With the approximately 11 million single-parent families in America, almost 80% of them are single-moms (2022 U.S. Census Bureau).
Single-moms face many pressures. Some of their stresses are unique to them and some are the same as a two-parent household, but they are just magnified.
Some of the pressures faced are:
- Financial pressures
- Time constraints and time management
- Basic survival needs such as housing, childcare, food, transportation, and healthcare
- Family stress
- Co-parenting challenges
- Feelings of isolation and loneliness
- And more
The church is uniquely positioned to journey through life with single-moms. There will be times when ministry to single-parent families can and should be focused on their unique needs. However, by integrating them with the rest of the ministries of the church as well, we don’t keep them in a separate category and can minister with a holistic approach.
Showing love and support can be simply inviting them over for a meal. We shared more about this on a recent blogpost HERE.
Michelle Donnelly with PlusONE Parenting wrote a helpful article for Focus on the Family. Through her own personal experience and others’, she encourages the church to actively reach out to single moms. She writes,
“Seeing requires we give up more than our money or a weekend – it means investing our lives. Seeing means really asking about her, instead of assuming she’s okay. Genuinely befriending her instead of “fixing” her. Including her instead of isolating into our comfortable corners of the world. Extending compassion instead of criticism (trust me, she’s had plenty of that already, and often from herself).”
Donnelly’s article provides a wealth of insight which you can read by clicking HERE.
A great resource for churches desiring to holistically journey through life with single moms is an organization called, The Life of a Single Mom (TLSM). Jennifer Maggio, CEO of TLSM, beautifully messages the mission of the organization by committing that “no single mom walks alone.” TLSM assists in launching single mom support groups, providing life skills and education for single moms through their Single Mom University, and creating community through their conferences and connecting moms to a local chapter. You can find more information by visiting there website HERE.
Your outreach to single-mom households will ensure they are seen, heard and loved.
