CEC For Life

           The room that was filled with the sounds of much commotion, laughter, and children running up and down the halls, quickly hushed as the much talked about “Tim Tebow Commercial” made it’s first debut in front of not only our small gathering, but in front of millions of people gathered nationwide to witness this year’s Superbowl. I have to be honest, I didn’t hear the first part of what his mother Pam Tebow was saying, but like most of us watching was somewhat surprised when Tim came barreling across to tackle her. I went home later that night to rewatch, excited to hear what the star quarterback to my own personal favorite college football team had to say about her decision not to abort. To some with me last night, there was much dismay as the commercial spoke nothing of her own personal decision, but focused around her son as a “miracle baby.”

        It didn’t reflect what many of us had anticipated. There were no in- utero pictures, nothing saying “Choose Life” and nothing from Tebow about his own personal decision to remain chaste. To some gathered in the room and around the country, it was a pro-life media and advertising flop. I admit it wasn’t what I was expecting. In truth I didn’t care about what the message was or who Tebow was going to represent. I was a Tebow fan long before his first heisman and his eye tape that caused his chosen bible verse to be the top google search of the day. I felt like a proud Gator fan.

        After the initial shock a friend of mine said to me, “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.” Buzz Aldrin’s words seemed to fit this moment. This small step taken by Focus on the Family not only proved right for the pro-life movement, but will prove to be a giant leap for humankind across the globe. Much thanks has been given to CBS and I join in thanking them for allowing this “small step.” In a day and age where media is biased to the fact that pro-life America outnumbers those supporters of abortion and denies that there is no real progress in the pro-life movement although over half of abortion centers in the US have been closed, news networks fail to report the largest human civil rights march in the history of our nation, and the fact that more and more women choose life because of crisis pregnancy centers, we can count this commercial as a giant leap for humanity.

         And so what if all it advertised was a website? I have no doubt that Focus on the Family page hits have increased since last night. And those who visit their website are exposed to resources promoting the sanctity of not only human life, but the sanctity of marriage and the sanctity of human sexuality. This commercial does not discourage me. I am encouraged. Tim Tebow is only a month in age apart from me and what greater witness to the Gospel of Life than a young man who resists this present culture of death to proclaim Jesus as Lord and proclaim wherever he goes the love of his savior and the sacredness of every human life. GO GATORS!

I had sensed for some time that the March for Life and the activities surrounding this years march would be significantly different than in years past. It seemed as though there had been a breakthrough in the heavens that would be revealed in the earth. This would be the first year that our communion would celebrate the Feast Day of Our Lord the Giver of Life as a worldwide celebration honoring the sanctity of life on January 17. We would not just be commemorating Roe vs. Wade in the United States. This was going to be different. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Beginning on the Feast Day, I spoke at the Church of Reconciliation on Sunday morning, followed in the evening with a regional Pro-life Youth rally hosted by the church.

Following is an account of January 17 by Fr. Rob Northwood’s wife Sarah.

The Church of Reconciliation in Bel Air, MD celebrated The Feast Day of Our Lord the Giver of Life on January 17th, 2010. Fr. Terry Gensemer, director of CEC for Life, preached a pro-life sermon during the morning service. Continuing in the spirit of celebration, the church hosted an interdenominational Youth Rally that evening with guest worship leader Brett Rush. A large group from Holy Trinity CEC church in Stewartstown joined with those from neighboring churches here in Harford County as we praised the Lord together, heard an inspiring message from Fr. Terry, and enjoyed pizza and ping-pong afterward as the young people had a great time making some new friends. Fr. Terry’s message to the youth was that being pro-life is not that complicated. He asked for a show of hands of all those who knew it was wrong to hurt babies. He said that it is really that simple, “God loves life and He wants us to love life also.” He went on to say that the first step to being used of God to change the world is to believe that you can be used by Him. Fr. Terry informed the youth that each one of them is uniquely gifted for ministry. He invited them to come up front if they were willing to pray for each other, saying that the anointing for prayer comes from the Holy Spirit and that they were indeed anointed to minister to each other. While the worship music continued, some of the teens came up to the front of the church and opened up their hearts for prayer. Others allowed themselves to be used by God as they laid hands on their peers. Brett Rush shared a song which he had written for a young woman in his church who had found herself in an unexpected pregnancy. The song, “Talk To Me” he explained, was written to encourage the pro-life community to become better listeners in order to help those who find themselves in such difficult situations.

