Nurturing Care: Partnering with churches to design worship and prayer experiences for children as we deepen kids’ experiences of God and nurture care across the congregation.
About Nurturing Care
The Nurturing Care project is focusing its efforts on two separate initiatives. The first addresses elementary school-age children with autism and will work with an ecumenical network of Kansas City churches to offer caring nurture to a growing segment of the population often overlooked by faith communities. The second builds on a pre-existing moral integration collaborative of academic partners by engaging children in worship and prayer practices among diverse congregations across the west coast. In both initiatives, the Nurturing Care project wants to help children recognize God’s presence in their lives, regardless of the culture or context in which they find themselves.
The two initiatives will utilize design thinking (a creative problem-solving process) to develop prototypes in worship and prayer practices uniquely suited to serve children shaped by diverse contexts. Congregations will work collaboratively with support from consultants, partner organizations, and subject matter experts.
For up-to-date news and information, read our Nurturing Care Blog by Dr. Dean Blevins, Nurturing Care Director.
Why do we use the language of nurturing care?
Our desire is to form and nurture caring people and caring communities for the sake of the church and the world. We want to engender values of gratitude, trust, forgiveness, and compassion among children and adults through our “curriculum of care.”
Our Staff
These Staff will be facilitating the Nurturing Care With Children in Worship and Prayer project.
Dr. Dean Blevins serves at the director of the Nurturing Care project. His email is dean.blevins@nts.edu.
Dr. Dana Preusch serves as the project coordinator of the Nurturing Care. Her email is Dana.Preusch@nts.edu.
Kansas City Events, Partnerships, and Resources
Kansas City Events
We will announce when Nurturing Care events take place in the Kansas City area.
For up-to-date news and information, such as our Day of Learning, read our Nurturing Care Blog by Dr. Dean Blevins, Nurturing Care Director.
These are some of the partners of the Nurturing Care project.
Kansas City Partnerships
Nurturing Care is working with a variety of experts, organizations, and churches with a deep knowledge and interest in autism and neuro-divergence. Some of these include the following:
Camp Encourage for Autistic Youth
Joshua Center for Neurological Disorders
SOAR Special Needs
The Sending Project
Autism Resources
Listed below are a variety of web-based resources on autism and disability ministries, as well as video stories on children with autism.
Camp Encourage’s videos on Campers (personal narratives)
Joshua Center for Neurological Disorders classes on social skills
Wonderful Works (A Nazarene ministry)
Adapted Discipleship Library (ADL)
Collaborative on Faith and Disabilities
Kevin Tempe’s 22 Advocacy page
National Study on Faith and Disability
Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities
Center for Disability and Ministry At Western Theological Seminary
University of Aberdeen’s Centre for Autism and Theology
CHECK OUT THESE VIDEO RESOURCES BELOW.
Videos are provided courtesy of SOAR Special Needs and Dr. Stephen “Doc” Hunsley. SOAR videos and podcasts can also be found by clicking here.
WHAT IS AUTISM?
Dr. Dean Blevins interviews Kelly Lee, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Camp Encourage and Kris Mitchell, LMFT, with the Joshua Center for Neurological
Spiritual Autism Awareness
A sermon by Dr. Stephen Hunsley, M.D.
MYTHS ABOUT AUTISM
Dr. Dean Blevins interviews Kris Mitchell, LMFT, with the Joshua Center for Neurological Disorders and Kelly Lee, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Camp Encourage
I See
A SOAR Special Needs video
BARRIERS TO CARING FOR THOSE WITH AUTISM
Dr. Dean Blevins interviews Kelly Lee, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Camp Encourage and Kris Mitchell, LMFT, with the Joshua Center for Neurological
Transforming Lives: Michael Palacio Story
A SOAR Special Needs Success Story
An Invitation from Dr. Dean Blevins, Nurturing Care Director
Dr. Dean Blevins, director of Nurturing Care with Children in Worship and Prayer, invites congregations to participate in an autism initiative that will help children with worship and prayer practices. To find out more, email Dean at Dean.Blevins@nts.edu.
