Care Conference Speakers

Dr. Betty Kroeker
"Care that Crosses Cultural Boundaries"

John & Sylvia Van Regenmorter
"Married Without Children - How can we help rather than hurt infertile couples?"

Learn how to help those who are experiencing this secret sorrow. If we are to be caring people for these suffering and grief-stricken individuals, then we must realize that infertile couples need as much support and counseling as those who have lost loved ones through death. This means that Christians need to educate themselves about infertility, and above all, be sensitive to the extremely vulnerable feelings of those who grieve for the children they'll never have.

Thelma Kramar
"One of a Kind - Sharing Memories and Making Friendships"

A workshop to help those in the retirement years look into the future by recalling the past. Writing about your life story can be very healing and therapeutic.

Thelma Kramar is an octogenarian with a mission to help people discover their hidden riches through writing. She is the editor of a newsletter, "One of a Kind - True Tales of Ordinary People in the Twentieth Century." She has been a member of the Crystal Cathedral since 1981. She is a stepmother and even a great-grandmother. She says, "I treasure life stories and now edit a magazine for and by caregivers, designed to encourage creativity and life satisfaction."

Rev. Dr. Vicki Orr
"The Gift of Forgiveness & Blessing Those Who Hurt You."

Forgiveness and blessing are inseparable when we live from God in a life of prayer, because then, the natural outflow is speaking and giving blessing to others. Come and discover how we can involve ourselves more fully in the life of God.

Pastor Vicki Orr is the Senior Associate Pastor at Presbyterian Church of the Master in Mission Viejo. She is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California with a Master of Divinity in 1985 and a Doctor of Ministry in 1994. She wrote her dissertation on prayer and healing.

Rev. Dr. Linda Bos
"When Cure is Not Possible, Comfort Always"

This workshop will focus on the topics of hospice, death, dying, and quality of life when quantity is limited. Issues of AIDS, suffering, spiritual impact of illness, preparing for approaching death, and closure will be covered.

Dr. Bill Clements
"Spiritual Development in the Second Half of Life"

Growth can be ahead, decline is not necessary.

Dr. Nina Winn
"Youth in Crisis - Keeping the Peace"

Our children will get our time, our attention, our money and our resources, one way or another- lovingly or negatively. The crisis of youth violence is multifacted and must embrace a public health stategy based on the assumption that education can alter behavior and non-violence can be learned.

A dynamic heartfelt presentation based on her own grief as well as many other's. This workshop will help you respond effectively when someone has suffered a loss.

Susan is Director of Training for New Hope, a twenty-four hour telephone crisis counseling center. An experienced speaker on grief, she is past-president of the Achievers Toastmasters Club.

