By Deaconess Kris Blackwell
(January 28, 2020 – Chicago) “The canards won’t hold!” Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, President of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, proclaimed so recurrently from the podium at the January 11 March For Life Chicago 2020. A canard is a false or fabricated report or story (aka ‘fake news’) and Harrison repeatedly hurled the accusation at those who would devalue human life. His rousing speech declared, “Enough is enough!” as he mourned the loss of over sixty-one million babies to abortion in the years since the passage of Roe v. Wade.
In Joy:Fully Lutheran form, Harrison followed by celebrating the life-affirming actions of the approximately 9,000 attendees at the Midwest’s largest pro-life gathering, declaring, “This community is more pro-woman than any other!”
“Are you facing an unplanned pregnancy?” Harrison asked. “You will find in this community assistance, every step of the way. You’ll find physical help, you’ll find housing, you’ll find food, you’ll find counseling services, you’ll find services to help you keep the baby if you wish.”
Following the rally on Chicago’s Daley Plaza, Harrison took to the streets with the 100+ LCMS members who participated.
“It was thrilling to have him walk with us, right in front of our banner, the whole way!” reported Deaconess Kris Blackwell, who helped organize the Northern Illinois District Life Task Force bus from Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisle. Prior to boarding the bus, the Life Task Force hosted a worship service for those heading downtown.
While the weather was not pleasant, it was not as bad as the weathermen had predicted! The enthusiastic pro-life crowd marched along Washington to Michigan Avenue, temporarily closing it. March For Life Chicago participants sang, chanted, and prayed their way to the Congress Plaza Hotel where a debut convention was held. The March For Life Chicago convention was open for several hours before and after the rally and march and featured more than 50 pro-life organizations, including those operating nationally and locally.
This year’s March For Life Chicago was held on Saturday, allowing organizers to add the convention, a youth rally, and swing dancing to the traditional annual afternoon march and evening banquet – at which Dr. Harrison offered the opening prayer.
Lutherans For Life of Illinois operated a display in the exhibition hall, manned by Rev. David and Marilyn Bottorff, Laura Laesch, and Liz Schroeder. They were pleased with the amount of traffic and the opportunities they had to share about the work of this LCMS Recognized Service Organization that equips Lutherans to be Gospel-motivated voices for life.
March For Life 2021 is set for January 16. The Northern Illinois District Life Task Force encourages you to mark your calendars and plan to join area Lutherans and others advocating for life at March For Life Chicago 2021.
About the Northern Illinois District Life Task Force
Affirming God’s Will to create and sustain mortal life in the anticipation of Life in Christ, The Northern Illinois District Life Task Force’s mission is to connect with church workers and their congregations by presenting unique educational and outreach opportunities about the reverence of life from conception though natural death. Educating people about life issues and providing opportunities to put faith into action is the dual focus.