On Thursday night Star Parker, founder and president of the Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education, graciously agreed to be this year’s keynote speaker at the 2010 CEC For Life Youth Rally in Washington, DC. With the compassion of Christ and the spunk of a woman who has wrestled with the angel, Star shared her testimony of learning to live in God’s provision and encouraged our young people to speak out on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves.

ACCOUNT of FRIDAY MORNING by Jacob Jones

On the morning of January twenty –second, a culmination of events took place that occurred prior to the actual March for Life. The morning began with a prayer rally organized by Rev. Pat Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition. He extended an open invitation for the youth gathered outside of the Dirksen Senate building to pray for their nation and to pray for an end to abortion. Many youth prayed not only for an end to abortion, but for a change of heart for those gathered to celebrate Roe. V. Wade. Many of the youth carried signs saying, “ 1/3 of My Generation Have Been Silenced.”

While the youth gathered to pray, many of the adults especially clergy including our Patriarch, Archbishop Craig Bates gathered inside the U.S. Capitol Visitor’s Center to remember the lives lost through abortion at the National Memorial for the Unborn organized by the National Pro-Life Religious Council on which the Patriarch and the Director of CEC for Life, Fr. Terry Gensemer are board members. The Patriarch stated that the event has “grown to be one of the largest ecumenical gatherings united for life ever.”

After these meetings took place, all united together in front of the Supreme Court building under the direction of Fr. Terry Gensemer, Director of CEC For Life to celebrate the Liturgy for the Preborn which offers the most basic human rights we can offer children slaughtered by abortion; a Christian burial rite. This year offered more vocal opposition from the other side as we began to pray and worship the Lord. A large gathering of pro- abortion supporters including those from the “ Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice” began chanting for the right to “choose” and many signs saying, “My Body, My Choice!”

We began to pray and many youth encompassed their ring with prayers ascending and songs for the Lord echoing through the crowd. Very soon their chants were silenced by the Word of God and the songs of a very anointed praise team. Dr. Seanie O’ Domhnaill( Founder of the Mother & Child Campaign, Ireland and Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist)addressed the crowd, citing cases he has personally observed where women who have had abortions are scarred for life and challenged us to keep praying and interceding for life.  Alan Melanson ( Youth Director & CEC for Life Board Member) also spoke and gave an update of the many youth gathered and their witness to life.

ACCOUNT OF SILENT NO MORE by Sarah Northwood

This year I was given the opportunity to stand with the women and men of Silent No More at the March for Life in Washington DC. This is a campaign which exists to make the public aware of the devastation abortion brings to women, men, and their families. Knowing from my own experience how painful abortion is, I knew immediately that I wanted to join them as they shared their testimonies on the steps of the Supreme Court following the March.

Holding a sign which said, “I regret My Abortion”, I didn’t know what to expect as the marchers filed past.  Would they judge me? Would they hold me in contempt?  After all, probably not many of them have done such a horrible thing.  But, as God is gracious, so are His people.  I found compassion in their eyes.  Many stopped to hug each one of us and to tell us that they appreciated our willingness to share our stories for the benefit of others and the babies.

When my turn came I was blessed to find that once again, when we open our mouth in the Lord’s service He will fill it. I told of how I had the abortion when I was 19.  Believing that having a child at that age would “ruin my life”, I chose to end the pregnancy and put it behind me.  Little did I know that the abortion is what would ruin my life.  After years of stuffing the pain, being numb to the guilt, thinking there was nothing wrong with me, I met Jesus Christ.  He was gracious enough to give me a vision of my child.  When I “saw” him in heaven, he was a complete person, with talents and personality.  I saw the relationships he would have had and it was at that point I began to really grieve and repent of the sin of abortion.  It took years of healing.  I attended a Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat just this past June and was blessed to find that the Lord has taken me through all the stages of the healing process.  I am forgiven, but I will never stop regretting the abortion I had.  I believed the lie that I would be better off, but a woman does not kill her own child and get rid of that pain with no ill effects.  She may think that it does not affect her, but that is when she should be asking, “Why?? Why is this not bothering me?”

In closing I will share the chorus of a song that the Lord had me write about my abortion experience:

Where’s the shame? Covered with Christ’s blood

Where’s the pain?            Being healed by God’s love

Where’s the truth?            It’s a sharp sword in my mouth

Where’s the fear? By Love it’s been cast out!