West Coast/Virtue Events, Partnerships, and Resources
West Coast/Virtue Updates
For up-to-date news and information, read our Nurturing Care Blog by Dr. Dean Blevins, Nurturing Care Director.
Nurturing Care Partners with PLNU Center For Pastoral Leadership to Host Maker’s Space Meeting, May 29 to 31, 2025
NTS Nurturing Care is partnering with the Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) Center for Pastoral Leadership to host a Maker’s Space retreat on May 29 to 31, 2025. Participants will explore how virtues like gratitude and trust can help children engage in practices around worship and prayer.
Ministers and children’s pastors from the West Coast are invited to apply. The retreat will take place at PLNU, beginning on Thursday, May 29, at 5:00 pm, and concluding on Saturday, May 31, at noon. Lodging and meals—from Thursday dinner through Saturday lunch—are included.
During the retreat, churches will use design learning to:
1. Identify key challenges and opportunities in their congregational context.
2. Collaborate with sister churches to develop creative responses.
3. Plan and launch a small prototype/project addressing either the virtue of trust or the virtue of gratitude that helps them learn and grow in ministry.
Join us in a journey with Nazarene Theological Seminary (NTS), and the Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) region, to create deep spiritual experiences among elementary children through worship and prayer, while nurturing children and adults into a posture of active Care for other people. This focus on care for others, or generative care, reflects an ongoing project championed by the Point Loma Center for Pastoral Leadership, one which Nazarene Theological Seminary serves as a ten-year partner. The goal remains to encourage congregations through living into moral emotional virtues that evoke generative care for others. PLNU Dr. Ross Oakes Mueller provides a brief introduction to the project.
Nurturing Care will guide this process through structured discussions and on-site consultants who will help churches consider their projects and what can be accomplished. By the end of the retreat, church leaders will develop a clear prototype for their ministry setting and a draft proposal for a mini grant.
To support these efforts, Nurturing Care will offer mini grants of $3,000 to $5,000 to help each approved project secure needed resources. Additionally, NTS will organize ongoing Zoom meetings throughout the year, providing a space for participants to share resources and receive continued support.
Ministers and children’s pastors interested in attending can visit our Eventbrite page at www.nts.edu/makers-space. For questions, contact Dr. Dana Preusch, Nurturing Care Coordinator, at Dana.Preusch.@nts.edu.
Why generative care, or active care for others?
In a world of division and strife, love of God and love for neighbor often calls people into concrete expressions of care. We believe that care can occur both with and through children in our congregations. The project represents the lifelong research of Dr. G. Michael Leffel who offers a short explanation in this video given to West Coast leaders during a 2020 gathering hosted by the PLNU Center for Pastoral Leadership.
You can read more about the theory that shapes Dr. Leffel’s research and vision at this link.
Join us as we partner together to make a difference in elementary children’s lives through prayer and worship, while growing care across the church. Our hope includes providing several approaches to learning together so we chart this growth among our congregants and learn together how to make a difference.
Nurturing Care: Albert Hung
Albert Hung, Northern California District Superintendent, shares how NTS’s Nurturing Care project is bringing value to his district through the spiritual formation of ethnic and immigrant children.
About West Coast Partnerships
Nurturing Care is working with a variety of experts, organizations, and churches with a deep knowledge and interest in ethnic and immigrant children, as well as other helpful partners. Some of these include the following:
Center for Pastoral Leadership, Point Loma Nazarene University
G. Michael Leffel, Professor Emeritus at Point Loma Nazarene University
Ross A. Oakes Mueller, PhD, Point Loma Nazarene University
Francisca Ireland-Verwoerd, PhD, Boston University
Erin Smith, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Research, Director of Research College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, California Baptist University
Child Spirituality and Virtue Formation Resources
Children’s Spirituality Summit
InterGenerate
Real Kids, Real Faith
International Association for Children’s Spirituality
Character.org
Greater Good Science Center
News
For up-to-date news and information, read our Nurturing Care Blog by Dr. Dean Blevins, Nurturing Care Director.
