Fox Valley Clergy for Life—August 2007 Statement
Posted by Eric Scheidler, August 30th, 2007
The following statement is to be published in the Aurora Beacon and Naperville Sun on Sunday, September 16. Over 120 clergymen from the region that would be impacted by Planned Parenthood have signed on. A PDF of the full-page newspaper ads is available here.
In addition, letters have been issued by Joliet Bishop Peter Sartain [PDF] and Rockford Bishop Thomas Doran [PDF] in response to Planned Parenthood's presence, calling for a day of prayer and fasting in the diocese on September 7 and September 14, respectively.
In this time of controversy over the meaning and purpose of God’s most fundamental gift—the gift of human life—we, the clergy of Aurora and neighboring communities, seek to bring clarity and speak the truth in love.
Our faith in Jesus Christ leads us to proclaim that God the Father is the Author of life, and that every human life is created with purpose and dignity (Genesis 1:26-27). From the moment of conception, each of us is seen and loved by our Father (Psalms 139:13,16).
Because of His love for His people, God declares in the Ten Commandments, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13), and He calls upon the Church to defend the defenseless, to speak for the speechless, to give hope to the hopeless, and to stand for those who cannot stand for themselves.
We consider it our duty to speak out against the presence of Planned Parenthood in our community. As pastors, we believe Planned Parenthood to be destructive of life and family, values which are at the very core of our faith. Jesus Christ came that all may have life in abundance (John 10:10). This abundant life includes God’s plan for happy and healthy families, as well as rich and fulfilling marriages. At the heart of that plan is our sexuality, a gift to be nurtured and honored.
Planned Parenthood promotes the abuse of God’s gift of sexuality. Planned Parenthood’s methods of addressing women’s health issues do not bring healing: they bring hurt and destruction.
In Jesus there is hope and healing. In Jesus there is forgiveness. In Jesus there is a future.
We stand for faith. We stand for families. We stand for life.
Aurora
- Bishop George Adamson—Evangelical Free Bible Convention
- Pastor Obed Arellano—CTC Ministries
- Pastor Tim Baltz—First Baptist Church
- Rev. Vincent P. Bataille, O.S.B.—Marmion Abbey
- Pastor Jim Behrens—MorningStar Community Church
- Rev. Huntley Brown—International Concert Pianist, Huntley Brown Ministries
- Rev. Louis Busemeyer, S.J.—St. Rita of Cascia Catholic Church
- Rev. J. Robert Camacho—Sacred Heart Catholic Church
- Pastor Mike Cochrane—Warehouse Church
- Rev. Oscar Cortés—St. Nicholas Catholic Church
- Pastor Robby Dawkins—Fox Valley Vineyard Church
- Rev. David R. Engbarth—Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church
- Rev. Lourdu Marianna Ery—Holy Angels Catholic Church
- Rev. F. William Etheredge —Principal, Aurora Central Catholic High School and Superintendent, Aurora Area Catholic Schools
- Rev. John Fritz—Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Rev. Hugh Fullmer—Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church
- Rev. George Glover, O.S.B.—St. Peter Catholic Church
- Pastor Dan Haas—Aurora Community Church
- Rev. Martin Heinz—Holy Angels Catholic Church
- Pastor Rich Howard— Village Baptist Church
- Pastor Michael Hurst—New Horizon Christian Fellowship
- V. Rev. Joseph Jablonski, M.S.C.—Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
- Rev. Philip Kremer, O.S.B.—Marmion Abbey
- Pastor Angel Lamers—River of Life Church
- Pastor Gerry LaShure—Living Stone Christian Church
- Rev. Ken Latimore—Aurora Advent Christian Church
- Rev. Jerome L. Leake—St. Joseph Catholic Church
- Pastor George Martinez—New Heart Worship Center
- Pastor Jeremiah Martinez—New Heart Worship Center
- Pastor Pat McManus—House of Praise Family Church
- Rev. Michael I. Miller, M.S.C.—St. Therese of Jesus Catholic Church
- Pastor David Miller—Warehouse Church
- Pastor Gary Moody—Warehouse Church
- Rev. Jeffrey B. Moore—First Presbyterian Church
- Andy Morgan—River Valley Community Church
- Rev. Dr. Charles S. Mueller, Sr.—St. Paul Lutheran Church
- Rev. Matt Mull—Aurora Advent Christian Church
- Rev. Dawn M. Neal—West Aurora Church of God
- Pastor Thomas A. Neal, Jr.—West Aurora Church of God
- Minister Mickie O’Donnell—Westminster Presbyterian Church
- Rev. David G. Palmatier, O.S.B.—Marmion Abbey
- V. Rev. Aurel Pater—St. Michael Byzantine Catholic Church
- Rev. Mario Pedi, O.S.B.—Annunciation B.V.M. Catholic Church
