| Legislative Day 2012 |
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| Tuesday, 10 January 2012 | |
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March 20, 2012 It Takes Courage Town clerks have been threatened with criminal charges simply because they cannot in clear conscience sign same-sex “marriage" licenses. Many New York City churches are facing eviction from City-owned properties due to an abusive interpretation of the separation of church and state. Radical abortion-related legislation threatens to remove conscience protections for pro-life doctors and nurses. Parental rights are usurped by state laws that allow public schools to instruct students contrary to their parents’ traditional values. This Legislative Day we’re focusing on the courage it will take to speak truth to a culture that desperately needs to hear it. It is going to take courage to stand for biblical values in today’s culture, but then again Jesus never said it was going to be easy. Register for Legislative Day 2012 by following this link. Pastor Alex Kendrick, writer, producer and lead actor in the recently-released film Courageous is a fitting choice for keynote speaker. Sherwood Baptist Church’s Sherwood Pictures has been effectively speaking truth to the culture through feature films like Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof and yes, Courageous.
Before joining the Sherwood staff, Alex was a college minister at Roswell Street Baptist in Marietta, GA. He also announced on Christian radio for five years in Atlanta. He’s spoken at events such as the National Religious Broadcasters Conference, the International Christian Visual Media Conference, and Georgia’s Youth Evangelism Conference. Alex has been interviewed by Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, Fox’s Hannity and Colmes, The Glen Beck Show, Dr. Phil, USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, and many more television, radio, and print outlets. Alex and his wife, Christina, married for 17 years, live in Albany, GA and have six children. Pre-Legislative Day Courageous Showing with Alex Kendrick If you’re staying in the Capital Region the night before Legislative Day, please join us at 7:00 PM on Monday, March 19th for a special screening of Courageous with Alex Kendrick. We’ll hold this special one-night showing in the State Museum’s Theater. $5.00 individual tickets can be purchased through the online registration form or by contacting This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or (585) 225-2220. The movie will be shown in the State Museum Theater (located on Madison Avenue in Albany across the Empire State Plaza from the State Capitol building). Parking is available in the two lots adjacent to the Museum, both off of Madison Ave. Detailed Directions and Parking Information are available here . Unable to attend Legislative Day, but still want to meet Alex Kendrick? Come to our pre-Legislative Day "Meet the Director" showing of Courageous on Monday, March 19. Congressman J.C. Watts, Jr. Added to Legislative Day Lineup
J.C. was elected to the U.S. Congress from the fourth district of Oklahoma in 1994. In 1998, he was elected by his peers to serve as chairman of the Republican Conference, the fourth-ranking leadership position in the majority party in the U.S. House of Representatives. J.C. provided daily counsel to the Speaker of the House and participated in weekly meetings with the President of the United States. He was the author of President Bush’s faith based initiative, the Community Solutions Act of 2001. He also developed legislation with Congressman John Lewis to establish a Smithsonian museum of African American history. J.C. graduated from Eufaula High School in 1976 and attended the University of Oklahoma until his graduation in 1981 with a B.S. in Journalism. While at the University of Oklahoma, Watts was quarterback for the Sooners, leading them to two consecutive Big Eight Championships and Orange Bowl victories. He was voted the Most Valuable Player in the 1980 and 1981 Orange Bowls. From 1981 to 1986, he started for Ottawa and Toronto in the Canadian Football League and was voted the Most Valuable Player of the Grey Cup, the CFL's Super Bowl, his rookie season. After returning to Oklahoma, Watts served as a youth minister at Sunnylane Baptist Church in Del City, Oklahoma from January 1987 until December 1994, when he then became associate pastor. In 1990 he was elected to the Oklahoma State Corporation Commission (the state agency that regulates public utilities and the oil and gas industry) and became chairman before running for Congress in 1994. J. C. continues to be a much sought-after public speaker and will have great insight into this year’s Presidential elections. The Empire State Evangelical Straw Poll
With New York State’s Presidential Primary only weeks away, this event will offer a unique opportunity to gauge Evangelical support for the Republican Presidential Primary candidates and the issues that matter most to these likely voters. Legislative Day attendees will be given the opportunity to participate in a first-of-its-kind “Empire State Evangelical Straw Poll”. Every other year, the Empire State has been a winner-takes-all state, but this year the game has changed. No one candidate will win all the delegates. Instead the vote will be weighted, with delegates proportionately divided. The Republican Party made this move in hopes of securing a place of greater relevance for New York in the overall Presidential Primary process. This will be an election year with enormous implications for the future of our country. It’s important we speak up for the fiscal and social values we care about. With an anticipated 1700 in attendance, the Empire State Evangelical Straw Poll will provide a unique opportunity to take the pulse of the Evangelical voter heading into the primary. Legislative Day 2012 TENTATIVE Schedule 7:00 AM Registration Opens 7:30 AM Continental Breakfast (included in registration fee) 8:00 AM Welcome 8:15 AM Alex Kendrick, Sherwood Baptist Church 9:15 AM Legislative Update Teens Dismissed 9:45 AM Legislative and Pastoral Recognitions 10:15 AM Congressman J.C. Watts, Jr. 11:00 AM Courage Award Presentation 11:30 AM Lunch and Q&A Session with Rev. McGuire (box lunch optional) 1:00 PM Alex Kendrick, Sherwood Baptist Church 1:45 PM Capitol Activities Teens Rejoin General Activities 3:00 PM Dismissal
