PPL April 2022 eNews | Preserving the Species

Compelled by the Gospel, PPL equips Presbyterians to champion human life at every stage PPL ENEWS April 2022   Preserving the Species   This month, PPL Board Member, Rev. Jonathan B. Leach, reminds us that the antidote for our culturally-induced fears is a healthy, optimistic hope found in a solid grounding in God’s Word. Does humanity stand today on the brink of annihilation? Your answer to that question depends upon the prophets to whom you’ve been listening. May I recommend to you God’s own word, the Bible?   We may profitably compare the Bible to many of the common, everyday helps and services on which we and our families rely. To the poor in spirit, the Bible’s a rich treasury of the abounding grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s a schoolhouse: the ignorant learn here the answers to life’s most profound and persistent questions. The shallow and foolish who stumble upon God’s word find it to be a well-stocked larder and storehouse of godly wisdom. The lost—uncertain of his way—rejoices to discover in the Bible’s open pages a lamp to his feet and a light to his path.   The word of God is a veritable pharmacy—to cure those afflicted with the culturally-induced panics and brooding fears of our present age. The gracious covenant promises—those of him who cannot lie!—when ingested, become potent medicine for the worried mind. By these promises, God powerfully immunizes the believing soul against every debilitating fear and animates the heart and limbs with fresh courage. READ MORE

The Stop Having Kids Movement   There is a disturbing new movement emerging that calls for an end to human reproduction.  Who is behind this and who is financing it?    READ MORE HERE

BABIES ARE NOT PARASITES  The preborn are not parasites. They are beautiful, unique human beings that have a right to life. Calling the preborn a parasite is inaccurate, derogatory, and dehumanizing.  READ MORE HERE

WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBER, STEPHANIE JOHNSON! PPL is excited to welcome our newest board member, Stephanie Johnson.  Stephanie is a member of First Presbyterian, Greenville, SC (ECO) and is a leader in their Light and Life Ministry.  Stephanie is married to Rev. Stan Johnson, an associate at FPC, and they are parents to six children and have nine grandchildren.  Read more about our other board members here.

Will you click the donate button today? PPL has started a new fundraising campaign with a goal of $100,000. With rising costs of almost everything we know our actual expenses will hover around the $80,000 mark. That's the bottom line. We have added to our goal, funds to re-publish one of our most popular resources: Pregnant With Promise, a 2010 Bible Study by Marie Bowen on the character of God as shown through the pregnancy stories of the Bible and funds to convert the Baby Chris blog series by Deborah Hollifield into book format.

Why the name "Baby Steps" campaign? It's simple. Many people feel a small gift is not enough to make a difference. Instead of giving $5 or $10 now they wait until they are able to make a larger contribution--and that day never comes. Will you take a "baby step" today and make a gift of any size? Perhaps choose an amount you know you can give every month and set up a recurring donation today.  $10 a month for 12 months is $120! $100/month will be a major gift of $1200 by the end of the year. And $200/month will be $2400. Baby steps grow up into giant leaps that empower PPL to equip the church to champion life! Click the DONATE button to learn more about this campaign. (Don't worry, you can exit without making a donation if you really want to do that!)  Other ways to give To donate via text from your phone: Text "give" to 1 (717) 537-0909. Follow the prompts on the page that opens to make a gift to equip Presbyterians to save human lives! To donate by check, simply mail your check to: PPL, PO Box 5239, Lancaster, PA 15606-5239. Set up a monthly recurring check through your online bill pay with your bank. Give an IRA disbursement and avoid paying income tax on it. Call us for information about giving stocks. Click the donate button below to help PPL make a difference today!

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#Petition: 6 years in prison for a mistake? - Grant RaDonda Vaught Clemency

RaDonda Vaught was a Registered Nurse at Vanderbilt Medical Center when she made a medication error that led to the death of her patient. Although RaDonda took steps to report this mistake, Vanderbilt failed to report it to CMS. When CMS was anonymously informed, they held RaDonda fully responsible. Now, she faces up to 6 years in prison. Hannah, a fellow nurse, started her petition because she knows RaDonda shouldn’t be prosecuted for this mistake. Even the patient’s family doesn’t want to see RaDonda charged. Sign this petition to help grant RaDonda clemency and to keep her out of prison. Grant RaDonda Vaught Clemency 111,566 have signed Hannah McLaughlin’s petition. Let’s get to 150,000!

