ACCESSIBLE WORSHIP
You’re Invited: A Day of Encouragement and Equipping for Disability Ministry
Coming to Metro Chattanooga!
We are thrilled to welcome three incredible voices back to the Chattanooga area—Stephanie Hubach, Lori Sealy, and Emily Colson—for a powerful day of learning, worship, and encouragement focused on ways to make worship accessible to those affected by disability.
Whether you're a parent, a pastor, a lay leader, or someone just beginning to explore special needs ministry, this conference is for you.
We’ll begin our Saturday morning with worship led by Lori Sealy, followed by a compelling keynote address from Emily Colson that will set the tone for the day. Stephanie Hubach will also be joining us to share her wisdom and deep insight into the theology and practice of disability ministry.
Breakout sessions throughout the morning will be tailored to all levels of church leadership and family involvement—from those just starting out to seasoned ministry teams looking to grow and strengthen their outreach. Topics will include both the theological foundation for disability ministry and practical tools for creating accessible, Christ-centered worship environments for all.
In addition, you'll hear from a variety of leaders with years of hands-on experience developing and sustaining effective special needs ministries in their churches and communities.
We hope you'll make plans to join us for this inspiring and practical day of training. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to learn from these faithful leaders—and to be part of the movement to make the church a place where everyone belongs.
What do you need to know to reach families impacted by disability?
Join us. Learn how to make worship accessible to every family!
You’re Invited: A Day of Encouragement and Equipping for Disability Ministry
Coming to Metro Chattanooga!
We are thrilled to welcome three incredible voices back to the Chattanooga area—Stephanie Hubach, Lori Sealy, and Emily Colson—for a powerful day of learning, worship, and encouragement focused on ways to make worship accessible to those affected by disability.
Whether you're a parent, a pastor, a lay leader, or someone just beginning to explore special needs ministry, this conference is for you.
We’ll begin our Saturday morning with worship led by Lori Sealy, followed by a compelling keynote address from Emily Colson that will set the tone for the day. Stephanie Hubach will also be joining us to share her wisdom and deep insight into the theology and practice of disability ministry.
Breakout sessions throughout the morning will be tailored to all levels of church leadership and family involvement—from those just starting out to seasoned ministry teams looking to grow and strengthen their outreach. Topics will include both the theological foundation for disability ministry and practical tools for creating accessible, Christ-centered worship environments for all.
In addition, you'll hear from a variety of leaders with years of hands-on experience developing and sustaining effective special needs ministries in their churches and communities.
We hope you'll make plans to join us for this inspiring and practical day of training. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to learn from these faithful leaders—and to be part of the movement to make the church a place where everyone belongs.
What do you need to know to reach families impacted by disability?
Join us. Learn how to make worship accessible to every family!
Location
Christ First Church
5994 N. Highway 27 (Martha Berry Highway)
Lafayette, GA 30728
5994 N. Highway 27 (Martha Berry Highway)
Lafayette, GA 30728
Date & Time
October 11, 2025
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Speakers
Join us for a powerful, hope-filled day as we welcome three extraordinary women—Stephanie Hubach, Lori Sealy, and Emily Colson—to speak into the intersection of faith, disability, and the beauty of God’s design for every life.
Each of these women brings a unique voice shaped by personal experience, deep theological insight, and a passion for inclusion in the church and the world:
Stephanie Hubach is a respected author and disability ministry leader whose wisdom and clarity have encouraged countless families and churches to embrace every person as an image-bearer of God.
Lori Sealy, a gifted communicator and musician, shares her journey with autism through humor, honesty, and a Christ-centered perspective that challenges and inspires.
Emily Colson, speaker and author of Dancing with Max, offers a moving testimony of life with her son with autism—a story of fierce love, relentless faith, and God’s faithfulness in the everyday.
Whether you're a parent, pastor, educator, caregiver, or simply someone who wants to grow in compassion and understanding, this event is for you. Come be equipped, encouraged, and empowered to see disability not as a detour from God’s plan, but a deeper invitation into His grace.
Don't miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and be transformed.
Emily Colson
Speaker and author
Emily Colson is a popular speaker, and author of the award winning book, Dancing with Max. Emily speaks in churches and organizations nationwide, and has appeared on numerous media outlets including Focus on the Family, the Huckabee Show, and Hallmark’s Home & Family.
In her book Dancing with Max Emily and her father, Chuck Colson, shared the struggle and beauty of life with Max, Emily’s 23 year-old son with autism. The book has recently been awarded “Book of the Year” by the Autism Society. Through her powerful message of the sanctity of life, Emily has inspired many to persevere through their own challenges and see the gifts. Emily has been a single mother for most of Max’s 23 years, with hard fought lessons in faith, life, love and a whole lot of laughter.