If you or someone you know is experiencing pain following an abortion there is help!  Rachel’s Vineyard www.rachelsvineyard.org is a weekend retreat which can help bring healing to the woman.  And www.silentnomoreawareness.org is another excellent resource. You may also contact me if you need someone to talk to: sarahNnorthwood@verizon.net

This article is a compilation of writings by Fr. Terry Gensemer, Jacob Jones, Sarah Northwood and Sarah Howell on behalf of CEC For Life

The week was punctuated with a powerful Eucharistic Servive on Sunday January 24 at the Church of the Holy Apostles in Westminster, MD. where Fr. Terry encouraged the congregation to keep being who they are as Christians, People who have simple faith, who have repentant hearts, who give of themselves, and who trust in the Lord. The result of authentic Christianity is the only true foundation on which to build a Culture of Life.

The Church of Reconciliation in Bel Air, MD celebrated The Feast Day of Our Lord the Giver of Life on January 17th, 2010. Fr. Terry Gensemer, director of CEC for Life, preached a pro-life sermon during the morning service. Continuing in the spirit of celebration, the church hosted an interdenominational Youth Rally that evening with guest worship leader Brett Rush. A large group from Holy Trinity CEC church in Stewartstown joined with those from neighboring churches here in Harford County as we praised the Lord together, heard an inspiring message from Fr. Terry, and enjoyed pizza and ping-pong afterward as the young people had a great time making some new friends.

Fr. Terry’s message to the youth was that being pro-life is not that complicated. He asked for a show of hands of all those who knew it was wrong to hurt babies. He said that it is really that simple, “God loves life and He wants us to love life also.” He went on to say that the first step to being used of God to change the world is to believe that you can be used by Him. Fr. Terry informed the youth that each one of them is uniquely gifted for ministry. He invited them to come up front if they were willing to pray for each other, saying that the anointing for prayer comes from the Holy Spirit and that they were indeed anointed to minister to each other.

While the worship continued, some of the teens came up to the front of the church and opened up their hearts for prayer. Others allowed themselves to be used by God as they laid hands on their peers. Brett Rush shared a song which he had written for a young woman in his church who had found herself in an unexpected pregnancy. The song, “Talk To Me” he explained, was written to encourage the pro-life community to become better listeners in order to help those who find themselves in such difficult situations.

Encouraged by the weekend’s events and the compelling words which were shared, members of the Church of Reconciliation will be joining with other CEC members from around the world to carry the pro-life message to the streets of DC as we meet there for the March For Life on Friday, January 22nd.

March for Life 2010
Washington, DC

At this year’s March for Life in Washington, D.C., prophetic words from Patriarch Craig Bates were proven out by an unexpected source: a counter-demonstration of abortion-rights advocates.

Each year on January 22 (anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision), CEC for Life Director Fr. Terry Gensemer leads a Liturgy for the Unborn at the foot of the U.S. Supreme Court steps, using a sturdy amplification system. This year, 20 or so abortion-rights advocates placed themselves eight yards away and screamed slogans throughout the liturgy. The very words of their slogans, listed below, only served to highlight the truths proclaimed by the voices of Fr. Gensemer, Fr. Rob Northwood (who read the Scriptures), Alan Melanson (reporting on youth), Dr Seán Ó Domhnaill (a pro-life activist from Ireland), and Archbishop Bates.

“It’s not being against abortion that will win the war against legalized abortion,” stated Patriarch Bates. “It’s the love of God.” He went on to explain that although, of course, the CEC does not support legalized abortion, “what will make the difference to a woman desperate with an unwanted pregnancy, or a man who needs to step up to his responsibility as a father, is the love of God for that baby.”

As the liturgy ended and its participants left to join the march, the abortion-rights group paraded in front of the Supreme Court steps shouting, “Trust women! Trust women!” This group remained by the steps while the march progressed up Constitution Avenue and curved into the street in front the Supreme Court, where pro-life marchers were confronted with the sight of the abortion-rights advocates.

The pro-life group Silent No More Awareness Campaign erected its sound system in front of the Supreme Court steps for its scheduled 3:00 p.m. witnessing event, in which post-abortive women and men testify to abortion’s damaging effects. Walled almost out of sight by encircling pro-lifers, the abortion-rights advocates continued shrieking slogans, such as “Choice is a human right” (in response to which CEC youth yelled “Life is a human right!”). Other abortion-rights slogans that were shouted were: “Pro-Life is a lie! You don’t care if women die!” “Show me what feminist looks like? This is what feminist looks like.” “Gay, straight, black or white, all unite for women’s rights!” “Two, four, six, eight, separate church and state!” “Anti-women, anti-gay, go away!”

