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Here’s a reminder about a great event we’re co-sponsoring tomorrow night in Centerville explaining how to investigate and prevent voter fraud. We we hope you can attend if you live or will be in the area.

The King Street Patriots from Houston is a group that was shocked to uncover several voting irregularities in its hometown elections, so it created an initiative called True the Vote, which is becoming a model for groups to fight voter fraud across the country (see video and read background, here). With General Assembly elections this November — normally very low turnout campaigns where a few votes can mean the difference between a conservative or liberal Senate — eliminating voter fraud is more important than ever. If elections are not fair they are not free. So, please attend Centreville Baptist Church tomorrow night at 7:00. to learn more. Catherine Engelbrecht, President of The King Street Patriots (see Breitbart.tv), will share the shocking experiences she encountered with the Houston True the Vote organization.

The video below is a Fox News Channel interview of Ms. Engelbrecht and Family Foundation friend Kelly Shackelford of the Liberty Institute. (Kelly was a key partner of us developing strategy during the Marriage Amendment campaign and LI has successfully argued religious liberty cases at the U.S. Supreme Court.) In it, they explain the outrageous and scary voter fraud discovered in Texas during recent elections.

Ms. Engelbrecht, herself, has a remarkable story and worth the time to see. She is a successful entrepreneur in the oil services industry, a mom and someone who was motivated in recent times to get involved in the political process after seeing the direction of our country. She founded The King Street Patriots and her work for it is entirely volunteer.

At the meeting you will also receive updates from American Majority, a Virginia-based national training organization whose mission is to train leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market. In addition, The Family Foundation will provide an update on the latest General Assembly and November election news. If you are in Northern Virginia, will be in the area, or want to make the trip, we encourage you to attend. For more information, contact Roger Pogge at 804-343-0010 or roger@familyfoundation.org.

The event is free and open to the public. Click here to register, for directions or for more information.

True The Vote Informational Meeting

Centreville Baptist Church

15100 Lee Highway, Centreville

Tuesday, May 17

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Much is at stake this November: “If elections are not fair they are not free.”

Is there election fraud going on in our nation? Is it happening here in Virginia? If so, what can be done to prevent it?

The King Street Patriots from Houston asked these same questions and were shocked to find many irregularities in its hometown election process. In response, it created an initiative called True the Vote, which is becoming a model for groups to fight voter fraud across the country. Learn what the King Street Patriots discovered and what it is doing about it at 7:00 p.m on Tuesday, May 17, at Centreville Baptist Church in Centreville. Catherine Engelbrecht, The King Street Patriots president (see Breitbart.tv), will share her experiences with True the Vote in the Houston area. Ms. Engelbrecht, herself, has a remarkable story, as a successful entrepreneur in the oil services industry, a mom and someone who was motivated in recent times to get involved in the political process after seeing the direction of our country. She founded The King Street Patriots and her work for it is entirely volunteer.

Attendees also will receive updates from American Majority, a Virginia-based national training organization whose mission is to train leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market, as well as The Family Foundation. If you are in Northern Virginia, will be in the area, or want to make the trip, we encourage you to attend. For more information, contact Roger Pogge at 804-343-0010 or roger@familyfoundation.org.

The event is free and open to the public. Click here to register, for directions or for more information.

True The Vote Informational Meeting

Centreville Baptist Church

15100 Lee Highway, Centreville

Tuesday, May 17

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Mark your calendar for June 1 as we again gather in Colonial Williamsburg with concerned citizens from Hampton Roads and across the commonwealth to call out to God to restore our nation to its Judeo-Christian principles and heal our land. (See picture from last year’s event.)

On June 1, 1774, the Virginia House of Burgesses called a Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer (see proclamation at CW’s web site) as American colonists called out to the Lord to intervene when the British closed the harbor at Boston. Today, our foes are much different, but they are just as real. Whether the attack is on life, on marriage or on religious liberty, we know that there are real threats to our freedom, liberty and prosperity.

