Please join us for our 4th annual Bells of Hope weekend of prayer.  Prayer is a powerful way to express the care and concern communities feel for children waiting for permanent homes.

“More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.”
Alfred Lord Tennyson

 

 

To register via phone call 203.706.0101.
To register your faith community via the internet, click here.

Bells of Hope is one of Connecticut’s statewide National Adoption Month initiatives.  Scheduled every year for the first weekend in November, faith communities  partner with the Child Welfare System by raising their communities’ voices in prayer and/or ringing  bells for all the Connecticut children waiting for permanent homes.

We are asking faith communities to offer  prayers during any/all weekend services anytime the weekend of November 2-4th and optionally, ring their bells (if they have bells) on November 4 at 6p.m.  Bells are to ring one time for each Connecticut child in need of a permanent home.  Last year the number was 28. The number for this year will be announced in late October.

In the past four years this event has grown to include approximately 200 faith communities throughout the state in many different guises.  All participants have offered prayer for the children.  Some have held candlelight vigils during  bell ringing while others held prayer vigils including guest speakers and music.  Many have simply rung their bells at 6 p.m., some by children who were already adopted or entire adoptive families.  Any part or combination of prayer and bell-ringing on behalf of the children is truly appreciated.

Why should you support this effort?  Too many foster children  wait far too long for permanent families.  In fact, nationally, there are over 107,000 children in the foster care system awaiting a family. Some of these children will never be adopted and will “age out”.  Of those who age out, approximately 50 percent of them eventually experience homelessness or become incarcerated. Most will never finish high school and many of the girls will end up becoming single mothers, repeating the cycle of poverty, abuse and addiction that brought them into care.  Last year in CT, approximately 450 youth aged out.

Read Justin’s* story.  Justin is the pseudonym for the youth who inspired this event.

 

Check out our interview on WTIC Radio.  Many thanks to Bill Pearse and “At Home in Connecticut” for helping us spread the word!

2012 Confirmed Faith Community Participants

Participants alphabetically by town:

Avon Congregational Church, Avon
Church of St. Ann, Avon
Berlin Congregational Church, Berlin
Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem
First Church of Bethlehem
United Methodist Church of Branford
Bridgeport Bible Fellowship, Bridgeport
Grace City Church, Bridgeport
Mount Aery Baptist Church, Bridgeport
Bristol Baptist Church, Bristol
First Congregational Church, UCC, Bristol
North Canaan Congregational Church, Canaan
St. Joseph Church, Canaan
Calvary Life Family Worship Center, Cheshire
Church of the Epiphany, Cheshire
Cornerstone Church, Cheshire
First Congregational Church of Cheshire
Saint Bridget Church, Cheshire
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Cheshire
Collinsville Congregational Church, Collinsville
St. James Episcopal Church, Danbury
The First Congregational Church, Derby
St Patrick’s R.C. Church, East Hampton*
Community United Methodist Church, Ellington
The Falls Village Congregational Church, Falls Village
St. James Episcopal Church, Farmington
First Church of Christ, Congregational, UCC, Glastonbury
Riverfront Family Church, Glastonbury
St. Thomas of Villanova Church, Goshen
Spring Glen Church, UCC, Hamden
Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford
Cathedral of Saint Joseph, Hartford
Centro Cristiano Lluvia de Restauracion, Hartford
Centro Cristiano de Nueva Dimension, Hartford
Church of the Good Shepherd, Hartford
Comunidad Cristiana Vino Nuevo, Hartford
Emanuel Lutheran Church, Hartford
First Presbyterian Church of Hartford
Getzaida Temple of Worship, Hartford
House of Praise Worship, Hartford
House of Restoration, Hartford
Iglesia de Dios,Inc., Hartford
Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal, Hartford
Iglesia Nuevo Comienzo, Hartford
La Nueva Cosecha de Dios, Hartford
New Life Worship Center, Hartford
Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Hartford
Phillips Metropolitan CME Church, Hartford
Primera Iglesia Bautista, Hartford
Sacred Heart Church, Hartford
St. Augustine Church, Hartford
Templo Fe, Hartford
Founders Congregational Church, Harwinton
Harwinton Congregational Church, Harwinton
Trinity Episcopal Church, Lakeville
First Congregational Church of Litchfield
Trinity Episcopal Church, Litchfield
United Methodist Church of Litchfield
First Baptist Church of Manchester
Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana, Manchester
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on the Green, Monroe
Congregational Church of Naugatuck
Emanuel Assembly Of God, Naugatuck
Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection, New Britain
Calvary Christian Center, New Britain
Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, New Britain
Iglesia Cristiana Pentecostal, New Britain
St Mary’s Ukrainian Church, New Britain
Church of St. Mary, New Haven
North Congregational Church, New Hartford
Church of the Holy Spirit, Newington
Immaculate Conception Church, Norfolk
Zion Episcopal Church, North Branford
St. John’s Episcopal Church, North Haven
North Haven Congregational Church, North Haven
United Congregational Church of Westerly, Pawcatuck*
Bethel Baptist church, Prospect
St. Anthony Church, Prospect
St. Elizabeth Seton Church, Rocky Hill
St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Roxbury
Seymour Congregational Church, Seymour
Sharon Congregational Church, Sharon
Sharon United Methodist Church, Sharon
First United Methodist Church of Shelton
Huntington Congregational Church, Shelton
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Shelton
“The  Barn” Covenant Presbyterian Church, Simsbury
Simsbury United Methodist Church, Simsbury
Wapping Community Church, South Windsor
Calvary Chapel Church of Southbury
Sacred Heart Church, Southbury
The United Church of Christ, Southbury
First Baptist Church of Southington*
Greater Faith Baptist Church, Stamford
Terryville Congregational Church, UCC, Terryville
Covenant of Joy Christian Church, Thomaston
First Congregational Church, Thomaston
First United Methodist Church of Thomaston
Center Congregational Church, Torrington
First United Methodist Church, Torrington
St. Mary Star of the Sea, Unionville
First Congregational Church of Wallingford
Warren Congregational Church, Warren
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Washington Depot
Salem Covenant Church, Washington Depot
The Basilica of Immaculate Conception, Waterbury
Bunker Hill Congregational Church, Waterbury
First Assembly of God Church, Waterbury
First Congregational Church of Waterbury
Living Faith Christian Church, Waterbury
Sts. Peter & Paul Church, Waterbury
United Muslim Mosque, Waterbury
United Methodist Church of Watertown
First Church of Christ, Wethersfield
Winchester Center Congregational Church, Winchester Center
Christ the King Lutheran Church of Windsor
First Church of Winsted
Winsted United Methodist Church, Winsted
Wolcott Congregational Church, Wolcott
First Church of Christ, Woodbridge
Woodbury United Methodist Church, Woodbury
First Congregational Church of Woodstock*

 

Was your faith community a part of Bells of Hope 2011 but not listed below?  Please contact Deb Kelleher at fam_coordinator@yahoo.com and include the name of the Faith Community and the address and we will be happy to add you to the list!

Contact us for more information: 203.706.0101

Thank you to our 2011 partners (see below) in our third annual Bells of Hope: Ringing in a Brighter Tomorrow for CT’s Waiting Children.

