Pre-Campaign Community Outreach THIS FRIDAY at the King St. Metro

"An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered, an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." - G.K. Chesterson

40 Days for Life Alexandria is having a pre-campaign Community Outreach event THIS FRIDAY, September 21st from 4:30-6:00 p.m. at the King St. Metro. Please come out and help educate Alexandria about the real "War on Women": abortion.

If you are shy and feel you're not ready to try an outreach and chat with people, then we have educational signs that you can hold while you stand and pray. If you feel a little more comfortable reaching out to people, then we have pro-life information that you can distribute to passersby. Whatever your comfort level, we have a Community Outreach job for you! Contact Susan at susan.40days@yahoo.com or 571-228-3571 if you have questions.

Yes, you have worked all week. Yes, Friday nights are your time to go out with family and friends. Yes, you haven't slept well lately and need rest. Yes, you are dealing with some major crises in your life and lots of smaller problems. Yes, ragweed has made its presence known and hot tea and a fresh box of tissues are beckoning you home.

Yes, all of these inconveniences are real, but worrying about bad things will not ensure that they won't happen; nor will it make the good things happen. We all know, even if we don't want to admit it, that you can't "catch up" on lost sleep. If Friday night is your time to go out with friends and family, then invite them along or push dinner back an hour. Consider those inconveniences rightly. Come join us this Friday for the 40 Days for Life pre-campaign Community Outreach and have the adventure of helping to save a life!

The Community Outreach Calendar Wants YOU!

Alexandria's 40 Days for Life Community Outreach

Fall 2012 Campaign - EVERY FRI. & SUN.

Pro-Life Community Outreach is exciting, rewarding and life-saving as we express the dignity of the human person from the inception of life. Be part of a peaceful, active and engaged group of pro-lifers dedicated to the conviction that human life is sacred and abortion must end. We put into action a desire to cooperate with God in carrying out His plan to end abortion in a 40-day period to transform individuals, communities and the world.

What We Do: We hold signs, pass out literature and talk to passersby. As a group, we pray and support each other. There is much camaraderie and the Holy Spirit is definitely present.

How to Get Involved: Meet at the locations shown below during the time frame given and stay any length of time that you can - 30 minutes, an hour, etc. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Susan at 571-228-3571 or via e-mail at susan.40days@yahoo.com.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you..." (Jeremiah 1:5)

COMMUNITY OUTREACH SCHEDULE*

(Download a copy for your fridge here)

Day           Date       Time                  Location

Sun.          9/16        3-4:30 p.m.         Old Town Market Square (Fairfax & King)

Fri.            9/21        4:30-6 p.m.         King St. metro station

Fri.            9/28        4:30-6 p.m.         Braddock Rd. metro station

Sun.          9/30        3-4:30 p.m.         Old Town Market Square (Fairfax & King)

Fri.           10/5         4:30-6 p.m.         King St. metro station

Sun.         10/7         3-4:30 p.m.         Old Town Market Square (Fairfax & King)

Fri.           10/12       4:30-6 p.m.         Braddock Rd. metro station

Sun.         10/14       3-4:30 p.m.         Old Town Market Square (Fairfax & King)

Fri.           10/19      4:30-6 p.m.          King St. metro station

Sun.         10/21      3-4:30 p.m.          Old Town Market Square (Fairfax & King)

Fri.           10/26      4:30-6 p.m.          Braddock Rd. metro station

Sun.         10/28      3-4:30 p.m.          Old Town Market Square (Fairfax & King)

Fri.           11/2             4-5 p.m.           King St. metro station

Sun.         11/4        3-4:30 p.m.          Old Town Market Square (Fairfax & King)

Fri.           11/9             4-5 p.m.           Braddock Rd. metro station

*After the 40 Days for Life fall 2012 campaign, Pro-Life Community Outreaches will continue to be held every Friday.

Hearing on Virginia Abortion Clinic Regulations Tomorrow

This Friday is an important date for the real social justice movement in Virginia. The VA Department of Health will be convening to reconsider the abortion clinic regulations. As you may know, they attempted to exempt all of the existing abortion clinics from the new regulations. However, the Attorney General and the Governor rejected their proposal and they must now go back to the drawing board.

The meetings on reconsideration of the abortion clinic regulations are open to the public. The last meeting was filled with pro-death activists. This is a rare moment for pro-lifers to send a strong message to the Commonwealth of Virginia by showing up in unprecedented numbers. This may require a vacation day for some of you, but God calls His people to be a living sacrifice and sometimes that includes sacrificing the things we cherish most.

Hearing Date: Friday, September 14, 2012
Location: The Perimeter Center
                  9960 Maryland Drive
                  Richmond, VA 23233
Time: 7:30 a.m.

