Why did Jesus die on the cross? Was he merely a victim of injustice?
Monthly Archives: October 2016
Fund raising concert at St Kilda Baptist Church
The St Kilda Baptist Reconciliation Action Group (RAP group) transformed our church into an intimate concert space. A full house of 120 people came and were blown away by the wonderful music and genuine community atmosphere and spirit of the afternoon. The Solstice Singers began with a rousing set of wonderful a Capella songs. Yirrmal joined the choir for a Yothu Yindi song Djapana which lifted the roof. Nigel Wearne followed with a set of his beautiful songs. During interval a sumptuous afternoon tea was enjoyed by all. In the second half the audience were totally spell bound by Yirrmal’s incredible voice and songs. You could hear a pin drop as he explained his time with the Marrma’Rom Two Worlds Foundation and his aim to return to Yirrkala as a future leader of his Yolngu community up in Arnhem land. A truly uplifting and inspiring afternoon was also a successful fundraiser. A total of $3400 has been donated to the Marrma’Rom Foundation (including $177 in afternoon tea and $230 in online donations)
Marrma’Rom Two Worlds foundation is an Indigenous education foundation based in Geelong at St Joseph’s College. ‘Marrma’ Rom’ translates to ‘two worlds, two cultures or two belief systems’ in Yolngu Matha, the language of the people in Arnhem Land. The Marrma’ Rom’ Two Worlds Foundation is a leadership program to empower the next generation of young men from North East Arnhem Land. The vision of this Foundation is to enable young men from Arnhem Land to walk confidently in ‘two worlds’. It’s a leadership program for secondary school boys who have already shown leadership ability and a commitment to education. The Foundation was established in 2011 by Cameron Begg and Melissa Patterson, former teachers at various schools in remote communities and current teachers in Geelong. Both are passionate about Indigenous Education and have a deep understanding of the issues remote communities face. The selected candidates will commit for at least one year for them to begin to walk in two worlds. When the boys choose to return to their
community, the next group of potential leaders will be selected by the
elders to enter the program.
Yirrmal Marika is a graduate from the programme and had remained in Geelong to continue his tertiary education in music. He is about to release his long awaited EP ‘Young Blood’ in November.-
Article by Judi Kenneally
Photography by Mark Moray – Wicked photography
Fund raising concert at St Kilda Baptist Church
The St Kilda Baptist Reconciliation Action Group (RAP group) transformed our church into an intimate concert space. A full house of 120 people came and were blown away by the wonderful music and genuine community atmosphere and spirit of the afternoon. The Solstice Singers began with a rousing set of wonderful a Capella songs. Yirrmal joined the choir for a Yothu Yindi song Djapana which lifted the roof. Nigel Wearne followed with a set of his beautiful songs. During interval a sumptuous afternoon tea was enjoyed by all. In the second half the audience were totally spell bound by Yirrmal’s incredible voice and songs. You could hear a pin drop as he explained his time with the Marrma’Rom Two Worlds Foundation and his aim to return to Yirrkala as a future leader of his Yolngu community up in Arnhem land. A truly uplifting and inspiring afternoon was also a successful fundraiser. A total of $3400 has been donated to the Marrma’Rom Foundation (including $177 in afternoon tea and $230 in online donations)
Marrma’Rom Two Worlds foundation is an Indigenous education foundation based in Geelong at St Joseph’s College. ‘Marrma’ Rom’ translates to ‘two worlds, two cultures or two belief systems’ in Yolngu Matha, the language of the people in Arnhem Land. The Marrma’ Rom’ Two Worlds Foundation is a leadership program to empower the next generation of young men from North East Arnhem Land. The vision of this Foundation is to enable young men from Arnhem Land to walk confidently in ‘two worlds’. It’s a leadership program for secondary school boys who have already shown leadership ability and a commitment to education. The Foundation was established in 2011 by Cameron Begg and Melissa Patterson, former teachers at various schools in remote communities and current teachers in Geelong. Both are passionate about Indigenous Education and have a deep understanding of the issues remote communities face. The selected candidates will commit for at least one year for them to begin to walk in two worlds. When the boys choose to return to their
community, the next group of potential leaders will be selected by the
elders to enter the program.
Yirrmal Marika is a graduate from the programme and had remained in Geelong to continue his tertiary education in music. He is about to release his long awaited EP ‘Young Blood’ in November.-
Article by Judi Kenneally
Photography by Mark Moray – Wicked photography
Source: BUV News
More than… Money
Money makes the world go round, but there’s more to life than money, right?
