While Jan. 21 was Sanctity of Life Sunday, an important time to highlight pro-life issues, many Southern Baptist churches in Illinois support pro-life efforts in their communities throughout the year.

Darlene Leatherwood, Children’s Minister at First Baptist Church in O’Fallon, shared some of the things the church does with the Illinois Baptist. "We’ve done a lot of different things including hosting training for a crisis pregnancy center in our area. We encourage our church members to go there to volunteer."

The church uses baby bottles as a part of its message. Sometimes church members will collect baby bottles to give to the center. Other times baby bottles are used as coin banks to fill with donations for the center.

Each year, children ranging from preschool to sixth grade participate in a project to collect specific items for the local crisis pregnancy center, New Beginnings. "One of our members is a very active center volunteer and talks to the children about what they are collecting for," said Leatherwood. "Sometimes we share pictures of the people they have helped. We’ve also had a young mom come in who talked about how what the children collected, helped her care for her baby."

When Leatherwood’s daughter was expecting she did not want a shower for herself because she and her husband already had everything they needed. Instead they decided to have a baby shower for the crisis pregnancy center. "It was a lot of fun to see what our members brought," she said.

Pat Pajak, pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Decatur, said his church members are also active in community pro-life efforts. "We have several members who volunteer at New Life Crisis Pregnancy Center in Decatur, teaching sexual abstinence in schools, providing counseling for pregnant girls and women, and confidential pregnancy testing. These members also provide cribs, baby clothes, bottles and other items through the center. Some lead mothering classes for young girls and single moms."

Church members take up collections of baby blankets, clothes, bottles and other necessities for the local crisis pregnancy center.

The church also financially supports Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services maternity center, Angels’ Cove, and directs girls in that direction when necessary, said Pajak who is also president of the Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services Board of Directors.

Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon also focuses on pro-life efforts. Jason Webb, assistant pastor, told the Illinois Baptist about "The Great White Out" held at last year’s Vacation Bible School. "Everyone brought paper goods like napkins, paper towels and toilet paper to donate to Angels’ Cove Maternity Center." The VBS offering was also given to the center.

Like O’Fallon, Pleasant Hill has provided baby bottles to be used as coin banks to donate money to pro-life efforts.

Two of the church’s members serve as relief houseparents at Angels’ Cove and others have volunteered at different crisis pregnancy centers in the area.

Pastor Jack Lucas says the majority of the work they do is for Angels’ Cove, but they also help a crisis pregnancy center in nearby Salem. "Our GAs [Girls in Action] have participated in their Walk for Life and have collected baby bottles for the center." Other members have donated computer expertise and participated in a golf scramble to aid another local crisis pregnancy center.

Pleasant Hill joins with other churches in the Salem South Baptist Association to hold baby showers for Angels’ Cove. One of those churches is Logan Street Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon. Pastor Mike Davis said the Women on Mission group purchases food and paper goods for Angels’ Cove’s pantry, while Sunday School classes donate money and collect household supplies. Women in the church have also mentored the young women living at Angels’ Cove.

Each Christmas the church hosts an annual Christmas Adoption dinner for families that have adopted children from the center. Davis said, "It’s a very special time. You get to see the results and what a difference it has made in the life of that family." The church also host’s the Angels’ Cove Executive Director Dinner.

Staff at all four IBSA churches feel their efforts help make members more aware of the sanctity of life. Leatherwood said, "We have a greater commitment to life. It’s an easy thing to overlook when it doesn’t affect your life. It’s made the average church member more active and involved."

"One year we made thousands of copies of the Gerber baby’s face on blue and pink paper," Pajak said. "We had them posted all over the walls, hallways, pews and ceiling fans. People came in on Sunday morning and we explained that’s how many babies are aborted in one day in the United States.

"Another year we had 50 first through third graders make their way down the aisles during the worship service carrying candles, each one representing one million aborted children," he said.

In another visual representation, Tabernacle showed a number of crosses representing those killed in all of the wars the United States has fought and then showed the number of crosses representing those who have been aborted.

Sunday School teachers at Tabernacle are also encouraged to teach the Sanctity of Human Life Sunday School lesson provided by LifeWay Christian Resources.

Pajak stressed the need to remember the other victims of abortion. "Each year when we do the Sanctity of Human Life emphasis, we try to emphasize that God is forgiving and loving to those women who have had abortions in the past. We also offer counseling to men and women who have gone through the trauma of abortion."

Pajak also makes sure his congregants remember other pro-life issues including euthanasia and assisted suicide, which is also known as "mercy killing." "All life is valuable and viable. That’s whether you’re in the womb or in the latter years of life."

A team of researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital in Boston found the stem cells in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women, according to The Washington Post. Unlike embryonic stem cell research, the extraction of the cells from the fluid that surrounds an unborn child does not require the destruction of a tiny human being. These cells have the ability to develop into a variety of tissues, a trait of embryonic stem cells, but do not have the tendency to form tumors, a propensity that has plagued research on cells from embryos.

The report on the stem cells in amniotic fluid was welcomed as "wonderful news" by Richard Doerflinger of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, according to The Post. The Catholic Conference opposes destructive embryonic research.

