EVERGREEN CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY--ONE OF OUR ANCHORS

Your missionary to Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, Rob Schenck, reporting:

Evergreen Christian Community is a dynamic church family nestled in the--well--Evergreens of Olympia, Washington, the capital of the "Evergreen State." Cheryl and I are out here as the guests of Lead Pastor Dale Oquist and his wife, Joni. The Oquists and their kids are terrific people--a lot of fun to be with--but they're also totally committed to the church and community they serve. Dale and Joni have birthed an enormously successful ministry, building a solid congregation of mature Christians while making sacrificial changes to connect with a new and emerging generation. Evergreen has quickly become one of our "Anchor Churches." Their support--from prayer to personal involvement--is critical to our success in Washington. Thank you Oquists, thank you pastoral team and leadership of Evergreen Christian Community, and thank you people of our Evergreen extended family for your encouragement and generosity in every way. We absolutely could not do what God has called us to do in Washington, DC, if you weren't doing so effectively what God has called you to do in Washington State!

Cheryl and I will stay out here another day and return Tuesday to the frenetic pace of Capitol Hill. The demand back home runs Monday through Friday (and sometimes weekends) from early morning until late at night. In order for us to make ends meet in a very expensive environment these last 15 years, Cheryl has always been employed. Of course she also loves what she does as an occupational therapist for disabled children in our public schools. Still, the demands of two careers and my frequent Sundays away to preach puts time together at a real premium. We're getting that time together over the next 24 hours and it's great!

Speaking of travel, I'll be in Scranton, Pennsylvania at the end of this week to attend a strategic meeting for the Institute on Religion and Public Policy. By now you know I serve on the Institute's board of directors. "IRPP" president Joe Grieboski is a good friend and advisor to me--not to mention a genius when it comes to religious liberty issues worldwide. We may not see eye-to-eye on every little thing, but Joe keeps me challenged, informed and well-humored. I thoroughly enjoy working with Joe and the Institute. He introduced me to my ongoing exchange with Moroccan government and religious leaders and took me with him on a formal delegation to Sudan, a life-changing experience to say the least.

My next trip is to a much closer place, though: Branson, Missouri. No, not for country music--but for another board meeting and conference. This time it's the Evangelical Church Alliance, for which I serve as chair of the Committee on Church and Society. The board meeting part convenes Monday and Tuesday, July 21 and 22; The conference part, July 23 and 24. I'll deliver my annual "Missionary Field Report" on Thursday, July 24. Then I catch a plane to Florida to guest preach for Pastor Bob Lecocq at Florida's First Assembly of God in Wauchula on July 27. Bob is a passionate preacher, caring pastor and gifted communicator. (His other job is as a college lecturer in public speaking and communications!)

As you can see, even when the Supreme Court and Congress have slowed down for the summer, I don't sit around drumming my fingers wondering what to do. In fact it's quite the opposite. Just this morning as I sat on the front pew waiting to be introduced to speak, I got an E-mail on my Blackberry from Jay Sekulow who's been in Israel and France for the last few weeks. We'll meet when he gets back in town July 15 to discuss a host of things he's working on. Jay's a good friend--one of the few people I can truly confide in. Washington can be a very lonely town, but Jay, my brother Paul, Pat Mahoney and a couple of others makes it survivable!

That's all for now. Thanks for being an important part of my wider "Family Circle!"

Rob Schenck

www.faithandaction.org

Faith and Action

109 2nd St, NE

Washington, DC 20002

202-546-8329

READY TO DEFEND PLEDGE AS SOON AS IT'S ATTACKED

Your missionary to Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, Rob Schenck, reporting:

For almost six years, Faith and Action has been busy defending the two most cherished words in our Pledge of Allegiance, "Under God." You may remember way-back-then, I personally (and gently) confronted notorious atheist activist Michael Newdow at a meeting we both attended in the National Press Club building here in Washington. 