- Pastor Miguel A. Perez —Family & Faith Christian Church
- Rev. Frederick Peterson, O.S.B.—St. George Byzantine Catholic Church
- Rev. Timothy R. Piasecki—St. Mary Catholic Church
- Pastor Roger Pugh—Living Stone Christian Church
- Pastor Mike Ragan—First Christian Church
- Rev. Steve Rhodes—First Presbyterian Church
- Rev. Joel Rippinger, O.S.B.—Marmion Abbey
- Rev. Nathanael Roberts, O.S.B.—Marmion Abbey
- Pastor Randy Schoof—Warehouse Church
- Pastor Bill Schroeder—New Life Baptist Church
- Pastor Steve Schroeder—New Life Baptist Church
- Rev. Andrew Skrobutt—Holy Angels Catholic Church
- Pastor Dean Sloniger—First Christian Church
- Pastor Mark Smith—Family & Faith Christian Church
- Dr. Charles Stone—Ginger Creek Community Church
- Rev. Kenneth Theisen, O.S.B.—Marmion Abbey
- Pastor Michael Thomason—River of Life Church
- Pastor Nancy Thomason—River of Life Church
- Rev. Andrew Wahmhoff, O.S.B.—Marmion Abbey
- Pastor William Warner—Orchard Valley Baptist Church
- Msgr. Robert J. Willhite—St. Rita of Cascia Catholic Church
- Rev. Basil Yender, O.S.B.—Marmion Abbey
- Pastor David Zinn—Ginger Creek Community Church
- Pastor John Zizz—First Christian Church
Batavia
- Rev. Timothy J. Barr—Holy Cross Catholic Church
- Rev. Daniel J. Deutsch—Holy Cross Catholic Church
- Pastor Keith Hallam—Sanctuary
- Rev. Noel Jacob—Holy Cross Catholic Church
Big Rock
- Dr. Eugene A. Frost—Big Rock Baptist Church
Geneva
- Rev. Msgr. Joseph F. Jarmoluk—St. Peter Catholic Church
- Rev. Bruce Ludeke—St. Peter Catholic Church
Montgomery
- Pastor Jeffrey J. Barrett—Genesis Community Church
- Pastor Scott Guhl—St. Olaf Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Rev. Peter Hoffman—St. Luke’s Lutheran Church
- Pastor Rob Tevis—Neighborhood Church of the Brethren
Naperville
- Rev. John Bell—Grace Pointe Church
- Rev. Richard Bennett—Holy Spirit Catholic Community
- Rev. Doug Bui—Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church
- Pastor Mark Burgund—Calvary Church
- Rev. Mark Cote—St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church
- Rev. Joel Fortier—St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church
- Rev. Kenneth Hall—Bridegroom Ministries
- Rev. Paul Hottinger—St.Margaret Mary Catholic Church
- Rev. Ryan Larson—Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church
- Rev. Donald R. Limmer—Naperville Congregational Church
- Rev. Gordon Mahoney—Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church
- Rev. Thomas Milota—Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church
- Rev. Daniel Painter—Grace Pointe Church
- Rev. Thomas Paul—St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church
- Pastor Randal Ross—Calvary Church
- Pastor Derrill Sharp—Calvary Church
- Pastor Martin Shultz—Cornerstone Church of Naperville
- Pastor Brian VanDerway—Cornerstone Church of Naperville
North Aurora
- Rev. John A. Slampak—Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
Oswego
- Pastor Mike Blythe—Valley Baptist Church
- Pastor George Curry—Harvest Baptist Church
- Pastor Matt Drietz—Harvest Baptist Church
- Frank Johnson—River’s Edge Fellowship
- Pastor Rollie Lindstrom—Harvest Baptist Church
- Pastor Scott Poling—Harvest Baptist Church
- Rev. Dr. Paul A. Salansky—Presbyterian pastor, retired
- Rev. Daniel F. Stempora—St. Anne Catholic Church
Plainfield
- Rev. Daniel Harder—Grace Pointe Church
- Rev. Daniel Hoehn—St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church
- Rev. David Medow—St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church
- Rev. Dennis Spies—St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church
Plano
- Pastor Stan Motley—Plano Christian Church
- Rev. Boniface Vaisnoras, M.I.C.—St. Mary Catholic Church
- Rev. Jerome Zalonis, M.I.C.—St. Mary Catholic Church
St. Charles
- Rev. Randy J. Fronek—St. Patrick Catholic Church
- Rev. Msgr. Joseph B. Linster—St. Patrick Catholic Church
- Rev. Daniel Malone—St. John Neumann Catholic Church
- Dr. James Nicodem—Christ Community Church
- Rev. Cesar Pajarillo Jr.—St. John Neumann Catholic Church
- Pastor Dan Rak—Trinity Vineyard Christian Fellowship
- Rev. Richard A. Rosinski—St. John Neumann Catholic Church
- Rev. Akan S. Simon—St. Patrick Catholic Church
Somonoauk
- Rev. Ariel A. Valencia—St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
Sugar Grove
- Pastor Mario Arindaeng—Village Bible Church
- Pastor Tim Badal—Village Bible Church
- Pastor Scott Capp—Village Bible Church
- Pastor Keith Duff—Village Bible Church
Yorkville
- Pastor Denny Carr—Light Community Church
- Pastor Brian Truog—Cross Lutheran Church
- V. Rev. Daniel Cambra, M.I.C.—St. Patrick Catholic Church
