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.
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 VALUES: Merry
Christmas!
From all of us at the NC Values Coalition, we wanted to
wish you a very Merry Christmas!
“For to us a child is
born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his
shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah
9:6)
2. WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL:
Same-sex weddings not allowed, Winston-Salem venue tells
couple
"A same sex-couple say they were shocked when the
operator of a local wedding venue told them that same-sex marriage
ceremonies are not held there."
"In 2018, the U.S.
Supreme Court sided with a Colorado baker who refused to make a
wedding cake for a same-sex couple, finding the state's civil rights
commission showed anti-religious bias when it ruled against the baker
for refusing to make the cake."
3. NC POLITICAL NEWS: Supreme
Court rebukes governor on spending control
"The N.C. Supreme Court has affirmed the General
Assembly’s control over state spending decisions. A new 6-1 ruling
rejects the governor’s attempt to bypass lawmakers in determining how
federal block grants should be spent.
A 43-page opinion from
Justice Sam Ervin IV affirms earlier court rulings upholding state
lawmakers’ constitutional power to control money flowing into the
state treasury. Justice Anita Earls cast the only dissenting
vote."
4. CBS17: Durham Public Schools
giving all students A’s on end-of-course exams because of
COVID
"The Durham Public Schools Board of Education voted in favor of
adopting a grading scale of 90-100 for state-required final exams and
CTE final exams during Thursday night’s work session.
This would be in effect for the 2020-21 school year, including
the assessments scheduled to be conducted in December and January as
well as at the end of the year."
5. NORTH STATE JOURNAL: General
Assembly retirements of 2020
“Just over half-a-dozen lawmakers announced retirement
this year, with some of them headed to other governmental roles or
appointments.”
We honor all those who have served. Click
here to see the full list.
WEEKLY PRAYER: OFFICIALS
LORD, you also have instructed us to pray for our governing
officials, and we come to you in the spirit of this petition. We pray
for our national government and its executive, legislative, and
judicial servants. May they indeed be servants unto the people, and
govern in a manner that protects liberty and virtue. In the same
spirit, we pray for public servants across our state and local
governments. May they all heed your mandate in Romans 13:4 to be in
positions of authority as "God's servant" and for the "good" of the
public. They govern in what we confess are difficult times. Between
the COVID-19 pandemic, the civic unrest, the hostile political
climate, and the opposition of international opponents such as China,
they are much in need of your incalculable wisdom. May they plead with
you to give it to them, and may your grace respond in
kind.
Protect we, the People, from this virus, and help quicken
our social, physical, emotional, and economic recovery.
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.
Sincerely,
North Carolina Values Coalition
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