National Day of Prayer Events in Connecticut

Tomorrow is the National Day of Prayer... thank God there are too many events for me to list individually here...

For a listing of NDOP events in Connecticut, go here!

Tags: Connecticut, Christian, Evangelical

Global Day of Prayer: May 3 Prayer Emphasis

Please join us as we pray daily for the upcoming Global Day of Prayer events in Hartford on June 4th! Each day we will run a prayer emphasis from the When Connecticut Prays prayer guide. For your own copy of the prayer guide, you can download a PDF here.

Today, please pray:

For Hartford County; that God would work through His people whom He has placed in our educational, governmental and service organizations.

Tags: Connecticut, Christian, Evangelical

Fasting and Prayer leading up to the Global Day of Prayer

Please join us as we pray daily for the upcoming Global Day of Prayer events in Hartford on June 4th! Each day we will run a prayer emphasis from the When Connecticut Prays prayer guide. For your own copy of the prayer guide, you can download a PDF here.

MAY 2:
Please pray:

For those planning the June 4th prayer gathering - that God would guide them as they meet today and that He would be glorified.

Tags: Connecticut, prayer, Christian, evangelical

Just over a month to the Statewide Prayer Gathering!

From When Connecticut Prays:

Statewide Prayer Gathering
June 4, 2006 6:30 p.m. Pentecost Sunday
@ the New Connecticut Convention Center

"[If] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14

On June 4th, 2006, The Connecticut Convention Center which can hold 7,000 people will be host to a Statewide Prayer Gathering. This will be a time for all the Churches within Connecticut to come together and seek the Lord God as one.

Come join your brothers and sisters as we assemble together to pray and seek the Lord for the state of Connecticut. Connecticut has one of the lowest percentages of believing Christians in the nation. Although we have a rich history of Christian love and service, today our legacy is of economic wealth, poor cities, liberal educational institutions and moral decline. The youth of today are bombarded with the darkness of the world and many are succumbing to overwhelming temptations and bondage. Now is the time to put aside our differences and come together in unity to seek and call upon our one Lord, by His one Holy Spirit, and ask Him to heal our land.

The Word of God promises, and history confirms, that the Lord brings revival and community transformation when His people come together to seek Him, pray and repent. And this is what we will do on this historic day in June - seek, pray, repent.

Tags: Connecticut, Prayer, Christian, Evangelical

Regional Prayer Meetings Tomorrow Night!

A final reminder to all of the regional prayer meetings coming up tomorrow, as we build momentum towards the Global Day of Prayer events on June 4.

For full information, including locations of prayer meetings in each county, please visit When Connecticut Prays.

Tags: Connecticut

Connecticut's Chief Justice retiring

Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court William Sullivan announced his retirement on Friday, and Governor Rell quickly nominated Justice Peter Zarella to fill the post. Justice Zarella faces a confirmation hearing. Please pray for everything connected with this nomination, and for God's perfect will to be done with this very important position.

Tags: Connecticut

Regional Prayer Meetings Coming On April 30th

A reminder to all of the regional prayer meetings coming up on April 30th, as we build momentum towards the Global Day of Prayer events on June 4. For full information, please visit When Connecticut Prays.


A current listing of prayer venues is as follows:

Columbia
April 30, 2006, 6:30 pm
Location: Baptist Fellowship, 195 Route 6
Contact: Pastor Dennis Reiter

Eastford
April 30, 2006, 6:00pm
Location: Congregational Church, 8 Church Rd (Directions)
Contact: Pastor Michael Moran, 860.974.0294

Enfield
April 30, 2006, 7:00pm
Location: Enfield Christian Fellowship, 139 Hazard Avenue, Building 4
Contact: Pastor Steve

Greenwich
April 30, 2006, 7:00pm
Location: Harvest Time Church, 1338 King Street
Contact: Pastor Nick Uva, 203.531.7778

Groton
April 30, 2006, 7:00pm
Location: Bishop Seabury Episcopal Church, 256 North Road (Directions)
Contact: Pastor Joe Paskewich

Hartford
April 30, 2006, 7:00pm
Location: House of Restoration, 1665 Main St
Contact: Bishop Jeremiah Torres, 860.525.2764

Middletown
April 30, 2006, 7:00pm
Location: Faith Christian Assembly, 46 Grandview Dr., 860.635.1781 (Directions)
Contact: David Scovel, 860.301.2807

Plainfield
April 30, 2006, 7:00pm
Location: Lighthouse Church of God, 33 Plainfield Pike Rd. (Directions)
Contact: Pastor David Gregg, 860.564.0445

Rockville
April 30, 2006, 6:30-8:30 pm
Location: Rockville United Methodist Church, 142 Grove St (Directions)
Contact: Pastor Weston Brooks

Shelton area
April 30, 2006, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Contact: Pastor Doug Steeves, 203.929.1222

Torrington
April 30th, 2006, 7:00pm
Location: Torrington Middle School, 200 Middle School Drive
Contact: Ron Boratko, 860.482.8147

West Haven
May 4, 2006, Time TBA
Location: Living Word Ministries, 225 Meloy Road (Directions)
Contact: Rev. Michael Bulkley, 203. 877.5464 Ext. 17

Tags: Connecticut, Christian, Evangelical, prayer

Governor siding with emergency contraceptive foes, so far

Governor Rell is supporting existing law which allows religious hospitals to refuse to administer "morning after" pills which could terminate a pregnancy. This has generated predictable outrage from the usual quarters. Please pray against Senate Bill 445, and ask God to give us a culture of life in our State! Give thanks for the Governor's stance and support her in it. As we know, the anti-life forces are strident and becoming more so as they see pendulums swinging...

Tags: Connecticut, Evangelical, Christian

All the way down? All the way up?

