercy at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, Virginia. He served the church for 13 years as a deacon prior to being called as an elder and pastor. Joe enjoys cross-cultural ministry with his wife Karen. They have two grown daughters and six grandchildren.
David Apple's workshops	Welcoming Jesus: Acts of hospitality When we practice hospitality, we see others in a new way. Hospitality means welcoming strangers and seeing them through the eyes of Jesus. It is choosing to look for Jesus in the eyes of the unloved, and loving the one who is “different.” Since 1984, ACTS Ministries (Tenth Pres) has sought to make its facilities a safe place for people to come—especially those who don’t feel welcomed elsewhere. Come hear how they do it.	David Apple | Tenth Presbyterian Dr. David S. Apple has directed the Mercy Ministries at Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia since 1988. He oversees 300 volunteers in outreach, evangelism and hospitality to homeless persons, people with AIDS, at-risk children, nursing home residents, incarcerated persons and people with special needs. His ministry includes deacon training and equipping churches for ministry in their communities. For more information, please visit www.activecompassionphilly.org. He also serves as a Chaplain with the Philadelphia Police Department. He earned a B.A. from Calvin College, a Pastoral Counseling Certificate from CCEF, MATS and M.Div. from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. David's wife Kate teaches English at The City School-Rittenhouse, an urban Christian high school.
David Apple's workshops	The how-tos of church-based mercy ministry Ministries of mercy and compassion require that we work closely with those who are hurting and vulnerable. On many occasions we find ourselves unwrapping the grave cloths of the walking dead. Yet, mercy ministry can be as simple as showing up, establishing relationships, and offering hope.	David Apple | Tenth Presbyterian Dr. David S. Apple has directed the Mercy Ministries at Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia since 1988. He oversees 300 volunteers in outreach, evangelism and hospitality to homeless persons, people with AIDS, at-risk children, nursing home residents, incarcerated persons and people with special needs. His ministry includes deacon training and equipping churches for ministry in their communities. For more information, please visit www.activecompassionphilly.org. He also serves as a Chaplain with the Philadelphia Police Department. He earned a B.A. from Calvin College, a Pastoral Counseling Certificate from CCEF, MATS and M.Div. from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. David's wife Kate teaches English at The City School-Rittenhouse, an urban Christian high school.
Andy and Cindy Schwarz's workshop	Orphan care: What you can do Want to consider what the Lord may have for your church in caring for orphans? Come hear how orphan care isn’t just another ministry, but can be a tangible ongoing mission in and through the church. You’ll enjoy Andy and Cindy’s light-hearted and realistic experiences of what worked (and what did not) as they’ve personally engaged in orphan care. You might be surprised by some of their answers as you hear how you can invite the Lord to ignite your church community in unique ways!	Andy & Cindy Schwarz | West End Pres Andy and Cindy Schwarz are active leaders in their home church, West End Presbyterian, in Richmond, Virginia. They have been married for 20 years, blessed with 5 children and have enjoyed many ways the Lord has invited them (and their family) alongside His heart and work in missions. Specifically, they have found their relationship with the Lord to have been profoundly changed by their experiences with orphan care. Although they set out to 'start an orphans ministry' years ago, the Lord had more at stake. They enjoy laughing at the way(s) God has moved in spite of their best laid plans, even better than their own. They have a unique way of getting individuals and groups to consider what their role is in following God's heart in caring for orphans. You won't find them compelled to live out orphan care as a 'good work' (although it is), but spurred on by the Father's adoption and redeeming work in their own lives.
Kenny Foster's workshop	The embrace Of grace: Developing mercy ministry while becoming a multi-ethnic congregation Have you experienced the embrace of grace? If so then you know what grace does in your life. Grace redeems, reconciles, releases, equips, encourages and empowers those who are in its arms. What would happen if the embrace of grace hits a community in the same way it hits your life? In this workshop you will hear the story of one church's efforts to extend the embrace of grace across lines of class, ethnicity, age and abilities in order to seek the peace of the city in which it resides. The workshop is for any Christian working in cross-cultural ministry and mercy ministry on any level. This workshop will inform you theologically, philosophically and pragmatically in living out the radically transforming gospel of the grace of God in your church and city.	Kenny Foster and team | Grace Dover Kenny Foster is a husband, father, and pastor currently serving at Grace Church (PCA) in Dover, DE. Kenny serves as an Associate Pastor with a focus on Community Outreach. He also serves as the Executive Director of a non-profit, Christian community development organization named Grace For Dover.
