Most of us stay away from hot topics like religion and politics in polite conversation, but some people don’t seem to know when they’ve crossed the line.
This webinar brings together a group of people with diverse religious upbringings who will delve into the statement “It’s all in God’s Plan” and express why it can be inappropriate and insensitive.
The webinar will be hosted by Stephanie Joy Phillips who will be joined by members of the Facebook support group Childless Path to Acceptance.
DATE: Friday 16th September
TIME: 7.00pmBST Find your time zone here
REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR HERE
Please note: This webinar will be recorded and available to view on the website, if you are unable to attend it live. You do not need to register to watch the replay.
Stephanie Joy Phillips - England
Stephanie Joy Phillips is passionate about raising awareness for the childless not by choice. After realising there was no national recognition of the community she started World Childless Week in 2017.
Stephanie also runs three childless Facebook groups: Childless Path To Acceptance focuses on support, Childless Chit Chat is a trigger free zone and Childless Perks!! is all about laughter and finding the positives of being childless without a parent saying 'I told you so'.
Steph lives in Worcestershire, UK, with her husband and two rescue cats, Storm and Tea-Cup.
Steph has been Christened but is not a practising Christian. She leans towards spirituality and is open minded to God/The Creator, Goddessess and so much more. She accepts all other personal beliefs but does not support religion being used to intentionally or unintentionally hurt another.
Amy York - USA
Amy York – CNBC, Spiritual Believer, Voice of No-one Being raised Baptist with parents as active members, I had a very strong religious upbringing.
About 3 years ago, I went through a traumatic time in my life which made me rethink my value / worth and launched me on a path of self acceptance. I am still a spiritual believer but I don’t live within the lines of the Bible, Only. I had to learn God is more than a book and I am more, worthy and valuable and don’t have to apologize for being my authentic self. I currently practice yoga, reiki, tarot, meditation and Astrology. I am a seeker of knowledge and light.
Rosie Dunn - Canada
Rosie is a 44 year old Canadian who went through a very short time of trying to conceive with her husband in 2015 -2016 until things came to an abrupt end quite suddenly.
I did not grow up with faith in our home, however I sought out God at a very young age because I was quite aware of my own mortality. I was born with mild Cerebral Palsy and a hearing impairment.
As a result, I was in and out of the hospital often for surgeries and surrounded by kids doing the same. For this reason, I was aware of the possibility of death and facing God even at the age of 5 and 6 years old. But it wasn't until nearing the end of my first marriage in my mid twenties that I really investigated the idea of God's love for me. By the time my divorce was finalized I had joined a thriving Pentecostal church in Ottawa, Ontario (where I had grown up). I was a part of that church for nine years and loved the church family there.
When I met and married my husband, Chris (7 yrs after my divorce) he joined me for Sunday services as he loved the worship. We thought that would be our home church forever but when we struggled with infertility issues soon after marrying in Aug 2014, we found very little support from the church. That shocked us. Most people didnt know what to say so they said nothing and those that did say things were sometimes hurtful.
By 2015 I was licking my wounds, so to speak after losing our four embryo babies and quietly not getting much support from church friends as I struggled with a tremendous amount of neck pain from arthritis issues that had manifested itself. I explored my faith and surprisingly became interested in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After months of researching and praying about the subject on my own, I brought my findings and desire to attend the Saints church to my husband who was staunchly against the idea for several months. Eventually we expired the idea together meeting with missionaries and then joining church.
Unfortunately our new church is heavy about "families are forever" and that was even harder to deal with than the Pentecostal church. Still though we are members of the Latter-day Saints church but no longer are able to attend regularly in person. I sometimes get up the courage to go to a Sunday service but it is always a struggle to sit in our pew with just the two of us, the void where the children should be is empty. We are the only childless family in our ward. No one else will ever be childless. Most Latter-day Saints who are childless not by choice find the struggle to great and leave the church. I am on the cusp of that precarious situation but determined to find a way to go back to church in peace and acceptance for my path in life.
Cathy Baumbusch - USA
Cathy underwent 1 IVF treatment in 2000 and two more in 2012. By then she was 45 and had aged out of any programs that she could afford.
She is now separated from her husband of 26 years. Cathy sings in a rock and roll band called CB Radio. She is also in a classical choir. She sells houses for a living.
Cathy says “I was raised in a Catholic family. Although I started asking questions around age 16, I was deeply religious from 13 to about 23. I stopped attending church around age 29. I still believed in God, but no longer felt drawn to worship in a church building. When my father died, it was a crisis of faith. I could not understand why he died so young. Despite our prayers, he died anyway. When my last IVF treatment failed, and my best friend of the same age got pregnant at the same time. I knew that God simply did not exist. Because there is no way a loving God would have me be in such pain. Once I came to that conclusion, I was liberated. I’ve never been so free”.
Palo Barker - England
Palo has a history as an auditor and baker making wedding cakes and ancillary products, including developing and selling her own ranges.
In 1999 Palo was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis which was finally brought under control, after an emergency hysterectomy in 2005.
Numerous health issues followed leading to multiple surgeries. Her functionality was too compromised by severe generalised Osteo Arthritis which led to the closure of her business in 2021.
Palo has volunteered for the Myasthenia Gravis Association as the Forum Administrator and was the founding Chair of the Croydon Branch Myasthenia Gravis Association UK, now called Myaware. Palo also runs and helps admin several support groups on Facebook: Diet and Myasthenia Gravis, Chronic Survivors Childless Warriors, Childless Not By Choice Non- Religious and Childless Not By Choice.
Palo was born and raised a Sikh, but has wavered between agnostic and atheist at times. Palo feels she will always live true to many Sikh core beliefs, including service to others, but her trials have led her to feel there is no God. Palo is drawn to Buddist beliefs too in working to achieve enlightenment and believes in guiding and providing light to others but no one can make anyone do anything they do not want to do. She says “We must find our own path to peace”.