Pray For Our Nation

We just returned from a visit with my family in Minnesota. An entire blog will be devoted to the "flying experience". Quite an adventure. Before I finish that writing I need to alert you to this.

We must pray as never before for our nation. I have copied and pasted the Friday Prayer Alert from Intercessors for America.

A very disturbing event will be occurring on July 12th. A Hindu clergyman will be delivering the opening morning prayers in the U.S. Senate. He will be quoting writings from 3 Hindu "holy books".

This affront to the God who created America to serve Him by spreading the Gospel to the ends of the world frightens me greatly. When Israel served other gods great judgements fell. Do we think we will deserve less? Please pray for a fourth great awakening and for mercy for America.

Blessings to all~

SPECIAL EDITION
PRAYER AND SUMMER SUPPORT IS NEEDED

29 June 2007

"These are the times that try men's souls."
-Thomas Paine, 1776

CONCERTED PRAYER IS NEEDED THROUGHOUT JULY - July 4th marks the time we celebrate our nation's founding and deliverance from tyrannical rule. Many will also travel and enjoy times of family and personal vacation in July. From past experience, we have learned that, as intercessors, we must remain prayerfully "on watch." An easy way is to "pray the headline news" each day.

HINDU PRAYER WILL OPEN THE SENATE ON JULY 12 - For what is believed to be the first time in its history, the U.S. Senate will be opened with a Hindu prayer. The Senate Chaplain's Office confirmed Monday that Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain from Nevada will open the Senate with a Hindu prayer on July 12. For more than 200 years, the Senate has opened each workday with a prayer usually delivered by the Senate Chaplain, currently Rev. Barry Black, a Seventh Day Adventist. It is common, however, for senators to recommend religious leaders from their home states to serve as guest chaplains. When asked, the Chaplain's office said that "it cannot say no." Click here to read more.

IFA NEEDS YOUR SUMMER FINANCIAL SUPPORT - While we are called and are blessed to compile and issue these email alerts to help you "track in prayer" each week, it is your financial gifts, large or small, which makes this service to you possible. As with many local churches and faith ministries, the summer months are often financially "leaner" months. Please know that IFA needs your support at this time. You can send a check payable to "IFA," or a credit card donation can easily be made by clicking here or by calling toll-free 1-800-USA-PRAY (872-7729).

Common Sense
Thomas Paine
1776

Among the many writers who undertook to explain the new American concept of liberty, Thomas Paine (1737-1809) and Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) emerged as two of the most influential. Jefferson was born into a prominent Virginia family and received a college education. Paine, in contrast, was born into an obscure family in a small English village and dropped out of school at age thirteen. Considered a political radical by many, Paine wrote a sixteen-pamphlet series, "The American Crisis," during the War for Independence which he signed "Common Sense." The first spirited essay, issued on December 23, 1776, was read to George Washington's demoralized troops at Valley Forge by order of the general. May the following excerpts from the series encourage and envision you as the first essay did Washington's forces in their time of testing and struggle to overcome tyranny:

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; 'tis dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.

Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.

Government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built upon the ruins of the bowers of paradise. Were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform and irresistibly obeyed, man would need no other law-giver; but that not being the case, he finds it necessary to surrender up a part of his property to furnish means for the protection of the rest. Wherefore, freedom and security being the true design and end of government, it unanswerably follows that whatever form thereof appears most likely to ensure it to us, with least expense and greatest benefit, is preferable to all others. I draw my idea of the form of government from a principle in nature, viz. that the more simple anything is, the less liable it is to be disordered, and the easier repaired when disordered.

"Where, say some is the king of America?I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above! Yet that we may not appear to be defective even in earthly honors, let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter; let it be placed on the divine law, the Word of God; let a crown be placed thereon."

The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, say some is the king of America? I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above. Yet that we may not appear to be defective even in earthly honors, let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter; let it be placed on the divine law, the Word of God; let a crown be placed thereon. But lest any ill use should afterwards arise, let the crown at the conclusion of the ceremony be demolished, and scattered among the people whose right it is.

To talk of friendship with those in whom our reason forbids us to have faith, and our affections wounded through a thousand pores instruct us to detest, is madness and folly. Ye that tell us of harmony and reconciliation, can ye give to prostitution its former innocence? There are injuries which nature cannot forgive; she would cease to be nature if she did. The Almighty implanted in us these inextinguishable feelings for good and wise purposes. They are the guardians of His image in our hearts. They distinguish us from the herd of common animals. The social compact would dissolve were we callous to these affections. The robber and murderer would often escape unpunished, did not the injuries which our tempers sustain, provoke us into justice.

O! ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose not only the tyranny but the tyrant, stand forth!

"O! ye that love mankind. . . stand forth!"

"What I say to you, I say to all: 'Watch!'"
Jesus of Nazareth - Mark 13:37


PLEASE "FORWARD" THIS TO YOUR PRAYING FRIENDS - Invite them to become a "partner-in-prayer." Having observed first Friday prayer and fasting for almost 35 years, we are encouraged to see a new "amplification" of united prayer and fasting, especially among the youth, at this time. The Pilgrims, Puritans and other founding New England pastors and churches formed "prayer covenants" and regularly called the members of their congregations to unite in days of earnest prayer, repentance and fasting. The following prophetic exhortation made by Jonathan Edwards during the First Great Awakening shows the historic pattern of awakening we are again walking in:

Walking out the vision of America's Christian founders . . .

"I have often said it would be a thing very desirable, and very likely to be followed with a great blessing, if there could be some contrivance, that there should be an agreement of all God's people in America. . . to keep a Day of Fasting and Prayer to God; wherein, we should all unite on the same day. . . It seems to me, it would mightily encourage and animate God's saints, in humbly and earnestly seeking God, for such blessings which concerns them all; and that it would be much for the rejoicing of all, to think, that at the same time such multitudes of God's dear children, far and near, were sending up their cries to the same common Father for the same motives."
- Jonathan Edwards, 1742
__________________________________________________

A CALL TO
UNITED EXTRAORDINARY PRAYER
Jonathan Edwards

"After two remarkable movements of God in revival, Jonathan Edwards sensed the spiritual momentum was waning. The saints needed to urgently re-engage prayer.

These writings caught on in the later part of the 1700s, when they became fuel for the Second and Third Great Awakenings." - Introduction, David Bryant

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THE MISSION OF INTERCESSORS FOR AMERICA:Uniting Believers in Effective Prayer and Fasting

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Airport Security and Flying in General

We left on Wednesday, June 20th, to visit my family in Minnesota. Flying isn't as much fun as it used to be. We got up at 6:30 AM to get ready for our 11:00 AM flight to Mineapolis/St. Paul via Philadelphia. We were to arrive at our desination at 3:30 PM. Unfortunately, we learned at check-in that our plane was going to be late getting into Albany; this would cause us to arrive in Philadelphia too late to make our connection. The second piece of bad news was, not only would we miss our scheduled flight out of Philadelphia, but there were no other flights with empty seats leaving Philadelphia going to Mpls./St. P. until Thursday. The third piece of bad news was our airline had no other flights going anywhere near Mpls./St. P. with available seats for the rest of the day. (My brother informed me that there are two huge conventions going on this weekend in Mpls. and St. P.). So, the clerk furiously used the computer trying to find any flight on any airline to get us to Mpls./St. P., (MSP) in airline terminology. She finally found a combination of flights that would get us to MSP on our least favorite airline. The flight would leave Albany at 3:30, have a 4 hour lay-over in Detroit and arrive at MSP at "11:10 PM". She sent us over to the default airline to see if they had a better flight arrangement than the one she had found on her computer. Agent #2 at default airlines also checked furiously on her computer but could not find a better plan so she asked us if we wanted to check our bags. If we checked our bags, they would stay in the Albany airport for around 5 hours before we left. That sounds like a sure fire receipe for lost luggage or theft to me. Also, checked baggage that actually made it to Detroit would sit in Detroit for four more hours making it a double risk for theft or lost baggage. With this in mind, trying to be as tactful as possible, which is difficult for me to do, I said the fatal words, "I want to take my luggage on the plane with me, I don't want to leave it here for people to go though." I thought that was pretty straight forward. I didn't say, "I don't want you to loose my luggage", nor did I say, "I don't want anyone to steal my belongings". I just said I didn't want anyone going through my bags. NEVER, EVER SAY THAT. My feeble attempt at diplomacy turned out to be terribly, terribly politically incorrect.

We left the airport with our bags and came back at 2:00 PM to check in. Did I mention this was our third cab ride of the day? ka-ching, ka-ching.

When we checked in, I didn't notice the maroon marks that were scribbled on our boarding passes. The man that looked at our boarding passes and photo IDs prior to letting us get in to the security check line also put a purple rather obvious large squiggle on our boarding passes. When we got close to the check point, we were escorted to another lane and more colorful squiggles were added to our passes. The people in line behind us were allowed to go through in the regular lane and, after about 15 passengers had passed by, I inquired as to why we were being detained. I was told they would be with us in a minute - not a NY minute. I was starting to get angry and upset - no, I was angry and upset. I was handed a bright yellow sign with the number 3 on it, my husband was also given a sign. We were commanded not to touch anything until the signs were taken away from us. I was asked to step into a booth a little larger than a phone booth and told that air would be blown on me. I was asked if I had been in one of these booths before. WHAT?!? While in the booth strong streams of air blew my clothes and my hair. The air stopped and, thank God, I had to sense to stay in the booth until someone let me out. About a minute or so after the air stopped a green light came on saying I could leave the booth. While I was in the booth, I remembered reading about these booths. The air under pressure removes microscopic particles from clothing, hair and skin. A machine then analyses the particles to detect drug residue.

When I left the booth, I was escorted to a separate table where I was told they would be examining my belongings. My purse was dumped out on the table and every item was picked over by the attendent. I was very upset by now. No explination had been given as to why we were being singled out for an intensive search. I was very angry also. Our suit cases received the same treatment and the backpack we brought which contained a ziplock bag full of a mixture of Gold Standard Protein Powder and Juice Plus+ Complete (a meal supplement) made the attendants eyes pop. It was taken to a separate room to be analized. By now, I was furious and very upset. To add to my misery, my usually extremely supportive husband could only say, "If you don't like it, don't fly." when I complained to him about our treatment. At long length, they brought our bags back to us, took our signs with the numbers on them and let us go.

I was so upset that I decided in order to compose myself I would go to a restroom, lock myself in a stall and have a good cry. The restroom stall was extremely small, my roll on suitcase and I were scrunched in and I was touching the toilet. The automatic flusher kept flushing so I couldn't even cry. It struck me intellectually that this was pretty funny but my emotions didn't allow me to laugh. I left the toilet stall without my cry and joined my husband at the gate to await our flight. The final insult came as we boarded the airplane. Our boarding passes now had maroon, purple, and green squiggles on the front and large orange and pink markings on the back. Everyone's pass when scanned made the machine go BING bingbing BING; when they scanned us they pushed a key and the machine went BING bingbing bingbingbing bingBING.

In Detroit the corridor went from Gate 1 to gate 78 -- about a mile and a half. We had 3 gate changes and barely made it to our flight after a 4 hour layover. The plane was supposed to arrive at 11:10 PM but we arrived in MPS at 12:30 AM. My brother was happy to see us I think.

We spent a week visiting my parents who live in the Care Center -- euphism for the nursing home part of a large multi level of care facility. On Wednesday, June 27th we attempted to fly home. We were pretty confident, our plane had a stop in Philadelphia but we would be on the same plane going from Philly to Albany. What could go wrong?

When we arrived at Philly the flight we were on was late arriving. Because the crew was changing, we were told we had to deplane and reboard but that we could leave our carry-on luggage on the plane (We had checked most of our luggage.). We deplaned and after a pit stop, we went to a coffee shop. My husband couldn't decide what he wanted to eat so we fiddled around for 15 minutes or more while he decided. When we had finished our coffee, I saw a clock in the coffee shop that said 5:05 PM. Our plane was supposed to leave at 4:45 PM. My husband assured me that the clock was wrong. His watch said 4:05 PM. He said he did not reset his watch to CST. We took our time. When we arrived back at the gate, all the people waiting for the flight were gone but a plane was still attached to the skyway. I approached the clerk behind the desk to ask if the flight to Albany had left. She rudely told me she was busy and couldn't answer any questions. We got in line to re-book behind one other passenger. After about 15 minutes, airline personnel lined up behind us. When I explained our plight to the stewardess in line behind me, she said that our plane was the one that was right outside. As soon as we learned that that was our plane, the plane started to back out of the dock.

We were then directed to Customer Service. When we arrived there, the line was very long. After a two hour wait in line, we re-booked on the last flight going to Albany. The departure time changed from 8:20, to 8:30, to 8:40, to 8:45, to 9:00 PM. The flight was never announced but passengers started boarding at about 5 of 9. A ramp crew couldn't be found so we were delayed at the gate for an hour. Then a strom blew in with lightening so we couldn't leave the gate. That storm blew out but as soon as we got out on the runway another storm blew in with more lightening. Finally things cleared and we were in a long line waiting for take off. Shortly after 1:00 AM the captain announced that the crews shift would time out in 20 minutes and we would be returning to the terminal. A mother traveling alone with a 2 month old and a 18 month old started to cry. This was the 3rd flight she was on that was canceled, she was out of enfamil for her 2 month old who ate q 2 hours. She was going to visit her parents in Clifton Park. The lady across the aisle from me re-booked on a flight leaving at 7:30 AM while we were still on the runway. I asked her if she could do the same for the young mother behind her. The lady, an angel, got the young mother's tickets and was able to book her on the same 7:30 AM flight. I notified a stewardess that she was out of enfamil. They announced her plight and there were two other passengers with excess enfamil which they gave to the young mother. The airline gave her blankets and pillows so she and her babies could be more comfortable in the terminal while waiting for her flight. God is good!!!

When we deplaned, we all got in line at customer service again. At 2:30 AM the customer service desk closed saying they would reopen at 4:30 AM. About 40 of us were left standing in the hallway. When they closed at 2:30, all the flights going to Albany were full except the 8:45 PM flight. The same flight we had just been on. We asked 3 perfect strangers if they wanted to rent a car and drive home. Not surprisingly, they said yes. (The mother and her 2 children were in good shape when we left and the kind lady with the cell phone was in the process of getting boarding passes for their flight at a gate that was open.) We got the phone numbers for Enterprize and Hertz from the airport information phone. The Enterprize # wasn't working. Pat, a very capable woman, called Hertz and made a reservation. We had to go to zone 2 and catch a shuttle bus to Hertz. When we got to the Hertz building, there, again, was a long line. One person was working at the counter and one person was at the preferred customer counter. After 2 and a half hours in line, Pat remembered that she used to be a gold Hertz member. She got in the short line, they found her in the computer, and by 6:00 AM we had an eight passenger van, equipped with Hertz on-star, and we were off. Our ride, which cost each of us $50.00, was most pleasant. We were all laughing about the comedy of errors that we had all lived through. Cell phones were constantly ringing and the conversations were hysterical. Five hours later we were in Albany. We had to get our bags etc. We were home by 1:30 PM. NO SLEEP. I think I'm still recovering. We are thanking God that we got home safely and with all our luggage.

If anyone has a travel story, please submit it to the blog.

Shalom and Happy Traveling~~

New York and Israel

New York
Pray and Take Action

The same-sex marriage bill is in the Judiciary Committee and will have been voted on by the time you read this message. A full Assembly vote will follow if approved by the committee.

Pray that same-sex marriage never becomes legal in New York.

Do warfare praying too by

• covering the call, yourself and who you are going to be talking to with the Blood of Jesus;
• asking for empowerment from the Holy Spirit;
• breaking Satan's power, influence, authority and control over the situation;
• loosing the power of the Holy Spirit upon your callee .

Read yesterday's blog and contact your Representative (518.455 .4100). Implore him/her to vote against same-sex marriage. Use the talking points from the blog (scroll down).

Call Sheldon Silver's office (518.455.3791) and tell him politely that you are opposed gay marriage. Use yesterday's blog for talking points.

Israel

Please sign a "Proclamation of Solidarity with Israel" at http://www.aclj.org. Jay Sekulo is in Israel and will be meeting with Israeli leaders. He wants to have thousands of signatures on the petition to show them that Christians support Israel.

Shalom~

Emergency, Emergency!!!!!

A. 8590, the Same-Sex "Marriage" Act will be voted upon in the NYS Assembly this week.

You need to take immediate action!!!!

Even if you have already taken action in the past, reinforce it with another phone call or email.

The Empire Baptist Missionary Convention of New York, New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, Coalition to Save Marriage in New York and the New York Family Policy Council were at the Capitol last Thursday to lobby against A .8590, the "same-sex marriage" bill. The following talking points are taken from various hand-outs from the above organizations.

1. God created marriage as the union of a man and a woman, therefore, the State of New York does not have the authority to redefine it or override His decision.

• The State of New York recognized God and His authority over the lives of the citizens of New York in the Preamble of the New York State Constitution which states, "We the People of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our Freedom, in order to secure its blessings, do establish this Constitution." (Who says we aren't a Christian nation?)
• God created marriage as the union of a man and a woman. Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-5

2. Every survey taken of New York State's citizens shows that the majority of citizens oppose "same-sex marriage".

• Our government is supposed to be of the people, by the people, and for the people.
• With a majority of the PEOPLE being against "same-sex marriage", how can a representative, in good conscience, vote for A. 8590 and expect to be re-elected?

3. "Same-sex marriage" violates the freedom of conscience of millions of Christians, Jews and Muslims who would be forced into endorsing a behavior that is contrary to their beliefs.

• Additionally, many non-religious people believe that homosexuality is morally wrong.
• Furthermore, if passed into law, it would cause great confusion and damage to Christian, Jewish and Muslim children who would be taught in the schools that their religious objections to homosexuality are hateful and bigoted.
• Business owners would be forced to subsidize and celebrate homosexuality, despite personally held beliefs.

4. Every adult citizen already has equal rights. Homosexuals don't need the extra rights they are asking for. They do not have the right to demand the State to endorse their Biblically condemned lifestyles.

• Many homosexuals complain about lacking the benefits of marriage. Many of those benefits can be provided under existing New York State Laws. For example, hospitals allow patients to determine who can and cannot visit; health care directives and proxies can be established to give authority for medical decisions; power of attorney, wills and trusts can be made to bequeath money and property.

5. Same-sex marriage deprives children of a mother and a father.

• Creating fatherless or motherless families by design hurts children.
• "Same-sex marriages", civil unions or domestic partnerships opens the door for adoption. These liaisons have proven to be short lived. They lack the stability and the male and female role-models that are necessary for proper social, emotional and sexual development in children.
• Children need both mothers and fathers. Therefore, the preferences of adults and the agendas of special interest groups must never take priority over the best interests of children.

6. Marriage is an already fragile institution which needs protection, not redefinition.

• Adultery, pre-marital sex, no-fault divorce, co-habitation, and absentee fathers and mothers have already weakened marriages. Adding homosexuality to the mix will only further destabilize marriage and further weaken society as a whole.
• In Europe, when homosexual marriage is legalized, the heterosexual marriage rates plummet, creating unstable and damaging environments for children.

7. In 2006, the New York State Court of Appeals affirmed that marriage in New York is the union of a man and a woman, and that this distinction is not discrimination or contrary to the New York State Constitution.

• The Legislature found "rational reasons" for this restriction.
• They ruled that this requirement is "reasonable" and not unconstitutional.

8. "Same-sex marriage" cheapens the real thing, hurts everybody -- causes all to suffer.

• When government pretends that something is a marriage, when it is not, children are hurt; society is weakened; and anyone who objects is attacked.

9. A civil union is a legal mechanism by which same-sex couples receive rights and benefits identical to the rights and benefits given married couples under state law.

• Simply put, civil unions are a thinly veiled attempt to gain public acceptance of "same-sex marriage" through calling it by a different name.
• Legalized civil unions or domestic partnerships would cause the same disastrous effects on children, the family, and society as "same-sex marriage".

For the reasons stated above the New York Family Policy Council stands, together with the aforementioned organizations, against "same-sex marriage", civil unions, domestic partnerships, or any other arrangement conferring marriage-like rights and responsibilities upon same-sex partners.

Please pray that New York never legalizes "same-sex marriage", civil unions or domestic partnerships thus conferring upon them legitimacy and/or marriage-like rights.

Please call the NYS Assembly Switchboard (518.455.4100); give your zip code and they will connect you with your Representative's office; ask to speak to your Representative or a legislative aid; using the above talking points, talk to your Representative and strongly urge him/her to oppose the "same-sex marriage" bill, A. 8590; ask to be informed how he/she voted on this bill.

God's Speed Beloved~

A Call to Prayer

Please visit the site http://www.citizenlink.org/ and go to *briefs*. In their email alerts (which I suggest you sign up to receive) they have requested that today (Wednesday) be a day of prayer. The New York legislature is deciding on the gay marriage issue.

Please refer to yesterday's blog and weigh in in the issue. Also, please spend time in prayer today petitioning the Father that gay marriage does not become legal in New York. We MUST pray and take action.

Shalom~~

Take Action Against a 'Civil Union' Compromise

The the present Legislative Session ends on June 21st . We must Pray and Act today! Homosexual activists are pushing for a compromise bill that would grant gay and lesbian couples the same rights as married couples but they are not calling it 'same sex marriage'; they are calling it Civil Union. In New York we must stand against the tide. Civil Unions are now legal in Vermont, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.

PRO-MARRIAGE BILL
Last night at a church service at Loudonville Community Church, Rev. Duane Motley cited a one sentence bill which states that marriage is a union of a man and a woman, that bans gay marriage and civil unions and that refuses to recognize civil unions or gay marriages performed in other states. This is a DYNAMITE BILL!!!!! It is S. 2800. Please call your NYS Senator (Senate Switchboard 518.455.2800), ask to speak to a legislative aid, and strongly urge your Senator to support this legislation. (If you don't know who your Senator is, give the operator your zip code and they will tell you who he/she is and connect you with his/her office.) Ask to be notified as to how he/she voted. Email at: www.senate.state.ny.us

As always, please pray before you call or email. Ask God to turn the heart of your Senator to favor this bill, to anoint you when you call, and to give you favor with those who answer the phone. Put on the Full Armor of God and cover the call with the Blood of Jesus.

Rev. Motley stated that many Republican Senators, pressured by the Gay Lobby and homosexual activists, are pushing for the passage of the Civil Union compromize bill before the end of the session. They believe they can keep everyone happy by voting for the compromise. We must pressure them in the other direction.

While you are on the phone making the above call in favor of S. 2800, also state that you are against gay marriage and civil unions. Insist that your Senator resist the gay lobby's effort to counterfiet marriage by calling it a Civil Union. Convince him/her that, if he/she votes in favor of a Civil Union Bill, you will not vote for him/her in the next election

Also, please contact Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno's office (518.455.3191) and ask him to stand firm on his commitment to defend marriage and to reject the proposed Civil Union Bill. Email at: bruno@senate.state.ny.us

May God bless you.~~

Urgent Alerts

New York State:

1. Marriage Equality Bill
Go to http://www.nycf.info/marriage_bill.asp for more information.
In short, Assemblyman O'Donnell has introduced the the "Marriage Equality Bill" A 8590. This bill legalizes same sex marriage. There is an clergy exemption that exempts pastors and other religious leaders form solemnizing same sex marriages, but not others who have moral objections to homosexuality and lesbianism such as town clerks or justices of the peace. These civil servants would have to resign their positions if they refused to officiate at gay weddings. It wouldn't be long before the exemption for religious clergy was revoked. Motley states, "If the state recognizes gay marriages, how can it continue to grant tax benefits to organizations (churches) that 'discriminate' against same sex couples?"

Motley gives a 5 step plan of action which must be implemented IMMEDIATELY.
1. Pray
2. Call Speaker Sheldon Silver @ 518.455.4100
3. Call your local assemblyman.
4. Circulate the petition you can get from the above website.
5. Contact your friends.

These steps are amplified and explained on the nycf website (above).
Please act now.

2. Elliot Spitzer's Governor's Program bill #16 is called the "Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act" goes way,way beyond Roe v Wade.

• It seeks to establish a "fundamental right of privacy" within New York State law, encompassing the right to "choose or refuse contraception" and the right to "bear a child or terminate a pregnancy" as if both "choices" were equally valid and worthy of support. If this were made law, the state would have to take proactive steps to guarantee that abortion is available and protected.
• It seeks to ensure that abortions are legal throughout all nine months of pregnancy to protect the life or "health" of the mother. These terms are interpreted by the courts so broadly that they render no protection to the unborn. The Governor' bill ignores the state's legitimate interest in protecting the life of fully formed third-trimester children in the womb to say nothing of God's interest in it.
• The bill allows post-viability abortions to be performed on an out-patient basis in clinics that are virtually unregulated by public health authorities thereby endangering both women and unborn children. The bill does not allow for the type of medical support necessary to assist a baby who might be born alive in the course of an abortion.
• The bill removes New York's abortion related laws from the criminal code and places them in the public health law, leaving regulation of abortion solely up the the medical profession that makes millions of dollars a year from abortion. The bill eliminates all references to the homicide laws thereby denying that abortion is the killing of a human being.
• The bill seeks to make abortion virtually immune from any state regulations or restriction. Parental notification for abortions performed on minor children, informed consent for pregnant women regarding the risks and alternatives to the procedure, and restrictions on taxpayer funding would not be permissible under the Governor's plan. All such regulations are completely permissible under Roe v Wade and subsequent U.S. Supreme Cour decisions, and the majority of states have enacted them. Thirty five states require parental involvement in a child's abortion decision, 32 states require counseling before an abortion is performed, and 32 states restrict Medicaid funding of abortion.
• The bill would repeal the requirement in current law that says only doctors can perform abortions. The Governor's bill allows any health care practitioner and some non-health care practitioners to perform the procedure: a dentist, nurse, podiatrist, social worker, physician assistant, chiropractor, midwife, even an optometrist. This dangerous and extreme change clearly puts women's health at risk, and mirrors a national abortion strategy to expand the scope of various health care practitioners to specifically include abortion.
• The bill seeks to eliminate conscience protection in current law by requiring every institution licensed or funded by the state -- including religious hospitals, agencies and schools -- to support abortion, provide coverage for abortion, or that allow abortions. It states "the state shall not discriminate" against the exercise of the fundamental right to abortion in the "provision of benefits, facilities, services or information."
• It seeks to suppress all efforts to enact an "Unborn Victims of Violence Act" by refusing to recognize the unborn child as a second victim of crime in cases of assault against pregnant women.

THIS BILL IS ROE V WADE ON STEROIDS, DRUGS and ALCOHOL. IT IS AN ABOMINATION!!!

On May 14th the Senate Rules Committee introduced this radical bill (S. 5829) and referred it to the Senate Health Committee. For the sake of pregnant women and their unborn children, this legislation must be strongly opposed!

Please communicate your strong opposition to this proposal. Write, call or email:

• Senator Joseph Bruno, the Senate Majority Leader, 518.455.3193, bruno@senate.state.ny.us (email);
• Senator Kemp Hannon, the Senate Health Committee Chairman, 518.455.2200, hannon@senate.state.ny.us (email);
• and your own elected State Senator, 518.455.2800 (senate switchboard), www.senate.state.ny.us .

You can use our *Contact Our Government* Page for more contact info or you can communicate with your elected officials through the New York State Catholic Conference website at www.nyscatholic.org. Click the *Take Action* button to bring you to an Action Alert already prepared on this vital issue.

The above information and the below information is almost verbatim from Kathleen Gallagher's NYS Pro-Life Reporter. She is an excellent writer.

3. The following are bills that should be supported.

• S.5268 and A.8428 would limit the stem cell research projects to be funded by the Empire State Stem Cell Board and Trust Fund to those that have the greatest potential for near-term clinical benefit in human patients. If enacted, this provision would guarantee that adult stem cell research projects receive the bulk of state funding. (Hallelujah!!!!!!!) The bills sit in the respective Health Committees. Please urge your elected officials to support.
• S.1265 would establish a public umbilical cord blood banking program within the NYS Department of Health. It now sits on the Senate Calendar awaiting a floor vote. This bill has passed the State Senate in a previous session and needs to be advanced in the State Assembly. In the house, the bill is numbered A.2915 and is sponsored by Assemblyman Joseph Lentol (D-Brooklyn). Please encourage Assemblyman Lentol to move the bill.
• The "Fetal Pain Prevention Act" numbered S.3264/A.4430 has been referred to the respective Health Committees. The bill would require abortionists to inform women pregnant with a child of 20 or more gestational weeks with information of fetal pain. At the woman's request, the abortionist must administer anesthesia to eliminate the fetal pain during the abortion. Urge your elected officials to support these bills.

Please let your voice be heard. Make these phone calls and emails and/or letters now. The legislative session ends June 21st so please pray and act now. Our future depends on it.

