EV Free Church of the Conejo Valley in Newbury Park has established a disability ministry to answer the needs of those families affected by disabilities.

Children can attend a free three-hour Saturday morning program called Buddy Break where they can participate in supervised story time, games and music. Parents and friends can use the time to relax and run errands.

The church offers specially trained buddies for the children who want to attend Sunday School while their parents are at church. The parents do not have to worry about their child causing a disturbance.

Adults with disabilities are invited to attend a weekly Friendship Class on Mondays. Teens and adults with cognitive impairments meet for song, prayer, lessons and refreshments with a one-to-one friend-mentor ratio.

The church will host a Disability Awareness Weekend during the services at 6 p.m. Sat., Feb. 6 and 9 and 10:45 a.m. Sun., Feb. 7. Steve Larson will speak about how God values all people, including people with disabilities. Friends with disabilities will be leading in worship, and children will learn in their classes about how to befriend a person with a disability.

EV Free is at 999 Rancho Conejo Blvd., Newbury Park. For more information, visit www.evfree.net/disabilities or call Rhonda Cattley, director of disability ministries, at (805) 262-5000, ext. 724.