It would be unwise to infer that one small abortion-rights group speaks for the entire abortion-rights faction. Nonetheless, the confusion of issues in their slogans reveals that they are not even dealing with the same ideas as pro-life advocates. In the brutally torn body parts of an aborted baby we Christians see the sin of murder, and behind that sin of murder, rebellion against the two greatest commandments: to love God and love each other (Matthew 22:26–40). In those same destroyed body parts, abortion-rights advocates apparently see necessity: As the Silent No More witnesses explain, women have abortions because they believe they have no choice but to abort. As revealed by their slogans, the abortion advocates at this year’s march see, in those same bloodied body parts, freedom from oppression of African Americans, homosexuals, and women, as well as freedom from unethical legislation by religious groups. These abortion-rights advocates do not seem to understand pro-life concerns. They deny the guilt and grief consequent to abortion and don’t see the slaughtered baby at all.

Patriarch Bates said it: Only the love of God can tear down the strongholds in which these false ideas fester. Crisis pregnancy clinics, adoption of unwanted children, and support offered at personal cost to people faced with unwanted pregnancy are at least as important as protest and legislation, because they manifest God’s love. Where God’s love presides, desperation is alleviated and the commitment of love dares be undertaken. We Christians have to lead the way.

Pro Life Youth Rally in Maryland impacts everyone involved. The youth were all encouraged that they can make a difference for the Sanctity of Life and in building a culture of Life.

Decemer 23, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The following are the top ten good news stories of 2009, ranked according to popularity.

1) 12-Year-Old Stuns Pro-Choice Teacher and School with Pro-Life Presentation

12-year-old “Lia” of Toronto become a star at her school and on Youtube with her five-minute pro-life speech, crafted for a school competition. A video of her speech has been watched over 800,000 times on Youtube.

2) List of Bishops Opposing the Notre Dame Invitation and Award to President Obama

83 U.S. bishops spoke out against Notre Dame’s decision to honour the “most pro-abortion president in history.” The widespread and public outrage from the country’s bishops was considered by many to be an encouraging sign about the current direction of the U.S. Catholic Church on the life and family issues.

3) Florida Quarterback Tebow Leaves Reporters Speechless: “Yes I am” Saving Myself for Marriage

Tim Tebow, the young football superstar, literally left reporters speechless when he answered a question during a press conference about whether or not he is “saving himself” for marriage.

4) Star Trek Actor Who Paid for Three Abortions Now Condemns Woman’s “Right to Choose…to Kill Her Baby”

A dramatic turn-around for the actor best known for his roles as Ambassador Soval in the TV series “Star Trek: Enterprise” and Capt. Ingles on “J.A.G.”, who admitted that during his drug-fuelled youth he personally paid for three abortions for women he had impregnated. “Abortion is murder,” Graham now says, after acknowledging that he will be “hated” for saying so.

5) Pro-Life Convictions Worth Risking Career For: “The Passion” Actor Jim Caviezel

Jim Caviezel, the heart-throb actor who took the film world by surprise with his moving depiction of Christ in 2004, said that abortion has nothing to do with helping women and that he is willing to risk his career to say so.

6) 400 Students Defy ACLU and Stand to Recite Lord’s Prayer at Graduation

A dramatic protest against an attempt by the ACLU to silence prayer in Florida schools. Many of the students also painted crosses on their graduation caps to make a statement of faith.

7) ‘In the Womb’ is Now on the Net: Amazing 4-D Footage of Growing Baby

Few tools have been more effective for the pro-life cause than ultrasound. However, recent advances in ultrasound technology have made the humanity of the unborn child even more impossible to deny. This 2-hour Discovery Channel documentary presents a remarkable visual apologetic for the pro-life message that human life begins with fertilization.  Showing the continuous development of the unborn child from conception to birth, it shatters all attempts to pinpoint any other time as the beginning of life.