Then why do we live like money what it’s all about?
More than… Love
There’s nothing more important than love right? But what if there’s more than love?
What is God up to In Your Neighbourhood?
At Granite Community Church, alongside Boort Baptist Church, we have been encouraging our Church Families to explore Michael Frost’s BELLS missional rhythm of life.
BELLS is an acronym which teaches us 5 missional habits to live out our faith in the neighbourhood – Bless, Eat, Listen, Learn, & Sent. Throughout the week, we seek to live in proximity to one another and be a people of generosity, people who practise hospitality, people who listen to the Spirit and to our neighbours, people who learn to live incarnationally like Christ, and who continually see ourselves as sent, missional people.
In June, I was part of a small group of Baptist Pastors that were privileged enough to travel to the USA West Coast on a BUV Study Tour*. We met over 30 people over the course of a couple of weeks. What was striking to me was the number of times people spoke about “joining God in the neighbourhood”. There were really not many big, fabulous programs, and no “cookie cutter” approach. Rather, what we encountered time and time again were groups of people who loved Jesus, opening their eyes to see what God was already doing where they lived and simply join in with that. What resulted were very unique expressions of what it means to follow Jesus, make disciples, and alert people to the reign and rule of God in Christ.
Neighbourhoods are unique places. No two neighbourhoods are exactly the same. Therefore, the way God works in those neighbourhoods is also unique, and the way we do ministry and mission needs to match the unique nature of our neighbourhoods and God’s work within them.
BUV 2016 US Study Tour – finding God in our neighbourhoods
As I came home I was inspired. Not to grab something that I had seen in the United States and implement it in our communities in North West Victoria, but to come home and find God here. We need to see the unique ways He is moving in our communities and neighbourhoods around The Church in the Paddock, and discover how to join Him on his mission here.
What has been incredible as we have started to live out BELLS over the past 9 months in our Church Family is how we have had our eyes opened to what God is up to. When we began to be on the look out for ways to be a blessing, our eyes were opened to the multitude of opportunities God has placed before us to be generous. When we began to be on the look out for ways to be hospitable, our eyes were opened and we began to see ordinary meal times, or cups of coffee with others, as sacred, as times of worship, and as opportunities to proclaim and demonstrate what our God is like.
When we intentionally seek to live an incarnational life which is shaped and modelled on the life of Jesus, when we seek to listen intently to his Spirit and go where ever we sense he is sending us, we discover an adventure is to be had right here in our own neighbourhoods. When we begin to listen to the stories in our neighbourhoods with new ears, and see the places where we have lived for years with new eyes, we discover that God is present and working. We see life and beauty, and opportunity to join with God on His mission of restoring and redeeming the world!
So open your eyes. Listen with new ears. What’s God doing in your neighbourhood? And how are you going to be obedient to His Spirit in going where he sends you today?
Rev Jono Ingram
Stumbling Jesus- follower, Husband, Father, Community Gardener, Donald Primary School Wellbeing co-ordinator, Donald Bureau of Meterology Weather reporter, and Pastor at The Church in the Paddock (Granite Community Church) in NW Victoria.
*This tour took us from Los Angeles, to San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle-Tacoma, and Vancouver, speaking to Churches, Church planters, missional thinkers and pioneers in innovative mission about ministry and mission in a changing society.
What is God up to In Your Neighbourhood?
At Granite Community Church, alongside Boort Baptist Church, we have been encouraging our Church Families to explore Michael Frost’s BELLS missional rhythm of life.
BELLS is an acronym which teaches us 5 missional habits to live out our faith in the neighbourhood – Bless, Eat, Listen, Learn, & Sent. Throughout the week, we seek to live in proximity to one another and be a people of generosity, people who practise hospitality, people who listen to the Spirit and to our neighbours, people who learn to live incarnationally like Christ, and who continually see ourselves as sent, missional people.
In June, I was part of a small group of Baptist Pastors that were privileged enough to travel to the USA West Coast on a BUV Study Tour*. We met over 30 people over the course of a couple of weeks. What was striking to me was the number of times people spoke about “joining God in the neighbourhood”. There were really not many big, fabulous programs, and no “cookie cutter” approach. Rather, what we encountered time and time again were groups of people who loved Jesus, opening their eyes to see what God was already doing where they lived and simply join in with that. What resulted were very unique expressions of what it means to follow Jesus, make disciples, and alert people to the reign and rule of God in Christ.
