Children, adults and families impacted by disabilities have much to contribute to the body of Christ, yet they are much less likely to attend church than those without disabilities. Local churches must be intentional about welcoming and fostering the unique gifts of each member.
Hephzibah62:4 has chosen the Disability & The Church (DATC) conference as an annual gathering place for Wesleyan pastors, church staff, lay leaders, caregivers/parents, students and advocates to be inspired, encouraged and gain insight into best practices in caring for vulnerable children and families impacted by special needs, while building connections within our Hephzibah62:4 collaborative community. The next DATC conference will take place April 21-23, 2026 in Washington, D.C. at McClean Bible Church.
Make plans for DATC2026!
STEP 1: Do you qualify for a grant?
HEPHZIBAH62:4 CHURCHES: This year we are offering up to two, $600 grants for qualifying participants at Hephzibah62:4 Momentum Catalyst and Momentum Builder Churches. This grant is offered as a reimbursement for eligible expenses shortly after the conclusion of the event, unless prior arrangements are made. To indicate your intention to claim your grant/s, simply register at the link in Step 2 below and e-mail us your registration confirmation. If you are unsure, please contact us at info@hephzibah.org with questions about grant information and eligibility before you register. NOTE: Hephzibah62:4 Churches may choose to use conference grants for one conference annually. Conference choices for this grant category include DATC and CAFO Summit.
Other Wesleyan churches: If you are a pastor or key volunteer in a Wesleyan church with a special interest in special needs and mental health ministry but your church is not yet registered as a Hephzibah62:4 Church, you may seek pre-approval for a grant to reimburse your DATC conference registration fee only. Contact us at info@hephzibah.org for details and pre-approval.
STEP 2: Full conference information and registration can be found here. To inquire about coordinating your hotel and other travel arrangements with the Hephzibah62:4 group, contact us at info@hephzibah.org.
STEP 3: Complete a brief survey about your conference experience. We will send this via email after the conference.
STEP 4: Submit an expense report along with your receipts for reimbursement. You can find the reimbursement process along with our expense report template here.
DATC Conference made such an impact on me personally, as a leader, and in my ministry.
As a pastor and a foster mom of kids with special needs, I wanted more to offer my children in ministry. Inclusion is very important to me. I really didn’t know how to start as the awareness of people with special needs is only now starting to grow here on the island of Newfoundland. After attending the conference, I quickly realized that I was not alone and that many churches out there already started down the path I wanted to go. The conference was full of information in all areas and I made some beautiful friendships in the process. – Rev. Jennifer White (far right)