The announcement of the newly discovered cells, however, did not deter at least some stem cell researchers from their plans to pursue destructive experiments. "They are not a replacement for embryonic stem cells," Harvard researcher George Daley told The Post.

The report, however, appeared to provide another blow to the years-long, and often misleading, media campaign on behalf of embryonic stem cell research. Research that destroys embryos has yet to treat any diseases in human beings.

Research using stem cells from non-embryonic sources, however, does not harm the donor and has produced treatments for at least 72 ailments, according to Do No Harm, a coalition promoting ethics in research. These afflictions include spinal cord injuries, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis and sickle cell anemia. Non-embryonic sources of stem cells include umbilical cord blood, placentas, fat and bone marrow.

Stem cells are the body’s master cells that can develop into other cells and tissues.

Procuring stem cells from amniotic fluid is not risk-free. The extraction of the fluid, which is performed by a needle’s insertion through the abdomen into the amniotic sac, reportedly may present a risk to the unborn baby and a possible threat of infection to the mother. The procedure, known as amniocentesis, does not increase the rate of miscarriage during the fourth to sixth months of pregnancy, according to a study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, Reuters News Service reported in November.

Amniocentesis is performed often to detect birth defects. The testing of the fluid also can determine the baby’s sex.

The report showed stem cells in amniotic fluid may be isolated as soon as 10 weeks after conception, according to The Post. The study’s leader, Anthony Atala of Wake Forest, said amniotic fluid stem cell donations from 100,000 women would supply enough cells for the tissues needed by virtually all Americans, The Post reported.

If you hosted people, you probably cleaned, decorated, bought, baked and cleaned up afterwards. Even if you went to someone else’s home, you planned, you packed, you gassed up the car, packed up the gifts, made the drive and at least offered to help them clean up afterwards. In either case, there was no doubt a moment when you collapsed into your favorite chair exhausted, glad it was over.

Yet as time passes the hard work of "getting ready for company" starts to fade from our minds. The enjoyment of being together, and the joys of eating, laughing and giving tend to eclipse the hard work of

preparation. We’ll do it again next time, because it was worth it. The people we did it for are worth it.

The same dynamic should be true in our churches, not just during the holidays but every week. Are you "expecting company" at your church this weekend? When a guest walks into your church, do they quickly find evidence that you have worked hard to prepare for their arrival, and tried to anticipate their needs?

I’m talking about more than just a hello at the door or even a welcome packet with information about the church, though those are important. Not long ago my wife, Beth, and I were standing in the hallway of a church we were visiting. A mom with two young children grabbed my wife’s elbow and asked, "Excuse me, do my kids stay with me during church today or do you have something special for them?"

Apologetically, Beth said she didn’t know, but she was sure the lady at the "Welcome Center" would know. But she didn’t. We quickly checked the church bulletin. No clues there either. The Welcome Center lady then dutifully scurried off to find someone who might know the answer to her question. And I looked at the abandoned Welcome Center and wondered who would answer the next person’s question.

This church was actually more "ready for company" than many. And I hope our Sunday morning scramble at least communicated to that mom that she and her kids were important to us. But it reminded me again that expecting guests and anticipating their needs is hard work, especially for a church. It reminded me how much of our preparation can be for our own comfort and enjoyment, and that we may actually be setting up "homey" environments that make guests feel like they don’t belong. And unfortunately, it reminded me why many Christians don’t feel good about inviting their unchurched friends to church.

As we took our seats that morning, Beth was still concerned about this mom and her children.

"I just want to make sure they’re alright," she said, looking over her shoulder. "You know, when you’re speaking at another church and not with us on Sunday, people sometimes assume I’m a single mom – so, I guess I understand how she might feel."

That feeling – being new in a church and not knowing many people and not knowing where things are and how they work – is a feeling we could all benefit from having refreshed occasionally. I think it would motivate us to keep working hard at getting ready for company. There will be a day when we forget how much trouble it was. Because the people we do it for, are worth it.

Insisting on absolute confidentiality, Weyand gave Fromson and the Times’ R.W. Apple, Jr. a two-hour interview, and they rushed his provocative, demoralizing message to the world. Apple later called it his most important story ever, and Weyand, his military status intact, later became Army Chief of Staff: a win-win story, one that Fromson hopes will inspire other dissident generals to whisper discouraging words about Iraq to the press.

In 1967, I was in R.O.T.C., headed to infantry school. We cadets were memorizing such leadership traits as judgment, dependability, integrity, enthusiasm, bearing, unselfishness, courage, loyalty and endurance, all of which Weyand could have used more. With his words, the general emboldened the very NVA and Viet Cong soldiers we were training to fight, as we negotiated the "spider holes" and booby traps in the mock Vietnamese villages at Forts Sill and Benning. As one obliged to intimidate the enemy, Weyand was encouraging them, at no cost to himself. (Just imagine the effect of the North’s General Giap telling the Times that the American’s were unbeatable.)