If you are interested in carpooling to provide a pro-life presence at this hearing, please contact Sara Dina at sara.40days@cox.net or Susan Pawlukiewicz at susan.40days@yahoo.com.

If you cannot attend this hearing, please take time to pray. "With God, all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).

A Prolife Opportunity You May Want to Consider

Below is a prolife opportunity from ACTSFIVE29 that you may want to consider:

Stand Up for Religious Freedom

Of all the invitations you receive this year, this is the most urgent...

RSVP to save the America that you love!

SAVE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM!

Please join us September 29 through October 2, 2012, in front of the White House as we take a stand for freedom through an historic event called ActsFive29.

Just as Peter and the Apostles in Acts 5:29 declared to the authorities that they must obey God rather than man when it was illegal to preach about Jesus, our nation is faced with a similar attack on religious freedom.

With the recent Supreme Court ruling affirming the President's healthcare legislation, the future of religious freedom in America is in grave danger. This law will force institutions, churches and individuals -- that means you! -- to purchase abortion-inducing drugs, and pay for sterilization and abortion -- in direct opposition to our beliefs.

Now is the time to defend our religious freedoms and the lives of the most vulnerable U.S. citizens: the preborn!

For the first time in our nation's history, our president and government are forcing people to abandon their deeply held values and core beliefs. The government is dictating to Christians how we are to live our faith, replacing the teachings of Scripture, the Church, and our conscience by demanding that we bow down before their dictates.

Stand Up for Religious Freedom Day: Sunday, September 30!

We must send a powerful message to President Obama that we will never be silent when it comes to our religious freedoms and we will fight to ensure they are protected for future generations! As part of ActsFive29, we are gathering in Lafayette Park on Sunday, September 30 to celebrate our religious freedoms and liberties.

Below is the schedule:

10:00-11:30  A.M.    Evangelical Worship Service.

12:00-1:00    P.M.     Praying the Rosary led by Father Frank Pavone.

1:30-3:30      P.M.     Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally

3:30-4:30      P.M.     Prayer and public witness on the White House sidewalk.

The nearest Metro stops to the White House are: McPherson Square and Farragut North.

YES! I will stand for my freedom and for the freedom of those who cannot stand for themselves!

SIGN ME UP

ACTSFIVE29 PLEDGE

Benjamin Franklin said, "Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature." President Obama's healthcare legislation will force people of faith and conscience to violate their deeply held values and core beliefs by submitting to unjust HHS mandates.

In response to this unprecedented attack on religious freedom, as people of mercy, justice and life, we pledge in our hearts never to comply with these immoral mandates. We want to make it clear to President Obama and all public officials that we will never be silent when it comes to matters of human rights, justice and our freedoms. We would rather spend time in jail than be forced into betraying our deeply held convictions.

Our message and pledge is simple yet powerful. We will be prayerful. We will be peaceful. But we will never comply! "We must obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29.

Commit to a Post-Labor Day Labor of Love!

Labor Day weekend provided many of us with an opportunity to relax and recharge our batteries. Perfect timing, for there is plenty of work to be done.  

Commit to a post-Labor Day labor of love!

40 Days for Life Alexandria invites you to commit to a post-Labor Day labor of love! Our fall campaign begins on September 26 and runs through November 4. 

The vigil calendars for our Duke and Whiting Street sites are up and ready to be filled with committed volunteers who will commit to a post-Labor Day labor of love and stand in peaceful, prayerful vigil for life at one or both sites during the fall campaign.                                                                                   

You can commit to the post-Labor Day labor of love by signing up at www.40daysforlife.com/alexandria/. Please come join 40 Days for Life Alexandria as we stand in prayerful vigil for the women and preborn children of Alexandria!

Event Reminders

1. The College Park 40 Days for Life is hosting sidewalk counseling training this weekend! On Saturday, September 8 from 1-4 p.m., Msgr. Phillip Reilly (founder of Helpers of God's Precious Infants) will conduct a sidewalk counseling/prayerful presence seminar in the Breen Room at St. Mary of the Mills Catholic Church, 14 St. Mary's Place, Laurel, MD 20707. Check out the flyer here.

If you have any questions about the training session, please contact Janice Oliver at 40daysforlifeMD@gmail.com or 301-518-3874.

2. This week's Pro-Life Community Outreach will be held at the Pentagon City Metro from 5-7 p.m. at the top of the escalators outside (across the street from the Fashion Centre Mall). Join us and hold a sign, pass out literature, and talk to people about the sanctity of life. You are welcome to stay whatever length of time you can. This is rewarding work and truly makes a difference!

For more information about our Pro-Life Community Outreach efforts, visit our Outreach page. You can also view upcoming Pro-Life Community Outreach events on our Events calendar.

