Blog
40-Year Career in Adoption Consummated
Posted by Shaylee Honey on December 21, 2010 at 11:22 am
After a 40-year career, President Emeritus Nancy Miller is retiring from the Christian adoption ministry that has been her life's work.
During her remarkable tenure, 2180 birthmothers received free maternity care during their unplanned pregnancies; 1139 children were cared for by devoted foster parents; and 1419 children were placed for adoption into loving Christian homes and families.
Nancy's 40-year career includes two years as a social services caseworker, 32 years as president and the last six committed to building Christian Homes' endowment through the cultivation of gifts from wills and estates.
Her leadership resulted in the expansion of social services programs; a merger with Christian Services of East Texas, a sister foster care agency; and the acquisition of another in Paris, TX. She also directed three capital campaigns that resulted in a 16-bed maternity home and two different offices.
In 1970, Nancy moved to Abilene to begin working for a ministry started by the Highland Church of Christ that would soon be known as Christian Homes of Abilene. For years, the Highland elders served as the ministry's Board of Directors, and the children's committee of the elders met every Monday morning at 6:30 to help guide and grow the ministry.
Later, Nancy was instrumental in the formation of the Christian Child and Family Services Association and was the first woman elected to lead the organization. She also is widely credited for helping ACU establish the only graduate program in social work at a Church of Christ affiliated university. She was honored by her alma mater as the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year in 1997.
Nancy was the first woman to join what was then the largest Kiwanis club in Texas and later was elected the club's first female president. She is the only person who has been elected to serve two non-consecutive terms as Governor of the Kiwanis district encompassing Texas and Oklahoma.
Her entire lifetime has been devoted to Christian service said Gary Miller, chair of the Christian Homes & Family Services Board of Trustees. Christian Home is the thriving ministry it is because of the friends and support Nancy cultivated.
We would love to hear your comments, stories and memories of Nancy. You can leave a comment below and we will share them with Nancy.
