Christian Women On The Frontlines - Julie Smith and Lois Wise Bring God Back To San Diego's City Council
The James Hartline Report
On The Frontlines Of The Culture War
February 1, 2007
Christian Women On The Frontlines:
Julie Smith and Lois Wise Bring God Back
To San Diego's City Council
Mission Valley Christian Fellowship training up a new generation of women
to reclaim the City of San Diego with the message that Christianity still works for
all women in today's world.
(JHReport) The message that Leo Giovinetti, Pastor of Mission Valley Christian Fellowship, is constantly conveying to his 1,500 member congregation is a simple one, "Enter the story!" What Pastor Giovinetti means by this, is for church members to take the lessons they learn from his pulpit and carry them out into the culture. In other words, "Enter the story." On Tuesday, January 30, 2007, that is just what two of Giovinetti's longtime church members did: they entered the story of their city's government.
Julie Smith and Lois Wise have been attending Mission Valley Christian Fellowship for many years. Smith and Wise are both grandmothers with a deep commitment to God, their church and their families. From traveling to Israel to help Jewish settlers to taking in homeless families, both Julie Smith and Lois Wise personify the best that today's Christian woman can be. However, one thing neither Smith or Wise have ever done before, is speak before the city council of their own city. Braving a cold, rainy storm that kept many others away from downtown San Diego, Smith and Wise expanded their Christian resumes by doing just that: they spoke before the city council of America's seventh largest city.
When James Hartline, Director of the "Not On My Watch" Team, asked both Smith and Wise to address the San Diego City Council on Tuesday, they did not look for an excuse to avoid speaking before a governmental group that has, in recent times, repeatedly attacked their Christian values. Instead, these two committed Christian women saw the opportunity to further carry out into the culture Pastor Leo Giovinetti's message, "Enter the story."
The San Diego Municipal Code mandates that the city council must allow its citizens the opportunity to speak on any topic during open council sessions that is relevant to their jurisdiction. The council does this by allowing for a public comment segment where any member of the public can speak for three minutes on the topic of their choice. Sometimes citizens use this time wisely, but oftentimes the public comment segment is hijacked by citizens who abuse the privilege with speeches laced with profanity and abusive anger.
When Council President Scott Peters called Julie Smith and Lois Wise to the podium, it was as if time stood still for a moment and an atmosphere of unusual peace settled on the council chambers. Julie Smith then spoke words that have rarely been heard in recent times during the San Diego City Council hearings: "I have not come to criticize you..."
Those early words by Smith seemed to bring a strange hush upon the meeting. Smith continued:
"But I am here to remind you of some important principles which
should guide you as fair-minded public servants. The Bible says
to put God and His kingdom first, then all of the other things we
need in life, God will give to us."
Julie Smith's comments could not have come at a better time. Since liberal Democrat Scott Peters and the Democratic majority took over the San Diego City Council, no regular opening prayer or pledge of allegiance is even conducted prior to council meetings. Smith's comments were a reminder that the catastrophic problems that are engulfing this particular city council can be traced to a government that has separated itself from the very Christian principles upon which the United States Constitution and its ensuing local municipalites were founded upon. Smith continued:
"Councilmembers, what is the source of your ethics? How do you form
in your minds what is right and what is wrong? For me, I use the Bible
when I determine what is right and wrong."
Taking up where Smith left off, Lois Wise completed this dynamic Christian duo's council presentation with a very inspiring prayer. Wise's prayer should serve as a reminder to these secularized governmental bureacrats that the things they publicly claim to aspire to: justice, mercy, compassion and caring for society's most vulnerable citizens - the children - can only be accomplished through prayer and obedience to God. Lois Wise proclaimed in her prayer:
"Lord, forgive us for laying burdens upon others that we ourselves
have been unwilling to bare."
What Julie Smith and Lois Wise did during the San Diego City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 30, 2007 was more than just speak and pray. Smith and Wise have demonstrated that two women who are not rich or part of society's recognized elite, can step up to the plate, and with God's help, knock a home run out of the park for heaven's team.
Julie Smith and Lois Wise will both say of their church's many Biblical programs, that the women's ministry of Mission Valley Christian Fellowship is a tremendous training ground for any woman who wants to grow spiritually in her personal life. They will also convey that the training programs provided by their church are great avenues for women who want to grow in their civic responsiblities. The first-time speeches of Smith and Wise at the San Diego City Council certainly prove how well the studies programs at Mission Valley Christian Fellowship have helped them. You can learn more about Mission Valley Christian Fellowship's various training programs by going to the church website: www.mvcf.com.
You can watch the video of the entire speech and prayer
by Julie Smith and Lois Wise by going to:
http://granicus.sandiego.gov/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3
Go to City Council - Tuesday Jan 30, 2007 and click on View Video
Slide Time Ruler to Time of 29:25
This Article Has been Provided by The James Hartline Report.
Now Ready Daily by Over 8,400 Concerned Citizens of Conviction!
www.jameshartline.com
I Am Making My Stand In 2007:
Have You Started Making Yours?
James Hartline, Publisher
The James Hartline Report
Educating The Church
Fighting For Our Generation
On The Frontlines Of The Culture War
February 1, 2007
Christian Women On The Frontlines:
Julie Smith and Lois Wise Bring God Back
To San Diego's City Council
Mission Valley Christian Fellowship training up a new generation of women
to reclaim the City of San Diego with the message that Christianity still works for
all women in today's world.
