I was thinking that it would be so heartless and cruel if Christians were to tell Mums not to abort their babies, but then fail to support them when they had the courage to continue their pregnancies. So here's some ideas about how churches can proactively support Mums.
- Be churches that Mums would like to return to. Churches that:
- are honest about and forgiving of sin;
- respect members whose lives are overtly messy/sinful and provide them with practical and emotional support;
- give financial assistance to those who need it, or help people access the government’s financial assistance;
- provide friendship and company for lonely people;
- provide practical support for families, especially for families in need of extra help;
- ask parents already attending church about their experience;
- help parents parent;
- take the time to get to know and befriend kids;
- give special honour to kids who have disabilities;
- respect, value and celebrate the role of Mums;
- celebrate pregnancy and treat the unborn baby as a baby;
- make single Mums (and their kids) feel welcome and valued.
- Get out there and:
- give money to organisations that support pregnant women, fathers or families;
- encourage people to do voluntary/paid work for such organisations;
- run church events that are attractive to Mums.
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2 comments:
This is something on my heart at the moment, not abortion specifically, but how to support and welcome troubled families, especially single mums.
It must be so daunting to be a single parent, to then come into a church full of happily married, financially secure people who seem to judge you and you never fit in.
Crossroads is a church that my junkie friends feel comfortable in, but as we get older, get better jobs, get married, have kids etc I'm sure the vibes going to change (and has already)
The open heart is there, but how do we communicate it?
(sorry for the Nikki angst comment! I appreciate your post heaps!)
I get what you're saying Nikki. I think it can be done, but takes a bit of intentionality. Firstly, I think it takes keeping on being open and honest with each other about sins and struggles. Even when your family life is healthy it's not like you suddenly become a non-messy person.
The other thing I think it takes is being deliberately, genuinely accepting and including of people who don't fit the usual mould. This begins with people already attending the church, and this beginning makes it possible for more people like this to attend.
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