Uniting for Life
Spring, 1990
Articles
NOEL Convocation Draws
400, Appoints Dacey New Director
Fairfax, VA (Jan 19-22) - The National Organization of Episcopalians
for Life (NOEL) held its 5th annual convocation in Fairfax,
Virginia. Workshops at the convocation covered a wide range
of pro-life issues including: legislation, sex education,
euthanasia, pro-life feminism, prayer, fund raising and youth
involvement.
NOEL which now has 105 chapters and a mailing list of 19,000,
also recently appointed Mary Ann Dacey as Executive Director.
Southern Baptists Hold Sanctity
of Life Conference
Dallas/Fort Worth (Dec. 4-5) The Christian Life Commission
of the Southern Baptist Convention held a two day conference
specifically dedicated to the Sanctity of Human Life. The
program attracted more than 250 pastors and church leaders
from more than 14 states.
The Christian Life Commission, headed by Dr. Richard Land,
is the social concerns arm of the Southern Baptist Convention,
which is a denomination of 38,000 churches and 14.9 million
members.
Topics covered at the conference included: Reviewing the
Webster Decision, Building Crisis Pregnancy Centers, What
Really Happens In an Abortion Clinic, How to Lobby the Pro-Life
Issue, Prenatal Diagnostics, and Is the Right to Life a Women's
Issue.
Presbyterian Church: Abortion
Debate Continues
Kansas City MO (Nov. 17-18) - An historic debate within the
Presbyterian Church (USA) began in Kansas City on November
17 which allowed both sides within the church to present arguments
in favor of and opposed to abortion.
This debate marks the first time in 15 years that the Presbyterian
Church has looked openly at abortion. Presbyterians Pro-Life
(PPL), which has a mailing list of 17,000 and works within
the denomination, is hopeful that this formal dialogue will
move the church to reconsider its permissive abortion stance.
Terry Schlossberg, Executive Director of PPL, said, "We can
be thankful both sides had an opportunity to state their positions
in their own words. Abortion has been shrouded in a dark silence
for years. This dialogue let some light in."
New Moravian Group Opposes Abortion
Lake Mills, Wisconsin - A new group of pro-life Moravians
called MorLife has been formed to work to restore respect
for human life by opposing abortion, euthanasia and infanticide.
The group will provide pro-life biblically based educational
material to pastors and church members and encourage support
of a pro-life position. Their ultimate goal is to have the
Moravian Church adopt a pro-life policy.
News Briefs
Idaho Governor Andrus Vetoes Critical Pro-Life Legislation
Boise (March 30) - Bending to pro-abortion pressure, Governor
Cecil D. Andrus vetoed a measure which would have prohibited
abortion from being used as a means of birth control. The
Governor, who had previously taken a strong pro-life position,
waited until the legislature was out ofsession to
veto the bill, thereby preventing an override. If the bill
had gone into effect, it could have prevented more than 90%
of the abortions performed in Idaho.
Lead or Be Led? -Evangelical Lutheran Church Reverses
Position and Takes "Neutral" Stance on Abortion - At its
first legislative assembly, the newly formed 5.3 million member
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America adopted a "neutral"
position on abortion. The resolution came after the adoption
of a previous resolution calling for "free access to (abortion)
services," which some delegates viewed as advocating abortion.
In attempting to clarify the position, church president,
Bishop Herbert W. Chistrom, said the original (free access)
resolution, taken literally, would be contrary to previous
church statements.
One delegate indicated that the church would either lead
or be led on the abortion issue. The abortion policy is expected
to be revisited at the next general assembly in 1991.
U.C.C.Friends for Life Launches Membership Campaign
within Denomination (Jan. 24) - The United Church of Christ
Friends for Life has launched a membership campaign by challenging
church members - "If you are pro-life, stand up and be counted."
The drive is also designed to motivate pro-life members to
challenge others in the church to "...embrace the teachings
of the historical Christian Church which upholds the God-given
value of life..."
