Family & Children
Light a Candle Prayer Vigil and National Observance
of Children's Sabbaths
The Light a Candle for Children Forty Day Prayer Vigil begins Sunday,
September 6, and ends on Children's Sabbaths Weekend, October 16
to 18, 2009.
The theme of the 2009 Interfaith National Observance of Children's
Sabbaths is Create Change for Children Today: Bring Hope and a
Better Tomorrow.
The theme of this year’s manual focuses on the fact that millions of
children in the United States live in poverty and lack basic health
coverage and that many children are being funneled into a pipeline to
prison. We are challenged to step forward NOW to strengthen
families, call for health care for ALL children and create paths of
promise for every child.
This manual from Children's Defense Fund is easy-to-use. It provides
worship and educational materials for Christian, Jewish, Muslim,
Buddhist, Bahá'í, and other faith traditions. It also includes resources
for interfaith gatherings. The manual offers bulletin inserts, ideas for
hands-on service and advocacy efforts, guidance for strengthening
your efforts for children throughout the year, and much more.
As communities of faith, let us see more clearly the hopeful vision that
God sets before us. Let us clarify our own vision and hopes for a
better tomorrow – for our children and our nation. During the Light a
Candle for Children Forty Days of Prayer Vigil Project and the
observance of 2009 Children’s Sabbath, may we join together to make
that hopeful future a reality for all children.
Pre-order your manual today for only $8 plus shipping and handling!
Manuals are to be available in May 2009.
Order online or by mail.
Children's Defense Fund
P.O. Box 840
Clinton, TN 37717-0840
Kenneth Libby: (865) 457-6466
FAX: (865) 457-6464
E-mail: CDFHaley@childrensdefense.org
The 2009 Light a Candle for Children Forty Day Prayer Vigil Project is a time of preparation for the annual Children's Defense Fund Observation of Children's Sabbaths.
History of the Light a Candle for Children Forty Day Prayer Vigil Project
Fifteen years ago this prayer vigil was started by a small Disciples
church in Louisville, Ky. The church exists but the legacy of this
congregation's love for children lives on. We are happy that many
congregations of The United Church of Christ have continued their
partnership with us in this prayer vigil project.
In 2006, Light a Candle for Children was adopted by the National
Council of Christian Churches Committee on Justice for Children and
Their Families. This means that congregations from all of the
denominations affiliated with the National Council of Christian
Churches in the United States will be participating. Light a Candle for
Children is now part of a whole "Season of Prayer and Advocacy" for
America's Children.
2009 Packet
A packet of materials is available for download. If you are unable to
download the materials and would like to have a packet mailed to you,
at the cost of $5, please contact Wilma Shuffitt at (888) 346-2631.
We hope your church will participate in all of the advocacy and prayer
activities being suggested. May your participation be a joyful
celebration of the many ways your congregation cares for children,
learns from children, and enters into ministry with children.
Feel free to contact Kaye Edwards directly if you have questions or
suggestions about "Light a Candle for Children."
Contents of the 2009 Light a Candle for Children packet
- The Vigil brochure and insert outline steps for implementing your
prayer vigil. You can print out copies of the brochure, add the
insert, and give to everyone who participates in your
congregation's vigil.
- The Prayer Vigil Calendar already has prayer commitments from
a number of national organizations, including the Disciples
Center Staff in Indianapolis, The National Council of Christian
Churches and the Children's Defense Fund. All you have to do is
fill in the rest of the forty days with people from your
congregation and community.
- For the last several years a KIDS to KIDS mission project has
been included in the Light a Candle Packet. This year you are
invited to contribute to Ready, Set, Go! www.discipleshomemissions.org/FamilyandChildren/KidsToKids/ and www.weekofcompassion.org/
- A Disciples Care for Children Button Order Form makes it easy
for you to order these buttons that symbolize our efforts to
minister to children, receive the ministry of children and enter
into ministry with children. Many churches like to order these
buttons for each of the people who participate in the 40-day
prayer vigil.
- The 2009 Share the Stories is a prayer vigil and Children's
Sabbaths action response form. It is helpful in our planning to
know what your congregation did during the prayer vigil and
Sabbath observance. Your ideas and activities are encouraging
to others.
- The Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT provides national
and state-by-state information and statistical trends on the
conditions of America's children and families. This year, the KIDS
COUNT Data Book essay, "A Road Map for Juvenile Justice
Reform," looks at the nearly 100,000 youth confined to juvenile
facilities on any given night in the United States, and what can
be done to reduce unnecessary and inappropriate detention and
incarceration and increase opportunities for positive youth
development and community safety.
- "The Church and Children–Vision and Goals for the 21st
Century." If your congregation has not yet studied this document
on children from the National Council of Christian Churches, it is
highly recommends you consider doing so. The study guide and
policy statement is a free download from the National Council of
Christian Churches.
- Information for ordering the 2009 National Observance of
Children's Sabbaths Manual is above. You might want to get
together with other churches in your community and place one
order. Also order the Children's Defense Fund Bible from the
same site. This small travel Bible includes a concordance for
children's advocates. klibby@childrensdefense.org or (865) 457-
6466, ext. 105.
Advocate all year long
You can advocate for children all year long by joining the Rapid
Response Team. Additional resources you might find helpful include:
