Hosting an Orphan Sunday

What is Orphan Sunday?
Orphan Sunday is a Sunday of your choosing during which you educate your entire congregation about the plight and reality of the orphan and what God’s Word says about His heart for the orphan. How Orphan Sunday is celebrated will be different in each church. We hope that this website will give you some helpful ideas for organizing your Orphan Sunday.

When is Orphan Sunday?
The Christian Alliance for Orphans has set aside November 8, 2009, as Orphan Sunday. However, many churches may not be able to participate on that day. Other dates to consider could be any Sunday in November, which is National Adoption Month. Or you may want to set the date in May, National Foster Care Month. There are certainly no restrictions about when a church may schedule an Orphan Sunday.

What should we do for Orphan Sunday?
There is no “right way” to hold an Orphan Sunday. You could do any of the following activities:

  • Have a sermon about God’s heart for the orphan
  • If a full sermon is not possible, have a five-minute presentation about God’s heart for the orphan and how the church can get involved. Some churches have interviewed adult adoptees during this time to share how their lives were changed through adoption.
  • Ask the local Heart Gallery to come to your church with pictures of local children waiting to be adopted. If a Heart Gallery is not listed for your city, contact your local foster care agency to see if photos are available of waiting children.
  • Invite a guest speaker, a professional who works with orphans or in adoption
  • Have a Bible study in small groups for Orphan Sunday that focuses on orphan care and adoption
  • Show a short video during the worship service about orphans or adoption
  • Schedule an adoption information meeting as a follow-up during the week after Orphan Sunday. Contact your local Bethany office to schedule a meeting.
  • Have a special baby dedication/baptism for children who have been adopted*
  • Be sure to have an Action Plan for the day. What is your objective and how can people follow up?
*Be sensitive to individuals or families who may not want to participate in a public event because their adoption is a private issue.

What do you do after a great Orphan Sunday?
Follow up with a meeting for church members who are interested in beginning or joining an Orphan Care and Adoption Ministry in your church. Print this sample calendar and watch this video as a start. Then e-mail the National Director of Church Partnerships for more information.

Resources
a. Bulletin Inserts b. Sermons About Orphan Care and Adoption c. Books for Study
    i. Russell Moore, Adopted for Life
    ii. Tom Davis, Red Letters or Fields of the Fatherless
d. Videos
    i. Several videos are listed on the Orphan Sunday website under “Resources.”
    ii. “I Saw What I Saw” by Sarah Groves
    iii. “When Love Takes You In” by Steven Curtis Chapman
    iv. “All I Really Want for Christmas” by Steven Curtis Chapman
    v. Bethany Christian Services has several videos available. Visit our YouTube website to preview the videos.
    Then call your local Bethany office for information about obtaining high quality copies of the videos.

There are more resources on Bethany’s website under the “Church Resources.” Click here for more sermons, litanies, prayers, placement ceremonies, and songs.