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Click below to read this week's top stories:
BREAKING: Trump Deems Churches "Essential" (VIDEO)
Dear John,
We have breaking news to share with you. This afternoon, President Trump made a statement before the press instructing governors to allow churches and faith centers to open this weekend – across the country – and warned that any governors who stood in the way would be overridden. The president's statement corresponds with new, forthcoming guidelines from the CDC.
"In America, we need more prayer not less," Trump said.
You can read more about this developing story here. We know that responsible churches and pastors will consult with health officials to move in the right direction quickly and safely. MFC will continue to keep you updated on the progress of this extremely important new development for religious freedom in Minnesota.
We are working with local and national allies to determine what this means for churches in Minnesota who are seeking to reopen. In the meantime, we know from Attorney General Barr's public remarks yesterday that churches who reopen in defiance of state orders may be able to seek recourse from federal authorities.
You can watch the president's comments by clicking here.
Reopening Soon: Guidance for Minnesota Churches (Webinar Recording) 
Today we held a webinar for 170+ pastors and ministry leaders in Minnesota about reopening churches. Please feel free to use the resources below and forward them to anyone who might find them helpful. Please feel free to use the resources below and forward them to anyone who might find them helpful:
Webinar Recording
Legal Guidance
Reopening Plans
How to Communicate your Reopening
We invite churches who are thinking about reopening to contact Minnesota Family Council with any questions you may have.
In Memoriam: Ravi Zacharias (1946-2010)
We were saddened to hear this weak of the death of Ravi Zacharias, a trailblazing Christian apologist and guest of honor at our 2013 Annual Dinner. We're publishing these reminiscences of Ravi from RZIM in commemoration of a life lived for the Gospel. A memorial service for Ravi will be livestreamed on May 29 at 10 AM Central: watch here.
Frederick Antony Ravi Kumar Zacharias was born in Madras, now Chennai, in 1946, in the shadow of the resting place of the apostle Thomas, known to the world as the “Doubter” but to Zacharias as the “Great Questioner.” Zacharias’s affinity with Thomas meant he was always more interested in the questioner than the question itself. His mother, Isabella, was a teacher. His father, Oscar, who was studying labor relations at the University of Nottingham in England when Zacharias was born, rose through the ranks of the Indian civil service throughout Zacharias’s adolescence.
An unremarkable student, Zacharias was more interested in cricket than books, until his encounter with the gospel in that hospital bed. Nevertheless, a bold, radical faith ran in his genes. In the Indian state of Kerala, his paternal great-grandfather and grandfather produced the 20th century’s first Malayalam-English dictionary. This dictionary served as the cornerstone of the first Malayalam translation of the Bible. Further back, Zacharias’s great-great-great-grandmother shocked her Nambudiri family, the highest caste of the Hindu priesthood, by converting to Christianity. With conversion came a new surname, Zacharias, and a new path that started her descendants on a road to the Christian faith.
Zacharias saw the Lord’s hand at work in his family’s tapestry and he infused RZIM with the same transgenerational and transcultural heart for the gospel. He created a ministry that transcended his personality, where every speaker, whatever their background, presented the truth in the context of the contemporary. Zacharias believed if you achieved that, your message would always be necessary. Thirty-six years since its establishment, the ministry still bears the name chosen for Zacharias’s ancestor. However, where once there was a single speaker, now there are nearly 100 gifted speakers who on any given night can be found sharing the gospel at events across the globe; where once it was run from Zacharias’s home, now the ministry has a presence in 17 countries on five continents.
Read the whole thing
GiveMN Waives Processing Fee for Donations - Your Gift to Minnesota Family Council is More Crucial Than Ever
For a limited time, GiveMN will allow you to contribute to Minnesota Family Council without charging a processing fee. During this crisis, we are not shutting down. Instead, we are stepping up our efforts to bless churches, families, and communities in Minnesota by fighting for life, family, and religious freedom. Now, more than ever, your gift is crucial to ensuring that we can be YOUR champions for life, family, and religious freedom in Minnesota. Click here now to make a tax-deductible donation to Minnesota Family Institute.
 Abby Johnson Defied Planned Parenthood. Are You Ready to Hear Her Story in Person at Our Annual Dinner? BACK ON THE CALENDAR!
Due to the uncertainty caused by COVID-19, we have been compelled like many others to reschedule our event. We're pleased to announce that we’ve been able to arrange another date with our keynote speaker, Abby Johnson. Our 2020 Annual Dinner has been rescheduled for Thursday, September 17th. Keeping our guests safe is the most important consideration in making this move. With everything going on, we're glad to be holding our event at all!
So we're pleased that Get in the Game: Fighting for Life and Dignity with pro-life superstar Abby Johnson will be held on Thursday, September 17th at the DoubleTree Bloomington. Registration has now reopened!
Please reply to this email if you have any questions about your registration. Again, we're thankful for your support: we couldn't fight for life, family, and religious freedom in Minnesota without YOU backing us up! We are blessed to have you partnering with us, and we look forward to seeing you in September!
Educating and Equipping Parents on the Transgender Trend
Get Your Copy of the Minnesota Parent Resource Guide! The Parent Resource Guide sheds light on the consequences transgender ideas have on kids' lives, while equipping parents to play a positive role in creating a truly welcoming school community for ALL students.
Responding to the transgender trend with truth and compassion starts with the Parent Resource Guide. Get your copy HERE today and invite a friend to do the same! Click to order your copy today:
Support MFC When You Shop Online!
Did you know that when you shop with Amazon Smile, Amazon makes a donation to Minnesota Family Institute at no cost to you?
Thank you for sharing Minnesota Family Council's vision for
strong families and communities through Christ. We are grateful for your partnership with us in prayer, legislative involvement and generous donations.
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