“Not everyone is called to foster or adopt, but everyone is called to care.”
When we step into broken stories and meet kids where they are in their pain and uncertainty, we are demonstrating and living out the very thing that Jesus did for us. He pursued us before we were cleaned up, He sacrificed for us before we were grateful, and He loved us right where we were. We (the Church) are uniquely positioned to mirror this powerful picture of the gospel through foster, adoption, and kinship ministry to both the children, their families, and the many people watching around us. At Cedar Springs, we plan to be bold in our intention and approach to support our church body and the community in this way, led by Christ’s example.
The gospel is both our motivation and our demonstration. John 14:18 says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
Become Trauma Aware
Become “trauma aware” by learning to love and care for the vulnerable…right where they are.
Each one of us can benefit from becoming “trauma aware.” Healing is possible for individuals suffering the effects of trauma, and we can help them in this process by providing a loving, understanding, supportive community here at Cedar Springs!
Join our church in taking a brief, 1-hour, free online course, where you will be made more aware of how children and teens from difficult backgrounds, especially foster care and adoption, might experience the world around them. You’ll be introduced to the topics of attachment, trauma and toxic stress, grief and loss, and most importantly, how YOU CAN HELP!
Be the Church
Join a WRAP Team to provide “wrap-around” support to foster, adoptive, and kinship families. Nearly 50% of foster parents stop fostering within the first year and the most commonly cited reason is a lack of community support. WE can play a valuable role in changing the outcomes for kids in foster and kinship care by bridging the gap between the needs of these families and the resources of our faith community!
WRAP Team members choose 1 of these 4 lanes to serve in as they wrap around their assigned foster, adoptive, or kinship family:
- Words of Encouragement
- Respite/Relief Care
- Acts of Service
- Prayer
Whether you are 10 years old or 80, a business person, a stay at home parent, or a student, WRAP Ministry can be for you! There are countless ways to care, and being on a WRAP Team will equip and empower you to make a difference in the lives of these families.
Serve the Community
Be the hands and feet of Jesus alongside our local ministry partners who are actively serving this population.
Cedar Springs has partnerships with several local organizations that work tirelessly to rewrite the story for vulnerable children and families in our community. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few,” so we ask that you pray about where God might have you serve. There are a myriad of ways that you can get involved, with opportunities for all ages, abilities, and availability. Check out the partner list below, and let us know if we can connect you to any of the ministries or opportunities listed.