The Family Foundation will commemorate that important prayer event on Wednesday, June 1, in the historic colonial capital, with the ad hoc group Virginians for Liberty, to ask the Lord to have mercy on us and heal our land. See the video below to see historian and WallBuilders founder David Barton briefly recount the historic event and explain how to participate in this very important event. After watching it, please share it or this blog post’s link with your friends, family members and especially your pastor. We have a similar video available that is designed to be shown in churches during worship services and will make that available to any church that would like to show it to their congregation. If your church does not have the ability to download and show the video, we can also make a DVD copy available for viewing.

We will assemble at the Colonial Capitol on Duke of Gloucester Street promptly at 8:00 a.m. and walk to Bruton Parish Church where prayers will be offered along with some 18th century hymns. This will cover several blocks, so wear comfortable shoes. The event will end at 9:00. Bring a U.S., Virginia or Christian flag and wave it as a symbol of your devotion to this cause.

Parking can be confusing around Colonial Williamsburg. There is a parking lot near Bassett Hall, 522 Francis Street East, which is very convenient to the Capitol. For more information or questions, please call Roger Pogge in our office at 804-343-0010 or e-mail him at roger@familyfoundation.org. We look forward to seeing you there.

A Call to Prayer

Colonial Williamsburg

Wednesday, June 1, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m

As we approach Christmas and think about our vision for the upcoming New Year, our state lawmakers are preparing to go back to Richmond for the 2011 General Assembly. As always, there will be many battles to fight — the protection of the family and the unborn, the preservation of our religious liberty and standing for the principles that have made our Commonwealth great for so many years.

The Family Foundation and our outreach arm, Pastors For Family Values, are planning for a special Pastors For Family Values Day at the Capitol on Thursday, February 3. Pastors and ministry leaders from across Virginia will come to Richmond to be updated by pro-family senators and delegates as well as staff from The Family Foundation. Pastors will have an opportunity to meet with your elected officials to encourage them to support pro-family legislation and possibly have a chance to minister to them.

It is up to us as the church to let legislators know where we stand on the issues and that we believe the traditional values that made Virginia great are shared by a vast majority of Virginians. One thing is certain: Those who oppose our values will be in Richmond in force and will continue to pressure lawmakers to support an agenda that is against our principles.

The event will conclude with a complimentary lunch at which Martin Brown will be the keynote speaker. Mr. Brown is the commissioner for the Virginia Department of Social Services and is a former executive director of The Family Foundation. He will provide a unique insight into how the church can have an impact on the lives of the poor . . . not just by feeding them or offering a helping hand, but by teaching them the principles of God’s Word. Studies have proven conclusively that the best way out of poverty for a child is to have a mother and father who are married and in the home, to stay in school, and avoid pre-marital sex and drugs.

Youth pastors also are invited this year and we will have a speaker of interest to them: Justin McClure, the youth pastor at Beaverdam Baptist Church, will share his vision and plan for networking with other youth pastors and affecting teens with the Gospel. 

We look forward to an informative, exciting and positive day on Thursday, February 3, at the state capitol, as we make an impact on our state (see a picture from our last pastors event). Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the activities will run from 9:00 until approximately 2:00 p.m. 

Click here to register for Pastors for Family Values Day at the Capitol.

If you are not a pastor or youth pastor, please share this link with your pastor and/or youth pastor. For more information, you may also contact Roger Pogge at roger@familyfoundation.org or 804-343-0010.

With the 2010 elections over, Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas just around the corner, most people are giving politics a rest right now. Deservedly so. However, the General Assembly will go into session in early January and The Family Foundation is gearing up for another heated session. With issues such as wrongful death for the unborn, the federal repeal amendment, and a renewed emphasis on school choice, now is not the time for us to rest on our laurels. Our staff is busy preparing to stand in the gap in the upcoming session for the values that we hold dear.

With that in mind, please commit for one day — Thursday, February 10 — and attend our annual Family Foundation Day at the Capitol, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center (directions). This is a change from the last few years when our lobby day was on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This year we will focus on school choice and, in particular, a bill that Senator Mark Obenshein (R-26, Harrisonburg) and Delegate Jimmie Massie R-72, Henrico) will carry. The bill would provide tax credits for contributions to scholarship foundations that in turn sponsor children to attend the school of their choice.