Newdow had just won his case at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. The judges ruled the Pledge's two-word phrase violated the so-called "separation of church and state." During that encounter,  Newdow asked me why I thought we needed to confess that our nation is accountable to God. "Because I don't trust you, Michael, and you don't trust me. We must appeal to a moral authority greater than ourselves." He offered no rejoinder.

I'd say the same thing to Newdow now. As an atheist, Michael puts his ultimate trust in humans and human agencies. I don't. Sinful people will fail and so will the governments they establish and operate. The only safety from our our own proclivities toward evil is our confession that we need God. That's what "Under God" in the Pledge is all about. This rationale is woven into the history behind the insertion of these great words. That happened in 1954 when the God-fearing United States stood in stark contrast to the God-denying Soviet Union. Our country wanted to make abundantly clear that our world view was distinctly and diametrically opposite to a Communist-Humanistic worldview. I have a paper copy of the February 8-12, 1954 Congressional Record reflecting the fascinating debate behind this move, but I can't find it online. (If you know of a link, please send it to me at info@faithandaction.org--thanks!) It's really worth examining the original reasoning offered by congressional sponsors.

As you know, we've already been out front on this, making a case for why the people of the United States must continue to acknowledge God in the Pledge. The Ninth Circuit could come down with its decision on Newdow's second case any day. To protect the Pledge as it is now, a new law has been drafted and will be proposed the instant that the Pledge is threatened. We're part of the working group that drafted the legislation.

I expect the Ninth Circuit to indeed strike down the Pledge again as unconstitutional. At the moment it does, we will ask you to contact your members of Congress to urge them to pass this new law protecting the phrase "Under God. " Please stand by for details! I'm also asking you to ask your pastor to have a sermon ready. Pastors should be poised and informed to preach on this at the very next opportunity and to make statements from the pulpit and to the media in support of keeping the Pledge as it is. You should also call into your local radio talk shows and offer your opinions as well as write a letter to the editor of your local paper If we're going to save this vital part of our national life, there must be a hue and cry in the land!

I will discuss all of this with a special group of church leaders who will gather at our ministry center next week. Our guest will be America's foremost authority on the so-called "separation of church and state," Dr. James Hutson of the Library of Congress. Dr. Hutson has done unique, original scholarship on the subject and has a new book out, Church and State: The First Two Centuries, published by the prestigious Cambridge University Press. (We'll have the book available at our website shortly.) This is not a stuffy, scholars-only tome. It's a short paperback and a very readable, easy-to-understand examination of this very important subject. If you're looking for a truly authoritative resource on "Church and State," one that cannot be dismissed as "religious right" propaganda, get Dr. Hutson's book! (Pastors who attend our "Preachers' Circle," April 10-12, will get a complimentary autographed copy. For details contact Elizabeth Sowers at my office, 202-546-8329, extension 107.) We'll post an edited video of Dr. Hutson's talk to the "Preachers' Circle" after the event.

FYI: I'm posting this blog on Sunday, March 30. My friend, Jay Sekulow, the top lawyer and director at the American Center for Law and Justice,  E-mailed me a few minutes ago announcing he expects some big news at the Supreme Court tomorrow morning, March 31. The Court met Friday in conference to discuss two Ten Commandments appeals Jay is handling. (Friday Conferences are the highly secretive sessions when the Justices talk about possible cases without anyone else present in the room.) Both cases basically amount to lower court orders requiring government approval of opposing displays. While the direct affect would be to allow atheistic and other counterpoints to Ten Commandments displays, Jay and his legal team argue this would ultimately lead to the absurd conclusion that government would have to allow the Statue of Liberty to be "balanced" with a "Statue of Tyranny." 

I'll have breakfast with Jay in the morning at the Supreme Court, then we'll wait for "orders" to be handed down. If the Court does agree to hear one or both of these cases, I'll be back to this blog to explore them more fully and suggest more ways for you to get directly involved. For now, please watch and pray!

Back later . . .

Your grateful missionary to elected and appointed officials,

Rob Schenck

www.faithandaction.org

Faith and Action

109 2nd St, NE

Washington, DC 20002

202-546-8329