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The third Sunday in January is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. These resources can help your church to honor the day. Synod has encouraged Christian Reformed churches to commemorate the day’s significance (Synod 1981 and Synod 1995). Thrive would like to help churches commemorate the sanctity of human life in ways that are sensitive and mindful of the impact abortion has on society, our churches, and members of our congregations.
We have developed materials to observe the day in a way that we hope affirms the value of every human life--and at all stages of development. We encourage you and other leaders in your congregation to commemorate the day in ways that are sensitive to those in the pews who have been hurt by abortion--both women and men, those who chose abortion and those who had no choice. We hope to avoid rhetoric that wounds or is politically partisan and would encourage you to do the same.
“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” -Psalm 8:2
Psalm 8:2 casts a vision of God’s sweet work of silencing the voices of hatred and injustice through ordaining his good purposes in creation out of the mouths of children and infants. Jesus echoes these words in Matthew 21:15-16. What if each life were seen as holy bearers of God’s goodness simply because of their innate ability to bring praise to God, whether by expressions of joy or simply the miracle of their being? From inception to the grave, the only qualification for life to be valued as sacred would be that the Spirit of the Living God ordains and sustains it.
Studies have found the majority of people who seek abortions in Canada and the U.S. tend to be mothers older than 20. Despite above-average levels of education, they live below the poverty line. In the U.S., nearly 2/3 of women who had an abortion report a Christian faith background. The same percentage say they could not afford another child.
This Sanctity of Life Sunday, we gather to share the holy vision of the divinely purposeful life. Let us consider the ways injustice in many forms forces women and men to make hard choices about ending pregnancies. Let us seek the praises of all God’s children, so; that both the unborn and their parents are not silenced by abortion. Let us bear the practical needs of our sisters and brothers contemplating abortion and bring them before the Lord. Throughout their lives, let their burdens be our burdens.
Pray for God’s life-sustaining provision for all children. Lament the incidence of poverty that would force some parents to choose between caring for their born and unborn children. Ask God’s forgiveness for our collective condition that results in the unborn not having the necessities of life, despite historic economic abundance. Praise God for the praise of children.
Give of your time and resources to poverty alleviation ministries in your area. Contribute to job-placement and childcare programs that help parents experiencing poverty find meaningful supports. Check out more resources at http://justice.crcna.org/abortion-resources.
Advocate for workforce equity and debt relief for the poor. Within your local church, advocate to your Diaconate for benevolence spending and relationship development with people experiencing poverty in the wider community. Consider partnering your church with organizations such as Christians Against Poverty (capamerica.org, capcanada.org) to help people struggling with debt, poverty, and unemployment.