Neighbourhoods are unique places. No two neighbourhoods are exactly the same. Therefore, the way God works in those neighbourhoods is also unique, and the way we do ministry and mission needs to match the unique nature of our neighbourhoods and God’s work within them.
BUV 2016 US Study Tour – finding God in our neighbourhoods
As I came home I was inspired. Not to grab something that I had seen in the United States and implement it in our communities in North West Victoria, but to come home and find God here. We need to see the unique ways He is moving in our communities and neighbourhoods around The Church in the Paddock, and discover how to join Him on his mission here.
What has been incredible as we have started to live out BELLS over the past 9 months in our Church Family is how we have had our eyes opened to what God is up to. When we began to be on the look out for ways to be a blessing, our eyes were opened to the multitude of opportunities God has placed before us to be generous. When we began to be on the look out for ways to be hospitable, our eyes were opened and we began to see ordinary meal times, or cups of coffee with others, as sacred, as times of worship, and as opportunities to proclaim and demonstrate what our God is like.
When we intentionally seek to live an incarnational life which is shaped and modelled on the life of Jesus, when we seek to listen intently to his Spirit and go where ever we sense he is sending us, we discover an adventure is to be had right here in our own neighbourhoods. When we begin to listen to the stories in our neighbourhoods with new ears, and see the places where we have lived for years with new eyes, we discover that God is present and working. We see life and beauty, and opportunity to join with God on His mission of restoring and redeeming the world!
So open your eyes. Listen with new ears. What’s God doing in your neighbourhood? And how are you going to be obedient to His Spirit in going where he sends you today?
Rev Jono Ingram
Stumbling Jesus- follower, Husband, Father, Community Gardener, Donald Primary School Wellbeing co-ordinator, Donald Bureau of Meterology Weather reporter, and Pastor at The Church in the Paddock (Granite Community Church) in NW Victoria.
*This tour took us from Los Angeles, to San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle-Tacoma, and Vancouver, speaking to Churches, Church planters, missional thinkers and pioneers in innovative mission about ministry and mission in a changing society.
Source: BUV News
Afraid of the ‘B’ word?
Are you afraid of the ‘B’ word? You should not be. It should be in every vocabulary. Budgets are absolutely necessary to have a healthy Church. Let me share some thoughts on budgets.
First, the basis for developing a budget is not simply faith. That is a lazy approach. Some of the items in the budget will be based in faith but the budget for the faith venture should be based in good stewardship, sound financial processes and principles, and strategic planning as well as the ability to inspire and motivate. Good budgets apply good stewardship to real faith.
There is nothing that inspires giving more then good outcomes. Success creates buy-in. Creating a budget and sticking with it produces trust in the givers. When a church is constantly running near empty and having to curtail events or expenditures or when the Church is constantly asking for more money out of need rather than vision, people lose trust in financial integrity. No amount of words will motivate them when the evidence is demotivating them.
I was at a board meeting trying to help a church create a budget when someone said; “there is no point in doing all the work of creating a budget, it changes at our pastor’s next good idea or after-the-fact excuse”. Though most board members are more diplomatic, the comment shows the lack of trust and ingrained frustration many board members can feel. Some Pastors express worry about a board’s lack of faith but it is often more a lack of trust due to past fiscal failures.
Budgets should follow the vision, ideally be closely balanced in ministry, facility, and staffing needs, allow for a margin in each area for truly unforeseen needs or opportunities, have a savings component for future credit rating, be easy to understand but all encompassing, have a year-to-date reporting mechanism to allow for awareness and adjustments, not include department or allocated funds so that robbing Peter to pay Paul does not occur, and such other principles as can be found in many available church budgeting tools found on the web.
I have found that a church that is struggling out of a bad financial position can be helped by creating a three tier budget and sticking to. First tier – the absolute essentials to exist and pay all debts; Second Tier – the ability to pay down outstanding debts and develop more ministry capacity; Third Tier – the place where saving can occur and expansionary ideas can be funded. Knowing the quarterly tier income and living within it will help to alleviate angst, keep discipline and move things forward.
One mistake that many churches make in budgeting is to take the past year’s income and project an increase for the next year. Most of the time that doesn’t happen or if it does, the budget is still maxed out. A better approach is to keep next year’s budget the same or even create a 5-10% lesser expenditure margin like ps Chris Hodges of Church of the Highlands espouses. Check out https://www.stewardshipcentral.org/posts/3-ways-to-create-more-margin-in-your-life.
My encouragement to you is to find someone who understands Church budgets and buy them a coffee.
