Where Photograph Develops into Ministry
New parents love photos of their babies—and it doesn't hurt when the pictures are free.
Birchwood Baptist Church in Independence, Missouri, has an annual Baby Recognition Service each Mother's Day for any family that's had a birth during the past year. In addition to recognizing new infants and inviting the parents to dedicate themselves to raise the child in a godly home, Birchwood gives each family a photo taken that day.
"Parents want pictures of an event like this, but they feel strange about carrying a camera into the service and interrupting things," says Gayle Hilligoss, secretary to the pastor. "We invite parents to bring their babies into the chapel just before the worship service for the pictures."
Two photography buffs in the congregation do the shooting, and the church pays for the film, developing, and printing.
An unexpected twist has turned the event into a ministry as well.
"We send letters to everyone who's had a child in the past year—even if they're inactive in the church," says Hilligoss. "We tell them about the recognition service and the free photo. Many young couples who haven't been attending come to the service, meet the nursery personnel, and are visited by people from the couples class. It's not unusual for them to start coming regularly. Our Baby Recognition Service opens the door for new parents to get in the habit of bringing their child to church."
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