LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Pastor Robert Cunningham of Tate's Creek Presbyterian Church called on anti-abortion church leaders to be among the first to help deal with the fallout of Roe v. Wade being overturned.
"What does it look like to be a church in Kentucky that is going to be facing a decrease in abortion but an increase in foster care system, unwanted children, single mothers?" asked Cunningham.
After Roe was overturned, abortions were banned in Kentucky. But on Thursday a state court granted the American Civil Liberties Union's temporary restraining order.
Meaning abortions are legal for now.
"This issue has gone back to the states and the state constitution actually has more explicit and stronger privacy protections than the US constitution does and that is what we have been arguing in state court," said ACLU spokesperson Samuel Crankshaw.
The restraining order isn't permanent though. With both sides still battling it out, Cunningham said if an abortion ban is reinstated, conservative Christians should be ready to step in and help mothers and unwanted children.
"We don't have this complex that we are going to be able to fix this entire problem statewide. We need to focus on our community and where God has placed our church," said Cunningham.
For Cunningham's congregation, that means providing direct support for underserved communities.
According to an NBC report, maternal poverty is higher in trigger law states like Kentucky.
Cunningham said setting up programs in these areas can decrease a woman's chances to seek an abortion if she becomes pregnant.
"One teacher told us that 15 out of his 23 students don't know their father, so we are coming alongside the single moms," he explained.
Cunningham said Kentucky is home to almost 5,000 churches, and all of them doing their small part can have an impact across the Commonwealth.
"One church by itself, you look at and it's impossible to fix our foster care issue, but together it can be really powerful," said Cunningham.