New Yorker's Family Research Foundaton is pleased to welcome the "Sounds of Praise" to Legislative Day. Sounds of Praise began as a local church ministry of like-minded young people from Old Time Baptist Church in Hamburg, NY. This talented and dedicated ministry team looks forward to being used of the Lord to encourage, challenge and strengthen Christians across the state at this year's Legislative Day event. Teen Track This year, under the capable leadership of Pastor Gerald Feulmer, Legislative Day teens (7th through 12th grade) will be learning to understand the Christian worldview as a great drama, and the role we were created to play in it. This year’s focus will be on “Who is God?” and “Can I really know Him?” Teens will also be looking at current New York State issues through the lens of Christian worldview. They’ll be learning to examine current cultural issues by answering the question, “If God is the creator of all, what does He have to say about this issue?” In order to keep Legislative Day affordable for all families and Christian school groups, lunch will be included for teens and chaperones. If you or your group is considering coming up the night before, we have negotiated special rates with an area hotel (see the section dealing with “Lodging”). Additionally, a few area churches and camps have offered to house Legislative Day teens as needed. Contact our office at (585) 225-2220 for more information. Group Coordinators A group coordinator brings a group of ten or more to Legislative Day. If you are bringing a group of ten or more, New Yorker's Family Research Foundation will waive the registration fee for the group coordinator. Coordinators can register groups up to one hundred members online. For groups larger than a hundred (or to add additional members to a group once it has been established), please download the group registration form and send by postal mail. Group coordinators should clearly identify if there are any pastors, pastoral spouses, teenagers or chaperones in their group. Please include a name (church, organization or individual) by which you would like your group identified. Your group will be seated by this name. Dress Code Please keep in mind that you will be representing Christ before your elected officials. Modest business attire is requested. A Special Note to Pastors In recognition of pastors and their spouses, New Yorker’s Family Research Foundation has a special rate of $25.00 for pastors and $25.00 for their spouses, instead of the general attendee rate of $40.00 per person. Meals A continental breakfast, included in the cost of registration, will be provided for all Legislative Day attendees. This year, we will be offering an optional box lunch (sandwich, fruit, chips, cookie and drink) for $10.00. During the lunch hour, Rev. Jason McGuire will host a Q&A session with questions from Legislative Day attendees. If you would like to attend the Q&A session, but do not want to purchase a box lunch you may either find lunch at one of the concourse restaurants or bring your own from home. Box lunches must be pre-purchased through the online registration form or by contacting Linda at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or (585) 225-2220. Lunch for teens and teen chaperones is included in the cost of registration. Lodging New Yorker’s Family Research Foundation has negotiated special Legislative Day rates with a Capital Region hotel. The Albany Ramada Plaza (3 Watervliet Ave. Extension, Albany, NY 12206) is offering Legislative Day attendees a rate of $72.00 if you call (518) 438-8431 and mention “New York Families”. The special rate will be applicable for either March 19th and/or March 20th, but it can only be guaranteed through February 20th. After this date, there may still be rooms available at this rate, but we cannot guarantee it. Please make reservations early. Driving Directions If you're in need of directions to the State Capitol, please visit this link for Google Map directions from the location of your choice . When prompted, choose location 2, "The Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza". Note: for most convenient parking, you will be entering the V-Lot (P-3 North) as you go through the tunnel before you turn onto S. Swan St. Capitol Security and Parking Drivers should be prepared to show their driver's license upon entering the parking garge. There is an hourly rate of $2.00 per hour, $20.00 per day for parking. To find out how to access parking in and around the State Capitol, please visit this link. Promotional Materials The following downloadable resources are available to spread the word about Legislative Day 2012. This list will grow in the days to come. Thank you for making sure others hear about the "Courage" event. PROMOTIONAL POSTER (Low Color) |
