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Dear Jack,

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.

We would be very grateful if you could make a donation of $100, $50, $25, or $10 today towards our work producing these Friday Fives and fighting for your values on the public square!

1. NC TREASURER: Decision in Kadel Case: Ruling by 4th Circuit Reinstates Benefit Exclusion

"The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit (Court) has handed down a  decision which reinstates the State Health Plan’s (Plan) longstanding  exclusion of transition-related treatments from coverage. This stems  from the Kadel v. Folwell case, which has now been sent back to the  district court for further consideration.

The exclusion dates back to the 1990s, and while litigation has been  ongoing it has continued to appear in the annual list of exclusions for  Plan members, even though it was inactive. The Court’s decision to  vacate the district court’s earlier ruling means the exclusion becomes  active again."

Read more: https://www.nctreasurer.gov/news/press-releases/2025/10/15/decision-kadel-case-ruling-4th-circuit-reinstates-benefit-exclusion

This is great news, and a major pro-values victory for North Carolina. We played a role in shaping this case through our amicus brief and by encouraging former State Treasurer Folwell to stand firm. You can read our amicus brief here: https://ncvalues.org/folwell-v-kadel-amicus-brief/, and our press release here: https://ncvalues.org/pr-nc-values-applauds-reinstatement-of-state-health-plans-exclusion-of-gender-transition-procedures/

2. CAROLINA JOURNAL: Why You Should Care About Elections

“Former US House Speaker Tip O’Neill used to say, ‘All politics is local.’ That feels even more spot-on this week as early voting begins for North Carolina’s 2025 municipal elections. Also this week, a new report revealed that Raleigh city employees quietly advanced a DEI agenda out of view of the public. It’s a reminder that while the country obsesses over national politics, the choices that most affect our day-to-day are made in city halls and county offices, often with little public scrutiny.

In-person early voting for North Carolina’s November municipal elections begins today, Oct. 16, and runs through 3pm on Saturday, Nov. 1, according to the State Board of Elections. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4, with polls open from 6:30am to 7:30pm. Below is an interactive map from the NCSBE providing more information local contests."

Read more: https://www.carolinajournal.com/opinion/why-you-should-care-about-municipal-elections/

3. IVOTERGUIDE: Your 2025 School Board iVoterGuide Is Here—Vote Your Values!

We’re excited to announce the release of our partnered 2025 School Board Elections iVoterGuide! Once again, we’ve teamed up with iVoterGuide to evaluate candidates across North Carolina from a biblical, pro-values perspective—so you can make informed choices rooted in faith, family, and freedom.

With early voting already underway, this digital voter guide is here to save you time and help you confidently cast your ballot in key school board races across the state. This year’s iVoterGuide covers districts including Asheboro City Schools, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Lexington City Schools, Roanoke Rapids Graded Schools, and Thomasville City Schools.

👉 View the guide and look up your ballot: https://ivoterguide.com/voter-guide/eleck/1306

And don’t forget—our NC Values Voter Toolkit offers additional pro-voter resources designed to equip and empower you to vote your values this election season: http://ncvalues.org/vote/

4. WFDD: Dozens Speak at Randolph Library Meeting on Children's Book About Transgender Boy

"The Randolph County Public Library will keep a children’s book about what it means to be transgender on its shelves, following a community member’s request that it be removed or relocated.

The picture book, 'Call Me Max,' follows a young transgender boy navigating his identity. Out of nearly 20,000 books in the children’s collection, it’s the only one on this topic.

At the library's Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, Dorris Welborne, who made the complaint about the book, explained she had checked it out for her grandchild without realizing what it was about."

Read more: https://www.wfdd.org/books/2025-10-10/dozens-speak-at-randolph-library-meeting-on-childrens-book-about-transgender-boy

5. N&O: At Trump’s Request, NC Republicans Announce Plan to Redraw Congressional Map

"North Carolina lawmakers on Monday announced plans to redraw the state’s congressional map to secure an additional seat for Republicans in the 2026 midterms. In a joint statement, House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate leader Phil Berger announced they would heed President Donald Trump’s national push to redraw maps in Republicans’ favor and vote on a new map next week."

Read more: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article312487278.html

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

Sincerely,

Tami & Team

NC Values