Candlelight Vigil Draws 200 in Texas Galveston
(Jan. 22) - A Sunday night candlelight vigil, in observance
of Sanctity of Life day, was held at the Galveston County
Courthouse to commemorate the more than 24 million babies
who have been killed by abortion in the United States. The
ecumenical gathering had representatives from more than eight
different churches and numerous pro-life and pro-family groups.
Guest Editorial
The Shame At 100 Maryland Avenue
By James S. Robb
Let's try an experiment. We'll call it "Ministry by Xerox
Machine." I challenge each reader to make five photocopies
of this column and send it to five concerned United Methodists.
Then I ask those five persons to, in turn, copy
it five times and send it to five of their friends. And so
on. What's it about? Well it's about something sinister and
un-Methodist going on at our United Methodist Building in
Washington, D.C.
That's the building that sits right across from the U.S.
Capitol building and next door to the Supreme Court. Frankly,
it's one of the finest pieces of real estate in the entire
world.
Yet how many Untied Methodists know that the most important
group supportingabortionhas
its headquarters in that same United Methodist Building?
The group calls itself the Religious Coalition on Abortion
Rights (RCAR). Its aim? To keep abortion legal, even those
abortions done just for convenience or to save money. In other
words RCAR thinks abortions performed as a sort of last resort
birth control are all right.
I'll bet you a dime to a dollar that a good 80 percent of
United Methodists oppose abortions for convenience or to save
money. Moreover, the United Methodist Discipline,
our church's lawbook, opposes abortion as a means of birth
control.
If that's true, why do we allow the Religious Coalition on
Abortion Rights to rent space there? The answer may shock.
The building's owner is the United Methodist Board of Church
and Society - the Church agency which makes social action
statements on behalf of the denomination. The board has its
headquarters in the building, and it rents space to other
groups which share the board's outlook.
Believe it or not, the Methodist Board of Church and Society
actually belongs to the Religious Coalition
on Abortion Rights. That's why it is willing to rent space
to the coalition. It believes in what the group is doing.
If you find that hard to swallow, hold on to your hat. The
Board of Church and Society founded the abortion
organization some 15 years ago. That's right. The Board had
lots of help, including several thousand dollars from the
Playboy Foundation. And of course lots of other liberal church
organizations also belong to the coalition. But did you know
that the Women's Division of the UM mission board belongs
to RCAR? It's true - the national sponsor of the United Methodist
Women groups has committed itself to the pro-abortion cause.
Don't believe it? Call them and ask.
Do your church women hold bazaars, dinners and bake sales
to raise money to send to the "missions"? If so, rest assured
that one of the causes they are supporting is America's premier
pro-abortion lobby.
Every year, on the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe
v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion, people
like you and me who oppose unrestricted abortion
hold a march in Washington to protest the status quo.
On that same day RCAR holds a news conference at our United
Methodist Building to argue for keeping abortion unregulated.
Every time a committee of Congress holds a hearing on abortion,
RCAR testifies, claiming to represent you since you are a
United Methodist. It helped organize a big pro-abortion march
earlier this year which was attended by lots of officials
of the Board of Church and Society and the Women's Division.
Imagine you are a member of Congress. You are trying to decide
whether to vote for or against funds for Medicaid abortions.
You happen to be a member of the United Methodist Church.
A man comes by your office. Says he's from the Religious Coalition
on Abortion Rights. He explains that your denomination belongs.
He points over to the United Methodist Building - says the
coalition's offices are there. Then he asks you to be a good
Christian and vote the money for abortion. What would you
think?
To do nothing is to agree. Let's get RCAR out of our
building. How? By writing to the Board of Church
and Society and complaining, and sending a copy of your letter
to your bishop. Address Rev. Thomas W. Fassett, General Secretary,
General Board of Church and Society, 100 Maryland Avenue N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20002. To get the name of your bishop, call
the Methodist toll-free Info-Serve number, 1-800-251-8140.
If you believe, as I do, that convenience abortion is murder,
write the letters.
And please, make five copies of this article and send them
to United Methodist friends. It's time to reclaim our building.
The above editorial appeared in the January/February,
1990 issue of Good News Magazine which is the largest evangelical
publication within the Untied Methodist Church. Reprinted
with permission.