Nurturing Care Partners with PLNU Center For Pastoral Leadership to Host Maker’s Space Meeting, May 29 to 31, 2025
NTS Nurturing Care is partnering with the Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) Center for Pastoral Leadership to host a Maker’s Space retreat on May 29 to 31, 2025. Participants will explore how virtues like gratitude and trust can help children engage in practices around worship and prayer.
Ministers and children’s pastors from the West Coast are invited to apply. The retreat will take place at PLNU, beginning on Thursday, May 29, at 5:00 pm, and concluding on Saturday, May 31, at noon. Lodging and meals—from Thursday dinner through Saturday lunch—are included.
During the retreat, churches will use design learning to:
1. Identify key challenges and opportunities in their congregational context.
2. Collaborate with sister churches to develop creative responses.
3. Plan and launch a small prototype/project addressing either the virtue of trust or the virtue of gratitude that helps them learn and grow in ministry.
Nurturing Care will guide this process through structured discussions and on-site consultants who will help churches consider their projects and what can be accomplished. By the end of the retreat, church leaders will develop a clear prototype for their ministry setting and a draft proposal for a mini grant.
To support these efforts, Nurturing Care will offer mini grants of $3,000 to $5,000 to help each approved project secure needed resources. Additionally, NTS will organize ongoing Zoom meetings throughout the year, providing a space for participants to share resources and receive continued support.
Ministers and children’s pastors interested in attending can visit our Eventbrite page at www.nts.edu/makers-space. For questions, contact Dr. Dana Preusch, Nurturing Care Coordinator, at Dana.Preusch.@nts.edu.
Other News:
Pastor Expresses Gratitude for Nurturing Care Presentation on Autism
During her sermon, Rev. Jessi Marcus of Jacob’s Well expresses gratitude for a presentation by Dr. Léon van Ommen during Nurturing Care’s “Day of Learning” at Nazarene Theological Seminary.
Dr. Léon van Ommen Visits Matthew’s Ministry of Church of the Resurrection
On February 25, Dr. van Ommen took time to visit Matthew’s Ministry, a disability ministry of Church of the Resurrection.
Dr. Léon van Ommen Speaks on Autism and Worship during Nurturing Care’s “Day of Learning”
Dr. Léon van Ommen, who serves as Senior Lecturer in the Department of Divinity and Religious Studies at the University of Aberdeen, as well as co-Director of the Centre for Autism and Theology, gave a two-part presentation on autism and worship at Nazarene Theological Seminary.
Nurturing Care KC Maker’s Space Project Underway
Over the last months, Nurturing Care has been working to make sure their Maker’s Space projects (Psalm 95:6-7) could take shape and launch to provide worship and prayer practices for children with autism.
Nazarene Theological Seminary Receives Grant of $1.25 Million from Lilly Endowment Inc
Read about Nazarene Theological Seminary receiving a grant to start Nurturing Care With Children in Worship and Prayer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some frequently asked questions about the Nurturing Care project.
Q: Why is Nazarene Theological Seminary (NTS) interested in autism?
A: Autism is one of the fastest growing forms of disability in the United States, and is also one of the most misunderstood disabilities. A few years ago, a national study on disability ministry revealed that autism is their number one concern, especially among children (ages 3 to 12). There is a great need to educate and provide information that will help the church community, including the Church of the Nazarene, effectively minister to such children. Through a grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc., NTS seeks to be a helpful part of the solution. In addition, NTS has been a long-time leader in children’s ministry and children’s spirituality, and has two lectureships that focus on this area.
Q: Why is the Nurturing Care project focusing on virtues in churches, including congregations with ethnic and immigrant children?
