Made to Connect
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Are you looking to make a real impact on your community? Do you want to connect with children and their families? Then you won’t want to miss Made to Connect – the life-changing one-day workshop coming to Grand Rapids.
You will learn how to create a safe, welcoming, and loving environment for children in your community. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how our experiences impacts us and learn practical tools for working with kids who have experienced it. Plus, you’ll walk away with a solid plan of action to empower your church leaders and volunteers to do the same.
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to make a real difference in your community.
MAde to Connect Details
| Date | May 8, 2025 |
| Time | 9:00 am – 3:00 pm |
| Location | Crossroads Bible Church800 Scribner NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504 |
Made to Connect was created to equip churches to understand how experiences impact people and how those experiences are more impactful and formative in children. Attendees will leave with a foundation of knowledge and practical strategies they can implement immediately. The goal is to use a combination of psychology, neuroscience, and theology to help attendees better understand and help the children in their ministries.
Registration for Made to Connect is $500 per churchscholarships are available
Register NOW
There are two registration options for Made to Connect in Grand Rapids.
CLICK HERE to register as an individual participant
Would you like your church to attend Made to Connect, but it’s not in the current budget? In partnership with our friends at CarePortal, we have created a scholarship fund to ensure that the registration fee is not a barrier for any church.
CLICK HERE to apply if your church needs a scholarship.
Training Schedule
| Time | Content |
|---|---|
| 9:00 am - 9:15 am | Welcome and Logistics |
| 9:15 am - 10:45 am | Made to Connect Content |
| 10:45 am - 11:00 am | BREAK |
| 11:00 am -12:30 pm | Made to Connect Content |
| 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm | LUNCH |
| 1:30 pm - 2:15 pm | Q&A |
| 2:15 pm - 3:00 pm | First Steps, Next Steps, Context |
Made to Connect will equip churches to seek the peace and prosperity of the city so that both the church and the city will prosper.
What's Included?
- Training that equips churches to meet the needs of kids and families in their communities
- Discounted access to our modular video training
- Sensory activities to use in the classroom
- Practical go-to tools for almost any situation
- Discussion questions and talking points to use with staff and volunteers
- Connection to other trauma-informed churches
- Live Q&A
- Lunch
Meet Ryan and Kayla
Ryan and Kayla North started their parenting journey in 2004 and spent 10 years as foster parents. Most of what they share comes from trying to live what they learned along the way.
They are co-founders of One Big Happy Home and are considered experts on childhood trauma. Together they have developed training materials and programs for churches, schools, child-placing agencies, and parents educating them on trauma and its impacts.
Ryan and Kayla have trained and mentored ministry leaders and trainers across the United States and Canada in trauma-informed care and crisis intervention. They are both TBRI Practitioners and speak at churches, schools, conferences, and retreats nationwide.
They have had the privilege of working with some of the most respected voices in the fields of Developmental Trauma and Attachment. You can hear them on The Empowered Parent Podcast and read their writing at One Big Happy Home.
