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Family

LCMS Guide to Supporting Foster Families

The “LCMS Guide to Supporting Foster Families” is intended to provide Lutheran couples with a basic overview of the foster care system and the process of becoming foster parents, so they can prayerfully consider taking on the joys and challenges of caring for these children in need.

Christian families are especially poised to care for children in need, and the local congregation (and larger church) can provide a healthy framework of love and support for foster children and their foster family. Sadly, the number of children in the foster system is increasing, and the number of families willing to provide a temporary home for these children is decreasing. Lutheran parents are needed to fill this gap and provide love and care to children and their biological parents.

Are you a foster family or a congregation looking to support a foster family? The “Foster Family Support Planner” is a form that foster families can use to list their needs (whether that be meals, transportation, or items) for their foster child(ren). Once filled out, the form can be printed off and circulated amongst congregation members so that they can provide creative yet personalized support for families who are fostering in their midst.

Downlaod the Guide
Download the Planner

More Family Resources

Three Worldviews Parents Need to Confront

Three Worldviews Parents Need to Confront

A review of common contemporary challenges to a Christian worldview along with takeaways for parents seeking to confront them.
The Meaning of the Presence of Children

The Meaning of the Presence of Children

“It is my aim here to explore the venture of parenthood … from within the perspective of Christian faith — which has, after all, been one of the principal sources of our culture’s formation on this question, but which … may help to point us in the direction of a true humanism.”
The Gift of Children

The Gift of Children

Children are not only a gift to their parents but also to the world. God desires that all children come to know the grace and mercy of Christ Jesus.
Jolt Junkies

Jolt Junkies

 Many parents are accustomed to a constant complaint litany from bored children. Have kids always been so easily bored? Have there always been so many antsy kids who can’t sit still in a classroom? There is no doubt that a major cause is the impact of mass media on kids.
How to Talk With Your Children

How to Talk With Your Children

The first duty of love is to listen. When we really listen to a child, our compassion helps us sense the youngster’s needs, anxieties, joys and sorrows as if they were our own.
Holy Mashed Banana Gunk!

Holy Mashed Banana Gunk!

Raising children is holy and blessed work.
Getting It Together With Your Family

Getting It Together With Your Family

Families need to be prepared and equipped for the high points and struggles of daily life, as well as the times of crisis. By making a commitment to one another to keep Christ at the center, your family will be better able to weather the storms life may bring.
Controlling the Influence of Media

Controlling the Influence of Media

The article provides steps to help control the influence of the media in our homes.
Birth Plans

Birth Plans

As America’s birth rate wanes, our societal fixation on the gestational trimesters, infant milestones and childhood “firsts” increases exponentially.
A New Look at Family Devotions

A New Look at Family Devotions

Do you struggle over family devotions? Maybe some new ideas will help. The goal is to have fun while learning about and sharing God’s love. After all, “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones” (Prov. 15:30).
A Mother’s Prayer

A Mother’s Prayer

Monica never quit praying for her son. God’s answer overwhelmed her.
All Those Glowing Rectangles

All Those Glowing Rectangles

Screens make it hard for us to concentrate on real people and experiences, they disrupt our natural rhythms of rest, and they can be disruptive in other ways. Technology is a blessing when used carefully.