Shay Bethea's workshop	Getting to the root of the work problem In this workshop, the presenters will peel the layers of the unemployment and underemployment crisis. Instead of focusing just on the techniques of resume writing, job hunting, and interview skills, the issues around poverty and work are much deeper. The Church and local businesses are uniquely positioned to go to the roots of the problem and walk with people in providing community while reaffirming identity, dignity, and character. In the process of going deeper, there is reconciliation that occurs and stereotypes that are shattered. Only then can we begin to break the cycles of poverty in our communities. This workshop will also discuss and reveal tangible ways this approach is occurring and having an impact across the nation. As a result, the next time someone approaches your church or ministry and says "Can you help? I need a job," you will have an answer for them.	Sharon Bethea | Jobs for Life For over 15 years, “Coach Shay” has volunteered with agencies and non-profit organizations that focus on building communities, strengthening families and advocating justice for juveniles. Shay understands that your past is not your prescription for your future. She is committed to empower, encourage and equip those who are faced with socio-economic challenges, life's issues and negative stigmas. She advocates for the abused, the homeless and those who are broken. Coach Shay serves as Director of Training and Leadership Development Jobs for Life, which equips the church to build communities through the dignity of work.
Mark Casson's workshops	How the Church can effectively minister to prisoners This workshop will look at ways the church can shepherd prisoners. Topics will include church membership while incarcerated, providing counseling services to prisoners and their families, personal visitation, and so on. All too often prisoners are evangelized and then left to themselves. This workshop will address what to do for long-term shepherding of these lost sheep.	Mark Casson | Metanoia Ministries Mark Casson is a husband, father, businessman, author and PCA Ruling Elder who also happens to have spent over 15 years serving a life sentence in California's prison system. Mark is the Executive Director of Metanoia Prison Ministries and Director of Prison Ministry for the Presbyterian Church in America. He has been blessed to speak about the greatness of God’s grace to high schools, colleges, conferences, prisons and churches throughout the U.S.
Mark Casson's workshops	Breaking the habit: Ministering to addicts in a 12-step world This workshop will look at Biblical means for dealing with addictions and how the church can effectively minister to people who struggle with alcohol and drugs. It is estimated that 65-70% of prisoners are incarcerated because of drug and/or alcohol related crimes. If the heart sins aren't dealt with, the likelihood of re-offending is very high. This workshop will look at ways to truly break the habit.	Mark Casson | Metanoia Ministries Mark Casson is a husband, father, businessman, author and PCA Ruling Elder who also happens to have spent over 15 years serving a life sentence in California's prison system. Mark is the Executive Director of Metanoia Prison Ministries and Director of Prison Ministry for the Presbyterian Church in America. He has been blessed to speak about the greatness of God’s grace to high schools, colleges, conferences, prisons and churches throughout the U.S.
Kristen Harnly's workshop	Starting disability ministry in your church How do you actually begin a disability ministry in your church? What is the ministry’s purpose and role in congregational life? What are the biblical principles on which it needs to be founded? What are the probable obstacles? What are the potential opportunities? What process do you need to follow? Who needs to be involved? How do you secure the support of your Session? How does congregational “buy-in” occur? What organizational structure typically works best in Presbyterian settings and why? How much can you do—and how fast? Have you ever asked questions like these? This seminar will provide you with practical ways to address them.	Kristen Harnly | MNA Special Needs Ministries Kristen Harnly serves as a Facilitator with MNA Special Needs Ministries and as Coordinator of the Children with Special Needs Ministry at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Kristen is an Occupational Therapist with broad life experiences with disability. She is married to Keith and has two children.
Steph Hubach's workshop Recommended reading	Disability 101: What’s in your worldview? Our worldview influences how we look at, well, our world! What ideas do we bring to the subject of disability that reflect our culture’s values more than a Biblical perspective? This seminar looks at the influences of modernism and postmodernism and then contrasts those with a Biblical view of disability. Throughout the discussion we will ask, what can I affirm about this perspective? What can I not affirm about this perspective? How do I bring the Gospel to bear in this area?	Stephanie Hubach | MNA Special Needs Ministries Stephanie Hubach serves as Mission to North America’s Special Needs Ministries Director. She also serves on the Lancaster Christian Council on Disability. Steph is the author of Same Lake, Different Boat: Coming Alongside People Touched by Disability and All Things Possible: Calling Your Church Leadership to Disability Ministry. She has been published in ByFaith magazine, Focus on the Family magazine, and Breakpoint online magazine and produced a Christian Education DVD series based on Same Lake, Different Boat. Steph and her husband Fred have been married for 30 years. They have two deeply loved sons: Fred and Tim, the younger of whom has Down syndrome.
