Dear Friend,

Welcome to the Friday Five! Every Friday we share our top five articles, stories, and quotes for you to read and share with your friends and church families.

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1. WRAL: New Florida law could make abortions harder to get in North Carolina

"A new six-week abortion ban in Florida takes effect May 1. That is expected to cause more women to travel to the Tar Heel State to seek the procedure, leading to longer waiting lists at overloaded providers."

"Tami Fitzgerald, the executive director of the NC Values Coalition, doesn’t want North Carolina to become even more of a destination state for abortion. She said the state is out of step with the rest of the Southeast and thinks voters here would support a six-week ban, too. 'There will be some pressure to move towards protecting the life of unborn babies as early as possible,' Fitzgerald told WRAL News."

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2. ABC 11: Gubernatorial candidates Robinson and Stein respond to Florida and Arizona pro-life rulings, and clarify positions on abortion

"Meanwhile, the Republican candidate for Governor Mark Robinson is weighing in, in a statement saying, 'Lt. Governor Mark Robinson is pro-life because of the painful and difficult experience he and his wife had, and his faith.' Robinson goes on to say he would sign a heartbeat bill, which is typically as early as 6 weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest, and danger to the life of the mother."

"Meanwhile, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Stein weighed in, saying: 'Republican extremists across the country are stripping women of their reproductive freedoms and enacting total bans on abortion. As Governor, I'll continue to defend women's freedoms because I trust them to make their own health care decisions without politicians like Mark Robinson telling them what to do.' Stein clarified his view on where the limit should be set in North Carolina is the 'Roe v. Wade framework,' which allowed legalized abortion up until 'viability' which is usually around 24-28 weeks."



The positions between the two candidates couldn't be anymore stark. At 28 weeks, the unborn baby is fully formed and in the third trimester. The baby is about the size of an eggplant, and is also around the time they begin practicing to breathe and preparing their lungs for the world.

Read more: [link removed]

You can also check out our response to Stein's position in this press statement we sent yesterday <[link removed]>.



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3. WASHINGTON TIMES: Most kids grow out of gender confusion, long-term Dutch study indicates

"A landmark Dutch study found that most adolescents ultimately outgrow their gender confusion, fueling the growing unease over the advisability of treating those under 18 with gender-transition drugs and surgeries."

"The findings reenergized the heated debate over treating patients under the age of 18 with gender dysphoria with puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries — treatments that are fueling a booming sex-reassignment industry."

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4. NORTH STATE JOURNAL: UNC Board of Trustees preparing for possible end of DEI

"The idea of preparing for an end to diversity, equity and inclusion was discussed during committee meetings of the UNC Board of Trustees held on March 27. The topic was first raised by Board of Trustees (BOT) member Jim Blaine, the former senior adviser to Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden), who said 'it’s an elephant in the room' that either the UNC Board of Governors (BOG) or the General Assembly will 'follow Florida’s path' dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) on college campuses. 'I actually think that’s the right decision,' Blaine said. 'DEI creates and exacerbates problems on a college campus, it doesn’t solve them.'”

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NC Speaker Moore was also quoted earlier this week by the News & Observer <[link removed]> as saying that "lawmakers have discussed the topic of DEI, but 'there’s no big push to immediately do something.'"



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5. THE HILL: Presidential race neck and neck in North Carolina survey

“The race between President Biden and former President Trump in North Carolina is neck and neck, according to a new poll released Wednesday.The Quinnipiac University poll found Trump narrowly edged out Biden with 48 percent of support among North Carolina voters compared to Biden’s 46 percent. When independent and Green Party candidates were included in the choices, 41 percent of voters backed Trump and 38 percent backed Biden.”

Read more: [link removed]








Weekly Prayer: Family

LORD, we cry out to you as Father. You are a model of the love, mercy, and authority of the perfect parent. We thank you for modeling for us what every parent should strive for, and for creating this wonderful institution called family. 

LORD, we thank you for creating us with a basic nature designed to not be alone. You made us to desire the intimacy of relationships, and it is here where we experience joys indescribable: the joys of marriage, the joys of having children; the joys of seeing our children have children. What a blessing and mercy you gave us in the family! In it we find our first teachers, our first guardians, and our first authorities. 

LORD, we recognize how deeply you love your children, and how deeply it pains you when they go astray. Alongside our adoration and thanksgiving, we pray in confession—as individuals and as members of larger communities—over any sins we may have committed that undermine your beloved institution. Forgive us when we endanger your institution through selfishness and arrogance. Forgive our communities and nation for attempting to redefine some of the most basic and deepest parts of being human—being made male and female, having lifelong marriage vows and responsibilities, and having parental rights over educating one's children. 

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:12-17)



Amen






Will you chip in $100, $50, $25, or even $10 to help the NC Values Coalition continue to fight for your rights? You can donate by clicking here. <[link removed]> <[link removed]>

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Sincerely,


Tami & Team
NC Values

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