Just in case you missed it, which is probably unlikely, former Governor Rowland is out of prison, and talking the talk. You know, dropping the "G" word. The AP quotes him:

I kind of have this blind faith that God will work a way in my life that will steer me down a different path. I'm not sure what that plan is, but I know that God has a different plan, a better plan for me...

Courant columnist Helen Ubiñas isn't buying it, at least not yet. In an article entitled "Jailhouse Transformations Face The Test of Time," Ms. Ubiñas is admittedly skeptical, despite her frequent brushes with themes of religion and redemption.

We should be suspicious of a conversion that sounds a little too much like the Christian best-seller "The Purpose-Driven Life."

In fact, some of his declarations sounded so much like the book that in a follow-up e-mail I asked him if he had read it while he was away. But he didn't answer me, and passed on a face-to-face chat. There was nothing new for us to discuss, he said.

I think we're all old enough to know that jailhouse transformations face the test of time. At least I am. But some of them are very real. Charles Colson comes to mind, of course. His life across the last thirty years should suffice to convinve anyone of the reality of his conversion. At this point, let's just pray for the ex-Governor; if his apparent profession is the real thing, he'll need God's grace on a daily basis - as we all do.

And, it seems like Ms. Ubiñas has been doing a bit of reading herself, so let's pray for her, too...

Finally, looking to the future of our spiritually-troubled State, we still have God's command to pray for all those who are currently in authority.

Tags: Connecticut, Christian, Evangelical, Purpose-Driven

A Call for 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer

Prayer Leaders Lou Engle, Mike Bickle, Dutch Sheets, and Francis Frangipane are calling for "40 Days of Fasting and Prayer from March 1 to April 9 for Revival, Reformation, Muslim nations, and Israel."

The release states:

We are fasting and praying for Revival, for the shifting of the Supreme Court and the ending of abortion, for the Middle East crisis and the freedom of a billion souls from the vise grip of Islam, and for the security and salvation of Israel.

This is worth reading and, if anything, the situation is more dire as it appears that Iraq may be headed for full-blown religious civil war. Interestingly, the last day of the fast, April 9, is not only Palm Sunday but is said to be the 100th anniversary of the Pentecostal outpouring at Azusa Street. Keep praying!

Money Money Money Money

Long before there was Donald Trump, or at least before there was The Apprentice, there were the O'Jays, and they used to sing about money and how it was the root of all evil. A slight misquoting of what Paul actually said to Timothy, but chock full of homespun wisdom anyway, at least for a Top 40 single.

Lately I find myself wondering where the merry-go-round of money will stop around our fair state. Is Connecticut going insane? Maybe this is Exhibit A in the case for madness:

GREENWICH, CT-Antares Investment Partners has purchased two rental apartment properties here in what is believed to be the largest single real estate transaction in Connecticut history. The locally based firm plans to convert a majority of the units into condominiums.

Antares acquired the Putnam Green I-III development and the Weaver’s Hill community here for $223 million from an affiliate of locally based Mill Management Group. The seller had owned both properties for more than 30 years.

Yes, that's $223 million. Add to this the story about the $3,000 martinis they're selling at Foxwoods and you may experience the onset of vertigo. To be fair, the martinis have a nice pair of earrings in them. Well, Dad always said something is worth whatever somebody's willing to pay for it. And that's life in Connecticut in 2006...

But I can't help thinking about the lady in Norwich whose electric bill doubled in the past 18 months. Or that the City of New Haven is so desperate for money that they're talking about putting cameras up all over town to catch and confiscate cars whose owners owe the City for parking tickets and taxes.

A New Haven Register reporter accompanied State Marshal Jerry Juliano on the first day of seizures under the new rules. An elderly man in a walker barely escaped being stranded for $216 in parking tickets because he drove away in his Toyota Camry just before the tow truck could take his car.

Similarly, a young mother with three small children also narrowly escaped, driving away in her Dodge Durango just before tow trucks could strand her. The 2002 Chevy Malibu belonging to John Gomez, 42, was flagged for towing as the system showed he owed $208.53 -- just as he was leaving City Hall with a "paid in full" receipt in his pocket. Gomez had placed a sign on his window, "Please don't tow -- paying tax now."

"If you're inside paying your taxes, who's to say they won't snatch you up while you're in there," Gomez told the New Haven Register. "I believe I have to pay my taxes, don't get me wrong. But what if I wasn't working? I'm lucky. I have a family and means to pay. Not everyone is so lucky."

The O'Jays told us not to let money rule us, or fool us. How are we doing?

Courant goes back to St. John's Episcopal

The Courant has done a piece today on the aftermath of Episcopal Bishop Andrew Smith's deposing the Rev. Mark Hansen. Check it out.

Note: If you're ever unable to tell where the Courant stands on something, the accompanying photographs usually help to inform us as to their point of view. In this case one of the pictures carries an explanatory note which actually seems libelous of Rev. Hansen.

Tags: Connecticut, Christian, Episcopal, Anglican

Bethany Dillon coming to Fairfield with Story Side B

Rock The Sound Concerts is presenting multiple Dove award-nominated 17 year old artist Bethany Dillon, making her first visit to Connecticut on Saturday, April 8 at Black Rock Congregational Church in Fairfield, CT.

Possible break-out artist Story Side B (currently #2 on the Christian music charts) will also be making their first visit to the Northeast. This is a benefit concert for World Vision.

Hurry! Seating is limited!

Tickets: $10 Prior to March 31, 2006; $20 thereafter.

For updated information on concerts and other events, check out our Christian Events Calendar!

Tags: Connecticut, Christian, Evangelical

Praying for Connecticut's children

Connecticut's children need prayer - it seems there has been a rash of tragedies lately with our kids, and some have definitely lost their way. Eighth-grade girls allegedly draw 100 swastikas all over a middle school. Older teens are accused of attempted murder.