John Freeman's workshop	Mercy for the sexually broken in your church Nothing does as much damage to the spiritual life and vitality of people as their unspoken and therefore unaddressed struggles with sexual sin and brokenness. Today more people than ever find themselves in this category. We often acknowledge the damage that hidden struggles with pornography, same-sex attractions, and other sexual addictions do to individuals and families but our churches are often perceived as unsafe or ill-equipped places to turn for help. This workshop will show what the church misses out on when our people are bound up, in silence, by these problems. It will also unfold how we can make our churches redemptive places of mercy and hope to those who struggle.	John Freeman | Harvest USA John began his ministry with Harvest USA as a volunteer while at Westminster Seminary. As president of Harvest USA, he has a deep burden to see those who struggle with pornography, unwanted same-sex attraction, and other sexual addictions experience changed lives through Jesus Christ. John spends most of his time helping churches be equipped to better care for the hearts of individuals and families affected by these struggles. He frequently works with pastors, staff, and elder boards in consultations about how to make their churches redemptive places of hope and help for sexual strugglers.
Chris Sicks' workshops	Word & deed, partners rather than rivals In today’s church, there seems to be two well-intentioned groups. “Deed” people feed the hungry and help the poor, while “Word” people proclaim the gospel and engage in apologetics. The two often seem to compete with one another, but God always intended them to be partners. Sacrificial love can grab the attention of those we serve, opening their ears and minds to the words we share. Come learn how to consistently combine Word and Deed in your ministry.	Chris Sicks | Alexandria Presbyterian Chris Sicks serves as Pastor of Mercy at Alexandria Presbyterian Church (APC). He leads and trains the deacons and Mercy Committee as they show mercy to the hurting within the congregation and the community. Previously, Chris was a deacon and Director of Mercy Ministry at APC. He has also worked at a homeless shelter and drug recovery program in DC, and served as executive director of a mentoring and scholarship program for DC children. He is the author of Tangible: Making God Known through Deeds of Mercy and Words of Truth from NavPress.
Pat Hatch's workshops Recommended reading	Immigration 101: What the Church should know and can do Are all non-citizens here illegally? Why don't undocumented persons simply apply for citizenship? What's the difference between a green card and a visa? And what does the Bible say about God's attitude toward the alien - and what He wants my attitude to be? If you've ever asked yourself any of these questions, this workshop may be helpful in grasping the big picture. The presenter has spent more than 30 years working directly with refugees and other immigrants, first as a church volunteer, then in the private non-profit sector, and eventually in the public sector.	Pat Hatch | MD Office for Refugees and Asylees Pat Hatch served as program manager at the Maryland Office for Refugees and Asylees in the Maryland Department of Human Resources until her retirement three years ago. She provides training on cultural competence, linguistic access and immigration issues. Previously, Pat founded and directed the Foreign-born Information and Referral Network (FIRN), a non-profit agency in Columbia, Maryland, that serves refugees and immigrants from over 100 countries of origin. She taught in Seoul, South Korea in the late 1960s, where she learned what it feels like to be the odd person out in another culture.
Pat Hatch's workshops Recommended reading	Ministry to immigrants in your neighborhood Have you noticed more immigrants in your neighborhood - at the supermarket, at your children's school, etc.? The same God who gave His followers the Great Commission has brought the nations to our doorstep! How can you and your congregation reach out to these new neighbors in Christian love in a meaningful, sustainable way and further the Kingdom? In this workshop we'll hear about a few successful models and brainstorm about others.	Pat Hatch | MD Office for Refugees and Asylees with Chris Zang and Debbie Guo | River's Edge Community Church Pat Hatch served as program manager at the Maryland Office for Refugees and Asylees in the Maryland Department of Human Resources until her retirement three years ago. She provides training on cultural competence, linguistic access and immigration issues. Previously, Pat founded and directed the Foreign-born Information and Referral Network (FIRN), a non-profit agency in Columbia, Maryland, that serves refugees and immigrants from over 100 countries of origin. She taught in Seoul, South Korea in the late 1960s, where she learned what it feels like to be the odd person out in another culture. Chris Zang is the Director of International Ministries at River's Edge Community Church. Debbie Guo is his wife and helper extraordinaire!