A: NTS serves as a partner with Point Loma Nazarene University to communicate the need for a morally rich, caring, posture in and through local congregations. This nurturing approach includes developing the virtue of generative care, a virtue that seeks to express love for people as they desire to live flourishing lives. Through practices of worship and prayer NTS hopes congregations nurture within children their natural affections into more mature moral emotions (or virtues) of gratitude, trust, compassion, forgiveness, empathy, and mindfulness (or self-awareness). By partnering with west coast congregations, we hope to both assist and learn from ethnic and immigrant communities since they represent the fastest growing community in the United States. The Church of the Nazarene, like other denominations, often struggles to find appropriate ways to help churches with strong immigrant populations flourish amidst cultural challenges and tensions. How does the church find ways to provide meaningful worship and prayer practices among such children in a way that helps them, and the adults around them, also grow in care for each other and bless their communities? The Nurturing Care project hopes to help children see how God can accompany them across both their cultural heritage and their new cultural context in ways that bring healing and wholeness.
Q: Why is the Nurturing Care project using design thinking to help solve issues?
A: When most people hear design thinking, they think of an iphone or Silicon Valley, but design thinking is a model of learning that asks how we might think creatively and work collaboratively to actively engage and solve a problem. Rather than lean on one person’s expertise, it is a process of discovery that more often leads to better ideas, deeper creative possibilities, and more innovations and adaptations because of the efforts of many active partners. Nurturing Care wants to empower the people and congregations involved in our project, because they know their location and setting is the most important thing that guides the project.
If you have a question about the Nurturing Care project or want to get involved, please email Info@NurturingCare.org.
Below is a list of videos from Nurturing Care:
CHANGES IN CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
Dr. Dean Blevins, Professor of Practical Theology and Christian Discipleship, shares about the changes that have taken place in children’s ministry over the last several years, and how we are entering a new period in how we think about children. In addition, Dr. Blevins discusses the work of Nurturing Care and its contribution to children.
THREE PHASES IN CHILDREN’S SPIRITUALITY
Dr. Dean Blevins, Professor of Practical Theology and Christian Discipleship, briefly discusses three phases in children’s spirituality and how our thinking is changing.
Non-Speaking and Minimally Speaking Autistic Children
Stephanie L. Barton and Stephanie Answer comment on non-speaking and minimally-speaking autistic children (4 min., 25 sec.)
Challenges to Inclusion
Stephanie Answer discusses the challenges surrounding autism inclusion in our worship practices (8 min., 4 sec.).
Engaging Autism in the Church
A conversation with Kris Mitchell and Kelly Lee on how the local church can practically engage children with autism (3 min., 33 sec.).
What is Autism?
Dr. Dean Blevins, Nurturing Care Director, interviews Kelly Lee, co-founder and executive director of Camp Encourage, and Kris Mitchell, LMFT, with the Joshua Center for Neurological on “What is Autism?” (4 min., 55 sec.).
Session 1: The Absence and Ignoring of Autistic People in Church
In this session, Dr. Léon van Ommen discusses the major themes of his most recent book, Autism and Worship: A Liturgical Theology (54 min., 34 sec.). Van Ommen spoke in two different sessions during a Day of Learning at NTS on February 26, 2024.
Session 2: Non and Minimally-Speaking Autistic People in the Church
The second session of the NTS Nurturing Care/KC initiative, held on February 26, 2024, included a presentation by Dr. Léon van Omme on Non- and Minimally Speaking Autistic People in Church (55 min., 35 sec.).
Nurturing Care and Barriers to Care
Dr. Dean Blevins interviews Kelly Lee, co-founder and executive director of Camp Encourage, and Kris Mitchell, LMFT, with the Joshua Center for Neurological on Barriers to Care (8 min., 42 sec.).
Myths About Autism
Dr. Dean Blevins interviews Kris Mitchell, LMFT, with the Joshua Center for Neurological Disorders and Kelly Lee, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Camp Encourage (3 min., 47 sec.).
