EXAMPLES OF CHURCHES WHO ARE COMMITTED TO ORPHAN/ADOPTION MINISTRY:

• Antioch Church  Antioch Adoptions Ministry
• Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota – This church has a heart particularly for domestic adoptions and finding godly homes for minority children. Bethlehem’s two established funding programs (the Micah Fund and Lydia Fund) have helped numerous families with financial assistance. To find out more about establishing adoption assistance funds in your own church contact Maridel Sandberg.
• Edgewood Baptist Church  New Beginning's Ministry
• First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas – This small-town church has successfully completed a summer hosting program that is resulting in the adoption of 40 kids from Kazakhstan. They also have an ongoing adoption support group. You can contact Jay and Suzanne Faske if you have questions.
• Healing Place Church "His Heart for Orphans" Adoption Ministry, Baton Rouge, Louisiana – To learn more about their orphan and adoption related programs, contact Aimee Poche'.
• Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky -- This large, suburban church has a multi-faceted orphans ministry. To learn more about their orphan and adoption related programs, contact Kent Hatfield with questions.

MINISTRY IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED BY FAMILIES OF PROMISE:

• Staff Presentation:  At the monthly church staff meeting, Families of Promise presented our vision and mission to the KCC staff.  Al Keener of Christian Advocates for Adoption opened with a short Biblical Foundation for Adoption overview.  Packets were handed out to each staff member with our ministry brochure, statistic sheet, the book "Fields of the Fatherless" by C. Thomas Davis, etc.
• Prayer and Other Support to Families:  We have an active e-mail list where prayer requests, adoption/foster care information and ministry-related information is passed on frequently.  A mentor program is in place to support those seeking information related to foster care/adoption and those experiencing difficulties with infertility, unplanned pregnancies, adoption or foster care.  Other support is given to pre-adoptive/adoptive/foster families by providing meals, etc. when there is a need.
• Church Newsletter:  Occasionally articles have been included in the church newsletter, highlighting adoption information, issues, personal stories and upcoming events.
• Bulletin Board:  We have a permanent ministry bulletin board in a visible area that displays statistics, foster care and adoption information, interesting articles and pictures and profiles of waiting children.
• Informational Table:  Occasionally an informational table is available before and after services with adoption, foster care and ministry information, with Families of Promise members on hand to answer questions.
• Families of Promise Packets on Affording Adoption, General Adoption Information and Foster Care/Fost-Adoption have been assembled to pass out to individuals/families interested in taking the next steps in exploring adoption.
• Church Bulletin Announcements and Inserts (such as our ministry brochure) are frequently used to announce upcoming events, encourage people to stop at our informational table when it is available, and promote foster care and adoption (i.e. announcing foster care month and using related statistics to show the need in this area, etc.).  Special times for these announcements/inserts may include National Adoption Awareness Month (November), Foster Care Month (May) and Sanctity of Human Life Sunday (third weekend in January).
• Sermon on adoption:  Our senior pastor is an adoptive father, and he was willing to incorporate adoption into a sermon about caring for children and being involved in their lives.  An informational table was provided before and after each service.  In another sermon he used a story about his daughter's "Gotcha Day" to open and focused on the Biblical principle of our adoption as sons and daughters by God.
• Media Presentation:  Media presentations with pictures of adopted children/families within our church family have been played in various services.  
• Poster Campaign:  10 different poster designs with pictures of adoptive families in different situations, waiting foster children, statistics and Bible verses were hung around the church to highlight National Adoption Awareness Month (November) and promote adoption within our church.
• Library:  Adoption and foster care-related books were suggested by Families of Promise and added to our church library.  A display was set up for Adoption Awareness month, including books, brochures, etc.
• Social Events:  Occasionally social events have been and will be provided by Families of Promise to promote community among those involved in the ministry and to give those outside of the ministry the opportunity to come and meet those interested in supporting orphans, foster care, and adoption.
• Panel Discussion:  An evening was planned around a panel of varied adoptive/foster families, opening with a talk about the Biblical foundation for adoption.  The panel was assembled to present their stories and answer questions related to foster care and adoption.
• Adoption Agency Seminars:  Families of Promise aims to provide families with opportunities to learn about reputable adoption agencies that share our vision.  Kentwood Community Church families have the opportunity to coordinate agency seminars at our church for agencies with whom they've had a great experience.
• Adoption Workshop:  On October 1, 2005, Families of Promise hosted Family Life's "If You Were Mine" Adoption Workshop at Kentwood Community Church!  Click here for more details.