(JHReport) The message that Leo Giovinetti, Pastor of Mission Valley Christian Fellowship, is constantly conveying to his 1,500 member congregation is a simple one, "Enter the story!" What Pastor Giovinetti means by this, is for church members to take the lessons they learn from his pulpit and carry them out into the culture. In other words, "Enter the story." On Tuesday, January 30, 2007, that is just what two of Giovinetti's longtime church members did: they entered the story of their city's government.
Julie Smith and Lois Wise have been attending Mission Valley Christian Fellowship for many years. Smith and Wise are both grandmothers with a deep commitment to God, their church and their families. From traveling to Israel to help Jewish settlers to taking in homeless families, both Julie Smith and Lois Wise personify the best that today's Christian woman can be. However, one thing neither Smith or Wise have ever done before, is speak before the city council of their own city. Braving a cold, rainy storm that kept many others away from downtown San Diego, Smith and Wise expanded their Christian resumes by doing just that: they spoke before the city council of America's seventh largest city.
When James Hartline, Director of the "Not On My Watch" Team, asked both Smith and Wise to address the San Diego City Council on Tuesday, they did not look for an excuse to avoid speaking before a governmental group that has, in recent times, repeatedly attacked their Christian values. Instead, these two committed Christian women saw the opportunity to further carry out into the culture Pastor Leo Giovinetti's message, "Enter the story."
The San Diego Municipal Code mandates that the city council must allow its citizens the opportunity to speak on any topic during open council sessions that is relevant to their jurisdiction. The council does this by allowing for a public comment segment where any member of the public can speak for three minutes on the topic of their choice. Sometimes citizens use this time wisely, but oftentimes the public comment segment is hijacked by citizens who abuse the privilege with speeches laced with profanity and abusive anger.
When Council President Scott Peters called Julie Smith and Lois Wise to the podium, it was as if time stood still for a moment and an atmosphere of unusual peace settled on the council chambers. Julie Smith then spoke words that have rarely been heard in recent times during the San Diego City Council hearings: "I have not come to criticize you..."
Those early words by Smith seemed to bring a strange hush upon the meeting. Smith continued:
"But I am here to remind you of some important principles which
should guide you as fair-minded public servants. The Bible says
to put God and His kingdom first, then all of the other things we
need in life, God will give to us."
Julie Smith's comments could not have come at a better time. Since liberal Democrat Scott Peters and the Democratic majority took over the San Diego City Council, no regular opening prayer or pledge of allegiance is even conducted prior to council meetings. Smith's comments were a reminder that the catastrophic problems that are engulfing this particular city council can be traced to a government that has separated itself from the very Christian principles upon which the United States Constitution and its ensuing local municipalites were founded upon. Smith continued:
"Councilmembers, what is the source of your ethics? How do you form
in your minds what is right and what is wrong? For me, I use the Bible
when I determine what is right and wrong."
Taking up where Smith left off, Lois Wise completed this dynamic Christian duo's council presentation with a very inspiring prayer. Wise's prayer should serve as a reminder to these secularized governmental bureacrats that the things they publicly claim to aspire to: justice, mercy, compassion and caring for society's most vulnerable citizens - the children - can only be accomplished through prayer and obedience to God. Lois Wise proclaimed in her prayer:
"Lord, forgive us for laying burdens upon others that we ourselves
have been unwilling to bare."
What Julie Smith and Lois Wise did during the San Diego City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 30, 2007 was more than just speak and pray. Smith and Wise have demonstrated that two women who are not rich or part of society's recognized elite, can step up to the plate, and with God's help, knock a home run out of the park for heaven's team.
Julie Smith and Lois Wise will both say of their church's many Biblical programs, that the women's ministry of Mission Valley Christian Fellowship is a tremendous training ground for any woman who wants to grow spiritually in her personal life. They will also convey that the training programs provided by their church are great avenues for women who want to grow in their civic responsiblities. The first-time speeches of Smith and Wise at the San Diego City Council certainly prove how well the studies programs at Mission Valley Christian Fellowship have helped them. You can learn more about Mission Valley Christian Fellowship's various training programs by going to the church website: www.mvcf.com.
You can watch the video of the entire speech and prayer
by Julie Smith and Lois Wise by going to:
http://granicus.sandiego.gov/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3
Go to City Council - Tuesday Jan 30, 2007 and click on View Video
Slide Time Ruler to Time of 29:25
This Article Has been Provided by The James Hartline Report.
Now Ready Daily by Over 8,400 Concerned Citizens of Conviction!
www.jameshartline.com
I Am Making My Stand In 2007:
Have You Started Making Yours?
James Hartline, Publisher
The James Hartline Report
Educating The Church
Fighting For Our Generation
Comments
Time was when the Christian community took an active role in civic matters and made a difference, most notably in opposing slavery in the 1800s and supporting the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
Time was when black people rode at the back of the bus. One of the events of the civil rights movement was the Birmingham bus boycott, which led to the end of segregated seating on the buses.
Too many times today, it's as thought it is Christians who are riding at the back of the bus and being treated as second class citizens. Unlike the black community, many members of the Christian community don't become angry at this situation and appear to accept second class citizenship without complaining.
Events have happened that should not have and vice versa because of the lack of Christian involvement in the political arena. Committed people can make a difference in the political arena.