March 20, 2023

What is on your Lenten Calendar?

Maybe along with fasting during Lent and removing some pleasures, Lent should also be a time to add worship habits to fill the heart with cleansing preparation and vitality.

Forever He is worthy of all glory, honor and praise - Hallelujah!

Here is a verse that may be a helpful guide to some needed house cleansing. Phil. 2:2-3 Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY and ACT

Encourage groups to gather to hold each other accountable to disciplines of prayer, Bible study, healthy relationships, and growing in the fruit of the spirit. Also to be supportive and engaged in community endeavors to be salt and light in their midst.

There are numerous bills at the State House that need prayerful attention. People of faith are called to be salt and light to the earth. Too many times we have turned a blind eye to what is happening in our towns, libraries, schools, business deals, and governing bodies. Yes, we are a minority, how many Bible stories can you recall where amazing odds have been beaten by God's faithful and prayer. Are you praying? These prayers are vitally needed.

Are you doing your part to have His light shine all around town? How many posts do you or your people post to Front Porch Forum? Give Him praise and honor and glory and place these concerns upon His shoulders. He's waiting to hear from us.

Legalized Prostitution S.125 Bill introduced on March 14

submitted by Carol Kaufman, VFA

This bill would legalize prostitution in the State of Vermont. With legalization already in Burlington, and something similar instituted in Montpelier this past summer, it is sadly not surprising to see this initiative now surfacing at the State House.



S.125 would “repeal the prostitution laws that currently prohibit ‘indiscriminate sexual intercourse’ and consensual engagement in sex work for hire by adults while retaining strict prohibitions and felony criminal penalties for human trafficking of persons who are compelled through force, fraud, or coercion to engage in sex work.”

The bill also cites a 2018 analysis of studies that show that current sex work laws and policing practices negatively impact sex workers’ safety, health, and access to services. The analysis concludes that, “There is an urgent need to reform sex-work-related laws and institutional practices so as to reduce harms and barriers to the realization of health.” The bill, rather than seek the recommended “reform,” seeks to repeal these laws entirely, in cases of adult, “voluntary” prostitution.

The bill was sponsored by ten senators, led by Rebecca White (D-White River Junction) and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill comes less than a month after a similar bill, H. 372, was introduced into the House.

A Vermont Third Grader's Parent Stands Up

Submitted by Tara Ferf Jentink - Addison NW School District

Parents in the State of Vermont and nationwide are awakening to the reality of the indoctrination of gender ideology and Critical Race Theory within the public school system. A State of Vermont parent began to take action after hearing from her third grade daughter what was truly being discussed behind closed doors. This mom was truly shocked to discover what was being taught from the mouths of teachers was not on the overview of sequence and scope being sent home.

The lack of transparency had several families uncomfortable with allowing their children to remain in health class. Therefore, they started to take a stand and raise a voice asking for their children to be opted out of any discussion around gender ideology, transgenderism, and sexuality. The Ferrisburgh Central school principal was addressed in person by two of these mothers demanding answers for the reason of apparent lack of transparency with topics being discussed without parental knowledge or consent.

The district equity coordinator for Addison North West School District was also present for the meeting. The principal, trying to console the concerned parents and stated, “Well, we are being transparent with you now.” This was not the answer these parents wanted to hear. One of the moms stated to the principal, “Trust between parent and teacher has been broken.” 

Click on this link below to read more about this story in True North’s article, “A Vermont Mother Challenges Gender Theory in Elementary School”

http://www.truenorthreports.com/vermont-mother-challenges-gender-theory-in-elementary-school

REMEMBER - PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

My House Shall Be a House of Prayer

Helping Victims of Sex Trafficking

Tara Ferf Jentink, That’s A Wrap Ministries, Vergennes

Human trafficking involves the use of FORCE, FRAUD, or COERCION to obtain some form of physical labor or commercial sex act. 

Traffickers use violence, manipulation, false promise of well-paying job and romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations. 

Victims can be any AGE, RACE, GENDER, or NATIONALITY. 

Human Trafficking is occurring right now in your own community.

Do you know of any churches or businesses interested in becoming more informed and educated on how they can identify victims or help?

The Lantern is also looking for more people to get involved nationwide by becoming a “Lantern Station.” These stations will receive training on how to identify situations and be supplied with who to contact for help if a need arises. A “Lantern Station” will receive a lantern sticker for their window of their building or to place somewhere in their facility to outwardly show themselves as a safe place for sex trafficking victims. 

Prayers or donations are greatly appreciated as she is dedicating her time to this specific outreach in many different capacities.

Would you prayerfully consider forwarding this information as well? Thank you so much!

My Interview with James Lindsey & Indictment of Trump

Lily Tang Williams @Lily4Liberty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ereLQKWeDyA

I am a survivor of Mao's Cultural Revolution. Here are some of his revolution features and tactics. You can judge yourself if these look similar with today's American woke cultural revolution.