Ruth Famini's workshop	How your church can serve refugees Who are refugees? Where do they come from? Why are they coming to my community? And how can my church reach out to them? This session will attempt to answer these and other questions related to refugee resettlement. It will give a brief overview of the U.S. refugee program and the role of the nine national resettlement agencies, and will feature an interactive discussion about opportunities for ministry among these new neighbors.	Ruth Famini | Director of National Resettlement at World Relief Ruth Famini is the Director of National Resettlement Programs at World Relief’s home office in Baltimore, Maryland. She has been with World Relief for seventeen years, and is responsible for overseeing the organization’s largest domestic program, which provides assistance to refugees and moves them toward self-sufficiency. Ruth was instrumental in starting World Relief’s work in the area of anti- human trafficking, and provides oversight to that program as well. Ruth holds a Bachelor’s degree from Nyack College. She and her husband, John, have four grown children and three adorable granddaughters.
Joe Farrell's workshop	What you can do to help victims of human trafficking 30 million people are trapped in human trafficking (modern-day slavery) today. Is this something the church ought to concern itself with? This workshop will explore some passages from the Bible to rediscover God’s heart for those who are oppressed. Part of God’s character, “He is a just God,” will be used as a platform to consider and challenge followers of Jesus to grow in understanding issues like human trafficking and other forms of violent oppression.	Joe Farrell | International Justice Mission Joe Farrell is the Northeast Director of Church Mobilization for International Justice Mission. Joe is ordained in the Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians (ECO). IJM is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local governments to ensure victim rescue, to prosecute perpetrators and to strengthen the community and civic factors that promote functioning public justice systems
Patrick Donohue's workshop	Rich people need mercy, too This seminar will examine some of the socio-economic factors of mercy. Most consider mercy to be directed exclusively to the materially poor. But to what degree do the wealthy need mercy, too? Most urban environments have communities of extreme wealth located right next to communities of extreme poverty. This seminar will explore what it looks like to apply the mercy of God to both extremes and give us tools to engage each extreme with God's mercy.	Patrick Donohue | City Church, Baltimore Patrick Donohue is the church-planting pastor of City Church in Baltimore City, a church committed to practicing mercy across the lines that commonly divide. Previously, he was on staff at Chapelgate Presbyterian Church where he directed Serve the City, a regional effort of mercy for Baltimore City. Patrick also teaches in the religion department at the Notre Dame of Maryland University on the connection of Spirituality and Social Justice. Mostly, he is a husband and a dad to 3 energetic children.
Dan Passarelli and Erin O’Brien's workshop	So you think you can volunteer Volunteering is all the rage, but how do we channel that energy in a way that's beneficial for both volunteers and those they serve? Join staff from Serve the City Baltimore as they share stories of connecting volunteers with ministries in Baltimore, and lessons learned along the way.	Dan Passerelli and Erin O'Brien | Serve the City Baltimore Dan Passerelli is the director of Serve The City Baltimore. Dan is also an Assistant Pastor at Chapelgate Presbyterian Church outside Baltimore. Before returning to his home city, Dan was a church planter in London, England. Erin O’Brien is the administrator for STC Baltimore. She volunteered in Brussels with the original Serve the City team and is on staff with Christian Associates International, where she trains and prepares new missionaries. Serve the City began in 2005 as the mercy branch of a church planting effort in Brussels, Belgium. Today, Serve the City is in 115 cities around the world, bringing Christian and non-Christian volunteers together and connecting them with local initiatives and ministries working for the good of their cities.