Emily and Max live on the coast of New England where they can often be found dancing. What began with one heart painted in the isolation of 2020, has become a mission reaching around the world like a hope-filled hug. Learn more at emilycolson.com.
Lori Sealy
Musician
“Thro’ many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come ….” John Newton’s words are an apt description of Lori Sealy’s life. Conceived in adultery, nearly aborted, adopted in infancy, abused and later abandoned by her adoptive parents, Lori traveled the road of atheism before being met by Christ’s mercy - and all of these things happened while living with autism. In 2020, her beloved husband of 25 years, Phillip Sealy, died of metastatic melanoma.
Having lived a life of trial upon trial, Lori has had a front row seat in the school of suffering for several decades. Thankfully, she has had a tender teacher in Jesus—the Man of Sorrows who is intimately acquainted with grief and overflowing with “amazing grace.” Her deepest desire as a songwriter, speaker, and worship leader is to make much of the Savior who has shown Himself sufficient in every scene of her story.
Growing up in South Carolina, she now lives in Cullowhee, NC, with her two college-age “children” —Joshua and Elizabeth.
For more information on Lori visit www.lorisealy.com.
Having lived a life of trial upon trial, Lori has had a front row seat in the school of suffering for several decades. Thankfully, she has had a tender teacher in Jesus—the Man of Sorrows who is intimately acquainted with grief and overflowing with “amazing grace.” Her deepest desire as a songwriter, speaker, and worship leader is to make much of the Savior who has shown Himself sufficient in every scene of her story.
Growing up in South Carolina, she now lives in Cullowhee, NC, with her two college-age “children” —Joshua and Elizabeth.
For more information on Lori visit www.lorisealy.com.
Stephanie Hubach
research fellow in disability ministries, covenant theological seminary
Since July 2017, Steph has been affiliated with Covenant Theological Seminary as a Research Fellow in Disability Ministries and a Visiting Instructor for the Educational Ministries Department.
In addition to serving as a resource for the Covenant Seminary faculty and students on disability-related issues, Steph continues to do research on, write about, and speak regarding disability-related issues as they relate to the family, the church, and the culture-at-large. She is currently writing for the enCourage blog (PCA Women's Ministries) and also for the Special Needs Parenting blog (Key Ministry). Steph released a 31-day-devotional on Parenting & Disabilities: Abiding in God's Presence in October 2021 through P&R Publishing.
She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Wheaton Center on Faith & Disability.
Stephanie is also the parent of a young adult son with Down Syndrome.
Connect with Stephanie at stephaniehubach.com
Schedule
8:30 AM
Registration
9:00 AM
Welcome, Worship & Keynote by Emily Colson
10:00 AM
Breakout Session #1
*Stephanie Hubach - Same Lake Different Boat Chapter 14: On Clarification: Growth in Grace
In this workshop, we take a deeper dive into the worldview perspectives of disability that are presented in the opening chapters of Same Lake Different Boat. We will explore the functional and social dimensions of disability, and how these are so clearly on display in John 9. Additional topics covered will be a deeper dive into the concept of belonging and how flourishing relates to it, and what the ultimate purpose of disability ministry is.
*Lori Sealy - Autism 101 - Understanding Why Worship Can Be a War!
For the autistic person, much of life can feel like trying to function in a war zone … that often includes trying to function in the worship hour. Why is that and how can we help? In this workshop Lori Sealy will share her personal perspective on living as an autistic individual. She will define what autism is, describe what autism is like (at least in her experience), and help you decipher what people with autism most desperately need. The goal is increased understanding that will lead to increased compassion as you seek to walk alongside autistic worshippers.
In this workshop, we take a deeper dive into the worldview perspectives of disability that are presented in the opening chapters of Same Lake Different Boat. We will explore the functional and social dimensions of disability, and how these are so clearly on display in John 9. Additional topics covered will be a deeper dive into the concept of belonging and how flourishing relates to it, and what the ultimate purpose of disability ministry is.
*Lori Sealy - Autism 101 - Understanding Why Worship Can Be a War!
For the autistic person, much of life can feel like trying to function in a war zone … that often includes trying to function in the worship hour. Why is that and how can we help? In this workshop Lori Sealy will share her personal perspective on living as an autistic individual. She will define what autism is, describe what autism is like (at least in her experience), and help you decipher what people with autism most desperately need. The goal is increased understanding that will lead to increased compassion as you seek to walk alongside autistic worshippers.