The post Afraid of the ‘B’ word? appeared first on Australian Christian Churches.
Afraid of the ‘B’ word?
Are you afraid of the ‘B’ word? You should not be. It should be in every vocabulary. Budgets are absolutely necessary to have a healthy Church. Let me share some thoughts on budgets.
First, the basis for developing a budget is not simply faith. That is a lazy approach. Some of the items in the budget will be based in faith but the budget for the faith venture should be based in good stewardship, sound financial processes and principles, and strategic planning as well as the ability to inspire and motivate. Good budgets apply good stewardship to real faith.
There is nothing that inspires giving more then good outcomes. Success creates buy-in. Creating a budget and sticking with it produces trust in the givers. When a church is constantly running near empty and having to curtail events or expenditures or when the Church is constantly asking for more money out of need rather than vision, people lose trust in financial integrity. No amount of words will motivate them when the evidence is demotivating them.
I was at a board meeting trying to help a church create a budget when someone said; “there is no point in doing all the work of creating a budget, it changes at our pastor’s next good idea or after-the-fact excuse”. Though most board members are more diplomatic, the comment shows the lack of trust and ingrained frustration many board members can feel. Some Pastors express worry about a board’s lack of faith but it is often more a lack of trust due to past fiscal failures.
Budgets should follow the vision, ideally be closely balanced in ministry, facility, and staffing needs, allow for a margin in each area for truly unforeseen needs or opportunities, have a savings component for future credit rating, be easy to understand but all encompassing, have a year-to-date reporting mechanism to allow for awareness and adjustments, not include department or allocated funds so that robbing Peter to pay Paul does not occur, and such other principles as can be found in many available church budgeting tools found on the web.
I have found that a church that is struggling out of a bad financial position can be helped by creating a three tier budget and sticking to. First tier – the absolute essentials to exist and pay all debts; Second Tier – the ability to pay down outstanding debts and develop more ministry capacity; Third Tier – the place where saving can occur and expansionary ideas can be funded. Knowing the quarterly tier income and living within it will help to alleviate angst, keep discipline and move things forward.
One mistake that many churches make in budgeting is to take the past year’s income and project an increase for the next year. Most of the time that doesn’t happen or if it does, the budget is still maxed out. A better approach is to keep next year’s budget the same or even create a 5-10% lesser expenditure margin like ps Chris Hodges of Church of the Highlands espouses. Check out https://www.stewardshipcentral.org/posts/3-ways-to-create-more-margin-in-your-life.
My encouragement to you is to find someone who understands Church budgets and buy them a coffee.
The post Afraid of the ‘B’ word? appeared first on Australian Christian Churches.
Source: ACC News
News Update – 21 Oct – Marriage, Euthanasia, Religious freedom and more
News Update – 21 Oct – Marriage, Euthanasia, Religious freedom and more...
A selection of the week’s highlights on these important matters…
Plus a link to our report on our Dinner…
God bless you as you read, pray and act…
Jenny
________________________
News Update – 21 Oct – Marriage, euthanasia and more…
Australian News
1. South Australia: Euthanasia Bill withdrawn to be re-written
2. Marriage: Plebiscite vote in House of reps, Greens Senator’s ‘name-calling’
2.1 Plebiscite Bill PASSES House of Representatives
2.2 Greens Senator: ‘right-wing dinosaurs’
3. Salt Shakers ‘Farewell Celebration Dinner” – Speech by Senator Eric Abetz
4. Family First Senator Bob Day resigns
5. Report: March for the Babies (and date for NEXT year)
6. Victorians – TWO Bills needing your ongoing ACTION!
Overseas News
1. UK: Abortion and disability
2. Paris: Tens of thousands march calling for REPEAL of same-sex ‘marriage’
3. USA: Pregnancy Centers ordered to PROMOTE abortion
_____________________________________________________
News Update – 21 Oct – Marriage, euthanasia and more…
Australian News
1. South Australia: Euthanasia Bill withdrawn to be re-written
The euthanasia Bill introduced by Labor MP Steph Key in South Australia has been withdrawn after five MPs expressed concern about the wording of the Bill. The ABC reports that it could delay debate on the Bill ‘for up to a month’.
The ABC reported, “Debate on the proposed law, co-sponsored by Liberal MP Duncan McFetridge and Labor MP Steph Key, was due to start today. It was introduced to parliament in February and since then a number of amendments had been proposed to allay concerns that MPs had. However Dr McFetridge said five MPs were still unwilling to support the bill.”
He said that a new Bill would incorporate the suggested amendments.
