A Task Force at Work

Ron Chiodras

It was June of 2016 when I met with then pastor of small groups and outreach, Steven Lee, to discuss the creation of a pro-life committee at College Church. Steven came to College Church from Pastor John Piper’s church, Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minnesota, and was no stranger to a thriving pro-life ministry.

Later that summer, College Church member Paige Cunningham spoke at a Summer Forum one Sunday about the state of the pro-life work in the U.S. At that forum we distributed cards that described the new committee. Several people responded and the Sanctity of Human Life Task Force was born. We held our first meeting in September 2016.

As a newly formed task force, we established three goals:

PRAY

• For the unborn

• For the woman with an unwanted pregnancy who may believe abortion is her only option, and for the father, whose voice is the most important one in determining what his girlfriend/wife decides.

• For our ministry partner Caring Network, which is on the frontlines in its efforts to rescue unborn babies from abortion, and to bring the gospel to mothers and fathers.

• For elected officials—on both the federal and state levels—for judges and anyone else involved in decisions regarding the most vulnerable of image-bearers.

We also pray that our congregation will be known as a congregation in which faithful men and women promote lifeaffirming decisions, and a culture where women and men who face pregnancy decisions discover the gospel of Jesus Christ and are transformed by it and have abundant life for their families.

PREPARE

• We will work with our ministry partner Caring Network, to educate the members of our congregation about the resources and events available through this exceptional organization.

• We will present to the church material and other resources to help our members clearly articulate the case for life and to know how to respond lovingly to those who see abortion as a viable option.

ENGAGE

• We will communicate news about situations and legislation, which require immediate prayer and action.

• We will participate in activities such as the March for Life in order to be a voice for those who have no voice.

• We will create opportunities for our church to generously provide diapers and other baby items for women who are pregnant and need this kind of material assistance.

And speaking of generously providing, a Baby Items Drive is scheduled for Saturday, August 28, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the Sanctuary. Please mark your calendars; more details will follow.

But what happens to all the diapers and baby items you donate? First, the donations make their way to Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton where volunteers sort and then store them in an area at the church designated solely for this purpose.

When local Caring Network clients need these diapers, wipes and other supplies, they are directed to Rez to pick up what they need.

Recently some of these items made their way to a church in Chicago. This fascinating story begins with a local pastor who has a connection with Rev. Michael Wright of the Christ Tabernacle Church in the Austin neighborhood.

Rev. Wright and the people at his church had gathered donations and stored them in the church basement, in preparation for a distribution day. Sadly, the donations were stolen before they could be picked up by the people who needed them. The good news? Church of the Rez moved into action and replenished the supply with the items you donated last summer.

I had the privilege of going down to Christ Tabernacle and assist in passing out supplies. This day was a testament to God’s provision and a witness to those whom Christ Tabernacle serves.

If you have questions about the Sanctity of Human Life Task Force, please contact us at sohl@college-church.org.

Opening Hearts with Peaceful Prayer

SATURDAY, AUGUST 14 1 - 2 P.M.

The Sanctity of Human Life Task Force invites you to pray and sing a few hymns outside Parenthood Aurora in cooperation with 40 Days for Life's year-round prayer effort in Aurora. During a recent prayer time, we supported a faithful sidewalk counselor in prayer as he spoke to five at risk families within thirty minutes! We were excited to see Planned Parenthood clients opening their car windows to talk and receiving pregnancy resource information.

www.40daysforlife.com

www.40daysforlife.com/aurora

Look for us on Waterleaf's property near Planned Parenthood, 3051 E New York St, Aurora, IL 60504 (across from Planned Parenthood's driveway). Parking is behind Auto Zone or by Mariano's.

Visit www.college-church.org/sohl to sign up for the Sanctity of Human Life task force monthly emails to stay up to date with life related news and events.