We believe that competition in education and true education freedom are key components to the reforms our current education system needs. In addition to our normal Lobby Day at the Capitol activities, we will join with several other groups for a rally for school choice at the bell tower on the capitol grounds.

A similar bill by Delegate Massie passed the House of Delegates last year but died in the Senate Finance Committee (see how it went down). We need a strong show of support from people across Virginia to convince our senators that school choice is the right choice for Virginia.

So, we encourage you to mark your calendars for Thursday, February 10, and join us in Richmond. Registration for this free event is as easy as clicking right here.

Several private and Christian schools are participating with us in this effort. If you have children in a private or Christian school or have a relationship with one in your area, please forward this link with them. Also, you can e-mail us @ FamilyFoundation@familyfoundation.org and let us know of any schools in your area that might be interested in participating. We will be happy to follow up with them. For more information about the event, call Roger Pogge at 804-343-0010.

The Family Foundation, in association with Focus on the Family, is pleased to offer our next The Truth Project® group leader training Saturday, November 6, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in Newport News at the World Outreach Worship Center, 1233 Shields Road. The Truth Project® is a DVD-based small group study that practically and personally introduces viewers to the truth claims of God.

This dynamic training event will prepare you to lead this innovative small group curriculum, imparting a Biblical worldview into the lives of others. The event is open to everyone, especially small group ministers and leaders.

Click on the image to register today using our secure form.

You can only get The Truth Project® DVDs by attending a training event or by completing the 13-week study. So, don’t miss this great opportunity. It may very well be the most transformational four hours of your life.

Registration is $99.00 per individual or couple and is only $50 for students who present a valid student ID at the door. The cost includes entire 8-disc DVD curriculum with Leader Training DVD. For more information about The Truth Project®, visit www.TheTruthProject.org.

If you would like to bring a Truth Project training to your area, please  contact Roger Pogge at 804-343-0010 or e-mail at roger@familyfoundation.org.

Since our founding 25 years ago, The Family Foundation has worked to engage pastors in the civic process. With new threats to religious liberty and the rights of the church to proclaim publically the gospel exposed every day, there is no time like the present to get involved.

In that vein, on September 20, our Pastors for Family Values outreach arm is holding its third annual Pastors Summit, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Ramada Plaza Richmond West (directions, information). More than 200 pastors from all corners of the commonwealth already have committed to attending. More are welcome as we have assembled a lineup of extraordinary speakers whose credentials rival that of any national convention, and of which we barely scratch the surface here, including: 

» Historian David Barton, Founder and President of WallBuilders, who appears frequently on cable news channels (see interview with Mike Huckabee on Fox News Channel); 

» Virginia 4th District Congressman Randy Forbes, Founder and Co-chairman of The Congressional Prayer Caucus, whose House floor speech on religious liberty is one of the most watched Congressional speeches ever (see video);

» Bishop E. W. Jackson, Sr., Family Foundation Chaplain and President of S.T.A.N.D., a national organization dedicated to maintaining America’s Judeo-Christian heritage;

» Alliance Defense Fund Senior Counsel David French, one of the country’s top religious liberty attorneys, (see Fox News interview with Laura Ingraham, here);

» Author and lecturer Bill Federer (see video), President of Amerisearch and frequently quoted in the media; and

» Family Foundation President Victoria Cobb, a recent participant in the 2010 The King’s College Distinguished Visitor Series.

The theme this is, “A Passion to Preserve Our Religious Liberty,” which is timely with new and greater threats to our religious liberty emerging almost every day, coming at us from every direction. It is imperative that pastors are equipped and engaged for the inevitable battles that lie ahead, and the reknown speakers addressing the summit will educate and inspire. 

The event is free for pastors, but registration is required (click here). Summit information, including hotel room discounts, can be found there. If you are not a pastor, but think your pastor should know about the summit, please share this link with him. For more details, please call Roger Pogge at 804-343-0010 or e-mail him at roger@familyfoundation.org. It is vitally important that every pastor in Virginia is informed and encouraged to engage the culture in this very important area of our faith.

