January Focused Fellowship

Note: Please watch for updates to location. The flu has hit so we will let you know ASAP.  See Below

January Focused Fellowship

Monday, January 20, 2014

Focused Fellowship is an evening of prayer, encouragement, and networking for moms anywhere in the process of fostering and/or adopting.  Whether you are just getting started or are living in the trenches you may find a kindred spirit among us.

It is our hope that you find answers to some of your questions, support for the days that things don't go quite as planned and words of encouragement and prayer to sustain you as you walk with the Lord.

We meet the third Monday of each month at 7pm at Monica's home.  1111 W Burnside Dr., Peoria Panera at Westlake Shopping Center.  Note: Panera has moved to an outbuilding further down in the parking lot.

Any questions? Contact Amy at levisix88@gmail.com

There is no need to RSVP.  Come as you are.  If you would like to bring a snack to share that would be great and a friend is always welcome.

September Focused Fellowship

         Focused Fellowship

September 16, 2013

What is Focused Fellowship?  -  An evening for ladies anywhere in the process of fostering/adoption to meet together for prayer, support, and encouragement.  Whether you are in the beginning stages or walking through the day-to-day, we think you will find something for you.  

We meet the third Monday of each month, rain or shine.  We have found that when we cancelled for a special holiday the women just met at a Starbucks, so once in a while we change the meeting place due to illness or vacation but that is rare. (If we change the place we will post it on the blog and the Focused Fellowship Facebook page.)

Bring yourself, bring a friend, if you'd like you can bring a snack to share, but the only thing you really need is you.

In September we will have a special guest, Peggy Corra.  Peggy has a degree in counseling and great insight into children that have come from hard places.  Peggy joined us a couple of months ago and was great at helping us to understand the effects of trauma and loss on a young child.  

Where?  Monica's home, 1111 W Burnside Dr. Peoria

Time?  7pm 

No need to RSVP, just come.

Questions?  Email Amy at levisix88@gmail.com or ask on the FB page.

July Focused Fellowship - Note Location Change

July Focused Fellowship!

Foster and/or Adoptive Moms! It's just about time for some prayer, fellowship, and encouragement.  We look forward to seeing you all this month!

Please note the location change for July only.

Date: Monday, July 15, 2013

Time: 7pm (Panera is open until 10pm)

Place: Panera Bread,  1101 W Bird Blvd, Peoria.  

Note: this is the Panera at the North end of Knoxville Ave, just north of Northpoint Shopping Center.

Focused Fellowship meets the third Monday of each month at 7pm.  Normally in Monica's home.  We meet for a time of setting our minds on Christ, praying for each other and encouraging and sharing with one another as we parent the families that the Lord has placed us in.  If you are a foster and/or adoptive mom you are welcome to attend.  Feel free to bring a friend.

If you have any questions, feel free to email Amy at levisix88@gmail.com

June Focused Fellowship

Ladies - This month's Focused Fellowship has a great opportunity!

Join us: Monday, June 17, 2013

Time: 7pm

Where: Monica's Home - 1111 W Burnside Dr., Peoria

This month we will have a guest speaker at Focused Fellowship. Peggy Corra will join us to share her heart for adoptive moms and what she has learned about children that have been fractured by difficult circumstances in their lives.  Below is an excerpt from an email that she sent to Monica:

 "I truly have a heart for foster moms and adoptive moms. They (you!) are surgeons in this fallen world, trying to put back together the pieces of the children who have been broken by people and forces beyond any of our power to control. They (you) place their hands in the Lord's tight grasp, trusting and relying on Him to join them with Himself in making miracles happen, to bring healing and hope to the forgotten, broken, lost parts of these children. (**Insight: I learned that when Jesus said He came "to seek and to save the lost," we all tend to think He meant lost (unsaved) people. Actually the meaning is much broader than that and includes lost parts of all of us, for every time we are harmed or scarred or traumatized, we deal with the pain by sealing away the parts of ourselves that are tied to the pain. Jesus' meaning was that He came to seek out all our lost, scattered, broken pieces and put us back together. He came to make us whole! How cool is that?!?**)"

All ladies anywhere in the process of fostering and/or adoption are welcome to join us as we pray and encourage each other.

