connecting.
renewing.
caring…
connecting.
renewing.
caring…
Championing Foster Families
The “in faith conference” is a day for foster, adoptive and kinship parents to come and have their cups filled so that they can continue to do all they do…in faith. The day includes both encouraging and informative teaching sessions, time for connection with others, and a lunch you don’t have to fix or clean up afterward.
Saturday, November 8, 2025
9am to 4pm
Cornerstone Southern Baptist Church
1605 E 29th St. Hays, KS
$30 per person
Event Speakers
Hallie Cable
Hallie Cable studied Youth Ministry at Hesston College and began her career as a Youth Pastor and served in child welfare with St. Francis Ministries. For the past ten years, she has worked with CarePortal, leading teams to Haiti and India and equipping local churches to care for vulnerable children and families in their own communities.
Hallie is blessed to be married to her husband, Amos Cable, for nearly 20 years. Together, they have fostered children and are an adoptive family to five amazing kids. They live in Pretty Prairie, Kansas, where their life and ministry reflect a deep commitment to faith, family, and community.
Jane Heeke
Jane and her husband Pill are passionate about equipping families and churches to thrive. With over 36 years of experience in education and ministry, she brings a wealth of insight and practical wisdom to the parents and leaders they serve. Jane spent 24 years in the classroom before transitioning into pastoral ministry, where she has served for the past 12 years. Together with her husband, she writes parenting curriculum, teaches parenting classes, leads workshops in churches, and provides one-on-one parent mentoring. Their heart is to empower moms and dads to be courageous and confident in raising the next generation.
In addition to their work with families, Phil and Jane lead Valor Discipleship, a ministry devoted to helping people grow deeper in their walk with God. Through Valor, they guide discipleship groups, train leaders, and partner with churches to develop strong discipleship practices that transform lives.
She lives in West Palm Beach, Florida with her husband, and is the proud parents of two married adult children and grandparents to two amazing grandchildren. Whether in the classroom, the church, or the living room, Jane loves helping people discover their God-given purpose and live it out fully.
Michelle Holdeman
Michelle Holdeman, LSCSW RPT, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Registered Play Therapist with over 10 years of experience in supporting children, adolescents, and parents. Michelle obtained her Master’s in Social Work in 2006 and achieved her clinical independent license and Registered Play Therapist credential in 2023. She founded New Connections Mental Health in 2021, believing in the transformative power of play to provide emotional processing and healing of children and adolescents. Her expertise lies in helping children and teenagers aged 3-18 who are facing challenges such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, and trauma. Michelle is also passionate about empowering parents in strengthening their relationships with their children. She utilizes child-parent relationship training (CPRT) to provide parent coaching and support. Michelle is trained in various therapeutic methods, including play therapy, sand tray therapy, synergetic play therapy, and EMDR. Her professional background includes work in schools, mental health hospitals, community mental health centers, and foster care. She is dedicated to helping families and build stronger connections, confidence, and hope.
Michelle will be presenting “The Resilient Caregiver”, Real tools for battling burnout and increasing connections.
Mick Thornton
Rev. Mick Thornton, B.A., M.Div. was born to build things. Mick has been a pastor, radio producer, writer, app designer, trauma consultant, foster care trainer, grant writer, program designer, economic and community developer, full-time RV-er, and counting. All of these pursuits are united by his passion to build things and help people. Grounded in the belief that all people are worthy of restoration, Mick envisions a world designed to bring out the best in us all and creatively care for our deepest struggles.
Mick will be presenting “Dragons in the Dark,” a pathway from dysfunction to restoration.
In this engaging and interactive conversation, participants will learn an applicable new strategy to understand maladaptive behavior and guide struggling youth from dysfunction towards restoration.
Jenn Meyer
Jenn Meyer began her career in education after earning her degree from Northwest Missouri State University, teaching in the classroom for five years before transitioning into case management. Her passion for supporting families led her to become a trainer for foster and adoptive parents—a role that ultimately shaped her professional path. Jenn now serves as the Director of Caregiver Training and Support at the Children’s Alliance of Kansas, where she combines professional expertise with personal insight.
She and her husband were licensed foster parents for seven years and are the proud parents of three daughters, including one adopted from the foster care system. Jenn recently completed a master’s degree in education with a focus on neuroscience and trauma from Tabor College. As a trainer, she brings warmth, empathy, and authenticity—grounded in both lived experience and deep knowledge of trauma-informed care.
Jenn will be presenting on moving from Trauma Informed to Trauma Responsive
Kelly Hansen
Kelly is the youngest of three biological children. Kelly’s family began fostering before she was born and continued well into her adult years. She has 6 siblings through adoption. Kelly can share both good and not so good experiences as well as things her parents did well and things they would change if given the chance.
Parker Opat
Parker is the youngest of four biological children. His parents became foster caregivers before he was born and continued through his high school years. The family adopted five teenagers over time giving him a total of eight siblings. More than 120 children came and went through the Opat home, shaping Parker’s unique perspective on what it means to share parents, navigate grief and loss, and experience the wide range of influences—both positive and challenging—that come with growing up in a home filled with constant change and compassion.
Elliott Cox
Elliott is the youngest of three biological children. Her family began fostering when she was two years old and has continued to foster to this day. She has 6 siblings through adoption, with 3 more on the way. Her family has fostered a variety of ages, giving her what she calls “birth order whiplash”. Elliott has worked hard to understand the impact of fostering and adoption on her life and has great insight to share.
Your gift will be matched!
We have endeavored to make this conference as affordable as possible so that it is accessible to any family pursuing God’s mandate to care for “the least of these.” That accommodation, necessitates gifts beyond the registration fee. Thankfully, we have been awarded a matching grant by the Christian Alliance for Orphans. It’s so beautiful when the body of Christ works in unity for the spreading of the Kingdom!
Use the button below to have your gift matched until February 28, 2025.
Your gift will be matched!
We have endeavored to make this conference as affordable as possible so that it is accessible to any family pursuing God’s mandate to care for “the least of these.” That accommodation, necessitates gifts beyond the registration fee. Thankfully, we have been awarded a matching grant by the Christian Alliance for Orphans. It’s so beautiful when the body of Christ works in unity for the spreading of the Kingdom!
Use the button below to have your gift matched until February 28, 2025.
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