I am pleased to announce that in an effort to help us raise $80,000 by the end of December, a number of generous donors have offered to match donations to IFI all the way up to $40,000 dollars! So between now and the end of the year, you can double the impact of your giving!
As we approach the end of 2014 and reflect on a year of challenges and rewards, I am compelled to thank God for all His mercies and blessings. We have much to be grateful for.
Despite relentless attacks on the natural family, we know that God is at work in our lives, in our communities, and in His church. This year more than ever, I am grateful to have all of you as our partners in this fight.
Most recently, I am grateful that the Illinois House adjourned earlier than expected and Speaker Madigan declared the session sine die – which means all pending bills are officially dead. This means the ERA is effectively dead, and will have to start from square one in the new session and with a slightly more conservative General Assembly, which starts on January 14, 2015.
I am very grateful for what happened in the Illinois Senate. A bill that would have radically rewritten the state’s divorce laws to the extent that would allow one spouse to unilaterally obtain a divorce without the other’s consent, among other troubling features wasn’t called for a vote. This means our lobbying and testimony in the Illinois Senate was highly effective.
I am also very grateful that the bill to ban counseling for minors who are dealing with same-sex attraction failed. Though this has passed into law in other states, we met the challenge and through much prayer and your generous support were successful in defeating it. But this bill will surely be brought back in the new 2015-2016 session. If we should learn anything from the Left, it’s that they are persistent and they never give up.
And neither should we give up! Will you stand with us in 2015 and double the impact of your donation today? Donate online today!
There will be tremendous opportunities for continued impact and real change in 2015. It is only through your support that we are able to work tirelessly to promote pro-family views. We must continue to stand up to the attacks on our civil rights of speech, religion, and parental rights. The challenges facing Illinois are serious. Untangling the mess our feckless lawmakers have put us in will be difficult, and we have no reason to expect that the attacks against the fundamental truths concerning life, marriage, faith, decency, and the natural family will cease or diminish.
It is clear that the Illinois Family Institute is needed now more than ever. DONATE ONLINE or call the IFI office at (708) 781-9328.
We appreciate all that you do, and ask for your continued prayers and participation. Thank you for your support! We look forward to partnering with you in 2015 to stand courageously and winsomely for the values we share.
May God bless you during this Advent and Christmas season.
Sincerely,
David E. Smith
Executive Director
P.S. Help us reach our goal of raising a total of $80,000 by the end of the month – Donate today! To make a credit card donation over the phone, call the IFI office at (708) 781-9328. You can also send a gift to:
Illinois Family Institute
P.O. Box 88848
Carol Stream, IL 60188