Please let me know if you have any questions, contact Amy at levisix@frontier.com

Dates to Remember

(Tonight) Monday, May 20 - Focused Fellowship - 7pm - Home of Monica Lonergan, 1111 W. Burnside Dr., Peoria

For ladies anywhere in the fostering or adoption adventure!  We meet for a devotion, prayer, sharing, and encouragement.  No need to RSVP, bring a snack to share if you would like.  

Focused Fellowship meet the third Monday of each month.

This Thursday, May 23 from 6-7pm is the Foster Care Prayer Vigil at Bethany Baptist Church (Senior High Room).  

This is in conjunction with National Foster Care month and the National Foster Care Prayer Vigil through Cry of the Orphan.  We will pray for the 400,000+ children in foster care and all those that are involved in the decisions that affect their lives and those that care for them.  Join us for this special time of prayer.

Mark your calendars for the OHOH Family Picnic - Saturday, August 3, 2013 - 4:30pm.  Details will follow.  This is a great time to get together with other families that are fostering and/or adopting.  One family noted that getting together was a great experience for their adopted child as she got to see many other kids that were just like her!    We will send out more details closer to the time.

Questions?  Amy at levisix@frontier.com

Save the Dates!

Foster Care Prayer Vigil  -

In conjunction with National Foster Care Month and the National Foster Care Prayer Vigil the Open Hearts Open Homes Orphan Care Ministry is hosting a Foster Care Prayer Vigil.

We will meet to pray for the over 400,000 children that are in foster care across the nation as well as all those that are involved in the process such as social workers, clinicians, judges, attorneys, foster parents, and birth parents.  Come and join us as we join in prayer with many others across the nation to bring these children before the Lord in prayer.

Place: Bethany Baptist Church, 7422 N Heinz Lane, Edwards, IL

Date:  Thursday, May 23, 2013

Time:  6-7pm

Room:  Senior High Room

Any questions?  Amy @ 266-1635

For more information about this national event see: http://www.cryoftheorphan.org/Overview.aspx
*****      *****     *****     *****     *****     *****     *****     *****    
Spring Social - 

Stay tuned for more details for our Open Hearts Open Homes Orphan Ministry Family Picnic.

Date:  Saturday, June 1, 2013 at 4pm.  Stay tuned for a new date!

August Focused Fellowship

August Focused Fellowship!

Monday, August 20, 2012

7:00pm

Place: Home of Monica Lonergan, 1111 W. Burnside Dr., Peoria

No need to RSVP and feel free to bring a snack to share and a friend!

Focused Fellowship is  an ongoing ministry of the Open Hearts, Open Homes Orphan Ministry.  Women meet to pray, share, and encourage each other in our desire to follow the Lord in the care of the orphan.  Our group changes monthly and consists of moms and moms-to-be that are anywhere in the process of fostering or adopting whether it is domestically or internationally.

You do not have to be an attender of the Bethany Fellowship of Churches to attend, in fact about 50% of our ladies are not.  Our desire is to encourage each other in a way that honors the Lord.

If you have questions feel free to contact Amy - levisix@frontier.com

Foster Care Prayer Vigil

"A vigil isn't really about holding candles, staying up late,  or even about the event itself.  A vigil is about heartfelt, concentrated prayer.  A vigil is about setting our hearts on things that matter-- petitioning God to move in our world." - Cry of the Orphan

On May 8 we will spend some time in concentrated, heartfelt prayer for the over 400,000 children, workers, and families (birth and foster) affected by foster care in the U.S.

For more information about the National Prayer Vigil for Foster Care check out www.cryoftheorphan.org

Join the Open Hearts, Open Homes Orphan ministry of the Bethany Fellowship of Churches as we seek out the Lord in prayer.  Anyone is welcome!

Foster Care Prayer Vigil
When:  Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Time: 7:00pm
Place: Bethany Baptist Church, Senior High Room
          7422 N Heinz Lane, Edwards, IL

Focused Fellowship

Just a quick reminder that Focused Fellowship is coming! What is Focused Fellowship?

