Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania Inc.
Newsletter
Volume 10, Number 2
June 2009
Home |
Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania Inc. | |
Newsletter
|
Home | |
Is your heart as burdened as mine? Oh, I don’t mean the economy woes or even the gazillion-dollar “stimulus package.” Instead, my heart aches for the swift removal of all the safeguards to the conscience clause for health care providers. In essence, they must choose to perform or participate in abortions or lose their jobs.
What of the hospitals that now have this heinous choice – do abortions or close their doors? The rescinding process has begun. On January 23, 2009, with a stroke of his pen President Obama rescinded the “Mexico City” policy. Add to that our tax dollars subsidizing abortions overseas.
Are not 50 million infants enough? Must now more and more precious lives be sacrificed in the name of choice?
My hope and prayer is that all this would be a “stimulus” to those of us who value life to be even more active and vocal. May the Lord give us His strength and boldness!
The Board of Trustees of Teachers Saving Children® - National met in Temperance, Michigan on May 2, 2009. Officers elected for the 2009-2010 year are:
* Connie Bancroft, Executive Director
* Gary Winney, Assistant Executive
* Juanita Sattler, Secretary
* Dave Kaiser, Treasurer
Connie has completed plans for the 2009 Wonder of Life exhibit at the National Educational Association Expo.
Connie introduced the concept of using signature ads, which was published by the Ohio Chapter of Teachers Saving Children®. At the fall meeting, the board will finalize work on a Statement of Principles.
The fall meeting will be on October 17, 2009, at my home in York, Pennsylvania.
Despite strong pro-life sentiment in the county, Lancaster County had no organization equipped to lead a political and legal endeavor. Alarmed civic and church leaders quickly came together to pray and plot a strategy under the name “Lancaster United for Life” (LUFL). Michael Geer, battle-hardened by eight years as president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, agreed to lead the effort.
From its humble beginnings, LUFL quickly grew into a huge outpouring of popular concern. A petition drive opposing Planned Parenthood’s bid eventually garnered 40,000 signatures. Clergy came together with rare singleness of purpose to hold a public rally. In January 1999, Lancaster marked the anniversary of Roe v. Wade by holding its own March for Life, involving 1,000 citizens.
The peaceful demonstration was one of three main strategies that LUFL successfully adopted. LUFL’s success depended in large part on legal and technical issues unique to the local situation. But their story offers instructive lessons to others, starting with the importance of local officials who make decisions that affect the daily life of their citizens and the ability of citizens to influence those decisions.
Looking back, LUFL leaders believe the community outpouring they sparked achieved much more than the worthy goal of preventing abortions; it also validated the belief in the sanctity of life which is integral to the heritage of Lancaster County.
(Source: “A Community Says No!” from Pennsylvania Families, Winter 2009, published by the Pennsylvania Family Institute. Their website is www.pafamily.org.)
We will be teaching English at a camp for children. Twelve-year-old Jessica will have a friend with her – Lauren, also 12 years old. They expect to be living with the Ukrainian children and are excited about this fantastic experience.
There will be camp preparation to do the first week, as well as an opportunity to teach a women’s Bible study. Some of our team hopes to help with finishing touches on the church in town.
Please pray for us and our team of eleven. Pray for health, safety, and an effective ministry. May our Lord be honored and glorified in all we do and say.
Teachers Saving Children® Inc., - National was established in 1994 and is governed by an Executive Director and a Board of Trustees. One goal of the national organization is to assist in the development of affiliate state chapters. As a reader of this newsletter, you are reminded that you belong to the Pennsylvania Affiliate State Chapter of Teachers Saving Children®.
A question asked frequently is, “Just what does Teachers Saving Children® do?” The brochure published by Teachers Saving Children® - National clearly states that this organization “. . . carries out its commitment to establishing a respect for all human life from conception to natural death.” Furthermore, “We inform educators and the general public about life issues via exhibits, press articles and editorials, and letter writing campaigns. We work through proper channels in furthering a respect for the sanctity of human life.” Newsletters are sent to all members, and board members are available for speaking engagements and workshops.
Teachers Saving Children® was initiated to challenge and change the National Education Association’s pro-abortion position, and was therefore originally an organization of educators dedicated to this objective. However, membership now includes educators and other concerned individuals who support our purpose statement.
So, in case you have wondered just what your membership fees are used for, perhaps this review of the purpose of Teachers Saving Children® will clarify that question for you. Considering the permissive attitude of our society about abortion, you will understand that your support of Teachers Saving Children® is vitally important to advancing the pro-life movement. And we are always looking for more members for our organization. Please recommend us to your friends!
You can receive membership information by contacting Connie Bancroft, Executive Director of the national organization, at P.O. Box 125, Damascus, OH, 44619-0125, or by telephone at 330-821-2747, or by emailing her at tsc-life@juno.com. If you prefer, you can obtain information by visiting our website. You can also obtain an informative brochure about Teachers Saving Children® from Connie or by contacting Robin Ross, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Affiliate State Chapter of Teachers Saving Children®. Robin’s contact information is at the end of this newsletter. (Source: Teachers Saving Children brochure, 2007)
For those of us who struggle with just how we can speak up and effectively articulate our pro-life thoughts, there is help available! If you visit the website, www.heartlink.org/beavoice, you will find helpful information on this subject.
In the “Be a Voice for Life” section of the website, you will find invaluable resources. There is the Pro-Life Speaker’s Tool Kit, a series of articles full of helpful ideas, and other resources.
One of the articles, “Got Ten Seconds?” by Steve Wagner, reminds us that we do not have to give formal speeches to communicate our pro-life views. Very often it is a matter of introducing pro-life statements during moments of casual conversation. Mr. Wagner points out that in the course of just ten seconds we can express our pro-life views using the following three questions, defend them with evidence, and allow our listeners to come to the appropriate moral conclusions:
* If the unborn is growing, isn’t it alive?
* And if it has human parents, how can it not be human?
* And aren’t living humans like you and I valuable?
To further equip yourself for a conversation like this, you will want to read the entire article (it is brief) at the heartlink website.
Robin Ross was again elected to be our representative to the National Board of Trustees.
The board discussed methods of publishing information about Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania. Jeff Remington will investigate this and report his findings to the board at the fall meeting.
A contribution of $100 was given to Teachers Saving Children® - National for the 2009 Wonder of Life Exhibit.
The next meeting will be on September 19, 2009, at the Union County Library.
| Robin Ross (Executive Director), York County | 717-292-2021 |
| Patricia Bartow, Lancastser County | 717-872-7283 |
| Patricia Brock, Elk County | 814-832-6976 |
| Julie Myers, York County | unpublished |
| Jeff Remington, Lebanon County | 717-838-7538 |
| Patricia Yamrick, Indiana County | 724-349-7489 |
| SUNDAY: | “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:19) Give praise to the Lord for His salvation and grace for each day. |
| MONDAY: | “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (I John 3:18) Ask the Lord to help you love this way. |
| TUESDAY: | “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” (II Corinthians 7:1) May we seek to live a life of purity and holiness. |
| WEDNESDAY: | “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us.” (Psalm 67:1) Pray for the Lord to be gracious to us and to shine His face upon our efforts for the unborn. |
| THURSDAY: | “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16) Ask the Lord for many opportunities to support LIFE; also for you to be able to make the most of these opportunities! |
| FRIDAY: | “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (II Corinthians 4:16) Pray that none of us will lose heart, but that we will be continually renewed in our commitment to PRO-LIFE. |
| SATURDAY: | “I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (I Timothy 2:1-2) Pray for President Obama and all our national, state, and local leaders. |
|
Home |
TSC Pennsylvania