- Rev. Matthew Lamoureux, M.I.C.—St. Patrick Catholic Church
- Rev. Diego Maximino, M.I.C.—St. Patrick Catholic Church
Wow! I just looked at the pdf version of the statement. It is beautiful, and very professional looking. What a powerful statement for the beauty of God's gift of life. Great work, Michelle and Eric and everyone else involved. This is sure to send a strong message.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:53 am
This ad is SO beautiful and truthful. I pray that the clergy response has been pleniful. Praise you ALL for your unceasing efforts!!!
September 6th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Awesome love this statement and we will praying for you as well! May God bring a quick and destructive judgement upon planned parenthood and their twisted beliefs. Victory belongs to Christ Jesus and judgement is coming, sooner than you think! Amen and Forever.
September 10th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
We need to pray for our shepherds - our Pope, Bishops and all Priests - for without them, there is no unity. They have to lead us and guide us, so that we might be in union with Christ and His Bride - the Church.
Our Lord, Jesus Christ is LIFE Himself (just as the Holy Spirit is the Giver of Life) and thus, His Bride - the Holy Catholic Church - needs to be in union with Him in regards to Life. And she is. Our Bishops' letters and endorsements are a great testament to this unity. Our Holy Father, Benedict XVI has also recently spoken out about abortion and condemned this evil.
May God bless them and may Our Blessed Mother Mary, keep them always in her motherly care and under her mantle of protection. Holy Mary - Pray for Us Sinners!
September 12th, 2007 at 9:11 am
E X C E L L E N T ! I can't begin to tell you how it touched my heart to see so many churches listed! May God bless you and your churches for standing up for the unborn, for the truth and doing God's work. Your work is not in vain.
September 13th, 2007 at 4:42 am
[...] fact, more than sixty clergy just from Aurora have signed the Fox Valley Clergy for Life statement opposing Planned Parenthood. Add to that sixty-plus from neighboring [...]
September 13th, 2007 at 8:27 am
THANK YOU and God Bless all of you that signed this beautiful witness to Life! I recognize many names here and know the depth of faith and committment to Our Lord and His Church that are represented here. May we all continue to come together in unity as Jesus prayed!
September 13th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Thank you for standing firm in God's truth. You are a light to all.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
This is an awesome testimony to the greatness of God! So many different members of the various clergy, giving us, the laity, such hope and promise of the support of life. If God is with us (and we know He is),who can be against us? Thank you to all of you from the bottom of my heart.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
I want to thank all the clergy for their bold statements. I know Catholic Priest are all in. I also know that other denominations may find adversity in their stance and appreceate the leadership shown.
I also have a question, why are there no Methodist Churches on the list???? I attend a Methodist Church and I cannot get strait answers. Can someone help me understand this appearant lack of leadership? I acknowledge the whole, "Give to Ceaser what is Ceasers," but this cannot be an excuse to sit on the side with arms crossed and zero imput.
I am not looking for a bashing or a pius answer, just be real.
September 15th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
It gives me great joy to see so many of the clergy in the area support Pro Life. We must stand up and pray for the defenseless babies that mothers want to kill. They have no voice so let us be theirs as we join together and ask God's help in this grievous matter, for in Him nothing is impossible.
September 16th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
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September 17th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
Thank God for this generous response.
I wanted to respond to Dan's concern about the Methodists. Dan, unfortunately the United Methodist Church is pro-choice. They don't like abortion but in only a few cases will they condemn it such as it's use in gender selection.
September 25th, 2007 at 3:35 am
Praise The Lord
Most believed brother
May i come close to your good serve with my heart felt greetings in our lords more precious name.