Focused Fellowship is a time of prayer, encouragement, and sharing for any mom any where in the process of fostering and/or adopting. We love that the Lord has placed us on this journey but recognize that it isn't always easy. Together we can work towards glorifying the Lord as we meet the challenges of waiting, parenting, and anything else that comes our way.

Monday, April 16 at 7pm

Home of Monica Lonergan: 1111 W Burnside Dr. Peoria

Questions: Amy: levisix@frontier.com

No need to RSVP, if you'd like to bring a snack feel free, always feel free to invite a friend.

Hope to see you there!

December Focused Fellowship - Note the Date Change!

Attention Ladies! It is almost time for Focused Fellowship again!

DATE: Monday, December 13, 2010 (note: this is the second Monday)

TIME: 7pm

PLACE: Monica's home, 1111 W. Burnside Dr. Peoria

To help us get in the Christmas spirit please bring an appetizer to share. We will encourage one another as we take this journey into fostering and/or adoption.

Any questions please contact Monica or Amy. No need to RSVP.


Focused Fellowship exists to bring ladies together that are anywhere in the process of fostering or adoption. We desire to spur one another on as we journey with the Lord through this amazing and at times challenging experience. We normally meet the third Monday of each month at 7pm at the home of Monica Lonergan. If you have any questions about Focused Fellowship please feel free to contact one of us mentioned above.

Foster Care Prayer Vigil

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Open Hearts, Open Homes Orphan ministry it pleased to announce that Bethany Baptist Church will be a host site for a National Foster Care Prayer Vigil. These vigils will be held through out the country during the week of May 16th-23rd. Information regarding the vigils and ministry can be found at www.cryoftheorphan.org. On the right of their home page is a link for Prayer Vigil information.

Bethany's prayer vigil is scheduled for May 18th at 6:00 p.m. We will begin with a short devotion and spend time in prayer commited to the plight of the child in foster care, agency workers, foster parents and birth parents. A time of refreshments and fellowship will follow at 7:00 p.m. This event is open to the community and will be advertised locally.

Praying for children in foster care is a very tangible way that we as a church family can demonstrate our commitment to orphans. We hope to see you there. If childcare would be beneficial please contact Monica and arrangements will be made (you could leave a comment here).

www.fostercareprayervigil.org

National Foster Care Month

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. for everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

Because May is National Foster Care Month I thought that I would send out a few thoughts about praying for those involved in any way in foster care. These are taken from the "City by City, Church by Church, Child by Child: Praying Together for Children in Foster Care".

"Pray for the Workers:

• that God would raise up laborers to fill every void.
• that God would move more Christians to launch careers in the foster care system.
• for the families of the workers, that the overwhelming realities they experience each day will not prevent them from giving 100% at home.

Pray for the Families:

• that God would draw foster children's biological families to Himself and that they would experience the life transformation that will allow them to parent their children well and with great wisdom.
• that God would intervene in the lives of other at-risk families and provide them with mentors who can help prevent the removal of their children in the first place.
• that God would raise up an army of godly foster parents who are equally committed to reunification and adoption when necessary, trusting God alone for the outcome He desires.

Pray for the Children:

• that the children in the foster care system would come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
• that these children would experience God's love through the love and care given them by all involved in the system.
• that God would heal the deep hurts these children have experienced.
• that God would transofrm the children's lives and hearts and that they would be able to forgive those who have wronged them.

Pray for the Church:

• that God would raise up people in many churches throughout our city to launch ministries for orphans and waiting children.
• that believers all over the state would be consumed with compassion for the children in foster care, and would make themselves available for how God wants to use them.
• that believers in our state would be unified in Christ and that our unity around this issue would draw others to Him.
• Ask God what He would have us do in the future in relation to the foster care system and the children it serves."

With more than half a million children in foster care in the U.S. this group of people seems difficult to wrap our minds around. However, there are several families in the Bethany Fellowship of Churches that are already licensed for foster care, are in the process of becoming licensed for foster care, or have adopted through foster care. These are families right here in our own community that would be encouraged through your prayers.

When you pray, ask the Lord how He desires for you to respond to the needs of the many people that are involved in some part of foster care.

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves..." Proverbs 31:8a