Coming Up: Seminar on Sidewalk Counseling - FREE in College Park, MD, on 9/8/2012

Dear Friends of 40 Days for Life Alexandria,

The College Park 40 Days for Life Coordinator, Janice Oliver, has invited us to participate in a free training session on sidewalk counseling.  On September 8 from 1-4 p.m., Msgr. Phillip Reilly, founder of Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, will conduct a sidewalk counseling/prayerful presence seminar in the Breen Room at St. Mary of the Mills Catholic Church, 14 St. Mary’s Place, Laurel, MD 20707.

If you have any questions about the training session, please contact Janice Oliver at 40daysforlifeMD@gmail.com or 301-518-3874.

In the interim, you may also view Msgr. Reilly’s pro-life training video "Seminar on Sidewalk Counseling" online in the Helpers video archive at http://helperslibrary.info/node/82.

The video is about two hours long and was filmed in 1998, but the principles remain the same. Many thanks to Janice Oliver for the invitation to take advantage of this opportunity.

40 Days for Life Alexandria Gears Up for its Fall Campaign and Welcomes its Leadership Team

Dear Friends of 40 Days for Life Alexandria,

As summer winds down, 40 Days for Life Alexandria is gearing up for the fall 2012 campaign. The campaign begins September 26 and will run through November 4. Forty Days for Life Alexandria will be running two vigils throughout the campaign. The first vigil will take place at the Alexandria Medical and Professional Plaza in the 2800 block of Duke Street. The second vigil will take place at 101 S. Whiting St. at the Alexandria Women's Health Clinic at Landmark Towers.

There are three separate offices providing abortions in the Alexandria Medical and Professional Plaza. However, the Alexandria Women's Health Clinic at 101 S. Whiting St. performs more abortions in Alexandria in one year than the three providers at Duke St. combined.

We can make a difference. Please visit our website for more information on 40 Days for Life Alexandria and come take a stand for life by signing up for one or more of our vigils.

I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce the 40 Days for Life Alexandria leadership team. Please feel free to contact any of us if you have questions or would like more information.

• Sara Dina, 40 Days for Life Alexandria Campaign Director (sara.40days@cox.net, 703-971-0678)

• Tom and Mary Ellen McElfresh, Vigil Coordinators (maryellen.40days@verizon.net, 703-780-2922)

• Jacinta Whittaker, Financial Coordinator (jacinta.40days@gmail.com, 540-304-0480)

• Melissa Allen, Communications Coordinator (melissa.m.40days@gmail.com)

• Melissa Allen and Tim McGhee, Media Co-Coordinators (melissa.m.40days@gmail.com and tim@timmcghee.us)

• Susan Pawlukiewicz, Outreach Coordinator (susan.40days@yahoo.com, 
571-228-3571)

We hope to see you all during this fall's 40 Days for Life campaign!

Coming Up: Organizational Meeting for Alexandria National Right to Life Committee Chapter

A meeting will be held at St. Mary's Lyceum, 313 Duke Street in Alexandria, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 23, to reorganize the Alexandria local chapter of the VA Society for Human Life, which is the state branch of the National Right to Life Committee. This organization seeks to build a culture of life on the local level through grassroots pro-life activities focused on education, legislation, and politics, etc. The guest speaker and meeting facilitator will be National Right to Life field coordinator Jonathan Rogers. All are invited to attend. For more information, contact Jacinta Whittaker at jacinta.40days@gmail.com. 

Face the Truth Alexandria: August 3-5, 2012

Please join us for a weekend of pro-life activism in Alexandria, VA. Volunteers will be holding non-graphic and possibly graphic signs as well alerting vehicular and on-foot observers to the truth about abortion, or engaging in peaceful and positive dialogue and inviting others to participate in 40 Days for Life and other pro-life activities this fall. Please see detailed list of stops below which contains individual information about each stop. Plan to attend all six stops this weekend if you can, or just come to one or two if you are able. RSVP to Jacinta at jacinta.40days@gmail.com. Hope you can make it this weekend, or keep your eyes out for us from your car!

Day 1: Friday, Aug. 3
6-8pm, Old Town Alexandria

• Standing Location: King Street/Rt. 1
• Meetup/Parking: Parking lot off Patrick/Henry Streets just north of King Street (free parking after 6pm)
• Click here for detailed location map.
• This will be a combination outreach/visibility stop. We will hold signs and be available for conversation and signups with pedestrians.

Day 2: Saturday, Aug. 4
9-11am, Landmark Mall

• Standing Location: Duke Street/S. Walker St.
• Meetup/Parking: Mall parking lot near Duke Street
• Click here for detailed location map.
• This will be a mainly visibility stop. We will hold signs for viewing by vehicular traffic.
• This stop is timed to coincide with early morning hours at the nearby S. Whiting St. abortion facility.

