Exciting new strategy for "40 Days" in Aurora this fall
Posted by Eric Scheidler on Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
This fall, Fox Valley Families Against Planned Parenthood will once again join the national 40 Days for Life campaign. Our vigil will take place September 23 through November 1 outside Planned Parenthood Aurora.
For this year's vigil, Fox Valley pro-lifers will once again lead the way for pro-lifers nationwide with a new strategy for 2009, with three key components.
1. Target the hours Planned Parenthood is open.
Fox Valley pro-lifers have already set the nationwide standard for how a 24-hour, round-the-clock vigil is done. This year we'll focus all those "man hours" of prayer onto the hours that Planned Parenthood is opened.
So—for example—instead of having two people at the clinic at four in the morning, this year we'll work to have four people out there at two in the afternoon, when Planned Parenthood's doors are open.
We'll also work hard to expand the participation of local churches in our ongoing prayer witness.
Out of more than 60 churches that signed onto the Clergy for Life statement before Planned Parenthood opened, only 28 are still involved. Let's invite the others to join us again on the front lines!
2. Expand the critical sidewalk counseling ministry.
Sidewalk counseling builds on the power of prayer to reach out to abortion-bound mothers and show them the face of Christ's compassion. For 2009, we'll expand this critical pro-life ministry during 40 Days.
We'll start with a sidewalk counseling training seminar before 40 Days begins. Then, during the vigil, we'll offer special opportunities for aspiring counselors to do some "on the job training" with our core group of experienced counselors.
3. Highlight the vigil with great special events.
An opening 24-hour candlelight vigil, seven-day Jericho March event and closing "Do-It-Yourself" Pro-Life Concert will punctuate our 40 Days campaign with excitement and enthusiasm.
These big special events will increase community and media interest and energize our our pro-life base, while providing ideal opportunities for new people to get involved.
More details coming soon—so stay tuned
All the dates and other details for the special events and the sidewalk counseling seminar are coming soon, so stay tuned. If you're not already signed up to receive e-mail alerts from Families Against Planned Praenthood, fill out your information under "Join the Effort" on this page.
Meanwhile, please keep the fall 40 Days for Life campaign in your prayers. We've got a lot of work to do to make this new approach a success, but with God's help, we can do it.
The 40 days for life campaign is deeply rooted in our faith tradition. What could be more powerful1?! Though we suffered an election defeat last year, pro-life victories continue to come: An unexplained jump in polling results showing a surge in pro-life sentiment, judicial and legislative victories for women and their unborn babies in Illinois and Arizona (both states VERY hostile environs in recent years), greater numbers of highly engaged pro-life activists across the country, and reports of hundreds of babies saved (and mothers and fathers given a new life to cherish). All of these are answers to prayer.
It is important that as we go into this year's 40 days that fasting be emphasized, the efficacy of which was explained by our Lord Himself to His disciples. We are headed into very dangerous times politically, especially with stealth efforts to impose the radical FOCA abortion agenda on us per the so called health care "reform" legislation.
The other end of life is under assault as well, with provisions that essentially amount to creeping euthansia. Isn't that just like Satan, the father of lies–taking the good of providing wider health care coverage, but insinuating into the legislation mandates advancing the culture of death.
August 4th, 2009 at 6:55 am