16th Annual
National Observance of
Children’s Sabbath®
October 19-21, 2007
(or on another date of your congregation's choosing)
The teachings and traditions of all the
world religions command the faithful to
seek justice for society’s most vulnerable:
Children and the Poor
“Charity is
no substitute
for justice
withheld.”
Saint Augustine
Today in America:

A child is born into poverty every 36 seconds;

Over 12 million children live in poverty;

9 million children lack health insurance;

4,440 children are arrested each day;

Approximately 3 million children are being raised in foster family
homes, group homes, or institutions, or by someone other than a parent;

8 children are killed by firearms everyday;

Over 8,000 children a day are reported abused or neglected;

Only 3 out of 5 eligible preschool children are able to participate in
Head Start programs;

Over 6 million children are regularly left home alone without adult
supervision
Questions to ask…
• What is your faith tradition’s view of children?
• What does your tradition/belief system call you to do
on behalf of children?
• What is the distinction between Charity and Justice?
• How does this understanding show itself in the life of
your congregation? (Be specific)
The National Observance of Children’s Sabbath®
Offers a Strategy for Making a Difference
Began 16 years ago in the Religious Affairs Dept. of Children’s Defense Fund
by Shannon Daley-Harris
Purpose:
-to unite and amplify the voice of the interfaith
community to demand justice for children
-to inspire long-term advocacy for children
-to make a transforming difference in the
lives of all the nation’s children
“With faith, commitment, and hard, persistent
work, if we stand united for healthy children and
for hope and healing for all children neglected
and left behind in our world, God will do the
rest.” Marian Wright Edelman, 2006
Children’s Sabbath engages
all faiths in
Common Concern and a
Common Commitment
to work for justice on behalf of all children.
Through
• Worship
• Education
• Ongoing Advocacy
The Children’s Sabbath
Resource Manual
• Worship Theme Page1-3 letter from Miriam Wright Edelman;
Section 1 Letters from Leaders
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Planning Tips - Page 32-34
Publicity Ideas - Page 35-39
Sample Sermons
Adult Studies
Devotional Guides
Youth Studies & Activities
Children’s Classes
Songs, Prayers, Litanies
Bulletin/newsletter inserts
Advocacy Aids & Information
Making Children’s Sabbath Work
Order the Manual early: www.childrensdefense.org
• Get go-ahead from leadership
• Recruit the necessary people to form a planning
team.
• Review the manual’s sections and determine the
appropriate material for your congregation.
• Create a plan that fits your congregation.
– Length and content of service
– Lead-in activities or events
– Follow-up plan: a sustainable ministry throughout the year
• Advertise - Create a BUZZZ
• Implement the Follow-through Plan
• Fill out Evaluation Form, last page in manual, and
send into Children’s Defense Fund
What Others Have Done…
See Manual Pages 13-15 and Page 32-33
“Who Plans a Children’s Sabbath?”
A Community-wide
Celebration
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•
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•
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Gather a Team of Churches
Leader named and co-sponsors identified
Set a Mission Statement
Identify critical tasks
Create Action Teams to fulfill tasks
Hold Successful Celebration
Follow-through: Key Advocates* recruited(1 in each
congregation) and trained; Advocacy Day at the Capitol
set;Plan for every-other year event
*see www.ccccan.org ”Become a Key Advocate”
Perform a “Pre-Mortem”
• Examine in advance what might “kill”
this effort in your congregation.
• Be prepared to help it live and thrive.
Questions to ask…
• Has your congregation celebrated Children’s
Sabbath in the past? What worked, what
didn’t?
• How do you envision Children’s Sabbath
fitting into the life of your congregation?
• What steps do you need to take to make this
happen?
Brainstorm Groups
1. Worship Ideas - to highlight children’s needs
and the call of faith to respond
2. Education Sessions/Experiences Ideas - to
help people learn about children’s needs
and ways to meet those needs
3. Activities - hands-on services or justice
work to enhance the worship service
4. Follow-up - how to use the Children’s
Sabbath service to lead to long-term
advocacy and fit into the mission and life of
the congregation
Going Deeper…
• Attend the 14th Annual Proctor Institute for
Child Advocacy Ministry
– July 14-18, 2008 at Haley Farm, Clinton, TN.
• Name a Key Advocate in your congregation
-One person who will focus on Advocacy for children and take
responsibility for the Childrens Sabbath service each year;
Use the Minnesota model described at www.ccccan.org
• Create a Child Advocacy Book Club
Sign-up members of your congregation to read Thus Far on the Way,
by Rev. Eileen Lindner, or one of Marian Wright Edelman’s books to
follow-up the Children’s Sabbath or lead into it…
• Participate in a Day at the Capitol- if possible-or
organize a visit to your state legislator with members of your congregation
around the children’s health care issue…
help create a supportive system for all children through advocating for just
policies for children (Luke 18:1-8 Christian Bible)
The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it
leaves to its children.
∼Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“We are not called to advocate for our children
because, or when, it is convenient,
or comfortable,
or even because we know the difference it
makes.
We are called to advocate for our children
because
we know a God
who never says
‘I don’t care’
or
‘It doesn’t matter’.”
Shannon Daley-Harris,
CDF
Your Response…