Pure Religion Sunday 2024 was just incredible. With so many churches participating around the globe, the impact of this day will be felt by families and children for years to come.
What’s so special about Pure Religion Sunday is that the churches and individuals who participate are not doing so in isolation. As they do this Kingdom work, they’re partnering not only with believers around the world but with all of God’s people across millennia.
God’s heart for the vulnerable, throughout history
Just look at how God has used His people to care for vulnerable children over the course of history.
In Deuteronomy 14, God gave the Israelites specific instructions around providing for the fatherless and other vulnerable populations. This theocratic nation was called to be a people of justice, mercy and humility
And in James 1:27, He once again draws His people’s attention to the kind of life they are called to live – a life that comes near to, protects and elevates the orphan and the widow. The early Church was to be known for their counter-cultural, servant-hearted treatment of those society often forgets.
Today, we get to witness churches around the world continuing the legacy of God’s people caring for vulnerable children and families on Pure Religion Sunday.
Stories of impact from around the globe
We were blessed to receive so many stories from churches and ministries participating in Pure Religion Sunday this year. Below are just a few reflections from the day.
Kenya
This is an amazing story from Child in Family Focus (Kenya) and the World Without Orphans Kenya team:
Scripture puts it well in Zechariah 4:10 – “Do not despise these small beginnings for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” Pure Religion Sunday 2024 was a great opportunity for us to reflect on what the Lord has done since Orphan Sunday in November of 2020.
In 2020, we drove to the outskirts of Nairobi and ended up at Hosanna Children’s Home, an orphanage with 40 children. After a time of play and prayer with the children and staff…we exchanged contacts with the orphanage director and agreed to keep in touch – most specifically on how to make family care a reality for the children in the orphanage…
A lot of great milestones have been achieved since:
- Ninety-two children have benefitted from foster care placements in two sub-counties (Including 13 from Hosanna Children’s Home).
- Seventy-two children have been reunited with their families.
- The first Foster Families Appreciation and Children fun day was held in 2023. The National Government was impressed with this and decided to adopt it, leading to this year’s National Foster Care Week 2024 celebrations. At one of these events, the government launched useful tools like foster care training manuals for foster parents and practitioners, as well as a memories book we developed in collaboration with the government for children in alternative family care.
…In 2020, Hosanna Children’s Home housed 40 children. Today, it’s on a transition journey and is home to only 16 children, for whom case management work continues towards family care!
…This year, we had to go back where all this work started – at Hosanna Children’s Home – for a thanksgiving and prayer service as well as a celebration (with cake)! (Peter, Kenya)
Republic of Moldova
One individual from the Republic of Moldova shared that he has rarely seen Orphan Sunday organized in churches where he lives. But as the director of an organization that serves children separated from the care of their parents, he believes in the value of this work and asked his church to participate in Orphan Sunday this year. Here’s what he had to say about their experience:
It really was a beautiful Sunday. I preached on the biblical perspective of all things orphans and vulnerable children…
I thank my church for being receptive and dedicating an entire divine service to the cause of orphans…There was even a fundraiser for our organization that works with orphans!
…After the service I was pleasantly surprised by how many church members came up to thank me for the sermon…One person said to me, “I have never heard such a sermon about orphans.” Another person told me, “I think tomorrow they will all go to the adoption agency.” And another said “We will think about adoption”!
…This made me passionate to organize Orphan Sunday in more churches…Next year we plan to organize Orphan Sunday in at least 10-15 churches.
United States
One church in Tennessee used this day as a launching point for their Christmas initiative serving foster families. They’ll spend the weeks leading up to Christmas gathering gifts, blankets and pajamas, and will ultimately serve around 750 children and 205 families within the community.
During the service last week, the church highlighted the journey of a single mom and her recently-adopted teenage daughter. Then, the church asked all adoptive parents in the room to stand so they could recognize them for living out James 1:27 within their homes.
Here’s a sweet story highlighted by this church’s wraparound ministry administrator:
I love watching relationships build through our wrap teams and families. It’s been really sweet to see. We have a 70-year-old single lady that fosters four boys. She has a gentleman on her meal team that loves those boys. He brings them what he calls “men food” – ribs and chicken and potato salad…But then, he takes it a step further. He takes the boys fishing, and he’s invested in their lives. He’s letting them know that they are seen, that God loves them, and that he’s going to be there to walk this journey with them whatever it looks like. (Stacey, USA)
Guatemala
Iglesia Reforma in Guatemala City had an amazing Pure Religion Sunday event this year. They invited their congregation to use art to express the needs of the vulnerable and the work of the Church in meeting those needs, held a forum of men designed to encourage men to become more involved in the lives of at-risk children and translated the three new songs from CAFO + The Worship Initiative into Spanish in order to best facilitate their church’s time of worship. Check out what Jose said about this day!
On Pure Religion Sunday, the church becomes a space for reflection, learning, and action. This year, through the creative expression of art – paintings, poems, and songs – the congregation brought to life the stories of children in distress, families struggling to survive, and the transformative power of the gospel shared through acts of biblical compassion.
…For some, this day is about learning to listen to the needs of others; for others, it’s a call to take intentional steps to make a difference in the lives of those who feel forgotten. We believe everyone can do something. This year, a key focus was encouraging men to become more involved, especially as father figures can make a significant impact in the lives of at-risk children.
…This year, Iglesia Reforma’s worship ministry worked to translate songs provided by The Worship Initiative and CAFO into Spanish, making this resource available not just to our local congregation, but to churches and organizations across Latin America. By offering these resources in Spanish, we hope to inspire and equip others to engage in the same work of serving vulnerable children and families with the gospel of Jesus Christ. (Jose, Guatemala)
Liberia
One woman in Liberia shared with us her highlights from Pure Religion Sunday:
We had a great time with the kids and widows. After service, we had snacks and sweets together. Fellowshipping and sharing as a team was a moment of joy and excitement.
I was reminded of Matthew 25:35-40 – “‘For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (Florence, Liberia)
United States
One church in San Antonio, Texas used this weekend as an opportunity to gather their people together and watch Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot. Roughly 180 people attended! Each of these individuals got to experience the incredible story of how a small community in Texas provided homes for 77 of the county’s hardest-to-place children, and how the Lord provided as they obeyed.
Find More Photos and Stories from Pure Religion Sunday Around the World
How can you join the movement?
We’ve seen the evidence of God at work through His people across history. Now, with expectant hope and joy we ask, What is God going to do next?
We can’t wait to find out.
If your church didn’t get a chance to participate in Pure Religion Sunday on Nov. 10 this year, that’s okay! This event can be held at whatever time of year is best for your congregation. Check out the Pure Religion Sunday Field Guide as well as logo files and customizable graphics that you can use in rallying your church around the vulnerable in their community.
Another great way to introduce your people to the needs of vulnerable children and families is to host a free, private screening of Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot within your church or organization. Then use the new small group discussion guide based on the film to facilitate meaningful conversations about the foster care crisis and the variety of ways to get involved.
Finally, to be the first to access Pure Religion Sunday 2025 resources next year, subscribe to our mailing list!
