Holston United Methodist Home for Children has been in operation since 1895 and has helped more than 8,000 children by reuniting them with their families, placing them for adoption, or helping them transition to adulthood. Now, in the year 2022, the well established refuge finds itself seeking protection.
The Tennessee Christian children’s home filed a federal lawsuit against the Biden administration to challenge its rule that requires the agency to violate its religious beliefs or lose needed funding. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys represent Holston United Methodist Home for Children in Greeneville, a nationally accredited Christian nonprofit that operates throughout East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia by caring for abused and neglected children through its residential and foster care services.Holston United Methodist Home for Children receives some of its reimbursement for services through Title IV-E, administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to help sustain its child-placement activities. A 2016 HHS rule issued at the end of the Obama administration required the faith-based agency to violate its religious beliefs by placing children in homes that do not align with their faith, such as non-Christian families; same-sex couples; or unmarried, cohabitating couples. During the Trump administration, HHS issued religious exemptions to this rule so faith-based agencies could operate according to their religious beliefs, but HHS recently rescinded all of those religious exemptions.The U.S. Supreme Court recently held that the city of Philadelphia violated the First Amendment rights of a faith-based foster-care agency by invoking non-discrimination laws to force the organization to operate in violation of its religious beliefs.
Here is how you can pray:
Judicial
Pray that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee will respect the religious freedom principles that the Supreme Court announced in the Fulton case, and the limitations Congress placed on government agency overreach.
Cultural
Pray that America recognizes the irreplaceable role that religious organizations play in redeeming the stories of children who need families.
Church
Pray that the Church will support efforts to increase the influence of faith-based foster care and adoption agencies.
What is a Generational Win?
Each generation has the responsibility to protect the freedoms of the next. That is why ADF focuses on generational wins. These victories change the law and culture of the nation and are sustained by deliberate action so that the victory endures for future generations.
- Life is safeguarded
- Religious Freedom prevails
- All can Speak Freely
- Marriage and Family are protected
- Parental Rights are guaranteed
Baptist Resource Network of Pennsylvania/South Jersey has teamed up with ADF Church Alliance so your church can become a member at a discounted rate. Visit www.adfchurchalliance.org/BRN to learn more and use promo code BRN250 when you apply.