Blessings~~~

Letters and Emails on NYSCC Website, EASY

Yesterday I told you about the NYS Catholic Conference website and the list of all the newspapers in NYS -- easy email from the site, editors names, street addresses. Well, today you can click on TAKE ACTION and send emails on the following:

• voicing opposition to the Condom Give Away in NYC;
• opposition to the Stem Cell Plan (funding Embryonic Stem Cell Research which, by the way, the American Academy of Pediatrics has called for a moratorium on this practice);
• opposition to Governor Spitzer's Abortion Proposal.

NYS Catholic Conference uses the CapWiz program that we will be using in the future when funding becomes available. It is very easy to use. You don't have to look up names and addresses of the government officials you want to contact. The program does it for you. On this site editable letters are already written. This is a tremendous time saver, a tremendous help and we should all visit this site at least weekly if not more often to keep up on what's happening in Albany. You can get to the site from our Links Page. Here it is for your convenience: http://www.nyscatholicconference.org/. Please visit it today and send the emails and letters (already written with the right address and with your name and address) to your officials.

As you can probably tell, I really love the features of that website.

Many blessings to all.~

News Paper Addresses and Thought Crimes Petition

The NYS Catholic Conference has a wonderful feature on their website. They have the name, address, email address and editors' names listed in alphabetical order for all the newspapers in the State of New York. Go to http://www.nyscatholicconference.org/ and click on Take Action, click on Media Guide (upper right), click on the newspaper you want to contact and wah-lah -- everything you need to write, call, or email the paper. Its absolutely wonderful. Put this site in your favorites or put our website in your favorites, if its not already there, and use our Links Page to get to them. This is so wonderful. It's getting easier and easier to be politically active.

To sign a petition for stopping thought crimes go to http://www.stopthoughtcrimes.org/ and sign away.

Be proud of yourself for standing up for what is right. Many blessings~~

Stop Planned Parenthood 100 Million Dollar Windfall

ACLJ has an alert on their website. It appears that Congress is considering an increase in funding for Planned Parenthood to the tune of $100,000,000.00. Since last November's election and the loss of the pro-life majority, there is no longer a block for an increase in funding. Planned Parenthood has asked for $100 million dollars more to be added to its Title X funding for the next fiscal year. There is a good chance Planned Parenthood's request will be granted. This money, by law, cannot be used for abortions so that money will be to fund law suits against our pro-life efforts. Millions of our tax dollars will be used against us if this appropriation goes through.

What can we do? First pray that this does not happen. Pray for a tremendous petition drive. Then, go to http://www.aclj.org/, click on 'Legislative Alert' or 'sign a petition' and sign the petition to stop the Title X funding increase. Then download the petition and take it to your neighbors and to your church and, when it is full of signatures, mail it in.

If you haven't already signed the petition at http://www.stopplannedparenthoodtaxfunding.com/, go to that site and sign that petition too.

Continue to pray for revival and restoration in America and in our churches.

Many blessings~~

Stop Planned Parenthood, Please

Feel like being politically active today? Here are some things you can easily do.
http://StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com has a petition you can sign just by clicking on the above link.

Planned Parenthood is the root cause of many problems facing our nation.

• Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion chain in the U. S. and has killed more that 3 million innocent babies at its facilities.
• Planned Parenthood puts minors on birth control without parents' knowledge or involvement.
• Planned Parenthood has demonstrated a willingness to cover up for rapists and child predators by refusing to report statuatory rape.
• Planned Parenthood is openly hostile to Christianity, and regularly mocks people of faith.
• Planned Parenthood hurts women with misleading and dishonest medical information.
• Planned Parenthood does all of this with over $265 million dollars a year of your tax money! (Info from American Life League)

Click on the above link and sign a petition to defund Planned Parenthood. Also, American Life League http://www.ALL.org has a petition to American Catholic Bishops which urges the Bishops to enforce Canon Law that forbids administering Holy Communion to those who publicly support abortion. If you are Roman Catholic, click on the above link and click on 'Petition to Catholic Bishops' at the top of the page to sign the petition. You can also download a copy of the petition and have your friends sign it and mail it to the address at the bottom of the petition. The signed petitions will be presented to the Bishops at their annnual meeting in June. The email will, of course, be much faster than snail mail.

Good job!!!!!!

Blessings, Ellen~