Free One-Day Training April 3, 2026
Disability
Ministry
Training
Everyone Has a Place.
Disability ministry isn't only about creating programs for people with disabilities. It's about building a church and a community where people with disabilities are known, valued, included, and given opportunities to participate and serve in the Body of Christ.
“We do not stand at the door and decide which people are worthy of ministry today. We adjust how we minister, not whether we minister. ”
This Training Is for Everyone!
Whether you're taking your first step into disability ministry or have been serving for years, this training is for you. Pastors, ministry leaders, volunteers, students, parents, and anyone who wants to learn how to see, include, serve, and build genuine relationships with people with disabilities are welcome.
YOU'LL LEARN TO
SEE people beyond disability
INCLUDE everyone in everyday life
CONNECT through genuine friendship
SERVE with purpose
MAKE ROOM for everyone to participate
Understand that EVERYONE HAS A PLACE.
Cultivate the potential assigned by God.
BECAUSE
EVERYONE IS INDISPENSABLE.
Kids, Teens, Adults…You are invited!
One day. Free registration. Practical tools. Biblical perspective. A bigger vision for what it means to make room for everyone.
Meet Your Speakers
Tracie Corll is a wife, mom, pastor, teacher, and missionary passionate about helping people with disabilities and their families participate meaningfully in the church and community. She serves as Co-Director of Special Touch Ministry, helping equip churches and ministry leaders to build inclusive disability ministries.
With 15 years of experience in education and 10 years in caregiving and directing a day habilitation center, Tracie brings professional experience and a personal passion for disability ministry to her work.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Master’s degree in Family Ministry, along with a certification in Disability Ministry. Tracie is passionate about helping churches move beyond simply serving people with disabilities to recognizing them as indispensable members of the Body of Christ.
Nettamara Doak is passionate about serving individuals who are blind and sharing the Gospel. Her journey into disability ministry began through personal experiences with disability in her own relationships and became even more personal with the birth of her first son, who was diagnosed with autism and experienced significant medical needs.
Nettamara earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education and holds certifications in Braille. In early 2019, sensing the Holy Spirit’s leading to join Special Touch Ministry, Nettamara and her husband, Ed, moved to Wisconsin with their two children.
Serving as a Ministry Associate with Special Touch Ministry, Nettamara leads and administers STM Blind Services, helping individuals who are blind experience meaningful connection, inclusion, and access to the Gospel. Her heart is to see people with disabilities not only reached with the Gospel, but recognized as valued and indispensable members of the Body of Christ.
Summer Skodacek is a wife, mom of three, and Registered Nurse who is passionate about making Jesus known and the Gospel accessible to everyone. She graduated from Kent State University and has been working in nursing for over 20 years. She has spent the past 10 years volunteering with the Highway Unlimited Disability Ministry Team.
Summer has served in leadership roles for Respite Nights, Night to Shine, Bible Studies, and Summer Get Aways across the nation. Her passion for disability ministry has also taken her around the world, where she has helped make the Gospel accessible in places such as Zambia and Costa Rica.
Summer is passionate about reaching people across cultures and around the world, helping others experience the love of Jesus and discover that everyone has a place in God's family.
Alaina Kissinger is an educator, structured literacy tutor, and advocate who is passionate about helping students discover their potential through literacy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education, a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Master’s degree in Design and Technology for K–12 Learners. She is also licensed in Primary Education and as an Intervention Specialist and is Orton-Gillingham certified.
Alaina has experience as an Intervention Specialist and classroom educator and is passionate about using multisensory, evidence-based approaches to help students build strong reading skills and confidence. She enjoys partnering with students and families to celebrate progress and create meaningful learning experiences.
All of Alaina’s experiences in education enhance her commitment to making Jesus known to all people as she serves her local church in Youth Ministry and Disability Ministry.
Stephanie Graham is a wife, mom, pastor, and passionate advocate for individuals with disabilities. Her journey with Special Touch Ministry began as a teenager when she served as a Caregiver in Training (CIT) with the Summer Get Away program in Illinois.
Since then, Stephanie has continued serving with the Summer Get Away program as a caregiver and team leader for more than 15 years. Her years of experience have given her a deep passion for building relationships, creating inclusive environments, and helping individuals with disabilities experience Christ's love.
Stephanie currently serves on the team at Victory Life Church in Texas, where she works with children and serves in special needs ministry. She also attended SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary.
Stephanie is passionate about welcoming every person, valuing them, and giving them opportunities to know Jesus and be an active part of the church community.
Details for the TRAINING
FREE • ONE DAY
FOR KIDS • TEENS • ADULTS
APRIL 3 | 9 AM–4 PM
HIGHWAY TABERNACLE
YOUNGSTOWN, OH
If you’re a pastor, ministry leader, or volunteer, chances are you’re already serving individuals with disabilities or will be. With more than 65 million Americans living with disabilities, every church has an opportunity to make the Gospel accessible. While 90% of pastors believe their churches are welcoming to people with disabilities, only 12% of families agree. And only about 10% of the disability community is being reached with the Gospel. People with disabilities aren't simply people we serve—they are indispensable members of the Body of Christ, with God-given gifts, purpose, and a place at the table.
This training is for everyone—from those brand-new to disability ministry to experienced volunteers and leaders.
Teen/Adult Breakout Sessions
Can I get in? Can I belong? Can I participate?
How do I Accommodate? vs. How do I Disciple?
-What if Compliance is the Wrong Goal
-Please Don’t Say Calm Down
-PDA, What is it?
-People with Disabilities Aren't Simply People We Serve
-Everyone has a seat at God’s Table, but not every seat is for everyone
-Neurodiversity
-Blind Services
-Deaf Ministry
Breakout sessions for kids in 3rd Grade through 8th Grade
Don't Be Afraid of Different
STOP. LOOK. SMILE. SAY HELLO.
Everyone Communicates
Interactive Training Stations
And so much more!
This training is free to attend. If you'd like to purchase lunch and/or a T-shirt, indicate your preferences during registration.
Lunch Option: Chick-fil-A boxed lunch
Sandwich or Salad, Chips, Cookie
Hotel Information
Youngstown, OH offers a wide variety of hotels and lodging options within a short distance of Highway Tabernacle Church. Choose the accommodations that best fit your needs. You are responsible for making your own hotel reservations and transportation arrangements.
Genna Pellin is a wife and mom with a heart for serving and including individuals with disabilities. She has volunteered in disability ministry for nearly 10 years, working with children, teens, and adults through Respite Nights, Night to Shine, and Summer Get Aways, where she has served in team leadership roles. Genna has traveled to Zambia and Costa Rica, making the Gospel accessible worldwide.
Genna’s experience is also shaped by her role as a mom to a son with ADHD and sensory sensitivities, giving her a personal understanding of the importance of patience, inclusion, and creating environments where every person can thrive.
While serving in disability ministry, Genna worked as a lead teacher in a daycare. She also serves in the Deaf Ministry at her home church, using her ASL skills to help make worship and church community accessible to individuals who are Deaf or hard of hearing.
Genna is passionate about equipping others to see every individual as valuable, capable, and an important part of the community.
If an accommodation is just a way to avoid disruption, we’ve missed the point. Access is about meaningful participation in the body of Christ.