Praise be to the lord for iam blessed with an ocassion to let your good self know what my data is about.iam pastor ch.showraiah working in the slum area where dispressed opressed down trodden by introducing is spontaneous.Love to the above said.Brother my target is to save the unsaved to add to his kingdom by his sufficinet grace may i also humble to inform your good self that iam very much attached to the childerns in the same area which is already spoken about.Whenever i looked for the childerns it aches very much as iam not able to do any thing for them after many prayers to the lord he gave me the vision to start an orphange since there are severa orphanges and ophans as well.
Iam very much concerned about childerns living and wanderning in the streets.They are garmented and cannot eat half meal a day.child Labour in our soil is so sading situation.childerns without the parents ,childerns with either or mother are more in our area where i worked beloved.Brother in this regard may i wage your good self to see that an orphange is started with for which i seek your cordial co operation which can be unable me to do so.
Beloved brother considering that today childerns are tommorows citizens.I requested very much too see that the childerns are blesed with the growth of lord jesus as he grew in the wisdom and age in the grace of men and in the grace of the lord."Last Verses of the second chapter of Luke".
So i may once again request to your goodself to see that my zeal is contrable to your good self and may i also await your positive response that can favour many childern of your our area.Once iam replied i will be sending the prapassed designed project.May god richly,warmly,obediently blessed your good self in this eternal highness your co-cobouraw in his harvesting.
your sincerely,
Pastor Showraiah
my address
To,
pastor ch.showraiah,
D\no:-1-16-13,
Near ramalayam, e-mail;-pastorshowryraj@yahoo.com
Burripalem road,
Nazarpet,Tenali, Guntur.Dist,
A.P. S.INDIA e-mail:-chilukuri_brother@rediffmail.com
December 14th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Dan and Joe,
The PCUSA is also pro-choice, but the Pastors from First Prebyterian Church of Aurora and Westminister Presbyterian Church (both in the PCUSA) had great courage and conviction to sign this. Just bc a denomonation is on the wrong path doesn't mean that an individual church within that denomination shouldn't do what God calls us to do, stand for the unborn. We must be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and our mission field is sometimes within the walls of our own churches. We need to take active roles in our churches and ask the tough questions on where our Pastors and Priests stand on Life issues. We cannot assume that they are Pro-Life (from fertilization until natural death). And if they are not, then as Jesus' followers first - we must take our leaders to task, and hold them responsible.
Unfornutately, the majority of mainline churches tend to lean toward being pro-choice. The Lutheran, Presbyterian - PCUSA (not the EPC, OPC, or PCA), Methodist, and Episcopal Chruch all support abortion early in pregnancy and as the unborn child gets closer to viability they tend to err on the side of life, but not always.
I know that at the City Council meetings there was a Methodist Minister who spoke on behalf of PP and abortion. So again, we need to continue to educate our Pastors and Priests. For there are many who believe that abortion is a good moral choice.
If either of you would like to understand how they reconcil being a Christian and Pro-abortion, go to:
http://www.rcrc.org. This organization supports abortion up to the point of birth. Their goal is to push the secular, pro-abortion agenda into the Church. They represent Catholics, Protestants, as well as many other religions.
December 14th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
For the record, Dan in previous post was not me.
Dan, GREAT NAME!
I am also Methodist and confused by their bland brand of Christianity. I have a wife that is Catholic and I have to say I am very much Catholic in much of my faith. There are a few key points were I do not follow the strict doctrine. One thing is that I believe that Jesus shed his blood for all and the Eucharist should also be for all. I like the open communion at the Methodist Church, but find myself at odds with a church that would rather shut their hearts, minds and doors when it is pointed out that abortion is wrong and should be confronted as an abomination.
Quite ironic since their slogan is Open hears, open minds, open doors!
I went for signatures for the Parental Notification at my Methodist Church. With the Pastor graciously mentioning my petition in both services and my being there after 2 services, I got 10 signatures from 150 that came to both services.
The point I am making is that if you believe in Pro-life values and you cannot stomach the disappointment, change churches. If you can stomach it and have the core values to speak and debate with clarity and conviction on the subject of Abortion, then stick it out. Methodists have to be shown the light or you have to walk out that open door. For a church that prides itself on independence they sure are in lockstep on this issue.
Let me know what you think and how you might proceed. I would love to be able to communicate with as I take the high road at the Headlining church of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
P.S. The RCRC is the group formed by charter member UMC to put a religious OK on abortion and abortion lobbying. Similar to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, you wouldn't think he is involved in extortion or having illegitimate children, being a reverend. Why would a religious group put their seal of approval on something if it were so bad??? GOOD QUESTION
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