Can it be that we are teaching our children that life - and their lives - are meaningless? What message can kids derive when their churches celebrate something called "Evolution Sunday?"

The Rev. Woody Eddins of Bristol is one of more than 10,000 Protestant pastors who have signed a letter calling for clergy members to speak out against the anti-evolution movement that portrays science as a threat to religious faith. This [past weekend was] "Evolution Sunday" for more than 400 churches across the country, including six in Connecticut.

When people grow up learning that they are the products of blind, cosmic chance and an endless sequence of beneficial mutations, how else can you expect them to behave? When churches succumb to the fashions of the day and so cannot even offer a sense of the majesty of a Creator, where else in this society can children hear of Him?

Tags: Connecticut, Evangelical, Intelligent Design

First comment spam, and now...

It wasn't that long ago I was apologizing for requiring "word verification" before allowing comments - now I have to moderate comments. I thought about doing away with them altogether, but we do get some lovely ones from time to time and they perk up our day here at the Pray Connecticut country villa. Solution: I will now have to moderate comments before they go up on the site. What's prompting this? Someone making inappropriate remarks about a public official. People can't help themselves, I guess. Keep your comments coming, but don't expect them to appear instantly. Thanks!

"Will and Grace" won't show Spears episode

Apparently NBC has decided not to run the offensive item referenced below. Thanks for your efforts.

Will NBC30 run "Will and Grace" episode with Britney Spears?

Although I thought the story was too ridiculous to be true, I checked it out and saw that even the BBC was running it:

She [Britney] will appear as a talk show sidekick to Sean Hayes' character, Jack, in an episode to be shown in the US in April. Jack's fictional network, Out TV, is bought by a Christian TV network, leading to Spears contributing a cooking segment called Cruci-fixin's.

Cruci-fixins? Please consider writing a respectful letter to Ronni Attenello at NBC30 (which many of you just know as Channel 6) and asking them not to air this episode, which is slated for April 13 - the day before Good Friday no less! Obviously our readership isn't devoted to "Will and Grace" in any event, but is it asking too much to draw some kind of line here?

Please forward this around. I never do this kind of thing but something was stirred in my spirit by this. We know NBC would never do this to to persons revered by other religions. NBC dropped "The Book of Daniel" after an outcry - maybe they will drop this, too.


Tags: Connecticut, Christian, Evangelical

Regional Prayer Events tomorrow

Just a reminder that tomorrow there will be regional prayer meetings for Connecticut to be held at various locations across the State. Please be sure to find a location nearest you and join together seeking God's blessing on Connecticut!

For a list of locations, go here.

Tags: Connecticut, Evangelical, Christian

Episcopal Bishop of Conn. Defrocks Priest

The Episcopal Bishop of Connecticut, Andrew D. Smith, defrocked Bristol priest Mark Hansen over the ongoing dispute concerning Smith's support for the decision to elevate an openly homosexual man to the position of Bishop of New Hampshire.

Six Episcopal priests, including Hansen, have already filed suit against Smith in Federal Court for his alleged actions against them. According to the Courant,

In an e-mail to The Courant Sunday, Hansen responded to a request for comment, saying he made a good-faith denial to Smith that he had abandoned the communion of the Episcopal Church.

Hanson said the canons of the church call for the bishop to withdraw the notice of inhibition once a good faith denial has been received.

"Obviously, the Bishop did not follow the canons," Hansen said.

A copy of the complaint in the Federal lawsuit is available on our website here. Keep praying for all involved.

Tags: Connecticut, Christian, Evangelical, Episcopal, Anglican

Across Connecticut, Regional Prayer Meetings coming up on January 29th

The following is a release from the Connecticut House of Prayer concerning a number of regional prayer meetings which will be held across the State on Sunday, January 29, two weeks from this Sunday. Please read the release and then check below for a listing of locations where you can pray with your fellow believers on January 29.

Prayer momentum is building for the Global Day Of Prayer! On May 15, 2005 more than 200 million Christians in 156 nations united in a day of repentance and prayer for the world. Christians came together in large stadiums, open fields, market squares, churches and other public venues to pray. It was broadcast by hundreds of radio and TV stations around the world. This was the first Global Day of Prayer.

This year, the Global Day of Prayer will be held on June 4, 2006. Many prayer networks, Christian organizations and prayer leaders support this initiative. Christians all over the world are invited to take hands in a Global Day of Prayer. The two key verses that are guiding our planning around the Global Day of Prayer are 2 Chron. 7: 14, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” and Hab. 2: 14, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”

In preparation for the Global Day of Prayer there will gatherings around the state on January 29, 2006 and April 30, 2006. These gatherings are going to be held to build momentum for prayer. They will be held in each of the 8 counties of Connecticut and you will find a location, and time listed below. Our hope is that 7000 will gather at the Convention Center in Hartford on June 4, 2006, the Global Day of Prayer.

For Information Call CHOP at 860.460.4716
Email: barbara@cthop.org

Go to: www.whenconnecticutprays.org

Sponsored By: CT House of Prayer, Inc., US Strategic Prayer Network, National Day of Prayer, and scores of Connecticut churches.