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RaDonda Vaught is a previous Registered Nurse who worked at Vanderbilt Medical Center. She made a medication error eventually leading to the death of the patient. Vanderbilt failed to report this incident to the Tennessee Department of Health and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. CMS was anonymously informed of this error and recently RaDonda Vaught was found guilty of negligence of an impaired adult and criminal negligent homicide. She can face up to 6 years in prison.  RaDonda was honest with her mistake and took the necessary steps of reporting the incident. She unfortunately is the only one being held accountable for this mistake.  Many have attested to her character, compassion, professionalism, and skills during her nursing career. She is not a threat to society and does not deserve to be criminally charged for a mistake. The patient’s family states the patient would not want RaDonda to be prosecuted for this mistake.  RaDonda Vaught has made it clear that she takes accountability for her medication error. She has expressed her remorse to the patient and her family. Granting clemency for her mistake is absolutely what she deserves as she is the only person in this situation who has been up front and honest. She did not handle this situation out of greed and fear of scrutiny like the hospital she worked for.  She needs the community’s support! She needs fellow nurse’s support! We have power in numbers.  RaDonda Vaught’s sentencing is scheduled for May 13th, 2022.

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Thank you! We have reached our goal

Thank you! Synod meets $50,000 match for Ukraine In a little more than three weeks, individuals, churches and presbyteries within the Synod of the Trinity region have contributed in excess of $50,000 to help support the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine. All of these funds are being matched by the Synod and forwarded to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, which is working with ecumenical partners that are dealing with the humanitarian crisis in countries bordering Ukraine. Thanks to you, we have met our matching total. While we will end up matching more than the $50,000 figure, we will no longer be matching future contributions. Any additional funds we receive that are earmarked for "Ukraine" will still be forwarded to PDA. We urge you to continue to support PDA's efforts with prayer and monitary contributions, which can be made through the PDA's website by clicking here. (Note: Gifts can be designated for Ukraine in the comments/instructions box on the second page of the giving form.) Again, we thank you for your overwhelming generosity during this time.

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - A climate scientist’s case for hope and healing

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - A climate scientist’s case for hope and healing: New York Avenue Presbyterian Church hosts Dr. Katharine Hayhoe for an online talk heard by nearly 400 people March 31, 2022 Dr. Katharine Ha...

WCC NEWS: WCC convenes roundtable on Ukraine, calls for diplomacy instead of threats, dialogue instead of confrontation

The World Council of Churches (WCC) convened an ecumenical roundtable consultation on the situation in Ukraine, which took place 30 March at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute. Senior representatives of WCC member churches from several European countries neighbouring and directly affected by the current conflict joined the WCC ecumenical round table consultation on the situation in Ukraine, on 30 March at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute, Switzerland. Photo: Marianne Ejdersten/WCC 30 March 2022 Those gathered included senior representatives of WCC member churches from several European countries neighbouring and directly affected by the current conflict. “We regret that it was not possible for the representatives from Russia and Ukraine to travel to join us for this consultation, though they had accepted the invitation to do so,” said WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, convener of the gathering. “This is one of several roundtables that will be convened.” The purpose of this meeting was to consult, share perspectives on the conflict and its causes, and to discern possible paths forward for the churches together in working for peace in the midst of war. “We denounce the military aggression launched by the leadership of the Russian Federation against the people of the sovereign nation of Ukraine,” the message reads. “We affirm the right of the people of Ukraine to defend themselves against this aggression.” The message also expresses grief for all the precious lives already lost.  “We lift up the compassionate care and support offered to the Ukrainian refugees by the authorities, local communities, churches and church-related organizations in neighbouring and other countries, as a good example of the care and support all refugees fleeing from every such threat to life and dignity should receive,” the message reads. “We join in calling for a cease-fire in Ukraine, for humanitarian corridors to be opened and respected, and for sustained negotiations for a secure and just peace, to bring an end to this suffering.” The message also calls for recognition, respect and protection of the God-given human dignity of every human being in harm’s way due to this or any other armed conflict. “All those responsible for violations of applicable laws and crimes against humanity must be held fully accountable for their actions,” reads the message. “Beyond the borders of Ukraine, and beyond the new diaspora of its displaced and suffering people, we are also gravely concerned about the even wider, longer-term consequences of this unjustifiable aggression.” The message also mentions the wider consequences across the globe as the conflict continues, including food shortages. “We share the strong conviction that there is no legitimate way in which this armed aggression and its terrible consequences can be justified or tolerated from the perspective of our most fundamental Christian faith principles,” the message reads. “Acutely conscious of the grave risks of further escalation of the violence in Ukraine, of wider and even more destructive conflict, and of the abhorrent threat of weapons of mass destruction, we appeal for diplomacy instead of threats, dialogue instead of confrontation and exclusion, truth instead of disinformation, and for the voice of conscience - inspired by God’s will for all the people of God and God’s unique creation - to be heard.” The message concludes: “As leaders of Christian communities facing this conflict and its consequences, and aware that sister churches hold different perspectives on the conflict’s root causes, we stress the importance of the WCC as the ecumenical movement’s leading instrument for sharing divergent perspectives, struggling with our differences, and seeking reconciliation and unity in word and deed to which our faith calls us. We join in fervent prayer for peace in Ukraine, in Europe and in the whole world, for the transformation of hearts and minds presently fixated on confrontation and violence, and for a turning to the path of peace where our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ leads us.” The message also affirms the role of the World Council of Churches as a platform for ecumenical dialogue. "We acknowledge the calling of churches and of the ecumenical movement to be peace-makers, and mutually commit to continuing to meet and to work together for justice and peace, counting on the good offices of the WCC to continue to convene us and enable our intent,” reads the conclusion. “We ask the WCC acting general secretary to renew his invitation to the WCC member churches in Russia and Ukraine to join us in another roundtable discussion as soon as possible.” Read the full message from the WCC round table on Ukraine Church response to refugees, “I’m seeing the image of God in you” (WCC news release 24 March 2022) See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

