Everyone Please read the first article. It should be important to all of us. Keith ----- Original Message ----- From: "A/G News and Info" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, May 07, 2004 9:59 AM Subject: [ag-news] A/G NEWS #975: May 7, 2004
> ---------------------------------------------------------------- > AG-NEWS: Friday, May 07, 2004 > Please send story leads to [EMAIL PROTECTED] for consideration > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > > > ** Christians' silence "killing" Federal Marriage > Amendment > > Lack of vocal support of Federal Marriage Amendment -- defining > marriage as between one man and one woman -- could jeopardize its > enactment. Churches and congregations urged to let their "voices > be heard" by elected officials at state and national levels, > whether their Democrats or Republicans. To discover local, state > and national representatives for any state and their contact > information, see <http://www.congress.org/>. > > > ** After-school programs give latchkey kids brighter future > > Study indicates school-age children more likely to use illegal > drugs, alcohol and tobacco, engage in criminal and other > high-risk behaviors and more likely to be seriously hurt at the > hands of others during unsupervised hours of 3 and 6 p.m. KidCare > America (A/G), now located in 11 states, offers safe alternative > -- providing supervision, a healthy snack, one-on-one time with > volunteer mentors, tutoring, recreational time, life skills and > interactive Bible study. After-school program significantly > decreases high-risk behavior and can help develop academic, > physical and social skills. Other tips for keeping kids safe > listed. See http://www.kidcareamerica.org/ for more information > about KidCare America. > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > ** CHRISTIANS' SILENCE "KILLING" FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT > > What began as a "golden opportunity" for Congress to put into law > the Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) may die in committee, lack > the support it needs to pass or possibly be left up to an > unelected judge to determine. The reason? A lack of strong, vocal > support from those who believe in the definition of marriage as > being between "one man and one woman" and in contrast, a strong > effort by those wanting to legalize gay "marriage." > > Although it would seem Christians would be throwing their full > support behind this amendment, apparently they are not voicing > their support in the right arena -- the political arena. A number > of pro-family organizations are reporting that political > representatives at both the state and national levels have heard > relatively little in support of the amendment. > > In an informal survey of a number of senators' and > representatives' offices from across the nation, it was apparent > that in some states there was little concern about the issue, > while other states were inundating their members of Congress with > contacts, both pro and con. > > "It is imperative that the church be heard, that each person in > the church lets their voice be heard by our political leaders," > states A/G General Superintendent Thomas Trask. "We are at a > crisis point in the United States today and we have the ability to > do something about it -- to make a difference!" > > The FMA was originally sponsored by Marilyn Musgrave (R, > Colorado-04). Musgrave, a member of "The Sanctuary" (Assembly of > God) in Fort Morgan, Colorado, said, "The question for the > American people is whether or not we are willing to allow the > institution of marriage to be redefined by a few unelected, > unaccountable judges, or should our strong preference to preserve > traditional marriage be respected and defended." > > According to FMA co-sponsor and House Majority Whip Roy Blunt's > (R-Missouri 7th) office, the amendment is currently in a judiciary > committee, and a timetable has not been set for a vote. However, > in a recent editorial by Chuck Colson, former aide to President > Nixon and founder of Prison Fellowship, the vote in the Senate on > FMA could be as soon as June while the vote in the House could be > later this summer. > > Trask says that for too long the church has been satisfied with > the "separation of church and state" mentality and it's time for > the church to influence our culture, our nation. > > "Unless the church involves itself in its community and the > nation, letting its voice be heard through word and action," Trask > explains, "we are, in effect, allowing those who don't believe in > God's Word, don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, > to make the laws that govern our nation, our churches and our > families. In this instance, by our silence we are condoning the > legalization of gay marriages." > > In April, the Assemblies of God Board of Administration adopted a > statement fully endorsing and asking pastors and congregations to > support the Federal Marriage Amendment. In part, the statement > reads: "The Bible teachers marriage is God-ordained and is to be a > life-long commitment between one man and one woman (Matthew > 19:4,5). . . . There is absolutely no affirmation of homosexual > activity found anywhere in Scripture. However, there is abundant > evidence that homosexual behavior, along with illicit heterosexual > behavior, is immoral and comes under the judgment of God." > > "It doesn't matter if your Congressmen or Congresswomen are > Democrats or Republicans," Trask says. "They need to hear from > you. Let your voice -- and your convictions -- be heard." > > To contact your representatives, see > <http://www.congress.org/>. Simply by entering in a zip code > results in the display of the Congressional representatives for > that area along with e-mail addresses. The site also includes > address and phone information for Congressional leaders along with > local and state officials and their contact information. To > contact national representatives by phone, call 202-225-3121 and > ask for them by name. > > -- Dan Van Veen > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > ** AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS GIVE LATCHKEY KIDS BRIGHTER FUTURE > > Each weekday during the school year nearly 15 million school-age > children are unsupervised between 3 and 6 p.m. It's a potentially > dangerous time. A U.S. Department of Education study indicates > these students are more likely to use illegal drugs, alcohol and > tobacco as well as engage in criminal and other high-risk > behavior. They also are more likely to be seriously hurt at the > hands of others. > > "Juvenile crime rates triple during that time and they are more > likely to become a victim of violent crimes committed by > non-family members because no one is watching," says Mike > Ferguson, national director of KidCare America, an after-school > ministry affiliated with the Assemblies of God. > > At KidCare America centers, now located in 11 states, students > receive a healthy snack, one-on-one time with volunteer mentors, > tutoring, recreational time, life skills and even an interactive > Bible study. They also receive a reprieve from several hours of > no supervision. > > Experts say involvement in after-school programs plays a > significant role in keeping students from high-risk behavior and > can help them develop academic, physical and social skills. > > The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that > students who spend no time in extracurricular activities are 49 > percent more likely to use illegal drugs and 37 percent more > likely to become teen parents than students who spend one to four > hours per week in extracurricular activities. > > "We have to catch students before the street does," Ferguson says. > "If we can get them involved in something productive after school, > the kind of future they can have is far better than one they'll > find on the streets." > > Evie Pena, 29, of Manhattan, New York, enrolled her nephews in her > care in a KidCare America center because she wanted them to be in > a safe and structured environment while she worked as an assistant > teacher. Pena got more than she expected. > > Her nephews, Nelson, now 13, and Nicholas, now 11, began to > develop socially, academically and spiritually while participating > in KidCare America. Pena noticed the change in their lives and > wanted the same spiritual change in her life. The family began > attending Trinity Church, the Assemblies of God church where the > KidCare center is located. > > "If my kids had not been in the program I honestly don't think > [salvation] would have happened," says Pena, who also has her > 8-year-old daughter enrolled. > > Some families can't afford after-school programs or there aren't > any in their neighborhood. Experts say there are many strategies > parents can take to keep their children safe between the hours of > 3 and 6 p.m., including the following: > > * Have their child call as soon as they get home from school. > > * Not allow the child to have anyone else in the residence. > > * Set firm rules, expectations and boundaries. > > * Teach the child what to do in emergency situations. > > * Post contact information near the telephone. > > For more information about KidCare America, see > <http://www.kidcareamerica.org/>. > > -- Kirk Noonan, Today's Pentecostal Evangel > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For a regularly updated list of upcoming significant Assemblies > of God days and events--many linked to informational, registration > or ordering pages--see the following address: > <http://www.ag.org/top/calendar_long.cfm>. > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > AG-NEWS: The A/G News & Information Service, (c) 2004 > > A service of the Assemblies of God's Office of Public > Relations. 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