COUNTY PRAYER GATHERINGS

Fairfield County

Location: Harvest Time Church, 1338 King Street, Greenwich, CT (7:00)
Contact Person: Pastor Nick Uva, (203) 531-7778

2nd Location: Shelton - TBA
Contact Person: Pastor Doug Steeves, (203) 929-1222

Hartford County

Location: House of Restoration, 1665 Main Street, Hartford, CT
Contact Person: Bishop Jeremiah Torres, (860) 525-2764

2nd Location: Wellspring, 222 Lincoln Street, Kensington, CT
Contact Person: Pastor Rick McKinniss, (860) 225-0661

Middlesex County

Location: Victory Tabernacle
Contact Person: David Scovel, (860) 301-2007

New Haven County

Location: Kingdom Life, 597 Naugatuck Avenue, Milford, CT 06460
Contact Person: Pastor Michel Bulkley, (203) 877-5464

New London County

Location: Connecticut College Chapel, Rte 32, New London, CT
Contact Person: Pastor Joe Paskewich, (860) 848-7400

Tolland County

Location: River of Life Christian Fellowship, 384 Y Merrow Road, Tolland, CT (7:00 PM)
Contact Person: Pastor Weston Brooks, (860) 871-1070

Windham County

Contact Person: Pastor Dennis Reiter, (860) 456-3757

Tags: Connecticut, Christian, Evangelical

Prayerwalking at State Capitol

In 2006, concerned organizations such as Mission Connecticut, National Day of Prayer, Connecticut House of Prayer, and the Family Institute of Connecticut will again sponsor prayerwalking at the Capitol in Hartford.

These ministries and organizations have a vision to fill the atmosphere at our state capitol with prayer for 1 hour a day, 5 days a week while legislature is in session. There will be a training session Thursday, January 12, 2006 at 7:00pm.


You will need to pre-register to attend this meeting. For more details, please contact Audrey Church McIntyre. Keep praying for Connecticut!

Tags:Connecticut, Christian, Evangelical
Photo courtesy State of Connecticut.

Upcoming conference to explore a life of worship

On March 31 - April 1, St. Paul's Darien will host the Reviving Worship Conference, featuring speakers Jamie Wilson, Michelle Wilson, Caleb Maskell, Christopher Leighton, and Mark Jonas.

Featured worship leaders are Lamont Hiebert of the band Ten Shekel Shirt, Matt Croasmun, and Caleb Maskell.

Cost is $35 and includes continental breakfast and lunch. All proceeds above costs will go to Justice for Children International.

This conference is not just for worship leaders and musicians but for everyone who wants worship to make a difference. Check out the conference website (under construction) at www.revivingworship.com.

Contact Phyllis Schlemmer for more information, or you can view the event flyer on our website here. Be sure to also check in frequently to our Christian Events Calendar, which is always linked to on the right.

Tags:Connecticut, Christian, Worship

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

It's been fun (and, for me, educational) rolling out the Pray Connecticut blog and website in 2005. Thanks for your support and encouragement along the way. The crack staff and I are going to take off a few days and will resume blogging right after the New Year.

Have a great 2006!

6th Circuit says enough already to ACLU

The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals struck terror into the hearts of the ACLU today by paying attention to what the Constitution actually says on the matter of church and state.

Specifically the Court noted

The First Amendment does not demand a wall of separation between church and state.

The ACLU had sued to prevent Mercer County, Kentucky from displaying historical documents which included the well-known subversive text, the Ten Commandments. In a rare display of "I've had enough," one of the judges said that the ACLU's

repeated reference 'to the separation of church and state' ... has grown tiresome.

This is a victory and early Christmas present for those of us who have actually read the Constitution (and yes, your author is a lawyer, before anyone asks) and know that the First Amendment was designed to prevent there being established an official government supported church or denomination. In this vein it will interest you to know that Connecticut had an official state religion supported by tax dollars until 1818 - the Congregational Church. Note that 1818 is almost 20 years after our current Constitution went into effect. That will scramble your mind a bit if you think about the implications for Federalism, etc. But that is a story for a different blog.

Get the full opinion of the case, entitled ACLU v. Mercer County, here.

Tags: Christianity, Evangelical, Connecticut, church and state

Top religious trends in '05 ... where do we go from here?

George Barna, perhaps the leading church researcher in the U. S., has come out with his review of the top trends in the church world in 2005. Among the more alarming things he mentions is the rise of Biblical illiteracy, particularly among youth, which he traces in part to the decline in family devotions.

Let's work and pray to reverse that trend, which could lead our nation to become like Europe, completely secularized and without hope to pass on to the next generations. Seeking purpose and meaning in life, some ethnic Europeans are converting to radical Islam - one Belgian girl, Murielle Degauque, even blowing herself up as a suicide bomber in Iraq recently.

Chuck Colson writes in a recent "Breakpoint" commentary:

This shocking incident reminds us that Islam is no longer confined to oppressed and angry Arabs. It is in our midst and deadly dangerous. But there’s something else going on: that is, the cultural setting in which people like Degauque make their choices....

The effects of European secularism, you see, are not limited to the children of Muslim immigrants. A culture where barely half the people believe in God, and far fewer practice any religion at all, cannot compete with Islam’s vitality. While Europeans have ceased believing in God, they and their children have not stopped needing Him: Their need for meaning and purpose has not gone away. They have just been convinced that these will not be found inside a Christian church.

I don't believe this has to be our future; indeed, there are signs of life for the American Church. Nor does the weakeness of faith in Europe negate what God is doing all over the world, shaking Asia, Africa, and Latin America with powerful revivals. Let's press in together in prayer to see a mighty outpouring of God's grace in our region in 2006 and beyond!

Tags: Christianity, Evangelical

Some Media Insensitivity in Nilan Murder

Because of the emphasis of this blog I typically wouldn't comment on particular crimes except as they highlight the need for prayer for a particular region or a situation in the State. However, I was provoked when I read about the death of jogger Judith Nilan and saw the insensitivity on the part of some of the press. First, it's debatable whether we need all the lurid details. It may be our CSI-crazed society that wants to know or picture these things, but a little self-policing can hurt no one.

A second aspect: as most will have heard, Ms. Nilan's body was discovered on property belonging to Carroll Spinney, who plays Big Bird on Sesame Street. So it was more than a little disturbing to see Yahoo! News pick up a story from E! Online with a headline that read, "Body Found at Big Bird's Nest." Imagine this being your loved one found in such a state and then encountering that. Headline writing can be difficult, but certainly one could have incorporated the fact of Mr. Spinney's ownership of the property, if it were necessary, without resorting to such a stunt. Will anyone apologize for this?