2011 Participating Faith Communities

Christ Episcopal Church, Ansonia
Holy Rosary Church, Ansonia
First Congregational Church of Barkhamsted
St Michael’s R.C. Church, Beacon Falls
Berlin Congregational Church, Berlin
First Congregational Church of Branford, UCC, Branford
Shoreline Community Church, Branford
St. Mary Church, Branford
Christian Community Church of Bridgeport
First Baptist Church, Bridgeport
Messiah Baptist Church, Bridgeport
Bristol Baptist Church, Bristol
Christian Fellowship Center, Bristol
The First Congregational Church UCC, Bristol
North Canaan Congregational Church, Canaan
St. Joseph Church, Canaan
Cheshire Lutheran Church, Cheshire
Church of the Epiphany, Cheshire
Cornerstone Church, Cheshire
First Congregational Church of Cheshire*
Temple Beth David, Cheshire
St. Bridget Church, Cheshire
United Methodist Church of Clinton
Colebrook Congregational Church, Colebrook
Collinsville Congregational Church, Collinsville
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Cornwall
St. Bridget Church, Cornwall Bridge
Church of St. Peter, Danbury
Danbury Lighthouse Ministries, Danbury
First Congregational Church of Danbury, UCC, Danbury
Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, Danbury
St. Joseph’s R.C. Church, Danbury
Western Connecticut State University, Newman Center, Danbury
St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, Danielson
First Church of Christ, Congregational, East Haddam
St Patrick’s R.C. Church, East Hampton*
Holy Family Church, Enfield
Church of Christ, Farmington
St. James Episcopal Church, Farmington
First Church of Christ, Congregational, Glastonbury
South Congregational Church, Granby
Spring Glen Church, UCC, Hamden
House of Restoration Church, Hartford
Phillips Metropolitan CME Church, Hartford
Riverfront Family Church, Hartford
Harwinton Congregational Church, Harwinton
Gilhead Congregational Church, Hebron
Faith Center Church, Meriden
First Assembly of God, Meriden
New Life Community Church, Meriden
St. George’s Episcopal Church, Middlebury
St. Agnes Church, Milford
Mystic Congregational Church, Mystic
United Methodist Church, Naugatuck
Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection, New Britain
Calvary Christian Center, New Britain
Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, New Britain
St. Mary’s Ukranian Church, New Britain
Church of The Rock, New Haven* (Service Saturday)
Dixwell Avenue United Church of Christ, New Haven
Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven
St. Francis Xavier Church, New Milford
First Congregational Church, New Milford
Newtown Congregational Church, Newtown
Christ Lutheran Church, Niantic
Niantic Community Church, Niantic
St. John’s Episcopal Church, North Haven     
St. Joseph’s Church, Norwalk
First Congregational Church of Old Lyme
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Plainfield
St. Anthony R.C. Church, Prospect
Rocky Hill Congregational Church, Rocky Hill
St. Elizabeth Seton Church, Rocky Hill
Roxbury Congregational Church, Roxbury
St. Bernard Church, Sharon
Sacred Heart Church, Southbury
The United Church of Christ, Southbury
First Baptist Church of Southington
Bethel AME Church, Stamford
St. Bridget Church, Stamford
St. Mary’s Church, Stamford
United Congregational Church of Westerly, Stonington
Terryville Congregational Church, UCC, Terryville
Covenant of Joy, Thomaston
Center Congregational Church, Torrington
First United Methodist Church, Torrington
Sacred Heart Church, Torrington
St. Francis of Assisi Church, Torrington
St. Mary R.C. Church, Torrington
St. Peter R.C. Church, Torrington
Calvary Church, Trumbull
Door of Hope, Wallingford
Yalesville United Methodist Church, Wallingford
First Congregational Church, Waterbury
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Waterbury
St. Leo the Great, Waterbury
Sts. Peter & Paul Church, Waterbury
United Muslim Mosque, Waterbury
First Congregational Church of Watertown
Saugatuck Congregational Church, Westport
First Church of Christ, Wethersfield
United Covenant Church, Wilton
Wilton Congregational Church, Wilton
Winchester Center Congregational Church, Winchester Center
First Church in Windsor
First Church of Christ, Woodbridge   
Woodbury United Methodist Church, Woodbury
First Congregational Church of Woodstock

In addition to the listing above, Bells of Hope would like to acknowledge the faith communities that participated but are not mentioned by name.  Due to Storm Alfred, communication has been challenging. Every prayer offered for a child in foster care is a powerful expression of your love and support. Thank you all for the blessings of your caring communities.