Teachers Saving Children® Inc. - National
Newsletter
Volume 10, Number 4
June 2000
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"Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."
Over the past six years the Lord has blessed Teachers Saving Children® in so many ways and we give thanks with grateful hearts. We have very carefully sought the Lord's direction with all of our financial decisions. Financially TSC has been able to work with a limited budget and still be effective with the resources that the Lord has provided.
Three years ago, the TSC Board of Trustees took a step of faith and made application to have an exhibit booth at the National Education Association Representative Assembly (NEA RA) in Atlanta Georgia. Our application was accepted and we went to Atlanta with the theme of "Adoption". It was a financially costly venture, but one well worth the cost as we had the opportunity to talk with many individuals about the importance of the sanctity of human life.
During the February 21, 2000 TSC Board of Trustees meeting, the trustees made a decision to once again make application for an exhibit booth at the NEA RA in Chicago. This decision was made by faith as there was no money either budgeted or available for this endeavor.
As I prepared the application, I must confess that I wondered if the financial means would be provided for this entire endeavor. As requested by the board, the application was prepared and mailed on March 21, 2000. The theme of the exhibit would be "The Wonder of Life" with the purpose being to promote and provide educational classroom materials, especially for science and health teachers. All materials displayed and distributed would be age-appropriate, positive, colorful, and scientifically accurate regarding the wonder of life in utero.
As I began preparing the display and materials for this exhibit booth, the Lord opened my eyes to the mission field that was before us. What an opportunity to get free materials into the hands of educators who need appropriate and accurate classroom materials on the wonder of life in utero. The thought of preparing 300 bags of educational materials, such as a video, an elementary book, and some brochures, came to mind. The initial estimated total cost of this endeavor would be approximately $7,000. Although seemingly a large amount, I began to pray and trust the Lord to provide the financial means for the materials He wanted distributed. Our God is the God of boundless resources and He is abundantly able to provide the funds needed to get pro-life materials into the hands of educators across this nation.
During the display preparation process, TSC was still waiting for the official approval of the exhibit space. Verbal approval for the exhibit space was received in early May. In mid-May, we received a request from the NEA to send all of our display materials for approval. Finally on June 1, 2000, written approval was received for the exhibit space and no restrictions were received regarding our materials.
By early May, the Lord had provided the entire $1100.00 needed for the exhibit space rental fee plus the monies needed to cover the miscellaneous fees. In addition, at the time of this printing, TSC has received approximately $575.00 towards materials to distribute free to educators who visit our booth. The time is very near for us to make the final order for display and distribution materials. We have been working with a company that has been very gracious to us in this endeavor. It is our hope to make the final order by June 19th.
Thank you to all of you who have already given towards this special endeavor. Thank you for your continued prayers as we prepare the display and order the materials needed for distribution.
The Lord has laid a mission field before us by opening the door for TSC to have an exhibit at the NEA RA in Chicago this summer. As the Lord directed Gideon to use 300 men in defeating the Midianites (Judges 7), I believe that in this battle to defeat the stronghold of abortion the Lord will use 300 bags of educational classroom materials to educate and change the hearts and lives of hundreds of individuals. The harvest is ripe! May we faithfully use this opportunity from the Lord to promote the respect for life.
In accordance with the procedures outlined in the NEA Constitution, the NEA Board of Directors or delegates have submitted petitions to place 2 Standing Rule Amendments, 3 Constitutional Amendments, and 4 Bylaw Amendments on the ballot for a vote by the entire Representative Assembly delegate body. Two of the bylaw amendments are stated below with some additional comments.
While the NEA Board of Directors have properly submitted Bylaw Amendment 2, at the same time, they are opposing Bylaw Amendment 4, which has been properly submitted by 50 delegates and would allow individuals to choose where the political portion of their dues monies would be allocated. Ironic!
These bylaw amendments, in addition to other agenda items, is why it is vital that you contact your delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly, letting them know your philosophy on various issues. If you have a delegate(s) from your local attending the NEA convention, contact should be easy. However, many locals do not or cannot send delegates to the NEA RA. Therefore, state at-large delegates or cluster delegates need to be contacted. If you need the names and addresses of your delegate(s), please contact your local president or your NEA State Affiliate office.
Get involved by contacting your NEA delegates! Remind them to vote according to the wishes of the membership they represent! And then hold them accountable! They are your representatives!
We are currently accepting new memberships for the 2000-2001 membership year. Any new memberships received after June 1st are good until August 31, 2001. Renewal membership information will be sent to all current members in early July.
TSC finished updating its database system on December 31, 1999. Please help the TSC office verify all membership information by making sure your membership forms are accurate, complete, signed, and dated. Thank you.
Ohio: The Ohio TSC Board of Trustees met on February 21, 2000 at which time they elected their officers for the 2000-2001 fiscal year: Connie Bancroft, Executive Director; Gary Winney, Assistant Executive Director; Lisa Rudloff, Secretary; and David Kaiser, Treasurer. The Ohio Affiliate State Chapter currently has 140 members. (TSC Inc. of Ohio, PO Box 125, Damascus OH 44619-0125).
Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania TSC Board of Trustees met on April 8, 2000. They have decided to elect their 2000-2001 officers during their August 2000 meeting. The Pennsylvania State Chapter currently has 46 members. (TSC of PA, Inc., PO Box 214, Pen Argyl PA 18072).
Most individuals find out about TSC from a friend or colleague. Consider requesting a few extra brochures to share with friends that you may visit this summer or with colleagues with whom you may share a workshop, seminar, or class.
A special thanks to those individuals who have contacted TSC over the past several years for multiple copies of the brochure. Thanks for your help in spreading the word and encouraging teachers and other concerned citizens to join. The success of this organization depends on each of us doing our part in taking a stand for life. Your continued help is needed in recruiting the troops as we work together in educating our colleagues and friends about the value and sanctity of life.
Since Judy was a delegate and needed to be on the floor of the RA during the actual meeting time, Deb Smith, a health teacher also from Western Ohio, was willing to work at the exhibit table and to talk with individuals who came to visit the exhibit. Following are Deb's thoughts and reactions to her day of sharing with individual teachers.
It was an exciting privilege to work at "The Wonder of Life" display during the May 5-6 OEA Spring Assembly in Columbus. Many of you may know that the request for a similar booth was denied in the past, so just being there was a breakthrough.
On display was a variety of teaching materials available to educators. Some of those materials were already being used in classrooms. The purpose was to celebrate and demonstrate the factual knowledge and the sources of information about life in the womb that educators now have at their fingertips.
The response from the delegates was more than encouraging. Many openly expressed their appreciation that the material about human development was being displayed. Repeatedly, visitors at the table initiated conversations dealing with in-depth, "life-in-the-womb" topics. There is no doubt that the message "This issue is important" was heard. Also, many people feel that the life issue needs to be addressed by the OEA; many are openly willing to speak out.
Although some individuals questioned how "The Wonder of Life" exhibit table was granted permission, not one comment was made nor question raised on the RA floor regarding this exhibit. Judy had submitted her application according to the OEA Standing Rules and was accepted according to those rules. The Lord does make a way where there seems to be none; He works in ways we cannot see. This special opportunity at the OEA RA in May was a perfect example of how the Lord works to allow the Truth to be revealed regarding life.
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