Tags: Connecticut, News, Yahoo

Ronald Reagan on Christmas

"Our coins bear the words 'In God We Trust.' We take the oath of office asking his help in keeping that oath. And we proclaim that we are a Nation under God when we pledge allegiance to the flag. But we can't mention his name in a public school or even sing religious hymns that are non-denominational. Christmas can be celebrated in the school room with pine trees, tinsel and reindeers but there must be no mention of the Man whose birthday is being celebrated. One wonders how a teacher would answer if a student asked why it was called Christmas."

Nothing I can add to that.

Tags: Christian, Evangelical

ABC News spotlights students praying for Supreme Court

View this video from ABC's Nightline about student interns in Washington, D.C. praying for the Supreme Court and asking God to intervene in our nation. Includes an interview with Lou Engle, author and founder of their prayer ministry, known as Justice House of Prayer. It's rare to see a news spot that doesn't make all believers, especially the ardent ones, look like they're off their rockers.

Tags: Christian, Evangelical, Supreme Court, Abortion

Revamped Pray CT Website Launches!

It's not that I can't make up my mind, I just want the site to look nice and be easy to use. So, with those two principles in mind, we relaunched our website Saturday night.

Just one glitch that I am aware of: the Church Google Map does not work properly in Firefox browsers. Internet Explorer seems just fine, though. Please let me know if you spot anything else squirrely.

Thanks to all of you who have encouraged and complimented us on the site and this blog. I'm praying they will grow into a great resource for Christians in our State in 2006!

Tags: Connecticut, Christian, Evangelical

Christmas notes from The Christmas City... and services for the depressed

From the "It Had To Come to This Eventually" Department: A California Methodist church is holding a "Blue Christmas" service for people who get depressed during the holidays.

Pastor Barbara Smith says, "It's designed for all of us to acknowledge in the midst of all these activities that we have this sadness."

In the same vein, and closer to home, the First Congregational Church of Kent will hold an alternative Christmas service tomorrow.

“The purpose of this worship service,” explains the church’s pastor, the Rev. Melinda Keck, “is to provide a setting where people can come together, acknowledge their pain, be reassured that they are not alone in their feelings and to experience the message of God’s unconditional love, which is at the heart of this season.”

Not a bad idea to be sure, but I can't help wondering how many people would be helped a bit in their emotions if the entire society would embrace the joy of Christmas, instead of turning it into the annual war it has become.

What do I mean? Read this touching and nostalgic piece by Bill Stanley in the Norwich Bulletin about the days when Norwich was called the Christmas City. And have a Merry Christmas!

Tags: Connecticut, Christian, Evangelical, Christmas

Christian education gets a boost

More signs of warming towards the evangelical community: some favorable press for Grace Christian School in Stamford. Grace Christian is the only independent, non-denominational Christian school in lower Fairfield County, drawing from a population base of 300,000 or more. Pray for this school and all the Christian schools in the State, especially in areas lacking any significant evangelical representation.

Tags: Connecticut, Christian, Evangelical

A few money notes

A few items of interest on the State's economic front for prayer and reflection:


Lost wages

Connecticut has the highest wages in the country, with a median household income of $56,409. This is good news, although as we all know, it is certainly not distributed very evenly. Still, we give thanks. As a State we are bored with the fact that we are richer than our cousins, so the media was more excited about the fact that Fairfield County (usually called the Gold Coast in these stories) dropped to No. 3 in income, behind Middlessex and Tolland Counties. Cute comments:

We'll pray for them," quipped Fred Carstensen, director of the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis. "Obviously Fairfield County should probably file for some emergency relief."

I'm glad to see that Pray Connecticut is having such an impact on society!

"Hard times down here is when people buy the 500 series BMW instead of the 800 series BMW," said defense attorney Mickey Sherman, who has represented some of the area's well-heeled residents.

The funny thing is, he's right.


Window Windfall

New London picked up a cool $400,000 from the sale of a Tiffany window. They'll use the money for police cruisers. Or legal bills from eminent domain cases, I guess.


This isn't news to some of us ...

Turns out the Stamford-Norwalk metro area is the second most expensive in the country, beat only by San Francisco. You have to make just over $60,000 to afford a two-bedroom apartment. So if you are not making $29 an hour, forget it.


Sub fight veterans back to fight for jobs

Continue to pray for the economy of the eastern shore, as Electric Boat is facing the loss of about 2400 jobs.


Tags: Christian, Connecticut, Evangelical

Close your eyes, kids... we're getting onto 91!

Peter Wolfgang is blogging over at the Family Institute of CT about the profusion of so-called "adult" billboards in our State in recent years. He also talks about Kingdom Life Church evicting a bookstore selling the stuff. Let's pray against these over-the-top ads and the effort in society to make all this normal. Not sure that such imagery hurts anybody? Read this by the Canadian Insitute for Education on the Family.

Tags: connecticut, evangelical, christian

New Haven clergy uniting to do good

Pastor Todd Foster from Church on the Rock - New Haven and other area pastors were inspired to work together in the aftermath of Katrina and decided to continue to do good "near and far." Pastor Todd has launched a blog connected to the effort called New Haven 828. Check it out; this looks like a noble work. What force in society is equal to the compassion of Christ Jesus within His Church?

Tags: Connecticut, New Haven, christian, evangelical

Or do we? Keeping the flu away...

At the risk of drawing some chuckles from our more secular readership, it's important that we as a State begin to pray and claim the promises of Psalm 91, particularly where we are promised that "no evil shall befall you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling." (Ps. 91:10) What's up? Simply this: more and more little outcroppings of the bird flu.

A ninth man has died in Indonesia from the virus, and some continue to fear the bug will mutate into something easily transmissible between human beings.

