It is fall in Ann Arbor. The streets are crowded with students in sweat pants texting and crossing streets at the same. The road barriers for game days have taken their rightful place in the median outside of Busch's. The school buses are running their loops. For many parents, it's a time of new teachers and new school supplies, sports teams, dance classes, and music lessons. It's a time for getting the oldest to work on their algebra and the youngest to remember to bring home their lunchbox. Parents must be the chauffeur and the checkbook, the math tutor and the chef, the grocery shopper, the uniform cleaner, the bleacher sitting supporter, and of, course, the committed career person. Parenthood is hard. Being a single parent is even harder.

That's why The First Congregational Church of Ann Arbor is launching a new ministry this Fall to focus on the needs of single moms in the Ann Arbor area. We will offer dinner and programs for single moms and their kids on the third Thursdays of each month. Who are single moms? Divorced. Widowed. By choice. Getting child support. Never receives child support. Dad walked out. Partner walked out. Husband is disabled. The list could go on. But if you're at the helm of parenting and you're on your own the cause doesn't matter as much as getting nourished on your journey.

Thursday night programs will focus on practical parenting advice- from eating healthy on a budget to how to help your child be safe online and with a mobile phone. Dinner and programming are provided for children as well. We will offer nursery care to tutors of Calculus, depending on the age and needs of the children attending. Program dates are September 19, October 17, November 21, and December 19. RSVPs are required (darcy@fccannarbor.org). Let’s make the week a little easier for single moms in Ann Arbor. Lord knows they need it.

Darcy Crain-Polly

Darcy is the Associate Minister at the First Congregational Church of Ann Arbor