Chip Sweney's workshop Recommended reading	New kind of big: Building partnerships with others Do you desire to be part of a bigger impact than your church can have alone? In our time together we will look at some key questions that will help us become a church that is engaged in the challenges of our community and an influence in our community. We will share our journey at Perimeter Church of adding the Hand to the Head and Heart and how we are partnering with churches across denomination and across ethnicity as well as leaders in the public and private sectors for bigger impact.	Chip Sweney | Author, A New Kind of Big, Perimeter Church, Atlanta Chip Sweney is on the Executive Leadership Team and is the Next Gen and Community Transformation Pastor at Perimeter Church in Atlanta,Ga. He oversees the ministry that Perimeter is doing outside the four walls of the church in metro Atlanta as well as all the partnering that Perimeter is doing with churches around metro Atlanta. He has been on staff at Perimeter for 14 years and was one of the Student Ministry Pastors before helping launch Community Outreach at Perimeter in 2002. Chip also serves as the Director of Unite!, a network of over 175 churches in Atlanta that are working together to see kingdom transformation in this city. Chip is one of the founders and also serves on the Board for Street GRACE, an alliance of churches in Atlanta that are working together with the public and private sector to bring the commercial sexual exploitation of children to an end in Atlanta. Chip has been married to his wonderful wife, Leigh Ann, for 20 years and they have 2 children - Caroline who is 14 years old and Jack who is 12. Chip enjoys playing tennis and hanging out with his family!
Opal Hardgrove's workshop	Rahab in the pew—Jesus’ heart for hurt women Women like Rahab and the woman at the well were of special importance to Jesus. Join us as we look at these women and see how their stories help us understand how to reach, love, and welcome the Rahabs of today into our churches. We’ll examine what it means to raise awareness about modern-day slavery and trafficking, looking at both international and domestic examples, and learn what’s being done to combat this evil.	Opal Hardgrove | MTW Opal Hardgrove began working with Mission to the World 24 years ago with their work on the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina. Her love for the Native Americans led to development of ministry on several reservations in other areas of the US and Canada. She has also been involved in the development of the work with street children through out the world as well as other mercy/justice projects. She was made aware of the issue of human trafficking several years ago on a trip to Athens, Greece. On her return she began volunteering with an organization with a rescue and response ministry to those who have trafficked.
Ben McLeish's workshop	Improving education in your neighborhood: More than an after-school program After-school programs are great but sometimes there comes a point when we must do more. Do we launch a Christian private school? Do we help improve the local school system? Do we start a charter school? Come learn from stories of success and failures in starting both a Christian private school and a public charter school as solutions to help address the dire educational needs found in the city.	Ben McLeish | St. Roch Community Church, New Orleans Ben McLeish has spent the last 11 years serving in the 8th and 9th wards of New Orleans. Initially Ben was with Desire Street Ministries, serving as Assistant Director and helping launch Desire Street Academy in 2002, an all-boys inner-city Christian school that closed its doors in 2010. In 2007 Ben served as a catalyst to help plant St. Roch Community Church, a PCA church in the 8th ward of New Orleans. He serves as the Diaconal Ministries Director and is an ordained deacon. Additionally Ben serves as the Executive Director of St. Roch CDC, a Christian organization which seeks to empower individuals and revitalize under-resourced New Orleans communities by offering Christ-centered programs and services to help meet the physical, spiritual, economic and cultural needs of individuals and families. As a part of his work, he has spent the last three years helping start the Homer A. Plessy Community School, a racially and economically diverse, arts integrated, elementary public charter school in his neighborhood. He currently serves as the board president.
Disaster Response workshop	Roll up your sleeves—Hands-on Disaster Response Head outside and get a tour of a disaster-response trailer. You'll learn what it's like to be part of a response team, and have time to ask plenty of questions.	Arklie Hooten and Curt Moore | MNA Disaster Response MNA Disaster Response provides support to PCA churches in disaster-affected communities. MNA recruits and mobilizes volunteers, receives and distributes supplies and equipment, brings awareness of specific needs, channels recovery funds, focuses prayer and provides spiritual encouragement to our PCA family and their communities. Curt Moore has served as MNA’s Disaster Response Specialist for the Gulf Coast Region since 2006. He trains and equips churches and presbyteries to provide relief and response to communities in need and is often deployed after a disaster to provide assessments and help churches develop strategies for relief and response. When he is not responding to natural disasters he serves the saints at Willow Creek Church (PCA) as the Pastor of Discipleship. He lives in Winter Springs, FL with his wife, Kelly, and their cocker spaniel, Bailey. He also likes Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain. In the fall of 2005, Arklie Hooten moved to Mississippi immediately after Hurricane Katrina made landfall to coordinate volunteers, establish worksites and to marshal critically needed resources to churches impacted by the storm. He reorganized the ministry structure to empower lay leadership and further expanded this vital denominational ministry. Subsequently this network of relief providers has trained, equipped and mobilized more than 100,000 volunteers to disaster-affected communities in desperate need, including rebuilding 19 PCA churches.