Bishop E.W. Jackson, Sr., speaking at a Pastors For Family Values event in Norfolk earlier this year, where he underscored the importance of pastor engagement in the public square. 

The Family Foundation partnered with Enough is Enough, the Office of Attorney General and  Immanuel Baptist Church in Richmond last Thursday as nearly 80 people attended an Internet safety program. Attendees received Enough is Enough’s Internet Safety 101 kits to teach others in their churches, schools and small groups.

Donna Rice Hughes, president of Enough is Enough and Gene Fishel from the Attorney General’s Internet Safety office led this hard-hitting training — equipping pastors, school administrators and parents with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect children who access the Web to download music and videos, and connect with friends. With the scourge of online pornography, the dangers of predators, and the abuse of interactive features, it is more important than ever to arm those who influence our children with the tools they need to keep young people safe.

It’s only a start, and we are considering more training sessions around the state. But we are committed to doing our part to changing the culture within the culture as well through policy change. If your church or civic group would be interested in hosting a similar Internet safety training class, e-mail Roger Pogge at roger@familyfoundation.org. To find out more about Enough is Enough and Internet Safety 101, click here.

From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2

On June 1, 1774, the Virginia House of Burgesses called for a “Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer,” as the American colonists called out to the Lord to intervene when the British closed the harbor at Boston on that same day. We face a similar crisis today as forces across our nation attempt to close down the religious freedoms that we have been blessed with for more 200 years.

The Family Foundation (see Religious Liberty position paper) is joining with an ad hoc group called Virginians for Liberty to re-enact that important prayer event in Colonial Williamsburg 236 years to the day — crying out to God as a genuine expression of love for our country and longing for a return to the values, beliefs and principles on which it was founded.

Come join us on Tuesday, June 1, for A Call To Prayer, from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. as we pray to Almighty God to restore our nation to its Christian principles and to heal our land. We will assemble at the Colonial Capitol on Duke of Gloucester Street at 8:00 and walk to Bruton Parish Church where prayers will be offered along with some 18th century hymns. This will cover several blocks, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. We will finish promptly at 9:00. Bring a U.S. or Virginia flag and wave it as a symbol of your devotion to this cause.

For more information or questions, please call Roger Pogge at 804-343-0010 or e-mail him at roger@familyfoundation.org. We look forward to seeing you there.

Internet pornography, sexting, online predators . . . our children are exposed to garbage and dangers that once could only be found in the seediest parts of town. Now, with a click and a keystroke, your children, from the comfort of their bedroom, can visit Web sites that offer the vilest types of pornography. These images can even be downloaded onto a cel phone or an iPod. Child predators posing as teenagers are befriending our children on Facebook and MySpace, creating dangerous relationships that can end in tragedy.

What can you — as a parent, youth pastor, teacher or mentor — do to alert the young people in your life of the dangers awaiting them in the online world that they all live in? What do you need to know to protect them as they surf the Web, download movies and music, and make new friends online?

Learn how you can protect your children from the dangers that the digital age poses. The Family Foundation is joining with Enough is Enough and the Attorney General’s office to present Internet Safety 101 on Thursday, April 29, from 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. at Immanuel Baptist Church in Richmond. This free, hard-hitting session, led by Enough is Enough president Donna Rice Hughes, will prepare you to protect your family and equip you to train others in this critical area of need. Each church or ministry represented will receive a complimentary 200+ page workbook and a 4-lesson DVD to share with others in their congregation. All are welcome to attend. To register or for more information, call Roger Pogge at 804-343-0010 or e-mail roger@familyfoundation.org.

What: Internet Safety 101

Where: Immanuel Baptist Church, 3601 Monument Avenue, Richmond

When: Thursday April 29, 1:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Trainer: Enough is Enough President Donna Rice Hughes

Register: Call Roger Pogge at 804-343-0010 or e-mail roger@familyfoundation.org.

More Information: Internetsafety101.org