"Care Givers and their Special Gifts" - Calvie Hughson Shwalm "Care that Crosses Cultural Boundaries" - Dr. Betty Kroeker "Caring Enough to Confront" - Rev. Glenn DeMaster "Caring for Yourself as You Care for Others" - Dr. Bill Gaultiere "Disarming Anger - Unleashing Peace"- Rev. Dick Klaver "Grief: A Caregivers Medicine Bag of Spirit Lifting Prescriptions" - Susan Balk "How Do Caring Persons Enrich the Hope of Others?" - Louis Smedes "Is Joy Possible, for the Survivor, After the Unique Grief of Suicide?" - Shirley Zink "Married Without Children - How Can We Help Rather Than Hurt Infertile Couples" John & Sylvia Van RegenMorger "Naming the Elephant - Essentials for A Caring Person" Dr. James R. Kok "One Of A Kind" Thelma Kramar "Spiritual Development in the Second Half of Life" - Dr. Bill Clements "Spirituality, Stigma and Serious Mental Illness" Dr. Gunnar Christiansen "The Passion of God - God Responds and So Must We"- Dr. James R. Kok "The Power of Prayer in Christian Care" - Marilyn Heavilin "The Gift of Forgiveness & Blessing Those Who Hurt You" Dr. Vicki Orr "When Cure Is Not Possible, Comfort Always" Dr. Linda Bos "Youth In Crisis - Keeping The Peace" - Dr. Nina Winn
Dr. Lewis B. Smedes "Standing On the Promises" *How do caring persons enrich the hope of others?* Does personal care lift human hopefulness? These questions touch at the heart of many issues which will be addressed at the International Conference on Christian Care. Dr. Lewis B. Smedes, eminent speaker/author/theologian, has just completed a new book on the subject of HOPE and will provide rewarding enlightenment on this vital subject. Dr. Lewis B. Smedes is Professor Emeritus of Theology and Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California and the author of many best selling Christian books.
Keynote Speaker Dr. James R. Kok "The Passion of God - God Responds and So Must We"
The groans and cries of the wounded and weary are felt by God. God responds! Repeatedly Scripture reminds us `"God heard their groaning and remembered..."` And `"I have heard them crying out...and am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them."`
The God we know is touched by the pain of the people; He hears the cries of the brokenhearted and those caught in the iron traps of fear, grief, addiction and loneliness. This responsive spirit that cares so deeply for humanity is present in all people. We are created in God's likeness and called on to exhibit that God-like sensitivity and helpfulness in everyday life. The "Care Conference" aims to ignite in all God's children a sense of calling to demonstrate to friends, colleagues, next door neighbors and the stranger at the car wash extraordinary kindness, attentiveness and compassion. This is God's work for us to carry out. It is good. It is possible. Our faithfulness in this practical day-to-day care-fullness will reassure humankind that God is alive and active today and restore hope in a pessimistic world.
Dr. Bill Gaultiere "Caring for Yourself as You Care for Others" Helping people in need brings life's greatest blessings. We'll talk about strategies for listening to and caring for yourself before, during and after a helping opportunity. Well-prepared helpers endure while reaping enormous returns. Dr. Bill Gaultiere is the Executive Director of the New Hope Telephone Counseling Center and co-founder of New Hope Online. "Dr. Bill" is a Clinical Psychologist and the author of three books. He's been in practice as a therapist since 1987 in Irvine where he lives with his wife and three children.

Dr. Betty Kroeker "Care that Crosses Cultural Boundaries" Living in our complex world of Microsoft, mega-mergers and mobility, multicultural sensitivity and skill is essential for every caring person. This seminar will teach how to be culturally competent by demonstrating values that are applicable to all peoples, and show how to live consistently and helpfully in an ethnically and culturally diverse society.
Dr. Betty Kroeker has taught graduate courses on Cross-cultural Psychotherapy at both Pepperdine and Azusa Pacific University. She is an ordained minister with a doctorate in Psychology. Dr. Kroeker worked as a missionary with Wycliffe Bible Translators for twenty years and is currently counseling and teaching with Springboard Ministries.
Rev. Glenn DeMaster "Caring Enough to Confront" Everyone has blind spots. We are hindered in our personal growth when we do not have persons in our network who love us enough to honestly reflect how we are impacting others around us. Small groups provide a tremendous vehicle for the genuine care necessary for continual growth.
Rev. Glenn DeMaster has served as the Executive Pastor at the Crystal Cathedral since 1994. He is reponsible for the pastoral staff and all the ministries of the congregation and is a member of the management team of the Crystal Cathedral Ministries. Rev. DeMaster received his educational training at Central College, Pella, Iowa (B.A.), the University of South Dakota (M.A.), Talbot Theological Seminary (M.A.C.E.) with additional course work at Fuller Seminary. He was ordained in 1983. Rev. DeMaster brings experience in leadership development, teaching, and team management. This experience comes from a broad background in public education, church ministry and denominational leadership in The Reformed Church in America. Rev. DeMaster and his wife Marilyn have two children and two grandchildren. Marilyn serves as the Director of Children's Ministries at the Crystal Cathedral.
Dr. Gunnar Christiansen "Spirituality, Stigma and Serious Mental Illness" Mental Illness: What is it? Why does it happen? Whose fault is it? Doesn't God care? Spritual strength and a welcoming environment are vital for the rehabilitation of those with mental illness. Will the Faith Community respond? How can they respond effectively? Increasingly, physicians are appreciating the positive effect of spiritual vitality on recovery from physical disorders.
This workshop explores the empowering effect of healthy spirituality and the devastating effect of negative stigma on the rehabilitation of the mentally ill. Suggestions will be given for providing a welcoming environment in which the love of God can pass to and from those afflicted with these biologically-based disorders. Dr. Gunnar Christiansen achieved his M.D. and Masters Degree from the University of Oregon Medical School in 1961. He has been a Board Certified Ophthalmologist practicing in Anaheim, California for 29 years. He is serving as the Chairman of the California Alliance for the Mentally Ill's Outreach to the Faith Community ("FAITH-NET"). He is the First Vice President of the California Alliance for the Mentally Ill and is the Regional Representative for Southern California for the Presbyterian Serious Mental Illness Network (PSMIN).