ACTION: If you live in South Australia, you now have another opportunity to CONTACT your MPs – ONE in the House of Assembly and ALL Members in the Legislative Council. Ask them to vote AGAINST the euthanasia Bill.
Click here for contact details for all MPs.
Article: Euthanasia laws in South Australia delayed as MPs unwilling to back wording, ABC, 20/10/2016.
Family Voice produced a Briefing Paper on the proposed Bill which was posted on Vision.org …
The South Australia Euthanasia Bill Alert
2. Marriage: Plebiscite vote in House of reps, Greens Senator’s ‘name-calling’
2.1 Plebiscite Bill PASSES House of Representatives
The Bill that would enable a plebiscite has passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 76 to 67.
The Bill will now go the Senate – but with both Labor and the Greens opposing the Bill, it is not expected to pass.
During the debate, there was an inkling of what might lie ahead…
“Independent Andrew Wilkie earlier challenged coalition MPs to cross the floor and support either a Labor or crossbench private bill for marriage equality once the national vote was “dead and buried”.”If you’re in this place in the pursuit of the public interest, then that’s what you’ll do,” he said. Mr Wilkie thinks there’s enough people of “good heart” in the government who will see the sense in dealing with the matter in parliament.”
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ‘refused to be drawn’ on what his ‘Plan B’ is if the Bill for a plebiscite doesn’t pass in the Senate.
Read the text and progress of the Bill: Plebiscite (Same-Sex Marriage) Bill 2016
The VOTE in the House of Representatives was 76 to 67.
Click here for the Second Reading vote details.
Article: Same-sex marriage plebiscite passes Lower House, News.com.au, 20/10/2016.
2.2 Greens Senator: ‘right-wing dinosaurs’
They can’t help calling people names! On Q&A on Monday night, Greens Senator Richard Di Natale called on Malcolm Turnbull to ‘stand up to those right-wing dinosaurs’.
He said, “He can stand up to those right-wing dinosaurs inside his own party, show some leadership, be true to who he is, because people are feeling betrayed. Be a leader, stand up, let’s have a free vote in the parliament, and let’s get this thing done.”
Thankfully, economist Judith Sloan spoke up, saying that the term “right-wing dinosaur” went “against civil debate.”
Then Labor MP Tim Watts joined in, to support Di Natale in opposing the plebiscite.
Article: Q&A: Malcolm Turnbull should stand up to ‘right wing dinosaurs’, Richard Di Natale says, SMH, 18/10/2016.
3. Salt Shakers ‘Farewell Celebration Dinner” – Speech by Senator Eric Abetz
If you missed reading the email report on our Dinner, and the inspiring speeches given by our two Guest Speakers, you can read the report online.
We’ve included the transcript of Eric’s speech – read it and be encouraged to continue to ‘make a difference’!
Click here to read the report.
4. Family First Senator Bob Day resigns
Bob Day, who was elected as a senator for the South Australia in 2013, representing Family First, and was re-elected in 2016, has announced his resignation from the Senate.
The reason is that his family business, Home Australia Group, has gone into liquidation, leaving homeowners with unfinished homes and sub-contractors unpaid. He will lose his family home, as well as his position in the Senate.
In his statement, Bob Day said he was “naturally devastated” and “incredibly sorry” and promised to re-pay the debts. One group, the Taxpayers Alliance, has started a campaign to raise funds to repay the debt so that Senator Day can remain in the Senate, and some funds have already been paid to one subcontractor.
Family First will choose a replacement as a Senator for South Australia. Possible contenders are Rikki Lambert, his Chief of Staff, and Rob Brokenshire, who is a Member of the Legislative Council for Family First.
Article: Bob Day quits Senate as company Home Australia collapses, The Advertiser, 18/10/2016.
Article: Bob Day: Senator promises to begin paying debt to subcontractor from money raised by fundraising page, ABC, 21/10/2016.
5. Report: March for the Babies (and date for NEXT year)
The March for the Babies was held on Saturday 8 October. Thank you to everyone who attended!
The March for the Babies Facebook page has a report and photos – click here.
The March for the Babies website also has coverage of Marches from previous years (2012-2015).
Next year’s March for the Babies . . .
“The 9th Annual March for the Babies will be held in Melbourne on Saturday, October 7, 2017 beginning at 1pm. Please put it in your diary NOW and ask family and friends to join you in standing up for the babies.”
Click here for details.