12-2pm, Duke Street/Telegraph Road

• Standing Location: Duke Street median in front of Alexandria Medical and Professional Plaza
• Meetup/Parking: Park along Longview Ave. Meet around the corner at entrance to Alexandria Medical and Professional Plaza (40 Days for Life prayer vigil site).
• Click here for detailed location map.
• This will be a mainly visibility stop. We will hold signs for viewing by vehicular traffic.
• This stop is located near the Alexandria Medical and Professional Plaza abortion facilities.

2pm: Lunch/Break
Bring a bag lunch, or perhaps we could hit the nearby shopping center which has lots of options!

3-5pm: King Street/Quaker Lane

• Standing Location: King Street west of Quaker Ln intersection.
• Meetup/Parking: Pharmacy at Safeway, 3526 King Street
• Click here for detailed location map.
• This will be a mainly visibility stop. We will hold signs for viewing by vehicular traffic.

6-8pm: Shirlington

• Standing Location: Campbell Ave east of S. Randolph St intersection.
• Meetup/Parking: Look for free parking on S Randolph St just off Campbell Ave and meet at intersection of Campbell and S. Randolph St.
• Click here for detailed location map.
• This will be a mainly outreach stop. We will hold signs and be available for conversation and signups with pedestrians. Please note this is a very active shopping area; hopefully we will have a lot of constructive interaction.

Day 3: Sunday, Aug. 5

2:30-4:30pm: Potomac Yards

• Standing Location: Rt. 1 near Potomac Yards Shopping Center
• Meetup/Parking: Parking lot by Don Pablos Restaurant close to Rt. 1 (3525 Jefferson Davis Highway, Alexandria, VA 22305)
• Click here for detailed location map.
• This will be a mainly visibility stop. We will hold signs for viewing by vehicular traffic.

5-7pm: Team Dinner

• Taqueria Poblano's, anyone?
• Look's like it's got good reviews (and here).
• Address: 2400-B Mount Vernon Avenue - Virginia 22301

Signs: Help neededIs there someone with a big car or van who can help pick up some healing message signs from Project Rachel in Arlington and Face the Truth signs from Albert Stecklein in Bethesda this week? We now have a grand total of $60 for our own projected sign collection, and still need an estimated $240. We are getting there! Please let me know if you would like to help contribute towards paying for these signs. I know that this project is important to you, but if you are not able to make a financial contribution please do not feel bad in any way. As we have seen so many times the Lord always provides!

Attendees: Please confirm!So far there are a few people signed up to attend. However, please confirm with Jacinta at jacinta.40days@gmail.com if possible the days and stops you will be able to attend. I encourage you to consider attending all six FTT stops this weekend of sacrificial pro-life witness in our community. Carpooling is definitely an option for Saturday, and as many people as possible at each stop will enable a more complete line-up of signs and witness for life. Please let me know if you can be with us this month; your presence will definitely make a difference! 

 

Other Related Business:

• First Alexandria Pro-life Billboard project should have gone up yesterday July 30: www.alexandriavaprolifebillboards.com -- and we're hoping to launch a second one soon!
• 40 Days for Life Fall 2012 Kickoff Rally is scheduled for Sep. 23 at 3pm: details posted at www.40daysforlife.com/alexandria -- mark your calendars now!
• Signup for the Year of Prayer and Fasting effort and send this website to all your friends: www.yopaf.org
• Susan coordinates Friday evening prolife outreach at local metro stops 5-7pm: susan.40days@yahoo.com
  
• Jonathan coordinates Saturday morning prolife outreach in Old Town Alexandria 9:30-11:30am: jonathan.darnel@gmail.com
• Mary Ellen and Tom coordinate the continuing prayer vigils at Duke Street and S. Whiting Street abortion facilities -- maryellen.40days@verizon.net.

I think that's about it for now, let's persevere in running the good race and fighting the good fight, as the Good Lord gives us strength! 

Thank you all so much for your prayerful support and participation!

40DFLA Sponsors Prolife Billboard on Rt. 1

Image of billboard to run on Route 1 near Fairhaven
Avenue for four weeks beginning July 30.

40 Days for Life Alexandria has joined with a new pro-life local effort to sponsor a pro-life billboard near Huntington Metro on Route 1 just one mile south of the beltway.

The board is scheduled to run through four weeks beginning July 30, and will contain an image of an African-American father and the words "A Father's Joy" along with our 24-hr helpline: 1-800-848-LOVE.

This project is the first of a new effort, the Alexandria Prolife Billboard project, which seeks to promote similar billboard messages around Alexandria and the surrounding vicinity. Pro-lifers are invited to pledge monthly support to sponsor future efforts of this kind. For more information visit the Alexandria Prolife Billboard project at www.alexandriavaprolifebillboards.com.