More News
Few Doctors Willing to Perform Abortions
The New York Times reported recently that fewer and fewer
doctors are willing to perform abortions because of the social
stigma.
A poll by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
taken in 1985 indicated that fewer than one third of the doctors
surveyed actually performed abortions and those who did performed
very few. Only four percent actually performed more than 26
abortions per month.
The Times quoted obstetrician Dr. Curtis E. Harris, who heads
the American Academy of Medical Ethics, a group of 21,000
doctors that favors greatly restricting the availability of
abortions.
"Most gynecologists work to bring a child into the world
in a healthy state," Dr. Harris said, adding that performance
of abortion "is a real contradiction."
Numerous abortion providers have indicated they have had
trouble finding doctors who are willing to work in abortion
clinics. Dr. Warren Hern, who directs the Boulder Abortion
Clinic in Colorado, said abortion doctors "are treated as
a pariah by the medical community."
Dr. Dennis D. Christensen, who directs an abortion clinic
in Wisconsin indicated that once a doctor starts performing
abortions it can be hard to do much else.
Patients who seek abortions appear unwilling to return to
an abortionist for other medical services.
RALLY FOR LIFE '90
April 28, 1990 Washington, D.C.
"NOW IS THE TIME TO BE COUNTED " -- Rep. Henry
Hyde
Come and be a part of the largest gathering in the history
of the Right to Life movement. Help us speak for the babies.
Rally For Life '90 will be held on Saturday, April 28, beginning
at 2:00 p.m. However, we are encouraging you to arrive on
the grounds early to be included in the official count. We
will provide entertainment.
Confirmed speakers to date include:
Dr. J.C. Willke, President of National Right to Life;
Congressman Henry Hyde, Honorary Chairman of the rally;
John Cardinal O'Connor, Chairman of the National Conference
of Catholic Bishops for Pro-Life Activities;
Dr. James Dobson, President of Focus on the Family;
Lisa Whechel who starred as Blair on the long-running television
series Facts of Life.
NPRC Incorporates - Seeks
Associate Member Churches
The National Pro-Life Religious Council (NPRC), which is
a Christian based pro-life organization, has completed incorporation
as a 501(c)3 educational organization. NPRC's membership includes
both individuals and other organizations who work to promote
pro-life Christian activities and programs.
Louisa Rucker, President of the Council stated, "We have
grown to the point where we have formalized our group's structure
through incorporation."
"We are also expanding our group by offering a new class
of membership called Associate Member which is tailored to
allow local churches and individuals to become part of NPRC
for a nominal fee," Rucker said.
Click here for membership form!
Archbishop Receives
Standing Ovation at Pro-Life Mass
Baltimore (Jan. 21) - Archbishop William H. Keeler received
a standing ovation for his homily at a special pro-life mass
commemorating the 17th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.
In explaining the need to support life and oppose abortion
the Archbishop said,
"Some indeed speak of a right to choose, but this approach
denies any choice but death to the voiceless one in the womb….
"In our defense of human life, we are participating, we
know, as American citizens in a civil rights movement of the
highest order.
"In our free, pluralistic society no one individual, no
one group can impose its moral vision on another. But each
citizen has a right and an obligation to contribute his or
hermoral vision forthe common good...
"As followers of Jesus we have special motivation to defend
life we believe to be sacred because it is also of God's making..."
Baptist Churches Observe Sanctity
of Human Life Sunday
Grand Rapids, Michigan (Jan 21) - Baptists for Life (BFL),
the pro-life arm of the General Association of Regular Baptists,
announced that 330 member churches participated in special
pro-life services commemorating the tragic loss of respect
for life emanating from the Jan. 22, 1973 Supreme Court decisions
which legalized abortion on demand.
Pastor Mark Blocker, Executive Director of BFL, stated, "Our
emphasis this year was on the reality of spiritual warfare
in the abortion debate.
"We believe encouraging prayer is a very important part of
our pro-life work, and it paid off, because this year we experienced
a 50 percent increase in the number of churches observing
Sanctity of Human Life Sunday," Blocker said. |
