Be A Part of History

The Christian Alliance for Orphans (www.christianalliancefororphans.org) is sponsoring the first ever national Orphan Sunday on Sunday, November 8, 2009. This national campaign has 50 partner organizations working to promote the event, and for Tennessee that partner is Sweet Sleep (www.sweetsleep.org). Since we’ve agreed to be state coordinators and since, you have a heart for the orphan, I am hoping you can help to canvas Tennessee in the launch of this significant annual event.

The goal of Orphan Sunday is to be the day that sparks a revolution in the hearts of Christians to care for the orphan. All across America, people, churches and colleges are hosting “events” such as sermons, Bible studies, Youth group gatherings, book clubs, fundraiser, concerts and lectures to speak for the orphan. An “event” is simply something people can attend/participate in that is connected to any of the three components of caring for the orphan: 1) Adoption 2) Foster Care and 3) International Orphan Care. These “events” can be as simple as a time of prayer at your church or home, making a meal for a newly adoptive family, signing up for Safe Room training (for those in the Nashville/Davidson county area), taking a $5 offering to provide a life-saving mosquito net for children in northern Uganda who’ll be getting new beds from Sweet Sleep or even showcasing the various orphan ministries your church already has in place (to spur church members to get involved).

Orphan Sunday events do NOT have to be on 11/8, so no worries about trying to figure out how to have your pastor abducted during the service so you can take over the podium. I would be delighted to help you brainstorm ideas, if you would like. There are endless ways that can enable you --and others-- to effectively advocate for the orphan between now and the end of November. The Orphan Sunday website has many helpful ideas, as well as posters, bulletin inserts, Sunday School/Bible study lessons, speaking points and more. The website you’ll want to visit for resources, events and information is www.orphansunday.org .

Please be praying about this day and, if you know of friends, family, colleagues, ministers or college students in other areas of Tennessee who would possibly be interested in finding out how they could help host an “event”, please feel free to forward this email to them or let me know and I can contact them.

Thanks for all you do,
Jen

PS. If you will contact me about your “event” I will be more than happy to take the time to post it to the Orphan Sunday website so that others in the area will be able to find a way to participate in these experiences.