For Life
Every human life is of sacred worth and value, created in the image of God, and intended to live a flourishing life.
Every mother. Every child.
Too often, discussions on abortion and the sanctity of life are polarized, forcing a division along partisan lines. However, Scripture calls us to live as citizens of the Kingdom of God, pulling us above tribal divisions as we value all life from conception to death; from the womb to the tomb.
What We Believe
Our commitment to value all life leads us to pray and advocate for the saving of unborn lives through the end of elective abortion in our country, except for tragic conflicts of life with life when the wellbeing of the mother and the child are risked, and to pray and advocate for greater support for mothers facing unintended pregnancies without adequate care, counsel, or resources.
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The foundation of human dignity is that all, both mother and child, are created with sacred worth and value in the image of our Creator God (Gen 1 & 2). Scripture reveals that God knows each human intimately before he or she is conceived (Jer 1:5), that human life begins at conception (Ps 139:13-14, Lk 1:41-44), and that the incarnation of Jesus is a profound testimony to God’s affirmation of the sacredness of prenatal life. Scripture also reveals that God sees and cares for vulnerable, poor, and marginalized mothers (Gen 16:13, Lk 1:46-55, Jas 1:27), that Jesus preached a gospel that was large enough to save one’s soul and care for one’s body together (Mk 2:1-12).
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One way that the early church distinguished itself from Roman society is its commitment to be both strongly against abortion and to practically care for the poor and marginalized. With radical generosity, believers would take in babies that had been discarded due to medical or social reasons and welcome in the outcasts into the family of the church.
Believers did this so well that the pagan emperor Julian famously asked, “ Who are these.. they care not only for their own poor, but for ours as well”.
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The United Methodist Church’s Social Principles states that we are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother and the unborn child. The full entry in the Book of Discipline (2016) may be found here.
As we hold these beliefs, we do so while also acknowledging the complexity of situations that lead to unintended pregnancies and the multi-faceted approach required by the church, non-profits, and governmental agencies to save unborn lives and support mothers.
At Christ Church, we are committed to respond to this approach in these three ways:
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Health Care Access
We are for every family to have the ability to access health care that provides both medical and counseling services to both mother and child.
We are committed to support the professionals that provide these services at low or no cost, offer the love and grace of Christ to those in crisis, and advocate for the affordability of high quality health care.
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Parental Support
We are for every parent to have the skills and relationships needed to flourish in life and provide for their families.
We are committed to mentor mothers & fathers through their pregnancies and after the birth of their child, provide and support early childhood education, and advocate for clear pathways of economic sustainability.
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Adoption & Foster Care
We are for every child to grow up in the safety and stability of a loving family.
We are committed to open up our homes to welcome in these children both temporarily and permanently, support the families and organizations that do so, and advocate for just and loving processes that help children find their place of belonging in their biological, foster, or adoptive family .
Ministries We Work With