Why a blog? 

This blog exists to support those who care for and care about younger children [0-5] and their formation.  My hope is that this will be an opportunity for learning, teaching, and sharing in a way that glorifies God.  Some entries will contain information on the newest research in child development, some will focus on resources for Sunday school and weekday programs, and others will contain stories of triumphs and challenges in forming our children.  Each will end with a question to ponder, and I welcome your comments and feedback. 

Adoption

Recently I corresponded with several people in children’s ministries on creative and faithful ways to welcome newborns into the church family - not to be confused with Holy Baptism.  But Sue Kamm reminded me of the importance of including adopted children in our recognition of new parents.  In The Gospel According to John and in Paul’s writings, we see the gift of adoption.  

Ephesians 1.3-6 reads, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”

In the United Methodist Book of Worship you will find an Order of Thanksgiving for the Birth or Adoption of a Child.  This emphasizes the importance of not only welcoming newborns, but also children adopted into a family, for we are all adopted children of God.   Please comment if you have any practices in your church community that welcome adopted children, who are not always newborns, and foster children, who are sometimes in the community for only a short while.

The following practices and ideas are great examples of ministry for new parents, whether through birth or adoption, and can be adapted for the adoption of an older child.  Peace.  

“We send new parents the book God Gave Us Youby Lisa Tawn Bergren, along with a personalized letter and information about our nursery council and nursery.  If it is a first-time baby, we also send a calendar with baby milestones.”     
- Holly Hattendorf, First UMC, Arlington  

“Our church offers to provide a meal to families with newborns.”    
- Pam De La Cruz, First UMC, Grapevine, TX 

“[We] place a sign in the yard (it looks like a stroller), which says “Welcome to our Newest Member at KUMC”, and it has a blue or pink baby rattle with the baby’s name on it.  The family keeps the rattle part of the sign, but we pick the sign back up after a week or so. We contact our “Serving Hearts” ministry team, and they coordinate meals to be delivered to the family for a period of time.   Our [Weekday] Nursery Coordinator sends out a letter to the family, expressing congratulations and telling them about our nursery.  Since we accept newborns, we use this letter to tell our new mothers “…WHEN YOU ARE READY, these are the things you will want to be thinking about…”; We then give them information on labeling items left in the nursery, information on nursery schedule and policies, etc.  We send this letter, even if the family already has an older child. We present the family with a small wooden cross, painted pink or blue, and showing the baby’s name, birth date, and “KUMC” on it.  It is small enough to be used as a Christmas tree ornament, or attached to the diaper bag, whatever the family chooses to do with it. Lastly, our church staff sends a card, signed by all staff members, congratulating them and welcoming the new baby.” 
- Kelly Horne, KUMC 

“Our day circle composed of young mothers delivers to each family with a new infant a basket of goodies – [and] we include a specially designed bib.  Included in the basket is a copy of Delia Halverson’s book How Do Our Children Grow?  Introducing Children to God, Jesus, the Bible, Prayer, Church.  The book is an easy read and helps parents begin to think in terms of talking with their children about faith.  It is a good resource beyond babyhood.  Along with a visit comes an invitation to participate in the circle.  The pastor’s secretary sends a letter to the new parents, which tells about our infant child care and baptism.” 
- Carol Uzzle, Reveille UMC, Richmond, VA  

“At my previous church we gave a gift bag with nursery and baptism info, bag tag, Your Baby is for Lovingby MaryJane Pierce Norton, and a wooden cross.  A group of ladies [delivered] the bags after the birth.” 
- Joan Walker 

“We have a cradle roll committee that’s just recently reorganized themselves and love this ministry!  When a baby is born, they take them a beautiful packaged “packet” (made by scrapbookers of the church).  The packet contains information on:  spiritual growth of a baby, helps for Christian parents, baptism, nursery, and support groups (MOPS, Playgroup, Donuts with Dads, etc).  The cradle roll delivers this packet with a meal.  Then throughout the next 2 years, the cradle roll committee sends birthday cards, get-well cards, baptism cards, and invitations to the Nursery Open House, the Cradle Roll Easter Egg Hunt and the Children’s Sunday School Christmas Program.  The pastor also visits the family when a baby is born.”   
- Sondra Buell, Liberty UMC, Liberty, MO 

“We have bibs and diaper tags printed that we give to parents of newborns.  For a number of years we also gave them a copy of the book Can I Pray With My Eyes Open by Susan Taylor Brown.  We send them a greeting from the church with information about baptism.” 
 - Donna Reed, Memorial Drive UMC

This entry was posted on Friday, April 25th, 2008 at 6:00 am and is filed under adoption, new parents, newborns. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.