Life 4 All Ministries

NEW WEBSITE

Check out http://www.life4allministries.com/ for accurate and relevant information about life issues, upcoming events, helpful resources, life-affirming devotions, and more. Give us your feedback at life4allkansas@gmail.com.

God bless!

Prayers for the Innocents and the Church

The events surrounding the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ are perhaps the greatest evidence that life begins at conception. God's plans for Jesus were well-established before His human-divine birth, and were foretold by the angel to Mary. His cousin, John the Baptist, whose birth and life also fulfilled prophecy, leapt in the womb when Mary visited John's mother Elizabeth. The Bible clearly teaches that this was no coincidence. As a "fetus," John felt the presence of His Savior and expressed joy. God's plans for us, too, are created long before birth and our fulfillment of those plans begins at conception. As we joyfully reflect on our Savior's birth this season, may we prayerfully remember the lives of those who were denied the Father's gift of life by the tragic choice of abortion. May we pray that the hearts of those parents considering abortion be changed into hearts thankful for the gift of life. May those suffering from the consequences of abortion receive healing and forgiveness. May Herod's massacre of the innocent, which continues through abortion today, be brought to an end.

We remember this day, O God, the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem by the order of King Herod. Receive, we beseech Thee, into the arms of Thy mercy all innocent victims; and by Thy great might frustrate the designs fo evil tyrants and establish thy rule of justice, love and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Collect for the Holy Innocents, Book of Common Prayer

Reprinted in Abortion and the Early Christians, Dael E. Smith, Jr.

(Available from Anglicans for Life: www.anglicansforlife.org)

WHAT ARE WE UP TO... ?

FELLOWSHIP 4 LIFE DINNERS:

Bi-monthly dinners with high-profile pro-life speakers, personal testimonies and legislative updates designed to educate and inform.

BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS:

Coming January 2010... leaders of local congregations are invited to attend quarterly meetings to discuss strategies designed to create a life mentality in their fellowships.

ASSISTANCE TO AREA FELLOWSHIPS:

Support of Church fundraisers for crisis pregnancy centers, links to pregnancy helplines, post-abortive support, bulletin inserts... whatever the need may be, Life 4 All has ideas, time and resources.

LIFE 4 ALL DEVOTIONS:

Our sister site dedicated solely to weekly life-affirming devotions: http://www.life4alldevotions.blogspot.com/.

LIFE WITNESS:

We gather in prayer, praise and life witness to honor God, our Life-giver, and to proclaim to truth about life issues with love and compassion.

ADDRESSING ABORTION WITH CONFIDENCE, Question No. 1

"Do I see the issue as too emotional and sensitive?"

Many aspects of abortion are very sensitive. That means they have to be dealt with in a sensitive way; it does not mean they should be ignored. The impact of abortion on the lives of our people--physically, spiritually, and emotionally--is all the more reason for a shepherd to pay attention to these wounds, and to help people avoid them in the first place. Ministry necessarily involves confronting problems that provoke certain emotions within us and among our people. In this case, regarding abortion involves nothing less than life and death.

Fr. Frank Pavone

Priests for Life