NationBuilder

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. NC VALUES: Statement on US House Vote to Impeach President Trump

Our statement on the US House vote to impeach President Trump. It's not about Ukraine, this week's vote is about the right to continue abortion on demand

2. WRAL: Walker, who eyed US Senate run, won't seek office in 2020

"Congressman Mark Walker won't run for elected office next year, sitting out a cycle and simplifying North Carolina's U.S. Senate race.

Walker, a Republican whose 6th Congressional District was redrawn out from under him last month thanks to a gerrymandering lawsuit, considered challenging another incumbent member of the U.S. House or U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis in the Republican primary.

But after weeks of speculation, Walker said Monday night that he'll "dedicate my full heart and efforts to finishing my term in Congress," then turn to 2022, when U.S. Sen. Richard Burr has already said he won't seek re-election."

3. FOX NEWS: Texas group defends 'Abortions are magical' holiday party favors

"Pro-life group Texas Equal Access is doubling down on gifting prayer candles baring an 'Abortions are magical' message as favors at a holiday party."

4. LA TIMES: Boys, girls and genders in-between: A classroom lesson for modern third-graders

"School counselor Holly Baxter had prepared for this moment for months. She gathered the third-graders of Red Oak Elementary on the carpet for story time, opened the picture book and began to read.

Casey, she said, likes to play with blocks and his dump truck, but he also loves things that glitter and shine.

Casey admires his sister’s glittery nail polish and says that he wants to wear it too. His sister tells him boys don’t wear glittery nail polish."

5. HALLMARK: Hallmark Affirms Its Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

"Hallmark will be working with GLAAD to better represent the LGBTQ community across our portfolio of brands. The Hallmark Channel will be reaching out to Zola to reestablish our partnership and reinstate the commercials."

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)