Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Grace Church Wins Breastfeeding Recognition


This is no joke. The Pennsylvania Breastfeeding Coalition contacted me here at the church this week with an invitation to attend the Central Pennsylvania Breastfeeding-Friendly Business Awards Event.

Nursing Mothers, Counselors and Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania, Inc., in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Breastfeeding Coalition, have announced the 2008 Breastfeeding Friendly Business Awards in which they recognize area businesses and workplaces that support breastfeeding employees and/or patrons.

Grace Church of Lititz has been nominated to receive a Certificate of Recognition for steps taken to support breastfeeding employees and patrons. The selection criterion is based on provisions of time, space, support and flexibility for women who choose to breastfeed. We are one of only 2 churches in the entire state of Pennsylvania receiving this recognition.

A special ceremony will be held on Thursday, October 2nd at 11 a.m. in the Capitol Rotunda, Harrisburg to honor Award and Certificate recipients. Representatives from businesses receiving awards will be photographed, listed in the program materials and our business name will be used in any resulting press.

The Pennsylvania Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Collaborative is a statewide effort providing education on the importance of workplace support programs for breastfeeding women and recognizing workplaces with such programs. This project is sponsored by a contract number HHSP233200800464P from the Department of Health and Human Service's Office on Women's Health.

So how about that? I never dreamed that our church would receive such an honor in this area. As a result, we will be sending a representative to the event on October 2 in order to receive our certificate of recognition.

Just for fun, I think I should make our single Worship Arts Director, Matt McElravy, very uncomfortable by making him our representative to receive the award and be in the group picture. Just kidding! I believe Tim Auld, our Executive Pastor, will be checking to see if Brenda Miller, our Early Childhood Director, may be able to represent us since our nursery ministry falls under her area of ministry.

In all seriousness, Grace Church is honored to be recognized as a ministry that helps to meet the needs of people. After all, that is what we are all about…Meeting people where they are and moving them to where God wants them to be! In case you did not realize it, we have three full nurseries that are in operation on Sunday mornings here at Grace, staffed by very competent and loving people who understand the importance of meeting the needs of families with infant children so that worship can still be a very important and real part of their weekly schedules. If you would like to be involved in our nursery ministry here at Grace, contact the church office and speak with Brenda Miller.

No comments: