Dear Friend,
Shortly after the Maine House voted to stop sports betting from being legalized in our state, the bill’s primary sponsor declared to a TV crew, “I’m very disappointed… a lot of representatives down here need to get permission from the Maine Christian Civic League before they can vote for a certain bill.”
We would not accept the notion that any legislators “need to get permission” from the League, but we are very thankful our allies listened to our arguments to resist expanding gambling. We celebrate the positive influence God allowed us in convincing our leaders that a state consumed by substance abuse doesn’t need to increase access to addictive behaviors.
Remember, there are costs for our advocacy: testimonial video production, social media campaigns, printing, travel, and other lobbying expenses. Those expenses are what our Beacon Campaign is all about. Your donations to the Beacon Campaign give us the resources to directly lobby our legislators and create opportunities for constituents to leverage their voices. Our $30,000 goal represents our anticipated expenses for this legislative session.
The remainder of the session will see continued attacks from our political opponents in the areas of abortion funding, gambling expansion, and attacks upon our First Amendment rights. Your participation in our Beacon Campaign gives us the best opportunity to advocate for God’s truth.
Our number one priority of the session is stopping LD 433, the Equal Rights Amendment. This bill is disguised as a remedy for discrimination against women, but it is much more than that. If the ERA passes in Maine, our Constitution would
- make it very difficult to overturn recent legislation permitting tax-funded abortion
- prevent commonsense policies allowing shelters, camps, and schools to separate men from women
- reduce women’s opportunities for participation and scholarships in athletics
- disallow Christian entities receiving public funds to hire staff in accordance to their religious beliefs and standards.
Imagine the resources of our opponents in these battles: Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and the LGBTQ advocates. We’ll never match their funding, but we ask you to make sure we have the adequate finances to be present and trust the Lord for the results. Please include an extra gift for our Beacon Campaign.
I also urge you to sign up for our weekly email blast. These communications let you know when your leaders need to hear from you. Our email Action Alerts provide talking points for you to communicate your support or opposition of the bills before our legislators.
Continue to pray for our Church Ambassador Network. It’s very encouraging to see Tristan regularly walking through the Capitol with pastors from all over Maine there for the express purpose of praying with our leaders. Also, pray for our Better Work initiative. April is Second Chance Month, and Tristan will be organizing and promoting tremendous job fairs focused on individuals who have employment challenges due to criminal convictions and substance abuse issues. If you want to learn more about our Outreach Programs, email Tristan at outreach@cclmaine.org.
Thanks to all of you who pray for us and partner with us so that one day we may see Maine be a state where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive, and life is cherished.
;
