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Southeast Texas churches prepare for 'Stand Sunday' to help foster children

Organizers said they want to spark awareness to help kids in foster care.
Credit: DFPS

BEAUMONT, Texas — This coming Sunday is set as a day for the faithful of Southeast Texas to make a difference in the life of one of the nearly 450,000 children in foster care across the country.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is partnering with Harvest Family Life Ministries and Christian Alliance for Orphans to highlight Stand Sunday, which is Nov. 10. It's a time to spread awareness about the opportunities to get involved in the lives of foster children who often fall through the cracks.

According to the Christian Alliance for Orphans, Stand Sunday began in 2004 with a sermon given by Bishop Aaron Blake.  “Brothers and sisters, there are about 30,000 children in the foster care system in Texas and nearly a half a million in the U.S.,” he said. 

He then asked a simple question, one to which he wasn’t expecting a verbal answer:

“Who will stand with me to defend, care, and support abused, abandon, and neglected children in our community?”

After a brief moment of silence, one lady in the back of the church stood up and said, "I will." 

The DFPS this year is asking all faith communities in Texas to Stand Up and support the ONE CHILD prayer campaign. They are asking church members to pray for one child affected by foster care or a child waiting to be adopted by a forever family.

For more information on Sunday's initiative visit cafo.org.

Here's a list of churches participating across Southeast Texas:

November 10, 2019:

  • First United Methodist Church in Beaumont
  • Christ Community Church in Beaumont
  • Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Beaumont
  • Magnolia Missionary Baptist Church in Beaumont
  • Emmanuel Baptist Church in Beaumont
  • Pathway Church in Mid-County
  • Orange Church of God
  • Cornerstone Baptist Church in Lufkin
  • Southside Baptist Church in Lufkin
  • Wesley Memorial Methodist Church in Huntsville

November 17, 2019:

  • North End Baptist Church in Beaumont
  • Nederland Avenue Church of Christ

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