Leadership | Embracing Options

A Call for Moral Clarity and Courage

Dr. Bill — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 18:07:35 +0000

New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms

and our pro-life allies face a very difficult struggle in the coming weeks, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo and majorities of each House of the State Legislature are intent on passing abortion expansion legislation.

To be blunt, our odds of success are quite low. Nevertheless, we will continue to stand for life and leave the ultimate outcome to the Lord.

The proposed Reproductive Health Act would:

Eliminate the requirement that abortions be performed only by licensed physicians;
Take abortion-related crimes off the books in cases where pregnant women miscarry after being assaulted;
Unambiguously establish a state-law right to abortion after more than 24 weeks’ gestation when the abortion is “necessary to protect the patient’s life or health” (which, based on court decisions, would allow late-term abortion for any reason at all); and
Repeal existing protections for viable babies born alive following late-term abortions.

Every follower of Christ in the State of New York should be actively involved in opposing abortion expansion. To do this, Christians need two things: Moral clarity and moral courage. Moral clarity simply requires a Christian to understand that abortion is something the Lord hates.

Murder is the intentional taking of an innocent human life, and an unborn baby is an innocent human life (a baby has its own heartbeat within the first month of pregnancy, and has its own distinct DNA at conception). The Bible makes it clear that the Lord hates murder (Exodus 20:13) and that He is intimately involved in fetal development (Psalm 139:13-16).

Moral courage requires that a Christian be willing to advocate for the unborn, remembering that the Lord calls upon His people to protect the defenseless (Proverbs 24:11-12).

Friends, if you have the moral clarity and moral courage to oppose abortion expansion, please write your state legislators today and urge them to vote against this disturbing proposal. Please pray against the passage of this bill, and please stay turned for further actions we can take together as we stand for life in Albany.

The Starfish Story

Dr. Bill — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 18:30:09 +0000

We all have the opportunity to help create positive change, but if you’re like me, you sometimes find yourself thinking, “I’m already really busy, and how much of a difference can I really make?” I think this is especially true when we’re talking about addressing massive social problems like tackling world hunger or finding a cure for cancer, but it pops up all of the time in our everyday lives, as well. So when I catch myself thinking that way, it helps to remember this story.

One of the most common reasons we hold back from doing the good we can is because we see the challenge before us as overwhelming and insurmountable. A good way to counter that is to break the big challenge down into smaller pieces and then take those one at a time – like one starfish at a time. And to that one starfish, it can make a world of difference.

Care Net Conference 2015

Dr. Bill — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 18:16:57 +0000

Embracing Options was well-represented at this fall’s annual national Care Net Conference in San Diego, California, September 8-11. Our Network Director Dee Skelton was accompanied by Webster Director Diane Braun, Advisory Board Chair John Gramich, and His Branches Administrator Michelle Preston. While in sunny southern California, they were occupied full time participating in inspiring times of prayer and worship, attending plenary sessions and workshops, meeting others serving in the field, and sharing their hopes, thoughts, and ideas about the future in depth. In addition, Dee was honored for her 25 years (so far) of faithful service in Care Net ministry. Click here to look over the 2015 Conference Guide.

Click to view slideshow.

Dee being honored with others who have been in Care Net ministry for 25 years

K-Love/EO Interview

Dr. Bill — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 22:06:39 +0000

A full half-hour radio interview with Diane Braun, Webster Center Director, spotlighting Embracing Options aired this past Sunday evening Jan. 26 at 8:30 pm on both 88.1 and 104.9 K-Love and was not only very informative but a great success! Click here to tune in to Diane’s interview with Peter Kratz, Regional Public Affairs Manager for K-Love.

Ray Dutcher: 1958-2013

Dr. Bill — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 15:34:58 +0000

In Memory of Raymond E. Dutcher, Jr.

Our beloved brother, Ray Dutcher, passed away this Tuesday, November 26, 2013 surrounded by family and close friends, after a valiant struggle with cancer. He was a valued and faithful member of the Embracing Options Advisory Committee for years and also served as Lay Leader at UMC of Webster and had also been actively involved with Good News Jail and Prison Ministry, and Stephen Ministry. Ray leaves his wife, Laurie; children, Raymond III, Jeremy and Caitlin Dutcher; parents, Raymond and Barbara Dutcher; sister, Rhonda (Alan) Dole; brothers, Roger (Sandra) and Robert (Julie) Dutcher; and several nieces and nephews. An anointed funeral service and celebration of Ray’s life was held today at the United Methodist Church of Webster.