Director of Planned Parenthood at 40 Days for Life Birthplace Resigns after Watching Abortion Ultrasound

The turning point for Abby Johnson in her journey to the pro-life position was reportedly when she witnessed an actual ultrasound image of an abortion being performed on an unborn child. Since converting to the pro-life position, she has said: “I feel so pure in heart. I don’t have this guilt, I don’t have this burden on me anymore.”

9) Bishop Hermann of St. Louis – Strongest Ever Pro-Life Column

Bishop Hermann wrote: “I may courageously say that I am willing to die to end abortion, but am I equally willing to say that I am ready to let my ego get ruffled daily for the same cause? Yet … that is where I need to arrive if I am to be a credible witness.”

10) Controversial U.K. Mayor Cuts Gay Pride Funding, Pledges End to Political Correctness in Government

A rare breath of fresh air in the world of politics. “I’m not a homophobe,” said Peter Davies, “but I don’t see why council taxpayers should pay to celebrate anyone’s sexuality.” In his first week in office, Davies also cut his own salary from £73,000 to £30,000; reduced the number of councillors from 63 to 21, saving the town £800,000 a year. He also immediately announced plans to reduce council tax by 3 per cent and got rid of the mayoral limousine.

We are all familiar with the game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” A series of questions, growing in difficulty and value, are posed to a random (and hopefully knowledgeable) contestant. The closer he comes to the million dollar question, the more ominous the background music seems to sound, the hotter the lights seem to grow…and the closer the audience watches his face. Watching to see what he will do, with thousands or hundreds or even a million dollars at stake, when the emcee looks him hard in the eye and says, “Is that your final answer?”

I would love to sit in the place of that emcee some time and ask that mighty question. Only instead of a random contestant, I’d choose philosophers of history, rulers of antiquity, politicians and media pundits–the people whose thoughts and voices constantly shape the way we think. And my question wouldn’t be something like, “In what battle did the Duke of Wellington end Napoleon’s rule?” The category is “Life,” and the question in need of a final answer is, “When does it begin?”

Maybe that doesn’t seem like a hard question–definitely not a long question–but it must be an important question, because its footprints can be tracked through the thoughts and writings of societies in almost any given era. From the Spartans and Plato, to the Catholic Church, to the Soviet Union and present day America–everyone has an opinion about when life begins, and from those opinions spring laws, beliefs, and controversies. But those are all just by-products. I want the answer to the equation, and there have been quite a few submitted.

Plato, for example, along with many others of his day, believed that a soul was bestowed upon the body at birth. On the other hand, Plato’s contemporary, Hippocrates, was convinced that a soul came into being at the moment of conception.1 That is why the Hippocratic Oath, still taken by doctors today, actually says, “…I will not give a woman a [tool] to cause an abortion. But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts.” Now Hippocrates may have been the minority at the time, he may even have lacked the scientific data we have today, but he felt absolutely certain that conception started something completely new and irreversible in the human realm, and that act required protection, especially when practicing medicine.

Six hundred years later, an early Christian apologist named Tertullian would reach the same conclusion: “Prevention of birth is a premature murder, and it makes no difference whether it is a life already born that one snatches away or a life that is coming to birth…the future of man is a man already: the whole fruit is present in the seed.”2 And just as the agents of medicine continue to take Hippocrates’ Oath, for two thousand years the Church has held close to Tertullian’s words, believing creation to begin in the mind of God and human life at conception.

As a Christian (and avid thinker) I suspect this to be our answer, measurable within the truth of God and compatible with the world of science and medicine. At the moment of conception something entirely new enters the world, a DNA code that we have never witnessed attached to cells that can’t become anything other than a human. And though that human is incredibly small, though she may be weak, unintelligent, and less than mobile, she is also unstoppable. Because, as long as she is given an environment, nurturing, and time, that child will undoubtedly grow stronger, more intelligent, and more mobile. It’s the same with a six-year-old, a twenty-year-old, even a man at the age of fifty. While we live, we grow, and that growth begins at conception. And because we do not have the ability to give it, we are not deemed the right to take it, only the responsibility to protect the life of a child. That’s our final answer.

1. Scott F. Gilbert, “When Does Human Life Begin?,” A Companion to Developmental Biology, <http://8e.devbio.com/article.php?ch=2&id=7> (21 Oct 2009).

2. Bonner, G. 1985. Abortion and Early Christian Thought. In: Channer, J.H. (ed.) Abortion and the Sanctity of Human Life. The Paternoster Press, Exeter, pp 93-122.

Terry Gensemer and Sarah Howell