Welcome Kevin Qualls, CAS President

Transcription

1 Adventures in Adoption Christian Adoption Services Issue 57 Matching Forever Families for over 37 years! April/May 2016 Welcome Kevin Qualls, CAS President Christian Adoption Services extends a warm welcome to Kevin Qualls as CAS President! The Board of Directors has been diligently working to develop a new organizational structure for CAS to ensure the agency s longevity and to increase services to CAS families. To administer CAS under the new plan, Kevin has been newly hired as the agency s President, with Walt Johnson, Social Work Supervisor, serving as the Interim Executive Director. Former Executive Director, Jim Woodward, has retired after 37 years of dedication and service to CAS (see page 2). Kevin was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and grew up in eastern North Carolina. He received his B.S. in Business Administration from Gardner-Webb University in 1993 and a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Seminary in He has served in Christian ministry for more than 21 years in churches in North and South Carolina in several ministry roles. He most recently served as associate pastor of First Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C. since Kevin is married to Kim and they have three teenage children, Emma, Stephen, and Benjamin. Kevin has a passion for seeing lives changed by Christ and has firsthand experience seeing a child s path changed as a result of sacrifice and unconditional love. Kevin believes that as adopted children of God ourselves, we all have a responsibility to care for and be a part of helping others adopt or becoming adoptive parents. Join us at our Family Day Picnic on April 23rd to meet and welcome Kevin to the CAS family, or call and make an appointment to meet with him! A letter from our President Dear CAS friends and families, What a privilege it is to be a part of a Kingdom building organization known as Christian Adoption Services. After a few weeks on the job at CAS, I can assure you that God is working in a mighty way. It was such a blessing to attend our fundraising banquet on March 18th and hear the testimonies of Ashley and the Cotchery s. It was an incredible night for all in attendance and to see the generous giving from you as our supporter s in raising over $46,000! The team of employees representing CAS from all over the state is amazing. I have had the opportunity to meet almost all of them and am very impressed with their testimony and dedication to our mission. I am personally thankful for Jim Woodward and his friendship and assistance to me, as I have transitioned into this new role. Jim has poured so many years into this (Cont., page 2) Contents: 1 CAS Welcomes New Agency President, Kevin Qualls 1 Letter from our President 2 Thank you to Jim Woodward, CAS Founder 3 Family Day - Picnic at the Park 3 Informational Meeting April 28, CAS Office 4 Benefit Banquet Update 5 Asian Festival & Dragon Boat Races 5 Community Spotlight Christian Adoption Services Matthews-Mint Hill Rd

2 We Thank Jim Woodward for His 37 Years of Service to CAS! The end of March marked the closing of a chapter that began over 37 years ago, when Jim Woodward and wife Doris began their journey down the road of adoption. Jim retired at the end of last month and we are so thankful for the ministry he helped start that has served children and families for over three decades. Doris & Jim Woodward Co-Founders of CAS While working in the education field in Maine, first as a middle school math teacher and then as a program coordinator for adult education, Jim observed as Doris and her mother Mama Lidia, through unexpected circumstances, helped place several children in need from Doris native country of El Salvador into loving, Christian homes. Jim and Doris felt a calling to continue to help in placing children through adoption and sought counsel from their pastor, Wilson Hickham, who challenged them to start an agency. In July 1979, International Christian Adoption Agency received its license and the new agency in Maine focused on international adoptions through El Salvador. After 10 years, Jim and Doris were led to move the agency and relocated to Matthews, NC, in The name was then changed to Christian Adoption Services to expand its program services to include domestic adoptions. Over the years, CAS has been accredited for the placement of foreign-born children in 19 different countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia. Today, the strongest international programs are in the Philippines, Poland, the Czech Republic and China. Since 1979, Jim has helped place over 2000 children into forever families - four times the population of his hometown in Maine. So many have been touched by Jim and Doris obedience to the Lord s calling on their lives. Christian Adoption Services and our extended adoption family thank Jim for his service and for the selfless work he has done that has eternal value and impact. Thank you Jim, and we pray God s blessings on you in your retirement. It will be exciting to see how God continues to use you in this next chapter of your life! Welcome A letter from Ashley our President Wright to the CAS Team! (continued from page 1) ministry and I know God will continue to use him in the days ahead in retirement to serve Him. Thank you for your prayers for my family and me as I have stepped into this new position. I am excited about the future and the opportunity we will have to impact even more families and children s lives as we point them to Christ. I hope to see all of you on April 23rd up in Salisbury for our annual family day picnic. It should be a fun day together at Dan Nicholas Park. If you are ever in the Matthews area, I would love the opportunity to meet you in person. Thanks for your faithfulness to the Lord and for partnering with CAS as we fulfill our mission. - Kevin Qualls, President 2 ADVENTURES in ADOPTION