Closer to home, the New Britain Herald had a great piece about how plain awful things were around here the last time there was a flu pandemic, including this terrifying bit:

In Connecticut, approximately 8,500 people died in a four-month span, between Sept. 1 and Dec. 28, 1918. More locally, 466 people lost their lives in New Britain during this time frame, more than 200 in Middletown died and more than 100 died in Bristol, according to the Connecticut Health Bulletin, A Journal to Promote Public Health, dated April 1919, which was put out by the state’s public health department.

Read the whole story here.

In 1918 our State population was approximately 1.4 million, so 8,500 deaths would equate to a proportional death toll of about 25,000 today. This is truly frightening and requires the thoughtful prayers of every believer in the State.

For more on bird flu in general, check out the BBC's flu page here.

Tags: connecticut, christian, evangelical, bird flu

At least we've got our health...

A mixed bag of blessings this week, as they say, in the news that we are the seventh-healthiest state in the US. Read the very interesting snapshot, which includes the bad news that child poverty is up about 20% - bringing our rate up to about 12%. On the brighter side, teen pregnancy seems to have dropped subtantially.

Danbury Mayor spearheading immigration push

Danbury's Republican mayor Mark Boughton has been gaining increased visibility over his efforts to bring immigration issues to the forefront of our political discussions. This past week, Mr. Boughton, together with the Democratic County Executive of Suffolk County (Long Island), announced the formation of a coalition to push for reforms. Boughton has recently claimed that Danbury's population is not really 70,000 but actually 90,000 owing to the presence of numerous undocumented workers from central and South America.

The left-leaning blogger ctblogger has posted this video of the press conference on Google.

Let's pray for wisdom and solutions to these issues, both in Connecticut and nationwide.

Tags: connecticut, evangelical, immigration

Animal Mutilations Mystify DEP

No, there aren't any chupacabras in Connecticut, but what is killing animals in Bethany? Theories abound, but nothing is certain yet.

Tags: connecticut

Notes from here and there...

• Despite running a surplus that some are estimating at $500 million, the Governor says state government cannot contribute its full share towards the funding of teachers' pensions. Right now the fund's liabilities exceed its assets by over $5 billion dollars. Pray for wisdom for this situation, which looms in our fiscal future.

• The US Justice Department is accusing Connecticut of taking $750 million under the No Child Left Behind law without while trying to avoid the requirements of the law. Federal officials said, "Now, on the eve of the deadline for implementing one of the central conditions of the act, the state seeks - first through a set of waiver requests and now through this lawsuit - to keep the funds while jettisoning the accompanying obligations." Pray for wisdom on this one as well.
  

• Mrs. Rell will be pleased to know that she has been determined to be the most popular Governor in the US. She probably received a big boost from the fact that she is not John Rowland, but she does have her own strengths or else she would not have maintained that spot. Let's pray that she will use her political capital wisely. (If you were wondering, Gov. Bob Taft of Ohio is the lest popular governor, with an approval rating of 18% compared to Mrs. Rell's 77%.)

• On the lighter side of life, try sending your Christmas cards from Bethlehem this year. I mean Bethlehem, Connecticut. It's a postmark with a little extra meaning.

Fined for cussin'

The Hartford Police are actually fining students for using bad language while they defy their teachers.

One girl, a sophomore at Hartford Public,

said she was ticketed for shouting an expletive in an officer’s face while handcuffed for taking a swing at him. “It’ll stop me from swearing,” she said. “Well, it won’t stop me from swearing, but I won’t cuss at the teachers.”

The AP has picked this up and is running it all over the country. I am curious as to whether people think this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it seems interesting enough to newspaper editors to carry it. The story has a certain Rudy Giuliani - no graffiti - no broken windows quality to it. However, as usual, the slices of life the press shows of Hartford do not enhance our State's reputation. Keep praying!

Big name political figures hit UConn

The firebrand conservative writer and speaker Anne Coulter stirs up trouble before even getting to U Conn. Cindy Sheehan is also coming. It's not dull up in Storrs.

Believing God for revival in New England

A couple of you have sent me this article from CBN concerning a "joyous revival" which is being predicted to sweep New England. Clearly God is preparing to do something in this region, but we would be very wise not to announce that something is happening when it is not; neither should we ever describe anything as revival before the time. True revival and transformation involves, as it did in the case of the Welsh Revival, a fundamental shaking of the entire society, and not a mere blessing:

It is estimated that 100,000 were converted throughout Wales during the revival just as Evan Roberts had predicted. Not all these turned out to be genuine but the effect of so many coming under the influence of the spiritual awakening meant that whole communities were transformed overnight. Crime was completely eradicated from some areas so that magistrates were given white gloves. Pit managers reported increased coal output and swearing diminished so much that the old pit ponies were disorientated. Outstanding debts were repaid and longstanding quarrels were settled amicably. The churches of the land were full of people praising God and praying fervently for the salvation of others, young and old, not only in the Sunday services but at the weeknight prayer meetings as well. Sir John Morris-Jones, one of the leading literary figures of the time, was amazed at the elevated language that uneducated people used in their prayers.

National as well as local newspapers gave day by day reports on the progress of the revival in different parts of the principality. Men and women, boys and girls, were seen calling on God on railway station platforms, train compartments and buses, while prayer meetings were held underground in the coal mines and in student common rooms. Notorious sinners were remarkably converted. Public houses were not only forced to close but in some cases the landlords were themselves transformed by the work of the Spirit.

Tags: Christian, Connecticut, Evangelical

ACLJ files brief in Kerrigan case

Although the legislature is not in session, persons opposed to maintaining the traditional family structure continue to work. The case of Kerrigan v. State of Connecticut is still active and seeks the redfinition of marriage in Connecticut, so as to include same-sex couples. The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) has now filed a friend of the court brief asking the Superior Court to dismiss the case. (Click here to see court docket sheet; no copy of the brief is available on the Web at this time.)

