Departments
Leadership Expo | Children's Ministries
Children's Leadership Expo!
Join us for the Children's Leadership Expo — Sunday, March 1, 2026, Upper Columbia Conference Office
Upper Columbia Conference’s one-day event to inspire, train, network, equip, and resource those working with children.
When: Sunday, March 1, 2026
Where: Upper Columbia Conference Office
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Registration is required for this event. Please register by clicking the button below.
VBS Program Previews
- Alive in Jesus Sabbath School curriculum training for Babies & Beginners and Kindergarten & Primary classes!
- NAD VBS Program Cactusville: Where Kids Are Called to Follow Jesus
- Group Publishing 2026 VBS programs & resources:
- Holy Land Adventure — Rome,
- Weekend VBS — Galaxy
- Easy VBS — Rainforest Falls
Plus crafts, easy decorating & more!
Topics Offered
Alive in Jesus Sabbath School curriculum Foundation & Training for Kindergarten and Primary Classes (English)
Presenters: Chrystal Flerchinger, Pamela Daley
Alive in Jesus Sabbath School curriculum Foundation & Training for Kindergarten and Primary Classes (Spanish)
Presenters: Rosa Morales, Jesús Porras, Wendy Prado
NAD VBS Cactusville Program Overview and Training (English)
Presenters: Chrystal Flerchinger, Pamela Daley
NAD VBS Cactusville Program Overview and Training (Spanish)
Presenters: Rosa Morales, Jesús Porras, Wendy Prado
Group Publishing 2026 VBS Program Overview & Resources
Presenter: Jackie Calonder
Overview of Group Publishing on their three Vacation Bible School curriculums for 2026: Holy Land Adventure – Rome, Weekend VBS – Galaxy & Easy VBS - Rainforest Falls . There will be a chance to see and expedience some of the fun your kids will this summer.
Social and Emotional Learning
Presenter: Tricia Lofthouse
Covers the social and emotional (SEL) classes at Rogers Adventist Schools and includes curriculum for K-6th grades.
Anxiety/Depression in Children
Presenter: Tricia Lofthouse
Covers the rise in anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts in children and when to report your concerns.
Building an Inclusive Children’s Ministry: Serving Children and Families with Special Needs
Presenter: Denise Ellenwood
How can children’s ministries faithfully serve and support children of all abilities? This breakout session will provide practical strategies, tools, and ministry insights to help leaders create environments where children and families with special needs feel welcomed, valued, and supported. Participants will gain knowledge and ideas to better understand diverse learning needs while building ministry spaces that reflect Christ’s love and make room for every learner to belong and grow in faith.
TBD
Presenter: Pastor Sam Smith
The harvest is plenty and the laborers…where are they!? One of the hardest parts of developing children and youth ministry is how to find reliable help. This workshop explores questions like: “How do I find volunteers?”, “How do I disciple volunteers?” and “How do we multiply volunteers?”
How to STEAM Ahead – Checking Out Life on a 3rd Grade Level
Presenter: Gerald & Gayle Haeger
STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) AHEAD IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. What if you could invite children from your local elementary school to your church and spend over two hours a week sharing with them and getting acquainted with their families? This seminar will show you how we have been doing that for over 10 years in inner-city Spokane at Spokane Central Church. We can share with you our journey, how to begin this ministry, some of our fun activities, and how to include the community in serving the children.
Importance of Visual Environment in Children’s Ministry — Decorating!
Presenter: Denise Graves
How can children’s ministries faithfully serve and support children of all abilities? This breakout session will provide practical strategies, tools, and ministry insights to help leaders create environments where children and families with special needs feel welcomed, valued, and supported. Participants will gain knowledge and ideas to better understand diverse learning needs while building ministry spaces that reflect Christ’s love and make room for every learner to belong and grow in faith.
Hands-on Craft
Presenter: Sherri Codd
Featuring
Jackie Calonder — Presenter
Jackie Calonder is a Group Publishing Ambassador. She is also the minister at her church, Joyful Servant Lutheran Church in Newberg, Oregon. She has been in ministry for more than 25 years and love Vacation Bible School and seeing how the love of God comes alive in the eyes of kids.
Sherri Codd — Presenter
Sherri Codd has been living in Spokane for about 18 years, along with her husband and daughter, who has brought them a wonderful son and their first granddaughter. She loves children, paper crafting, baking, gardening, sewing, skiing, camping, swimming, pets, gathering with family and friends, taking pictures and decorating anything!
Pamela Daley — Presenter
Pamela Daley is director of children's ministries for Lake Union Conference. She enjoys serving the Lord by helping leaders become equipped through leadership trainings, VBS, Sabbath School, and Children’s Church. She began working in children’s ministry when her children were small and desired for them to have a kid friendly worship experience. This led to her developing children’s church programs in her local church.
Denise Ellenwood — Presenter
Denise Ellenwood is a member of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe and was raised on the Colville Indian Reservation. She has had a God-given love for children for as long as she can remember. Denise has served as an early learning director, children’s ministry leader, and currently works in an inclusive preschool special education classroom. She has also been a foster parent and is a proud mother of five beautiful children.
Chrystal Flerchinger— Presenter
Chrystal Flerchinger lives in Omak, where she works as an administrative assistant for New York Life. Alongside her husband Perry, she has spent almost 30 years serving in ministry and supporting church schools, pouring into children’s programs, clubs, and classrooms with a heart for helping kids feel loved, welcomed, and excited to say “Yes!” #Yes2Jesus.
Denise Graves — Presenter
More to come.
Gerald & Gayle Haeger — Presenters
Gerald and Gayle Haeger retired a few years ago from full-time work in the UCC — Gerald from ministerial director and Gayle from teaching science at Upper Columbia Academy. Rather than a traditional retirement they have chosen to continue serving on a part-time basis with the UCC urban ministries outreach in inner-city Spokane and the Spokane Central Church. This has led to involvement with the Better Living Center food pantry and free dental clinic, S.T.E.A.M. Ahead, God’s Closet, and related ministries.
Tricia Lofthouse — Presenter
Trish works as the school counselor at Valley Adventist Schools in College Place, Washington. She has worked as a school counselor for more than 20 years and is blessed to encourage children and families to celebrate their mental health like they do their physical health…everyday!
Rosa Morales — Presenter
Rosa Morales has dedicated her life to teach, as an elementary school teacher and also in children’s ministry. Her greatest desire is to make a difference in the life of every child that enters her classroom. She wishes to reach the kingdom of heaven with her children, grandchildren and all the students she once had the opportunity to teach.
Jesús Porras — Presenter
Jesús Porras lives in San Bernardino, California, where he works with people with learning disabilities, teaching them how to live independently, as an instructor. He attends the Inland Spanish Adventist Church in Colton. He currently serves as a Sabbath School teacher, elder, VBS director, and personal ministries director. He and his wife are currently volunteering with Southeastern California Conference as children's ministries coordinator and assistant coordinator for Adventurers in San Bernardino County. For more than 15 years, they have served as family ministries coordinator and assistant director for the Southeastern California Conference.
Wendy Prado — Presenter
Wendy Aceituno Prado has been working in children and youth ministries for almost 20 years now which has been her passion. Most recently, she has been called to serve as Pathfinder area coordinator in Potomac Conference as well as becoming a presenter for Alive in Jesus. Her mission is to bring all children she meets to the feet of Jesus and see all of them in heaven.
Sam Smith — Presenter
Sam Smith is a grateful child of the King. He is married to Sara and has a 2 year old son named Theodore. Sam serves as the pastor for children and youth at Walla Walla University Church. Sam is excited about mentoring others to disciple children to follow Jesus.
