I remember when I first decided to sponsor a child.
When I was growing up, my family sponsored children through Compassion. Once I was on my own and had a job, I meant to start sponsoring a child, but years passed and I never took action. I knew about Compassion, I respected their ministry, and I wanted to do something to help others. But I needed a little push.
So when my church hosted a Compassion Sunday, it was just the thing to get my sponsorship journey started.
People from my church shared about their experiences with their sponsored children, and the pastor spoke about how Compassion’s mission aligned with our own. After the service, my husband and I went into the lobby, stared at the pictures of children waiting for a sponsor, and took the first step to become sponsors.
Whoever decided to host that Compassion Sunday years ago doesn’t know it, but they helped our family take the first step on a lifelong journey of reaching out to help others. Helping others through the global Church.
Why We Do Compassion Sunday
Compassion Sunday is a day for churches across America to share the Bible’s message of caring for those in need and to give people the opportunity to sponsor a child. But even more than that, it’s a day when churches in America come together in solidarity with churches in the developing world.
Compassion partners exclusively with churches in countries like Ghana, Haiti and the Philippines who are reaching out with the hope of the gospel to their communities — and caring for the needs of children in poverty.
When you host a Compassion Sunday, you’re giving children in poverty a chance to receive the physical, spiritual and emotional care they need. You’re also giving people in your local church the opportunity to care for a child in need through a local church in that child’s community.
For some in your church, it may be the first time they have heard about Compassion and they won’t be ready to sponsor a child just yet. But others might be just like me — wanting to do something but not quite sure how to get started.
Why Should You Do Compassion Sunday?
On Compassion Sunday, you can give them that little push to take a step they have been meaning to take for months or even years. They’ll be able to trace their sponsorship back to your decision to host a Compassion Sunday event. And who knows, maybe one day they will host a Compassion Sunday of their own.
Although you will make a big difference in the lives of others, hosting a Compassion Sunday isn’t hard. It’s three simple things:
- Get your pastor’s permission.
- Make a short presentation and show the video featured below.
- Invite people to visit your sponsorship table in the lobby to find a child they can sponsor.
I invite you to take the next step and start planning your Compassion Sunday.
I am so glad that, years ago, someone in my church decided to host one and helped me start my own journey of compassion!
If you’ve already signed up to host a Compassion Sunday at your church, make sure you share your journey using #compassionsunday.