6. Victorians – TWO Bills needing your ongoing ACTION!
The Victorian Legislative Council hasn’t debated or voted on the two controversial Bills we have been reporting on – regarding changes of ‘Sex’ on birth certificates and the removal of exceptions for religious organisations regarding employment.
At this stage the two Bills webpages show that the Bills have passed the Legislative Assembly and have had their FIRST reading in the Legislative Council.
Click here for the BILLS page: then scroll to each Bill and click on title for full details of Bill and PROGRESS (or the links on the following titles should work).
Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Amendment Bill 2016
Equal Opportunity Amendment (Religious Exceptions) Bill 2016
One of the Bills would REMOVE religious exceptions regarding employment in the Equal Opportunity Act, which means Christian schools and religious organisations would have to PROVE that it is an “inherent requirement” of the job to be a Christian or to adhere to certain moral behaviour regarding sexuality or marital status.
The second Bill would allow people to change the SEX on their birth certificate – to ANY chosen ‘gender descriptor’ (so long as it isn’t obscene) – WITHOUT having to undergo any sex reassignment surgery or even taking hormones.
ACTION: If you live in Victoria, there is still time to contact your FIVE Members in the Legislative Council to ask them to vote against these Bills.
Click here, then type in your postcode etc and Search to get all your Members.
For more information,, see our Action Alert on both Bills – click here.
Overseas News
1. UK: Abortion and disability
Christian Concern report, “This Friday (21 October) Lord Shinkwin’s Abortion (Disability Equality) Bill is receiving its second reading in the House of Lords. You may be surprised to hear that an unborn child with a disability can be aborted right up to birth under current law. Lord Shinkwin’s Bill seeks to remove section 1(1)(d) from the 1967 Abortion Act, which currently allows for disability abortion up to birth.”
Christian Concern write, “This will only happen if the Government makes time in the parliamentary calendar for Lord Shinkwin’s Bill to complete its passage through the House of Lords, so that a Member of Parliament can introduce the Bill in the House of Commons.”
They are running the We’re All Equal campaign, urging people to contact their MPs to ask them to urge the Prime Minister to ensure that time is made for the Bill to be debated.
2. Paris: Tens of thousands march calling for REPEAL of same-sex ‘marriage’
AP report, “Tens of thousands of people have marched in Paris to call for the repeal of a law allowing gay marriage, six months before France’s next presidential election…
“The protesters ended up at Trocadero Plaza, near the Eiffel Tower. Police estimated the crowd at 24,000, while organizers gave a figure of 200,000.
“They were also protesting Sunday against the use of assisted reproduction techniques and surrogate mothers to help same-sex couples have babies. Assisted reproduction is allowed in France only for infertile heterosexual couples and surrogacy is banned.
“The group organizing the march presents itself as promoting the traditional family model of “one mother and one father.” It hopes to influence the debate before the presidential election next year.”
Article: Tens of Thousands March in Paris Against Same-Sex Marriage, AP, 16/10/2016.
3. USA: Pregnancy Centers ordered to PROMOTE abortion
We thought it was bad when Victoria’s doctors who had a conscientious objection to abortion, and were not prepared to assist a woman obtain an abortion, were ordered to REFER the woman to a doctor ‘they know will perform an abortion’.
(This is the controversial Section 8 of the Abortion Law Reform Act.)
Now the Pregnancy Centers in California have been ordered to promote abortion to women who come to them seeking help!
As Lifesite reports: “Non-profit medical clinics that exist to provide life-affirming alternatives to abortion in the state of California will be forced to promote abortion or face severe financial consequences, after the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the state’s so-called “Reproductive FACT Act” on Friday.”
The article continues and explains what is being REQUIRED…
“Signed into law Oct. 9, 2015, by Gov. Jerry Brown, the act went into effect Jan. 1, 2016, but has been largely unenforced while municipalities waited out a series of lawsuits challenging the law’s alleged infringement on free speech rights guaranteed by the Constitution’s First Amendment. This is the fifth time a challenge has been turned away by the courts starting last December.
The law specifies that 75 pro-life pregnancy centers offering ultrasounds — all of which are state-licensed entities that operate completely free of taxpayer funds — post or disseminate a state-mandated disclaimer notifying women in unexpected pregnancies of state-covered abortions and contraception offered through Medi-Cal.
Most urgently, the clinics are required to violate their deeply held religious beliefs by giving their patients the phone number of a county social services agency where they can obtain an abortion — a requirement the centers say amounts to an abortion referral….”
Article: BREAKING: Ninth Court orders California pregnancy centers to promote abortion, Lifesite, 14/10/2016.