Life Chain was started in 1987 with over 2,000 participants in the sister towns of Yuba City and Marysville, California. By 1992, there were Life Chains held in more than 800 United States cities and towns with a participation of over 975,000 people and an additional 80,000 participants in 97 chains across Canada. In 2008, there were over 1,600 Life Chains in 1,400 cities and towns across North America.
These Life Chains are held the first Sunday in October and people are invited to stand on a designated sidewalk, holding signs such as: "Jesus Forgives and Heals," "Adoption: The Loving Option," "Abortion Hurts Women," "Life - - the First Inalienable Right," "Lord, Forgive Us and Our Nation," and more. While holding these signs, participants are encouraged to silently pray, personally repent, and carefully analyze one's level of commitment to ending abortion in our nation. It is sad to see how the Church of Jesus Christ has become so silent while over 45 million preborn Americans have been cruelly and methodically killed by mutilation, chemicals, intentional neglect, and surgery.
This year's Life Chain will be held October 4th. Locally, registration begins from 1:00-2:00pm at the First Nazarene, Redeemer Lutheran, or Saint Henry's churches. There will be signs at these churches which participants choose to hold and our prayer time will be from 2:00-3:00pm on Center Street from Olive Street to the north. Refreshments will be served at Redeemer from 3:00-4:00pm. You would be wise to bring a lawn chair and an umbrella if it looks like rain. You can park in the church lot where you register. While some cars drive by and honk in support of our cause, others drive by and passengers yell obscenities. Our response is always to silently continue praying. One year there was a young woman we know of who changed her mind and chose to give birth to her child rather than abort her child because she saw our silent protest on Center Street.
Total attendance from all churches in our Marshalltown Chain has varied between 100-150 each year. Our pro-life committee at New Hope has set as a goal 250 from our congregation alone and 50 have already signed up and committed to be there. All ages are invited to participate, but dogs will not be allowed. If you would like to sign up or have further questions, please call the New Hope Christian Church office at 752-1612.
Before he died and turned the responsibility of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land over to Joshua, Moses gave these parting remarks to the people he had led and loved for over forty years. "What I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you......This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.....For the Lord is your life....." (Deuteronomy 30:11,19&20).
