Children in Poverty Initiative

Vision: To increase our ministry effectiveness to reach and care for children in poverty we want to raise up and network teachers and educators from local congregations across our region. In the establishment of this network we hope to encourage teachers in their roles as frontline contacts with children and in particular children at risk. We hope to help Christian teachers and educators see their vocational callings as strategic ministry opportunities. We also hope to help local churches partner with their member teachers and strategize how they might create meaningful ministry with children within the context of their ministry.

Levels of Involvement:
  1. Children in Poverty Taskforce: We are looking for a select group of teachers and educators (current and retired) who have vision and energy to work on a regional taskforce. This taskforce would meet a couple of times a year in person somewhere centrally in the region to discuss and plan for ministry to children in our region. This taskforce would also seek via various communication tools to resource teachers and local congregations to become more aware of and to do strategic ministry with children in their ministry context.

  2. Children in Poverty Network: We are looking for teachers, educators, pastors and other church leaders who will be contacts within their local church to receive information, encourage prayer and develop ministry within their community around the concern for children at risk.

  3. Biennial Children in Poverty Missional Focus: As a teacher, educator, pastor or church member plan to attend the ABCOPAD Biennial in Altoona, October 24-26, 2008 to attend workshops and/or participate in a missional activity with children in poverty. This event will happen as a part of the biennial program. 

Help Needed:
  1. Identify teachers and educators who would be willing to be a part of the Children in Poverty Taskforce. They can enroll using the on-line form at the bottom of this web page or use the downloadable and printable Adobe Acrobat form available above.

2. Identify teachers, educators, pastors and other congregational leaders who would be willing to become a part of the larger regional network around the children in poverty network. They can enroll using the on-line form at the bottom of this web page or use the downloadable and printable Adobe Acrobat form available above.

Local Involvement:
  1. Encourage prayer within your congregation regarding the children of your church and community with particular attention to children at risk.

  2. Discuss with your congregational list how your local church might be in ministry in your community having greater impact on children.

  3. Identify the teachers in your congregation, pray for them and/or begin a conversation with them about how your church might encourage them in the strategic work they do in contact with children.

  4. Consider developing a partnership with a local public school or agency doing work with children.

  5. Identify teachers and others who would become a part of the regional taskforce or network. 
 

Enrollment Forms can be returned to:

American Baptist Churches of PA & DE
106 Revere Lane
Coatesville, PA 19320