Is There Room in Your Pew?
April 2023 · Forward in Hope
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2nd Corinthians 5:17
It seems utterly natural that Easter should occur in the spring. After all, they both call to mind thoughts of renewal and new life. Those are themes familiar to Saint Francis Ministries as well.
After all, everything we do is dedicated to helping children and families overcome the legacies of personal and generational pasts. We trade in hope – hope in second chances and hope in human resiliency. In other words, we couldn’t do this work if we didn’t believe it possible for people to overcome and heal from the traumas of their past.
No one should be defined by the bad things that have happened to them. We must believe that life can be made new.
Fortunately, we have reason to be confident in that belief.
On Sunday, Christians around the world will celebrate Easter, and families will come together to reconnect, share a meal, and attend religious services.
This Easter, as our thoughts turn to thoughts of new life and hope, let us remember those who need it more than most now – children and teens in foster care. Once introduced, trauma can burden a lifetime, negatively affecting self-esteem, well-being, and interpersonal relationships.
Youth in foster care need to know that they are not defined by their past experiences, that they have dignity and worth simply because they are human beings. They need a place where they can be safe, loved, and nurtured. They need assurance that new life is possible.
Our foster and kinship parents help give that to them. They are partners in hope.
So, ask yourself this Easter, and every day after – “Is there room in your pew for a child in foster care?”
If so, consider becoming a foster or kinship parent.