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Tag Archives: Adoption
When it’s scary to say yes…
If we ask families in our churches to say yes to adoption, then we need to be ready to say yes to those families and their children if they need support after their yes leads to unexpected challenges. Continue reading
Posted in Adoption, Families, Key Ministry, Resources, Strategies
Tagged ADHD, Adoption, Autism, church, epilepsy, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, Foster Care, HIV, Key Ministry, PTSD, Shannon Dingle
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To love adoptive and foster families, (5) be willing to listen and learn.
Listen to the challenges we encounter as adoptive and foster families, such as being conspicuous in public due to adopting or fostering a child of a different race, considering dissolution or disruption of a child’s placement within our family in favor of another family who might be better equipped to meet the child’s needs, losing friends or family who don’t agree with our choice to adopt or foster, and struggling with the special needs of our child, whether known before placement or presenting as a surprise post-placement. Continue reading
The responsibilities of church leaders who promote adoption
I’d like to challenge church leaders to assume responsibility for supporting their families when they pursue adoption ministry. Continue reading
Posted in Adoption, Families, Foster Care, Key Ministry, Strategies
Tagged Adoption, church leaders, churches, Foster Care, Inclusion, Orphan Sunday, pastors, responsibility, trauma, trauma-informed
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To love adoptive and foster families, (4) let our kids be kids…
But they are kids, first and foremost. Welcome them as you would any other child. Work with their parents or guardians to figure out how to include them well.
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To love adoptive and foster families, (3) partner with us…
So it makes sense that one way to love the adoptive and foster families in your church is to partner with us. In many ways, this looks just like family ministry does for everyone else. Continue reading
Five ways the church can love their adoptive and foster families
When their parents are being elevated with comments about what a great thing they did, then those children may feel like they are less deserving of their families than a biological child might be. Continue reading
Hi, I’m Shannon, and this is my family
I see us, as a church, cheering at announcements about pending adoptions and then not knowing what to do when the child arrives and eventually joins in children’s ministry programming. I listen to friends who have had to change churches after the welcome mat was pulled away when it became too hard to include them. And I also hear church leaders saying that they want to help but they just don’t know how. Continue reading
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