11:00 AM
Breakout Session #2
*Stephanie Hubach - Same Lake Different Boat Chapter 15: On Idols: Our Hearts, Church Culture, and Disability Culture
In disability ministry we often talk about barriers of anxiety, attitudes, and architecture. But behind those barriers, we can also encounter deeper root issues as individuals and as groups of people. What is an idol? Tim Keller stated, "It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give..." Idolatry keeps us from loving God and neighbor because we love the object of our affection more than God, and more than the people He has fearfully and wonderfully made, and more than the body of Christ He has called to Himself. We will explore this at both a personal level and a cultural level and how this can show up in disability ministry circles.
*Lori Sealy - Autism and Evangelism: Pitfalls and Pathways to Grasping the Gospel
Faith is a key ingredient in embracing the gospel, yet the idea of believing in an intangible Entity and the call to rest in an unseen Savior can be quite a challenge for many who have Autism Spectrum Disorder. What’s behind those challenges and what can we do (or not do) to alleviate them? Lori Sealy - who lives with autism - once also existed in atheism. She will share some of her own journey from doubt to discipleship in hopes of granting you a better understanding of the stumbling blocks and stepping stones on the road to redemption for an autistic individual.
In disability ministry we often talk about barriers of anxiety, attitudes, and architecture. But behind those barriers, we can also encounter deeper root issues as individuals and as groups of people. What is an idol? Tim Keller stated, "It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give..." Idolatry keeps us from loving God and neighbor because we love the object of our affection more than God, and more than the people He has fearfully and wonderfully made, and more than the body of Christ He has called to Himself. We will explore this at both a personal level and a cultural level and how this can show up in disability ministry circles.
*Lori Sealy - Autism and Evangelism: Pitfalls and Pathways to Grasping the Gospel
Faith is a key ingredient in embracing the gospel, yet the idea of believing in an intangible Entity and the call to rest in an unseen Savior can be quite a challenge for many who have Autism Spectrum Disorder. What’s behind those challenges and what can we do (or not do) to alleviate them? Lori Sealy - who lives with autism - once also existed in atheism. She will share some of her own journey from doubt to discipleship in hopes of granting you a better understanding of the stumbling blocks and stepping stones on the road to redemption for an autistic individual.
12:00 PM
Lunch
If there are specific accommodations needed for your meal, please let us know at registration.
1:00 pM
Worship
From My Heart (Speaker To Be Determined)
From My Heart (Speaker To Be Determined)
2:00 pM
Panel Discussion
Panelists: Emily Colson, Stephanie Hubach, & Lori Sealy
Panelists: Emily Colson, Stephanie Hubach, & Lori Sealy
We will be talking about all things parenting, disability ministry, leadership, and discipleship. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of the panel.
3:00 pM
Worship
Closing: "An Accessible Savior" with Lori Sealy
Closing: "An Accessible Savior" with Lori Sealy
4:00 pM
Networking Reception
Spend time asking questions, networking and getting to know the speakers during an informal reception following the conference!
Speakers at this Accessible Gospel: Accessible Worship Conference are made possible through a Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan,
with funds provided by Lilly Endowment, Inc.
with funds provided by Lilly Endowment, Inc.
© 2025. All Rights Reserved.
PRE-CONFERENCE OPPORTUNITY:
Caregiver Tea
Caregiver Tea
Friday, October 10, 2025 6PM
You're Invited: An Evening Tea for Caregivers
Join us for a special evening of tea, food, fellowship, and encouragement designed just for caregivers.
We're delighted to welcome Stephanie Hubach as our guest speaker, sharing on the topic: "Second Wind for the Second Half: Living a Life of Worship".
You will also hear from a panel of experienced moms who will be answering your questions about caregiving and navigating transitions with grace and wisdom.
Come to connect, be refreshed, and reminded that you are not alone on this journey.
We hope you will join us the night before the Accessible Worship Conference for this special opportunity.
There is no cost for the opportunity. It is our gift to you.
Make your reservation today!
Join us for a special evening of tea, food, fellowship, and encouragement designed just for caregivers.
We're delighted to welcome Stephanie Hubach as our guest speaker, sharing on the topic: "Second Wind for the Second Half: Living a Life of Worship".
You will also hear from a panel of experienced moms who will be answering your questions about caregiving and navigating transitions with grace and wisdom.
Come to connect, be refreshed, and reminded that you are not alone on this journey.
We hope you will join us the night before the Accessible Worship Conference for this special opportunity.
There is no cost for the opportunity. It is our gift to you.
Make your reservation today!
Location
Christ First Church
5994 N. Highway 27 (Martha Berry Highway) Lafayette, GA 30728
5994 N. Highway 27 (Martha Berry Highway) Lafayette, GA 30728
Date & Time
October 10, 2025, 6PM