Calvie Hughson Schwalm "Care Givers and their Special Gifts" Everyone is called to care! But, the true care giver is gifted in a special way. Care givers are empowered with Spiritual Gifts that enable them to be highly effective in situations that others would avoid. Come and learn about your special giftedness and how it impacts your effectiveness in a caregiving ministry.
Calvie Hughson Schwalm was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia and has led a life of service in both paid and voluntary positions: church volunteerism has always been her highest priority. She founded the New Dreams Divorce Recovery Ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida and served as director and trainer for two years in a volunteer capacity. In 1986 she was hired as the first full time Director of Volunteer Ministry at First Presbyterian. She successfully developed, implemented, and directed that volunteer program with better than 50% volunteer participation. In 1993 she became the Director of Volunteer Ministry at the Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, CA. While still at the Cathedral she has developed a Small Business - "Calvie and Associates - Speaking, Training, Consulting on Volunteer Management." She currently oversees in excess of 3,500 active volunteers and works closely with the departmental managers. She has an average recruitment of 3.5 volunteers per day. She has written and published a Spiritual Gifts Survey and Guide to Service as well as articles in Church Teacher Magazine, Net Results, and Christian Community Network. She is also co-author of a Volunteer Training Manual for the National Coalition Against Pornography.
Rev. Dick Klaver "Disarming Anger - Unleashing Peace" (The Walk of Jesus) We encounter angry people every day. What can we do to disarm the rage in others, while staying safe and sane ourselves? What pushes people into "road rage" and other acts of violence? How can Christians make a difference?
Rev. Dick Klaver has degrees from UCLA and Fuller Seminary. He is the author of "Men at Peace: Help for Men Struggling with Rage or Depression" and creator of Men at Peace groups. He is a Marriage and Family Therapist and is now a full-time pastor at the First Reformed Church of Glenville, New York.
Marilyn Heavilin "The Power of Prayer in Christian Care" The strength for care is empowered by prayer. Marilyn Heavilin is a wife of 40 years, a mother of five, a grandmother of four, an international speaker, and an author of five books,but what she wants to be known most about her is that she is a woman who seeks to know God and enjoys sharing that knowledge with others.
Marilyn is the founder and chapter leader of the Redlands Chapter of The Compassionate Friends, an international self-help support group for families who have experienced the death of a child. She is also a Funeral Coordinator for an association of funeral homes in Southern California. In this capacity she is able to share her compassion and love for bereaved familites. Marilyn Heavilin's books include: "Roses in December", "December's Song", "When Your Dreams Die", "Becoming A Woman of Honor", and "I'm Listening, Lord"
Dr. James R. Kok "Naming the Elephant - Essentials for a Caring Person" A handful of basic tools - wrapped in courage - are the keys to open doors. There are 10-12 key concepts essential for every caring person to be aware of in order to step out as an effective friend and support-person. They range from "naming the elephant" to "weeping with those that weep". This workshop will highlight the most important ones.
Dr. James Kok is Director of Care Ministry for the Crystal Cathedral Congregation of Garden Grove, CA. He has been an ordained minister of the Christian Reformed Church of America for 35 years. He speaks extensively throughout the United States and Canada. During his ministry Dr. Kok has specialized in the training of lay men and women, pastors and theological students in the art of caring and counseling, first at Pine Rest Christian Hospital and now at the Crystal Cathedral. With Dr. Kok as the director, the Crystal Cathedral is an approved center for Clinical Pastoral Training. This is accredited training for seminary work specializing in the truly pastoral side of ministry. Dr. Kok provides both Extended sessions and Summer Intensive sessions. Especially dear to his heart is the International Conference on Christian Care. His hands-on work as a pastor has led to a profound understanding of the issues and dynamics of personal grief and human suffering on which he has written and spoken at length.
John & Sylvia Van Regenmorter "Married Without Children - How can we help rather than hurt infertile couples?" Learn how to help those who are experiencing this secret sorrow. If we are to be caring people for these suffering and grief-stricken individuals, then we must realize that infertile couples need as much support and counseling as those who have lost loved ones through death. This means that Christians need to educate themselves about infertility, and above all, be sensitive to the extremely vulnerable feelings of those who grieve for the children they'll never have.
John & Sylvia Van Regenmorter are co-editors of Stepping Stones, a bi-monthly newsletter with national and international readership. In 1986, they co-authored one of the first Christian-based books on infertility titled "Dear God, Why Can't We Have a Baby?" In 1997, Stepping Stones became a ministry of Bethany Christian Services - a Christ-centered agency with its headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Thelma Kramar "One of a Kind - Sharing Memories and Making Friendships" A workshop to help those in the retirement years look into the future by recalling the past. Writing about your life story can be very healing and therapeutic. Thelma Kramar is an octogenarian with a mission to help people discover their hidden riches through writing. She is the editor of a newsletter, "One of a Kind - True Tales of Ordinary People in the Twentieth Century." She has been a member of the Crystal Cathedral since 1981. She is a stepmother and even a great-grandmother. She says, "I treasure life stories and now edit a magazine for and by caregivers, designed to encourage creativity and life satisfaction."
Rev. Dr. Vicki Orr "The Gift of Forgiveness & Blessing Those Who Hurt You." Forgiveness and blessing are inseparable when we live from God in a life of prayer, because then, the natural outflow is speaking and giving blessing to others. Come and discover how we can involve ourselves more fully in the life of God. Pastor Vicki Orr is the Senior Associate Pastor at Presbyterian Church of the Master in Mission Viejo. She is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California with a Master of Divinity in 1985 and a Doctor of Ministry in 1994. She wrote her dissertation on prayer and healing.

