By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League of North Carolina
RALEIGH – With gas prices up and the economy down, the Christian Action League of North Carolina is going the extra mile this year to make sure that Advisory Board Members and other annual meeting attendees don’t have to.
“This year we are offering three annual meetings – one in each region of the state – to make travel less burdensome,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the CAL. “The legislative issues before us next year are both urgent and critical, so we need as many Advisory Board members and supporting churches as possible to be represented at our annual meeting.”
Traditionally held in Asheboro, the meeting is a golden opportunity for supporters of the ministry to get informed and inspired about legislative issues and the work of the CAL. This year’s three meetings will make participation more convenient than ever.
Advisory Board members and contributing churches are receiving invitations, based on their locations. The first meeting is set for Oct. 28 at Oxford Memorial Baptist in Taylorsville (Alexander County). Folks in the eastern part of the state can attend on Nov. 18 at Grace Church in Greenville (Pitt County). And those who live in Central North Carolina will want to mark their calendars for Nov. 20 to come to Coats Baptist Church in the Harnett County town of Coats.
Each of the meetings will include the same program and run from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Featured speakers will include John Rustin, vice president and head of government relations for the North Carolina Family Policy Council; Barbara Holt, president of North Carolina Right to Life; L.A. Williams, the CAL’s director of research and communications; and the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League.
“Mark and I work very closely together in the state Legislature and I greatly appreciate the work that Mark and the supporters of the Christian Action League do,” said Rustin. “The strength of groups like the CAL is the grassroots support that they have with pastors, churches and general supporters, so it is critically important that they understand the issues and understand that the time to engage in the battle is now.”
At the top of Rustin’s list of family related topics will be North Carolina’s need for for a Constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union of “one man and one woman.”
“Florida has this question on their ballot in November and if it passes, North Carolina will be the only state in the Southeast that does not specifically define marriage in its constitution, which makes us extremely vulnerable,” Rustin said. He’ll explain our tenuous legal position, especially in light of the growing number of states that are approving same-sex unions.
An 11-year veteran at the NCFPC, Rustin is a Gastonia native and a resident of Raleigh.
Barbara Holt has led North Carolina Right to Life since 1990 and has lobbied the General Assembly and Congress to pass pro-life legislation and defeat federal legislation such as the Freedom of Choice Act, which would overturn every pro-life bill passed since 1973.
“I will speak about the need for our legislature to pass a Woman’s Right to Know law, which has the potential to save 4,000 unborn babies from abortion each year and legislation to eliminate the funding of abortion through the state employees’ health plan,” Holt said. “I will also mention our work to pass a Choose Life Special Registration Plate bill and an Unborn Victims of Violence bill to recognize the unborn child as a second victim when a crime is committed.”
L.A. Williams, a part-time staff member of the Christian Action League, will address the possibility of the privatization of liquor sales in 2009 and the push to legalize medicinal marijuana.
Finally, the Rev. Mark Creech will wrap up the presentation with a message that is both challenging and inspiring.
Each meeting will also include special music and an offering. A business meeting will close the conventions with refreshments to follow.
Another change in this year’s gathering, pre-registration is not required, but Advisory Board members will want to pick up their information packets at the registration table when they arrive. They are also asked to prayerfully nominate others for the Advisory Board and to bring them to the Annual Meeting in their area.
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For inquires regarding the Christian Action League’s Annual Meeting in your region, contact us at:
Phone: 919.787.0606
Email: calact@aol.com