OFF THE WALL -
An Orphan Care Ministry of Christ The Redeemer Church
James 1:27
James 1:27 "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."
Mission/Vision
OUR MISSION: to advocate, with gospel intention, for the plight of orphans and to support and encourage families in adoption and foster care.
OUR VISION: a gospel community where orphan care is part of the corporate ethos.
(People Responding to Orphans Through Encouragement, Care and Training)
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September 18, 5:30 pm at Christ The Redeemer Church
1523 W. Mallon Ave.
"Journeying through Adoption: The Privilege, The Cost"
Few parents anticipate the journey ahead after adopting a child. Like Abraham, parents obey God's calling and go into this unchartered territory with faith and excitement. Gary and Carli Robinson have traveled life with six adopted children the past 25 years and continue to learn about God's grace, sovereignty, promises, and forgiveness. They would like to share their story of privilege and cost with you.
Childcare and Dessert will be provided.
For future PROTECT meeting events and other orphan care resources check back.
Contact: Jason Wiens - jandm@webband.com for any questions.
I want to wish all of you a very Happy Father's Day! May God our Heavenly Father bless each of you richly. On a day like today I am grateful that God gave me a father who modeled God's love to me and that his father (my grandfather) was also an excellent role model. I am truly thankful for this rich Godly heritage. Psalm 16:6 says, "The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance" (ESV).
What then should my response be to the huge need in the world to take care of the fatherless, orphans, vulnerable or children in situations of abuse? Well I don't have all the answers (not even many of them) and frankly at times it all seems very overwhelming. What I want to share with you today is a story about a couple who has become an inspiration to me. In fact I have added them to my list of people who are my HEROs. A hero to me is someone whose example draws me into a closer relationship with Christ Jesus.
So the other night I met a couple who are in their late 70's. The husband is turning 80 next year. They had just received a community service award and the person presenting the award had listed off many things they have done to make our community a better place. I don't remember everything she said but what caught my attention was, "They have fostered over 200 children and are currently fostering a 4 month old boy." I leaned over to my wife and said, "I'm going to meet that couple later." I did go meet them and then I called them last night and we talked some more. Their legacy is rich and I know that they will wear a bejeweled crown in heaven. They are truly believers in Jesus. That was evident from the beginning but they are quick to point out that they are simply acting on what God has called them to do with the gifts God has given them and with the daily energy, patience, love, wisdom that God supplies. They said, "We just take one child at a time right now. It is important not to take on more than you can handle. Only do what God has given for you to do." This family has truly become the father to the fatherless for so many. When believers take care of children in need it gives the world a peek at the heart of The Gospel. I hope that this couple will be an inspiration to you as they have been to me. We have plans that they will be speak at one of our future PROTECT meetings. To this day they are heavily involved in helping in the foster care system. If you are interested in learning more about foster care (short term or long term) in Spokane I would point you to two websites: Olive Crest and Foster Parents Association of Spokane.
On June 5th at 5:30 pm, Christ The Redeemer Church will be having their "kick off" orphan care support meeting called P.R.O.T.E.C.T. Pastor Carey Hughes will be speaking on "The Vision for Orphan Care Ministry at CTR, in Spokane and to the ends of the earth." Join us if you would like to see how you can be involved in orphan care ministry.
Are you:
1) contemplating adoption/foster care
2) in the process of bringing an orphaned child into your family
3) in the post adoption journey and needing the help and support of others who have been through the adoption/foster care process
4) part of the community of someone who has fostered or adopted.
If you are in any one of these four categories then we would like to see you on June 5th. Please call Jason Wiens at 280-2132 if you have questions.
People Responding to Orphans Through Encouragement Care and Training Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:17
Do you have a wish list for Christmas? Perhaps a new toy, a power tool, or a piece of jewelry? Maybe you have everything you need and you are grateful to God for that. I hope most of all that you are focused on Jesus Christ and the reason He came to earth as a little baby.
I've been trying to find ways to focus my mind and heart on the true meaning of Christmas and to help my children focus on more than what "people are going to give me."
Have you heard of "The Advent Conspiracy?" It is one way to refocus the season for you and your family. It has been helpful for me. There are four parts: 1) Worship Fully, 2) Spend Less, 3) Give More, and 4) Love All.
There are children around the world who are asking this Christmas for a mom, a dad, or a family. Music and pictures together really get me so grab a tissue and sit down and watch this short video. ~Jason Wiens (adoptive dad)
Some day I hope my children will all be "Born Again." We read about Nicodemus in Sunday School this past week and how blown away he was by Jesus' words to him. He thought it was impossible. Many people today think the same thing. They don't want to submit their lives to Christ and say, "take control of my life, I'll do what you want me to do." Both births can be messy but the end result of both is also beautiful. I hope all of my children will be born again some day. It will bring me great joy.
For some, "Born Again" can mean "Twice Adopted."
My youngest son is adopted. I hope someday that he will accept his adoption into God's family and find joy and peace with God as his father. But both of his adoptions come with grief and loss on one side, and joy, peace and security on the other side. Did you come into God's family kicking and screaming? Many of us look back on the life of sin we once lived and are tempted to go back to its worldly pleasures. This concept was expressed so well by Dr. Moore in his book "Adopted for Life" when he talked about the day he drove away from the orphanage in Russia with his two boys. They had joy, security, love and true pleasure awaiting them in their future but they had never been outside the walls of their orphanage. The noise of the car they were in, the wind on their faces, the bright lights... all of it was freaking them out. We must recognize that although we are doing a good thing when we care for the orphan, there is grief and loss experienced by the child as well as members of the birth family/adoptive family. It is our job to help our children as they wrestle with these overwhelming feelings.
Too often as members of God's family we lose sight of the beauty and the outrageous scandal of the story we live in. Listen again to what the Bible says about this story.
Jesus says, "you did not choose me but I chose you." (John 15:16)
Jesus says, "I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you." (John 14:18)
The Bible says that Jesus died for us while we were His enemies. (Romans 5:8)
You might think that the beautiful part of the story is that you were so smart that you chose to be part of God's family. It's different than that. God has been called by one poet, "The Hound of Heaven." He pursued you and sought you in some pretty dark, lonely places to bring you to Him and bring you into His family.
One adoptive dad writes about his thoughts and experiences with adoption. He says, “My friends, adoption is redemption. It’s costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him. And when He redeems us, we can’t even really appreciate or comprehend it, just like Dimitri will never comprehend or fully appreciate what is about to happen to him … but … he will live in the fruit of it. As his Daddy, I will never expect him to understand all of this or even to thank me. I just want to watch him live in the benefits of my love and experience the joys of being an heir in my family. This is how our heavenly “Papa” feels towards us. Today, settle your busy heart down and rest in thebenefits of redemption. Enjoy the fruits of His goodness, and stop trying to “pay Him back”.You’ll never get close you goofy little kid.” - Derek Loux
Join us on Sunday, December 5, from 6-7 pm at church for a time of prayer. The focus of this prayer time will be on our orphan care ministry. As we begin this ministry together as a community of faith we desire to know what God would have US do together for Him. What an exciting time!