ACLJ attorney Vincent McCarthy stated that:

“Their argument is all that’s needed for marriage is two individuals who seek an intimate relationship with each other, and their sex doesn’t matter. But marriage was not established primarily for mutual gratification. It was always grounded in the interest of the State in regulating the procreation, protection and growth of children and to ensure that they had a mother and father."

Read the ACLJ press release here.

Please continue to pray for this case, which can have tremendous repercussions and which we cannot allow to go off the radar.

Gearing up for our annual war

No sooner do we finish figuring out what to do with the leftover cranberry sauce (why is it called sauce anyway?) when we must again figure out what to do with Christmas. God makes an annual appearance at Thanksgiving, of course, but that gets submerged in pie and revisionist history. Governor Rell did not even mention the Creator in her annual Thanksgiving Proclamation - instead urging us to join her "in expressing our deepest gratitude to those who touch our lives everyday and in extending a healing hand of hope to those who need it most." As if the United Way were the source of our blessings.

Still, it's Christmas that irks people, as the Christian content is so, to a secularist, in your face. Fox News's Jon Gibson struck early, releasing in October his book The War on Christmas. The leader of the ADL now reportedly says that Evangelicals are the "key domestic challenge to... our democratic values." But that was all just warm-up. Now the season is here and soon, probably no later than this weekend, each state will have one or two threatened court cases to focus on. Everyone will wonder where Judge Alito will come down on these things, should he be confirmed.

For concerned parents, the ACLJ (not the ACLU) has a letter here explaining peoples' legal right to sing Christmas carols, etc., in schools. Let the games begin but let not your hearts be troubled.

We'll follow any Connecticut Christmas religious liberty stories that pop up, If you hear of any, please let us know at our e-mail address in the side column.

Thanking the Author of all that is good

We thought we would share with you the Thanksgiving Proclamation of our first President, and please take note of the language. Whatever arguments people may throw out to say that Washington was a Deist more than a Biblical Christian, the references to Providence, national trangressions, etc. are telling.

General Thanksgiving
By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America
A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

Josh McDowell event stuns Meriden

Pastor Will Marotti of New Life Church in Meriden sends this report from Saturday night's event in Meriden with well-known Christian apologetics writer, speaker, and youth worker Josh McDowell:

Grace and Peace,

On Saturday night, November 19th more than 1,500 people packed O.H. Platt High School in Meriden to hear the music of Bradley, Seventh Day Slumber and the teaching of Josh McDowell. It was by all accounts an incredible night. Following the teaching more than two hundred adults and teens made documented decisions for Christ with nearly half of them indicating they were accepting Jesus for the very first time! More than 50 churches were represented from CT, MA, RI, NH and NY.

We want to thank those who collaborated with us to help make Saturday a great success!

Calvary Baptist Church – Meriden
Christ Community Church – Cheshire
Cornerstone Church – Cheshire
Colonial Chapel – Berlin
First Baptist Church - Meriden
WFIF – Milford
WIHS – Middletown
WVNE – Worchester, MA
Rock the Sound
The Cecil B. Day Foundation

and the more than other 50 churches and youth pastors who bought tickets and brought their kids!

Thanks to all and to everybody – Happy Thanksgiving!

Will and Ann Marotti
Staff and members of New Life Church

Let's give thanks for what the Lord is doing and continue to pray for this work of His grace!

New London spotlighted again (N. Y. Times)

The New York Times has follow up today on the Kelo v. City of New London eminent domain case.

Let's remember to pray for the economically struggling regions of our State. The Times notes that New London has:

...a high unemployment rate and fewer residents today than it had in 1920.

Are we really that cheap?

It's that time of year again, when the "most miserly state" in the Union is selected. Once again, New Hampshire has "won." But Connecticut is right up there, one of the six stingiest states. The AP report says:

Using the Catalogue of Philanthropy's standard, the 10 stingiest states, starting from the bottom, were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Minnesota, Colorado, Hawaii and Michigan. Connecticut, with an average income of $67,136, had average contributions of $3,565, ranking 45th.

Still, this report is criticized because of its methodology, comparing what people give to what they have. (Sounds at least somewhat Biblical to me.) By these standards, New England residents will always appear stingiest for they have higher incomes.

Old media reeling - is it any wonder why?

Brian Brown is blogging about the newest round of layoffs at the Courant and he attributes it, rightly we think, to that paper's trashing of family values. Warning: excerpt is not for the faint of heart. Is it any wonder why Christians (and many others who have not yet gone insane) are deserting the newspapers, getting their news online and selling their cars on eBay instead of the good ol' classifieds?

Read this article called "The End of News?" for the big picture. It's written from a left-of-center perspective and charts the decline of the newspaper business, among other things.

Connecticut church leaders cry out for transformation

This past Thursday some 150 pastors and ministry leaders from around the State and from a host of different backgrounds gathered at Wellspring Church in Kensington to seek the Lord for the transformation of Connecticut. This was a powerful and, above all, encouraging time of prayer and fellowship.

One of the highlights of the day was the premiere of the video, "When Connecticut Prays," produced by Gerry and Barbara Lachance. This DVD featured numerous Connecticut leaders speaking on prayer and community transformation. Both the DVD and Pastor Rick McKinniss, our host, ably set forth the vision for a series of prayer meetings to be held in each of our eight counties, leading up to a great statewide meeting to be held in Hartford on Pentecost Sunday, 2006, the Global Day of Prayer.

Other significant elements included:

• Anointed worship times led by Quigley Foran
• Wonderful fellowship and new friends made
  
• Times of free intercession where people cried out to the Lord for our State
  
• Prophetic word concerning the coming together of dried bones and the breath of God coming into them according to Ezekiel chapter 37. It was prophesied that God would turn our State into a Garden of Eden.
  