What if Fromson had retorted, "Have you said this to Westmoreland? If so, and if you didn’t get your way, does respect for the chain of command mean anything to you? What makes you so smug in your judgment on a difficult matter? And if you can’t abide Westmoreland’s judgment, why don’t you resign, identify yourself, and criticize freely from outside – without, of course, revealing classified information, which you are honor bound to protect? Besides, what do you take me for, one who enables hypocrites who want to pass as trustworthy? Get out of here, or I’ll report you as the weasel you are."

Of course, this is fantasy. Many reporters love scoop-and-dagger as much as life itself. They are only too ready to play Smeagols (i.e., Gollum in "Lord of the Rings") to their voluble weasels. Skulking around with tidbits of treachery, these journalists murmur, "my precious" as they fantasize about Pulitzers, promotions and political power. And they are only too ready to excuse, and even honor, those who lack the gumption to work with one face rather than two. By their standard, there is nothing shady about quoting "the defense specialist, who requested anonymity because the discussions were private" (see the December 13, 2006, AP story by Jennifer Loven, "Bush Decides Direction of Iraq Policy.")

Jennifer, weren’t the discussions private? So weren’t the specialist’s remarks contemptible? And isn’t your implied whitewash of his secrecy a bit like saying he was a man "who stole the watch because he liked it and he didn’t want to pay for it" or "who left his wife because he was tired of her and he thought he could do better"? Explanation is not excuse, not even for cowardice.

Article Six of the U.S. Constitution guarantees that the accused must be "confronted with the witnesses against him." Without this right, where is the chance to cross-examination the witness? And without granting this right, how can American journalism presume to occupy moral high ground as it maneuvers in the court of public opinion?

The film, which is set to be released on DVD Jan. 30, will include director's commentary, behind-the-scenes shots, bloopers and deleted scenes. Churches can purchase the DVD, along with the required license to show it in a group setting, now at www.providentfilms.org. Illinois Baptist State Association churches will receive an automatic 10 percent off of the purchase price when they use promo code NCSBC-Giants.

According to Baptist Press, the movie follows a high school football coach battling job security, financial problems and infertility. Through it all, he, his wife and the team learn to honor God in all things. The movie is rated PG, although it has no objectionable content.

The film was made by the staff and members of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., on a shoestring budget of only $100,000.

Alex Kendrick, an associate pastor at the 3,000-member church, played the lead character. He and his brother, Stephen – also a pastor at the church – wrote the script. The only person in the film with no relation either to the church or its Christian school is University of Georgia football coach Mark Richt, who plays himself.

McBride and others hope that churches across the nation will use the movie for outreach. Even though Sherwood Baptist's e-mail address isn't included on the Facing the Giants website, some 4,000 people nonetheless have e-mailed the church, testifying to the movie's impact on them. More than 800 people have prayed to receive Christ after watching the film, McBride said.

For more information about the film go to www.facingthegiants.com.

Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services has made domestic adoption services available through Angels’ Cove Maternity Center in Mt. Vernon. Regina Thompson is the center’s director of Maternity, Adoption and Foster Care. Thompson shared how the process works. "We have requirements they [couples wishing to adopt] would have to meet," she said. "Then they are put on a waiting list. During this time we license them as adopt only/foster care."

Most of children adopted through BCHFS domestically are born to mothers living at Angels’ Cove. Thompson said, "The birth mothers choose the adoptive families and meet them on first name basis only. After an adoption, many adoptive parents send letters through Angels’ Cove to keep the birth parent informed."

BCHFS also networks with All God’s Children International, an adoption agency based in Oregon. They do home studies for the agency which makes adoptions possible in China, Guatemala, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Ethiopia and Nepal.

All adoptions require a home study interview, which is a process that includes getting background clearances on the prospective parents and six to seven hours of interviews. They must also meet the State of Illinois’ Department of Family Service’s standards and provide seven references. Federal Bureau of Investigation clearances must be obtained for all international adoptions.

Adoptive parents-to-be also undergo eight hours of training for domestic adoptions and ten hours of training for international adoptions. Topics during the training include legal issues, understanding infertility and discussing how adoptees view adoption. Training for international adoption also includes information about children raised in institutions and different cultures.

The cost to adopt domestically is determined on a sliding scale based on income. The average cost is $4,000 to $10,000. Thompson says the cost to adopt internationally depends on the country. She has seen some international adoption fees as high as $35,000, but the average is usually between $20,000 to $22,000.

Some organizations like All God’s Children have special funds to help couples pay for the cost of adoption.

According to Thompson there is usually a wait of nine months to a year to adopt internationally. The wait for those wishing to adopt domestically can be anywhere from two to three years.

Thompson is glad to work with any Illinois Baptists interested in adoption. "Even if a family has already chosen another agency we love to do home studies."

Over the last three years, Angels’ Cove has facilitated 15 domestic and 10 international adoptions. In 2006, they did home studies for 25 new families seeking to adopt.

To find out more about adopting through BCHFS, call Regina Thompson at (618) 242-4944, ext. 12 or go to www.bchfs.org. For more information about All God’s Children International go to www.allgodschildren.org