Rev. Dr. Linda Bos "When Cure is Not Possible, Comfort Always" This workshop will focus on the topics of hospice, death, dying, and quality of life when quantity is limited. Issues of AIDS, suffering, spiritual impact of illness, preparing for approaching death, and closure will be covered.
Rev. Dr. Linda Bos has been a chaplain with VITAS Innovative Hospice Care in Orange County, California for seven years. She has done her doctoral work on caring for the dying, with a special emphasis on the spiritual care for persons with AIDS.

Shirley Zink "Is Joy Possible, for the Survivor, after the Unique Grief of Suicide?" Losing a loved one to suicide is a very unique grief that requires a special kind of understanding. There are many questions, fears and concerns that surround a suicide that would not be found in any other kind of loss. You will learn what you can do to be of genuine comfort and support to the survivor.
Shirley Zink has learned from personal experience the anguish of losing a child by his own hand. In 1988 her son, Steven, took his own life on his 19th birthday. She has spent the last 10 years learning and volunteering many hours to help prevent this tragedy from happening to someone else. She is a member of the American Association of Suicidology and has served as a New Hope 24-hour Crisis Hot Line counselor for eight years. She has trained hundreds of counselors, Marines, Highway Patrol Dispatchers, other Crisis Line counselors and high school students in the prevention and intervention of suicide.
Dr. Bill Clements "Spiritual Development in the Second Half of Life" Growth can be ahead, decline is not necessary.

Dr. Nina Winn "Youth in Crisis - Keeping the Peace" Our children will get our time, our attention, our money and our resources, one way or another- lovingly or negatively. The crisis of youth violence is multifacted and must embrace a public health stategy based on the assumption that education can alter behavior and non-violence can be learned.
Dr. Nina Winn has been an employee of the Orange County Department of Education for 23 years and brings a strong background of curriculum, instruction, and staff development to the field of violence prevention. She is presently the Program Director of Safe Schools Projects, which includes the coordination of Project CUFFS (Communities United for Furthering Safety), a multi-component, 1.5 million dollar grant targeting students at risk of drug abuse and gang involvement at 14 school sites in the communities of Buena Park and Fullerton.
Susan Balk "Grief: A Caregivers Medicne Bag of Spirit Lifting Prescriptions" A dynamic heartfelt presentation based on her own grief as well as many other's. This workshop will help you respond effectively when someone has suffered a loss. Susan is Director of Training for New Hope, a twenty-four hour telephone crisis counseling center. An experienced speaker on grief, she is past-president of the Achievers Toastmasters Club.