3 FAMILY DAY - Picnic at the Park Saturday, April 23rd Dan Nicholas Park, Salisbury, NC 11:00 am, lunch served at 12:00 FREE BBQ lunch provided! Join us for a great day of food, fellowship and fun at the park! We will provide a FREE BBQ lunch and drinks... just bring yourself and your family! After lunch, your family is encouraged to take advantage of the various activities that are offered at the park which include, train, carrousel, mini golf, barnyard, wildlife adventures, paddle boats, gem mine, and many playgrounds. Register today...we look forward to seeing you there! RVSP at by Monday, April 18th. Informational Meeting for Domestic & International Adoptions Avery Label Template 1 x 2.63 in Avery 2160 mini Christian Adoption Services will be hosting an informational meeting for those looking to explore domestic and international adoptions. International programs include the Philippines, China, Czech Republic, Brazil, and Poland. Our next meeting: Thursday, April 28th, 7:00-8:30 CAS Office, 624 Matthews Mint Hill Rd,, Register online at A few important notes: Limited seating is available, and registration is required. Husband and wife must both attend. To avoid distractions, children are not permitted. Please make childcare arrangements prior to attending. Thanks in advance for understanding! In order to expedite the process, please shannon@christianadopt.org if you would like to establish an online account to begin the Preliminary Application Process prior to the meeting. April/May

4 Thank you for Giving Hope and Changing Lives! 2016 CAS Annual Benefit Banquet Update Just a few weeks ago, 350 attendees gathered to hear the mission and heartbeat of Christian Adoption Services as well as the beautiful messages of Ashleigh Pilotte and Jerricho and Mercedes Cotchery. We shared a wonderful evening together and we are so thankful for your prayers and the financial gifts of over $46,000, which will support our vision of expanding services to connect more children with Christian families! We are excited to see how God will use this ministry to advance His kingdom, and we thank you all for joining us in this journey! If you were unable to attend but would like to donate, please visit Adopting one child won t change the world; but for that child, the world will change. - Unknown 4 Adventures in Adoption ADVENTURES in ADOPTION

5 Mark your calendars for the 2016 Asian Festival & Charlotte Dragon Boat Races The 2016 Asian Festival is an annual family-oriented event for the Asian and non-asian community in and around Mecklenburg County and throughout the Carolinas. The festival celebrates Asian cultures, diversity, ethnicity, roots and history. The Charlotte Dragon Boat Festival Race is an exciting team competition. An important part of the Chinese traditional calendar, dragon boat racing originated over 2,300 years ago on the life-sustaining rivers of southern China. The Charlotte race is an open competition to anyone 15 years of age or older. CAS will have a table at the festival, so join the fun and stop by and visit us! More info can be found at Community Spotlight: SignUpGenius! SignUpGenius, a local Charlotte business, has been a blessing in many ways to CAS through their generosity and volunteer support. In case you haven t had the opportunity to use SignUpGenius, this online resource simplifies the process of coordinating events and people by providing online sign ups for nonprofits, schools, sports, churches, families, colleges, and businesses. By enabling up to 10 million unique visitors per month to sign up for tasks online, SignUpGenius has done away with the need for paper sign ups, reply all s and phone trees. Check out this great resource at April/May

6 If you would like to receive our bi-monthly E-Newsletter, go to our website, and look for the Sign Up for Our Newsletter field and enter your address! Christian Adoption Services Matthews-Mint Hill Road, , 6 ADVENTURES in ADOPTION