About Amy Fenton Lee
About Amy Fenton Lee:
Amy Fenton Lee is the Special Needs Columnist for Children’s Ministry Magazine and the Special Needs Consultant to Orange. For a partial list of Amy’s writing credits with other publications, see www.amyfentonlee.com.
As an active children’s ministry volunteer and the daughter of a church senior pastor, Amy understands the unique subculture of the church. In her home church, Amy serves as a fourth grade boys Sunday small group leader, first grade boys Wednesday night leader, and Vacation Bible School class coach and teacher. While Amy teaches in “typical” children’s ministry environments, she is always prepared to include a child with special needs or learning differences.
Amy extends her ministry by equipping other churches to successfully include children with various neurological and physical differences. Amy researches for her writing and speaking by interviewing secular professionals and experienced children’s ministry leaders. Amy has also conducted interviews with more than 100 parents of children with special needs. Some of her best insight has come from attending continuing education seminars for special education professionals as well as visiting special education classrooms and autism camp. Amy is a popular workshop presenter for ministry conferences including:
The Children’s Pastors’ Conference
McLean Bible Church’s Accessibility Summit
Lifeway’s Kids Ministry Conference
Georgia Baptist Association of Christian Educators
Amy’s most popular teaching topic, Surviving to Thriving: Teaching Techniques to Engage Different Learners is available for purchase as an 80-minute DVD with downloads through The Orange Store.
See The Premise of the Inclusive Church Blog for more on the background of this blog and the audience for which the content is developed. You can see live interviews of Amy at the 2011 Orange Conference and the 2012 Orange Conference.
Amy lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia along with her husband and young son.
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
- Adapting Lessons for Special Needs Sunday School Curriculum
- The Inclusive Church: An Interview with Amy Fenton Lee (Part I) — Another Piece of the Puzzle
- Happy 1st Anniversary The Inclusive Church Blog! (And Top 10 Posts) « The Inclusive Church
- CMX 2011 Special Needs Track 7/7/11 « The Inclusive Church
Hi Amy,
I’m starting a not for profit regulatory agency that protects special needs and disabled people from predators at sponsored events. My Sister and a friend fell victim 8 years ago and we’ve been fighting ever since for justice. I would be very interested in speaking with you about your program and perhaps you could share some resources that will help me. The Spirit just guided me to your site…I just love it when that happens. I look forward to hearing from you. dawn@hrsi.us. God Bless. Dawn
Dawn –
Thanks so much for commenting and connecting. And thanks for sharing your story. It is important for churches to recognize the value in requiring background checks, conducting adequate volunteer screening, and establishing a culture full of mitigating safety practices to deter ill-intentioned “helpers”. I look forward to chatting!
Hi Amy,
I am just a parent and fellow believer in Christ. I am also a parent of a 14yr old son with mild-mental retardation. I saw you being interviewed on a ‘you tube’ video and was moved to almost tears. Everything you were sharing is exactly my desire and the direction in which we want to go in including families with disabilities in our church. A friend and I have been trying to put together a training (type) of “manual” to give to the Children’s ministry within our church. We have been praying about it for months and we have been working on it for months. Yet, we are just normal people with a special calling for some special people! My friend who really approached me about this endeavor, which the Lord had already placed on my heart, has CP herself. And though we don’t have much education in special education, we have a love for special needs,some life experience, and a great love for Christ. I would love for you to help us get started or point us in the direction of some resources, conferences, or people whom can help us and encourage us to accomplish this taks that has been gracefully given to us. We pray with anticipation, and wait with perseverance, knowing that God will accomplish what HE has started. Our desire is that we reach EVERY child for Christ, and that the Church would be the first place that parents/caregivrs run to for help, support, love and acceptance. To God be the glory. Thank you Amy for your time! Love in Christ, Kristine Flores.