#Petition: Resume Gender Affirming Voice Services at BYU Immediately

Resume Gender Affirming Voice Services at BYU Immediately

RJ Risueno started this petition to Brigham Young University, Richard Osguthorpe, American Speech-Language Hearing Association, and it now has 4,925 signatures

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Subject: Unethical Termination of Services to Transgender Clients at BYU Speech and Language Clinic Greetings Ms. Meyer, Dr. Dromey and Dr. Osguthorpe, We are writing to express our concerns over the violation of ASHA’s code of ethics at your clinic, specifically as it relates to your sudden termination of services for transgender individuals. BYU’s decision to terminate services for transgender individuals is discriminatory since services were provided to these individuals until the Board of Trustees was made aware that the clients were transgender. The General Handbook of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 38.6.23, was used as the basis for the sudden termination of services: “Church leaders counsel against elective medical or surgical intervention for the purpose of attempting to transition to the opposite gender of a person’s biological sex at birth.” However, for individuals seeking voice and communication therapy, such services are not elective. The purpose of gender affirming voice therapy is to support clients in communicating in a safe, healthy, and authentic manner (World Professional Association for Transgender Health, 2011). For many individuals seeking this service, achieving vocal congruence can decrease dysphoria, improve mental health outcomes, enhance quality of life and increase both safety and access. Furthermore, voice services at BYU targeting the same goals (resonance, pitch, volume) are provided to cisgender clients without hesitation. Transgender people are a vulnerable population, already facing many barriers to adequate medical care. The care provided at the BYU clinic was likely a lifeline for many, as well as an invaluable learning experience for future clinicians provided by your university. For transgender people, seeing a new healthcare provider can be scary, and even traumatic. Half of all transgender people report having to educate their own providers about how to care for them as individuals (National Transgender Discrimination Survey, 2017). While these clients of BYU’s clinic may have been transferred to someone else’s care, the indignity suffered when a space will no longer serve you adds to the compounding trauma that transgender people already carry.  The decision to terminate voice services for transgender individuals negatively impacts graduate students. A survey of 386 graduate students and speech-language pathologists found that while about 80% agreed that transgender voicework is within their scope of practice and an ethical responsibility, only 20% reported receiving training in the area and 8% reported having worked with transgender individuals (Matthews et al, 2020). These findings highlight the lack of trained providers who can support transgender individuals.  By blatantly refusing services to transgender individuals, BYU is contributing to this knowledge-gap, thereby further harming an underserved population. The Communication Disorders program has expert faculty and students willing to help transgender individuals; BYU, however, does not wish to participate in this practice that is vital both to the students providing the services and the people receiving them.  Dr. Dromey, thank you for creating a space in which these services were accessible and delivered in a culturally responsive manner. We appreciate your continued advocacy for members of the transgender community, your professionalism and your allyship. Your efforts to retain this program, in spite of administrative pushback, are admirable. It is our sincere hope that you will be able to open your doors again to transgender clients. Dr. Osguthorpe, BYU’s slogan, “enter to learn, go forth and serve” applies to this situation directly. Your students deserve the highest quality of education from your University. BYU is known for its academic rigor. How will the students at your university best serve diverse populations without direct training? Service to community and those in need are at the core of Mormon values.  Please reflect on the following questions: Who is protected when transgender people are excluded?  Who is harmed when transgender people are included? We strongly urge ASHA to support Dr. Dromey and advocate for his clinic to continue providing what far too few graduate clinics have been able to provide.   We call on our fellow Speech/Language Pathologists to amplify and co-sign this letter, and allow Dr. Dromey reopen his clinic’s doors to all who seek services.  With Hope and Gratitude, RJ Risueno (he/him) MS CCC/SLP AC Goldberg (he/him) PhD CCC/SLP

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