The Reformed Presbyterian Church has a long history of taking a stand against injustice. So it is not surprising that First RPC in Phoenix, Ariz. has been actively uniting to stand against the grave injustice of abortion.

At the beginning of worship, Pastor Jon Maginn faithfully reminds the congregation to pray for the end of abortion and to consider what they can do to help. Over the last year and a half, many within the Phoenix congregation have given of their time, finances and energy to be a living witness against this smoldering holocaust.

I am regional director for the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR), an international organization committed to showing why abortion is evil. One of the projects that many of the men of the congregation have helped with is the CBR “truth truck.” The truck is a 22-foot mobile billboard displaying images of aborted fetuses. Because television and newspaper media outlets cover up the horror of abortion, the truck is a necessary tool toward “exposing the fruitless deeds of darkness.” The truck works to dispel the lies that have deluded an entire generation and shows the uninformed public that the first-trimester baby is exquisitely formed, as well as the violence of abortion. After seeing the images on the side of the truck, one can no longer claim that the first-trimester fetus is merely “a clump of cells.” Pastor Jon Maginn has driven the truck on many occasions throughout the Valley, including the area around Arizona State University in Tempe. Elder Hal Reyburn, Deacon Tod McCartney and Deacon Kevin Willson have accompanied me on the road.

Another project that Deacon McCartney and I have worked together on is the Genocide Awareness Project, (GAP). This college project takes huge photo murals of aborted babies and draws parallels between abortion and other historical injustices such as slavery and the Holocaust. The history of effective social reform clearly demonstrates that in order to change hearts and minds people must see the injustice for themselves. Consider slavery, child labor, the Holocaust, civil rights, Darfur, Rwanda, and the sick and malnourished children of Africa. Seeing images of these injustices may not be pretty, but they have moved people of conscience to action.

The GAP project is set up on college campuses not only because the university-age group has the most abortions, but also because the leaders of tomorrow need to see abortion for what it truly is. The impact of this project is incredible and life-changing for everyone involved. With the direct financial help of many within the Phoenix congregation, CBR visited California State, Long Beach in April and will be visiting the University of Arizona this October.

The women of the congregation have gotten together to make “diaper cakes” to donate to crisis pregnancy centers. These are quantities of diapers beautifully arranged to look like cakes. Jennifer Anseth taught the other ladies of the congregation how to make these cute and useful gifts. A woman facing a crisis pregnancy feels loved when she sees the time and effort that went into welcoming her new life.

During the month of February, Valerie Willson and others gathered at the nearby Planned Parenthood before worship on Sunday mornings to pray and sing psalms. This idea was spurred by the 40 Days for Life campaign that, every fall and spring, concentrates for 40 days on prayer, fasting and holding vigils outside select abortion mills.

During last fall’s campaign, Pastor Maginn’s wife, Bonnie, handed information to a couple going into the clinic. They came out soon afterwards and left. We hope they never had that abortion. It moves one’s heart to sorrow when you see couple after couple entering into the abortion mill and leaving with empty hearts and empty wombs. Yet it also touches some couples’ hearts when they see that someone cares enough to stand there and be ridiculed and cursed for the sake of their baby. The people of Phoenix RPC care, and as they are out there trying to intervene on behalf of the babies, they display to the hurting mothers and fathers that Jesus cares.

Members of this small Phoenix congregation are united on this issue thanks to the leadership of the pastor, elders and deacons. They have all taken a stand to defend the forsaken children in the womb. Whether by participating in a mass-media project, rallying for pro-life legislation, singing psalms on the sidewalk outside an abortion mill, being sacrificially generous in financial support, or just giving encouragement and praise, the Phoenix RPC is united in the fight against abortion.

–Jason Walsh

Ruling Elder Jason Walsh is regional director for the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR) He is a ruling Elder of First Phoenix RPC. For more information about the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, contact Jason at jwalsh@cbrinfo.org.