Light a Candle for Children
This year marks the 20th anniversary of churches celebrating Children’s Sabbaths. Many things have changed in the world since this faithful focus on children began 20 years ago. 20 years ago faxes seemed like a fast and efficient way to communicate, the internet was in its infancy and cell phones were scarce and weighed several pounds. That’s A LOT of change!
Some things, however, have not changed. In 1992 an American baby was born into poverty every 32 seconds, joining the one in five children living in poverty at the time. Today, our nation’s child poverty rate is still one of every five children and children are the poorest age group in America. However, the number of children living in EXTREME poverty has grown and the gap between rich and poor is the highest ever recorded. (Children’s Defense Fund Statistics)
In 2009 Paris statistics report that 20.9% of our residents live below the Poverty Line as compared to 18.6% for the entire state of Kentucky. Nationwide the unemployment rate hovers in the 9% range and for Paris we are at 9.5% (March, 2011, http://www.city-data.com/city/Paris-Kentucky.html). While there is little we can do to eliminate poverty and unemployment, there is much that we can do to help improve the lives of children in our community who live under such conditions.
Children in poverty face other disparities that can push them off the path of healthy development and into the Cradle to Prison Pipeline. The poverty gap contributes to and stems from other gaps in family structure, early childhood development, abuse and neglect, health, and more: children in poverty are more likely to live in fragile families, to lag in early childhood development, suffer abuse and neglect, be uninsured or underinsured and in poor health, and experience other gaps that put them far behind children who aren’t poor.
The churches’ efforts through participation in Children’s Sabbath Celebrations and the 40 Day Light a Candle for Children Prayer Vigil is a concerted effort to raise awareness of children’s needs in our own communities and to find ways to meet these needs. Marian Wright Edelman of the Children’s Defense Fund says, “God has created each and every child as a treasure and expects us to love and protect and seek justice for each and every one. We don’t have a moment to wait or a child to waste.” Our Prayer Vigil begins on September 11th. Please sign up to receive a candle and participate in our efforts at First Christian Church to focus on children and how God calls us to meet the needs of the children in our community. In addition to committing to prayer for children throughout the vigil, Edelman charges participating congregations to find ways to improve the lives of children. I ask each of you prayerfully consider ways that First Christian Church can meet this challenge in Paris and Bourbon County.
Blessings,
Tracy