1. Mao started Cultural Revolution to purge his political enemies and become a "Supreme Leader" to control entire China.

2. His campaign slogan: Destroy the “Four Olds”

-- Traditional Ideas, Culture, Habits, and Customs

3. Arbitrary Division of society by using “Critical Class Theory" and identity politics by dividing people into:

Oppressors – The Five “Black Classes”

Oppressed – The Five “Red Classes”

4. Quasi-religious indoctrination of urban youth “Red Guards”, shut down schools for years for them to do class struggles full time, promote division, hatred, envy and equity.

5. Toppling down statues, putting big posters and spray paintings on the walls, riots, looting, violence, law enforcement told to stand-down.

6. Change school or street names, change words & definitions, censor words, burn relics, temples and churches, demonize all the religions as cults, promote communism as the sole ideology, Mao as a God-like leader.

7. Struggle sessions, public shaming and denouncing, self-criticizing, apologizing, thought reform re-education camps for the "Black Classes".

8. Guilty at birth, by relationship, by association, past words/deeds, lose jobs if you don't comply, silence is violence.

9. Family and neighbors turn on each other, children were told parents are not dearer than Mao, urge teens to change last names to cut ties with their Black Class families to show loyalty to the “revolution”.

10. Redefine social norms, promote unisex gender-less society, girls dress like boys & soldiers, create confusion & social chaos, banned dating in schools.

11. Press & media were controlled by CCP & used for propaganda daily, cancel individual merits, silence dissident voices from all professions, ban books, songs, music, art and comedies that are not PC.

12. Using mob tactics of fear, intimidation, torture and violence, no rule of law, 20M died, many committed suicide including intellectuals and party officials who supported the regime.

Hope you understand why immigrants like me, and many others are very concerned today about America. We want to give our warnings until we stop the destruction of the country we love.

For Lily's interview with James Lidsey click here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ereLQKWeDyA

On Potential Indictment and Arrest of Former President Trump

by Lily Tang Williams 



Weaponizing government agencies to prosecute political enemies is something the CCP in China does. I have never felt so worried about America, and its judicial independence system that is supposed to offer equal protections for all under the law.

Chairman Xi will meet President Putin next week to "further strengthen our comprehensive strategic partnership" per China's Foreign Minister. I pray for Americans to unite regardless of our differences. Indicting & arresting a presidential candidate and a former president will send a very bad message to the world. We risk becoming even more divided giving our foreign adversaries advantages over us. 

I hope the Manhattan DA will do the right thing: abandon this politically motivated prosecution for the sake of our country.

Tentpeg Offers Graphic Design Assistance

to Ministries and Non Profits

My name is Jen Puleo and I partner with Tara Ferf Jentink, in work for a local graphic design company called Tentpeg. As someone who has worked with many ministries or non-profits, I know resources for a full-time graphic design artist is necessary, but rarely available. The heart of Tentpeg is to come alongside non-profit and church organizations and provide support to their creative teams. We understand the weight creative departments and ministry teams carry and would love to support you as we help bring your vision to life through design. 

We also desire to keep the cost low to assist you with stewarding your financial resources well. Our most popular package starts at $500/month. This includes UNLIMITED graphic design with a three day turnaround time. 

When we say unlimited, we really do mean unlimited. We can provide whatever your team needs from sermon slides, touch cards, tithing envelopes, pens, bulletins, reports, social media posts, really - anything! I've attached some of our sample work and our website link for you to check out more. If you are interested, please don't hesitate to reach out or ask questions. If not, no worries at all!

https://tentpeg.org/

Blessings, 

Jen and the Tentpeg Team

[email protected] 

Upcoming Regional Events

• March 23: Financial Wellness Program, Manchester, NH, Contact Rick Blais at 603-641-2527 to set up a session in Vermont.

• March 23: C-12, Greater Purpose Workshop, Wakefield, MA Click the image at the left to watch the video. For more info, please click here.

• Apr 21-23: "By Design" Women's Leadership Retreat, Andover, MA For more information or to register, please click here. 

• May 1-5: TeenPact—Christian discipleship, citizenship, and leadership training, Concord, NH, For more information, please click here to view the flyer or click here to visit the TeenPact website to register!

• May 4: Save the Date—National Day of Prayer If you would like more info and to get involved, please contact Ray and Cathy Williams (802) 999-7336

• May 6: Save the Date—Iron Sharpens Iron Christian Men's Conference Click here for more information and to register or contact [email protected].

• May 27 - Awake Vermont - for more information click here

• Sep 16: Save the Date—The Send, Boston - a team from Vermont is in on the training for this. Click here for more information. Click here to register.

Bills Introduced

in the House - click here

in the Senate - click here

"Symposium on Americanism and Marxism"

Seeking other host locations.

Bennington - New England Baptist College,

April 15, from 9:30-4

Find out what has gone wrong with America and how to fix it! 

For more information visit vthope.net/luvt.html

and contact [email protected]

Pray with your church that Freedom & Unity remain vital in the Vermont fabric.

Pray for the Harvest and Harvesters. Make plans to reach out to all ages. Don't stay with the same ole routines - the time is NOW.