• Prophetic word concerning God coming into our State this year and 2006 like a fire and a hammer that breaks the rock. It was prophesied that He would come into churches like a fire and also come into certain places like a hammer, shattering foundations of evil and exposing it in Hartford, New Haven, Willimantic, Milford, Danbury, Litchfield, and throughout Litchfield County.
• Much thanksgiving was made to God concerning how much change there had been in the spiritual atmosphere and in the level of cooperation between Christians in the last several decades. Clearly we are not the same as we have been.
  
• The night before the meeting, one pastor had received the word "check," as in a game of chess. He shared how our nation was in a precarious position as though we were in "check" on a chessboard. Prayer, repentance, tears, and faith would be needed to avert trouble.
• Corporate prayer was offered to eliminate the effect of an occultic ceremony that was taking place that day in Massachusetts and which would affect the Connecticut River. We later learned that an earthquake occurred that afternoon only a few miles south of Plymouth, Mass.
  
• Another pastor received the message that it was time to go through the gate. Symbolically and prophetically, the attendees went through the gate and believed God for the beginning of the new season of advance which so many have been promised. This provided a powerful close to our time together, and participants committed to support the work of prayer leading up to the Day of Pentecost.

I don't think it would be any exaggeration to say that this meeting was a significant and, although we should always hesitate to use the word, historic event in the life of our State. Special thanks again to Pastor Rick McKinniss, his congregation, the Lachances, and many others for facilitating a great day of advance for the Kingdom of God in our State.

When Connecticut Prays

Today from 9 am to 3 pm there will be a prayer gathering for pastors and leaders with a heart to see Connecticut transformed through the power of God. Please pray for those in attendance that they will hear the voice of God for the State of Connecticut. Pray that there will be a momentum of prayer building from now until the Global Day of Prayer, June 4, 2006. Pray that there will be a full house with leaders who desire to see transformation for the State of Connecticut. Pray for the successful completion of a special DVD designed to promote prayer for our State, called "When Connecticut Prays." This will be a powerful resource suitable for showing on community access TV.

Meeting Location:

Wellspring (formerly Kensington Baptist Church)
222 Lincoln Street
Kensington CT

Directions and More Info: www.wellspring.net

One small step for a blog...

The Big News from the international headquarters of Pray Connecticut - we are mentioned in the Courant's Northeast Magazine dated 10/23/05. Well, linked to, actually. No discussion of our blog itself in the Courant's online edition, so I guess I am not annoying as many people as the Family Institute of Connecticut.

All kidding aside, it's OK by me if people stop by and are made to think and even pray about what goes on in these parts.

Fine, be that way...

Read this column in today's Courant, entitled "Don't End Up Like Connecticut." The author, Walter Ellis, is a former editor at the London Sunday Times. He writes this piece as an open letter to Brittany, in France, lamenting what the loss of farms has done to Connecticut, urging them to learn from our example and generally ripping our way of life to shreds.

The title is meant to shock, obviously, but it is probably true that there is a lot we can do to help our farmers, whom Ellis described as "sad, isolated figures."

Weird Connecticut This Week (Vol. 7)

The Weird Connecticut column returns. A little levity is good for the soul, after all.

• Identical twins allegedly try to fool a judge in New Britain. The reason: one had a final. (I wonder what she's studying.) I thought that stuff only happened on the Patty Duke Show.
  

• Why haven't I known before today that our cute little State has not one, but two museums devoted to garbage?

• And the kicker: Stamford police report that they arrested a man who sold his house for $670,000. That's no crime, and not even remarkable in Stamford. The criminal part came when he allegedly used the proceeds to set up a crack factory at the Stamford Suites on Bedford Street. Who knows? He might have gotten away with it if that address were not across the street from Stamford Police Headquarters.

Praying for another unknown people group

If you've been around evangelical circles for a while then you know that "unreached people groups" are often targeted for prayer, Bible translation, and evangelism. I'd like to propose we go to prayer for a despised and unwelcome group within American society which faces misunderstanding and even prejudice in our society. Who are these unfortunates? Parents!

Have a peek at this decision by the Ninth Circuit Court - easily the most frequently overturned court. However, you may judge for yourself when you read. If you live in the Ninth Circuit, you may no longer opt your public school children out of sex surveys, even if they are in elementary school. Quote from this opinion:

"... there is no fundamental right of parents to be the exclusive provider of information regarding sexual matters to their children."

This is beyond absurd, and in my opinion calls for civil disobedience. We have reached a level of animosity to religion and family similar to that of Soviet Russia, where, it is said, parents would sometimes stay up all night "unlearning" their children out of what they had "learned" that day in school. Thanks to the general collapse of morality in the Western world, parents have it hard enough as it is. Let's pray that our nation can recoup some sanity before we go right off the cliff.

Finding peace when conflict is everywhere

The Christian more than anyone is a person who can walk in confidence: confidence that God rules in the events of his life and that He is also the God of history. When we see great turmoil in the nations, we must turn to Him and recall the words of Psalm 46, where the Psalmist said the people of God would not fear "though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea." (Ps. 46:2)

Faith and perseverance are necessary in our current climate. One phenomenon Christians face in this country is a whipsaw effect. We know that righteousness exalts a nation, and so we rejoice when spiritual or temporal victories occur. However, our hearts are too easily crushed by outbreaks of wickedness and the deliberate denigration of Christ and His Church. Both can happen on the same day, and so if we are not careful our hearts can be rattled by the schizophrenia of modern America. For example, this week we saw Texas overwhelmingly approving a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman. In Maine, however, those supporting traditional families went down to defeat.

Keep a steadfast heart. Let's be sober-minded enough to realize that in any battle there are advances and setbacks. Continue to pray for all who are in authority, which Paul says we must do "first of all." (1 Tim. 2:1) As we remain faithful in prayer, God will do things we never thought possible!