March 2 -8, 2012 Volume 5 – Issue 39

 

A Word from Our Pastor:

What Up With Birth Control Being in the News?

 

You may or may not have noticed that a large political fight is brewing over a new piece of legislation that
would require insurance providers to cover contraceptives. Why is this an issue? Why are churches getting upset
and going to Capitol Hill to testify before Congress that this measure is a breach of the freedom of religion?
The issue is a little more complicated than simple birth control pills. Often, we do not think about how these
birth control pills work, other than the fact that they prevent pregnancy. Birth control does not work by magic,
of course, so they have to do something to physically prevent pregnancy. Some birth control pills have a strong
“third measure” of defense that makes the uterine wall ‘hostile’ for an egg that has become fertilized. Because of
the pill, an egg that should happen to get fertilized would not attach to the wall of the uterus, and thus the
embryo would be passed, or aborted, without the knowledge of the parents even knowing that this had occurred.
That is what the churches are protesting. They do not want to be forced to pay for medications that may run the
risk of aborting a child. Personally, I’m a little mixed about this legislation. On the one hand, birth control pills
are an elective for many women and not a medical necessity. Why should medical insurance cover an elective?
Vitamins are often an elective for many people, but insurance doesn’t pay for those unless they are medically
necessary. So why should insurance companies pay for something someone can live a perfectly healthy and
happy life without?
On the other hand, birth control pills do have other uses than preventing pregnancy. Many woman need birth
control pills to keep their menstrual cycles from being irregular and overwhelmingly painful. In such cases, birth
control pills are medically necessary, and while they would pose a risk to early pregnancy, birth control is not
the only medicine that can cause problems in pregnancy, these are medications that churches do not mind if their
insurance companies cover.
Unfortunately, I haven’t seen any politician even suggest the second use of the birth control pill. Rather, this has
become a ‘battle’ over reproductive rights and the right of the church and other institutions to decline to pay for
things they find objectionable.
What is unfortunate in our day is the over-simplification of political discourse. This is not simply a matter of
pro-life/pro-choice politics. This is a discussion over the limits of government and the conscience of private
citizens, and it is about the individual’s right to receive medical coverage that they are paying for. Try to
remember that whenever a politician from the right or left tries to spin this to his or her political advantage.

Bro. Brad

Announcements:

  •  We will have a Family Meeting this coming Sunday evening, March 4.
  •  You are invited to the Ladies Bible Study on 1 & 2 Thessalonians on Thursdays at 9:30am at Lisa
  • Spence’s house.
  •  Wednesday Night Study: We are reading through a book called “Bloodlines” that deals with race
  • and racism on Wednesday nights. It isn’t too late to get a book, and it is never too late to join the
  • discussion.
  •  Renown Retreat: Louisville, KY March 16-18. Cost $80 includes meals, except for lunch on
  • Sunday and dinner on Saturday. Final Payment due Sunday March 11.
  •  Next payment for the senior trip is due Sunday, March 25. $125.
  •  Nursing Home Ministry Sunday, March 25.
  •  Ladies Book club will meet Monday, March 5, 7 pm at Beth Ann’s to discuss this month’s book
  • (Amy Inspired by Bethany Pierce).
  •  The Titus 2/Deacons Meeting has been moved back one week to Wednesday, March 14.
  • Praise/Prayer Requests:
  •  Pray for Ernie and Bernice as brother Ernie continues to recover from surgery.
  •  Pray for Ruth Thompson, Wanda Parker’s mother, who is in the beginning stages of congestive
  • heart failure. Pray for her husband, Dalton, as he cares for her. Pray for Wanda and Jim as they are
  • helping care for both of them as well
  •  Thank the Lord that the Congress and the President has reprimanded Iran for its treatment of Pastor
  • Nadarkhani who has been condemned by the High Court of Iran to death for being a Christian.
  • Pray that continuing international pressure will lead to his release.
  •  Pray for Allen Bledsoe's father who is in poor health and have been in and out of the hospital.
  •  Pray for Gloria Childress’ brother, James Pierce, who has a host of health problems.

Missions:

M.U.D. Ministries:

If you are interested in supporting M.U.D. Ministries, please contact Eric Hixon at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
If you are interested in going to Nicaragua this year, please contact Brad or Eric. There will be a trip in
the summer for those who are interested.

 

Volunteers for this week:

Sunday Morning Childcare:

Bed Babies through 2’s – Kathy Coy & Leigh Ellen
3’s and 4’s – Gina Smith & Taylor Gregg
Sunday Morning Food:
Cindy Knight


Last Week’s Statistics:
Giving: $3035
Building Fund: $375
Attendance: 85

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Our mission and passion at New Covenant Baptist Church is to glorify God by becoming a community that  fosters the love of God
with all of the heart, soul, mind and strength, and by learning to love one another as Christ Jesus has loved us.
The answer to every heart's need and the satisfaction of all our longing is found in Jesus Christ our Lord, who is Himself, the very image of Almighty God. We exist to adore Him, and to spread the knowledge of His greatness to the ends of the earth.