Weekly Prayer Update
U.S. Department Of Labor Announces New Policies To Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity and Protect Religious Freedom
August 13, 2018


“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” – President Ronald Reagan

National Prayer Points  

U.S. Department Of Labor Announces New Policies To Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity And Protection Of Religious Freedom 

“The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) today announced two new policy directives focused on ensuring equal employment opportunity and protecting Americans’ religious freedom. The equal employment opportunity directive calls for more comprehensive reviews of contractor compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws, and the religious freedom directive protects the rights of religion-exercising organizations.”

The Adoption Protection Act Is About Protecting First Amendment Rights Of Adoption Agencies

“Ever wonder who’s fact checking the fact-checkers? It’s a timely question in light of a misleading claims alleging that Republicans in Congress are working to “ban” adoptions for same-sex couples….Since 2006, faith-based providers have been forced out of adoptions and foster care services by local governments in Washington, D.C.San FranciscoMassachusetts, and Illinois. More recently, Philadelphia cut ties with Catholic Social Services, ending a 50-year relationship between the two entities over the city’s insistence that the charity comply with its stance on same-sex marriage and adoption.

Meanwhile, the ACLU is suing the state of Michigan after it enacted a law protecting the freedom of child welfare providers to operate consistent with their beliefs. The lawsuit seeks to prohibit Michigan from working with faith-based agencies that believe children are best raised in homes with a mother and father.

With over 400,000 children in the foster care system, and the ongoing opioid epidemic accelerating the problem every day, the need for adoption and foster care providers of every stripe has never been more desperate. That the Human Rights Coalition and the ACLU — not to mention certain factions of the Democratic Party — are willing to eliminate adoption providers from the field is not just alarming, it’s unconscionable.”

“Chaplain Scott Squires and his assistant, SSG Kasie Griffin, both face career ruin – and possible jail time for Squires – simply because they followed both the rules of the Army and of Squires’ endorsing organization: North American Mission Board (NAMB).”


International Prayer Points

Turkey: Imprisoned Pastor Released On Home Arrest

“The ACLJ represents the family of Pastor Andrew – a U.S. citizen from Black Mountain, North Carolina – who has spent nearly 21 months imprisoned in Turkey because of his Christian faith.  Pastor Andrew has been on trial for the crime of “Christianization,” and the ACLJ has been working in this country and abroad to secure his freedom.

We have confirmed that the Turkish government has issued an order releasing Pastor Andrew from prison and allowing him to be returned to his home in Turkey. This is a critical first step that we believe will result in the freedom of Pastor Andrew so he can return to the United States and be reunited with his family.”


State Prayer Points

Religious Liberty Legislation: Continue praying consistently and fervently for the successful passage of legislation that effectively protects our Judeo-Christian heritage and First Amendment Rights. Also, pray that bills and resolutions that undermine our Rights will be unsuccessful.

The CPCF legal team has researched best practices legislation and provided talking points on various religious freedom topics to assist legislators. Download their Report. View a model school invocation policy.

AL: FFRF Objects To Prayer At School Board Meeting

“A spokeswoman with the school system said this week that the prayer lasted only three minutes during a three-hour event that was received with an “overall positive” reaction. But the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF), based in Madison, Wis., is now calling on the Mobile County School Board to end scheduled prayer at all district meetings and events.”

CA: Company Takes Down Harvest Billboard In SoCal

“A billboard advertising an Orange County Christian event that has been held for nearly three decades and draws roughly 100,000 people every summer has been taken down over reported complaints and an alleged threat.”

CA: Chino Valley School Board Appealing To Supreme Court

“The Chino Valley Unified school board is asking a higher power for help in its ongoing legal battle over prayer at meetings: the U.S. Supreme Court. A week after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the board, a majority of its members voted at a special meeting Wednesday, Aug. 1, to direct legal counsel to file a petition with the Supreme Court for a review of the ruling. The filing may include a petition for the 9th Circuit rehearing the case in an en banc session, in which all of the court’s judges, and not just a three-member panel, reconsider the case.”

CA: AB 2943 – Still Time To Respond

“The California State Senate is considering AB 2943, a sweeping measure that would ban all paid counseling services that take a biblical approach to human sexuality when it comes to same-sex attractions and gender identity.These are exactly the types of counseling services and materials that some Christians with same-sex attractions are looking for. Some Christians with same-sex attractions want to live a chaste life in accord with their religious beliefs and want support in doing so. Yet, AB 2943 precludes them from getting this support through paid counseling and resources. The bill therefore takes options away from people in the LGBTQ community. But AB 2943 would not just affect Christians struggling with same-sex attractions or gender identity—it would affect all Christians who want to preach and run their church ministries according to the biblical view of sexuality. The bill would render any “claims that sexual orientation change efforts are effective in changing an individual’s sexual orientation may constitute unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business practices.” Use these Talking Points when calling your senator or the Governor

DC: DC Circuit Court Rules WMATA Can Reject Religious Ads

“The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) did not violate the First Amendment when it refused to run an advertisement from the Archdiocese of Washington, reports National Law Review, which added that “the court’s decision—in particular, the reasoning it employed—may have significant ramifications for how governmental entities can regulate speech on government property.”

FL: FFRF Says They Stopped National Day Of Prayer In North Miami Beach

From FFRF site: “The Freedom From Religion Foundation has persuaded the city of North Miami Beach, Fla., to cease its sponsorship of National Day of Prayer events.”

IA: University Sued For Violating Religious Freedom Of Student Groups

“The University of Iowa faces a lawsuit for preventing campus groups from choosing their leaders, a policy that led to 38 groups of Christians, Sikhs, and others being deregistered. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship was one of the deregistered groups, and it filed a lawsuit Monday after consulting with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a nonprofit legal group. The lawsuit alleges unlawful religious discrimination, and the InterVarsity group’s president Kristina Schrock said the university would be ‘a richer place’ if it allowed religious student groups to operate.”

IL: Court Victory For Church Feeding The Poor

“…In effect, state officials were asserting their mythical legal right to decide how Christian a Christian ministry can be. Not only were they wrong on the law (attempting to tax a non-taxable entity), but they were on the verge of making things worse for under-resourced children—burdening the finances of a ministry working generously to serve them. Despite such obvious lapses in logic and legal merit, DES persisted to the point that By the Hand enlisted Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys (including me) to defend the ministry in court. That case came to a head last month, when the Circuit Court of Cook County ruled in favor of the ministry, recognizing that the free food, medical care, and education By the Hand provides are the direct and obvious result of its Christian charter and purpose.”

IN: EVSC Will Refrain From Holding Teacher-Led Religious Clubs

“A group calling itself The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRA) claims it convinced an Evansville teacher not to hold a teacher-led religious club. The club is the Fellowship of Christian Students at Daniel Wertz Elementary School. FFRF contacted the school corporation and said the three district employees organizing and leading the club were exploiting their official capacity as district representatives to lead a religious activity. FFRF calls it a violation of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution.”

MD: Fourth Circuit Calling For War Memorial In Shape Of Cross To Be Demolished 

CPCF Legal Team: The case involves the Bladensburg Peace Cross, a memorial to area men who died in the First World War. It has stood since 1925 without bothering anyone until in 2014 the American Humanist Association felt that the monument violates the Constitution’s establishment clause. The district judge tossed the case, holding that the tiny amount of government money that is spent on upkeep does not endorse religion. The Fourth Circuit held 2-1 that this offends the First Amendment. On the petition for rehearing en banc the court declined by 8-6. Pray that the Supreme Court takes this case and reverses the Fourth Circuit ruling.

OH: Freedom From Religion Foundation Wants Sheriff’s To Remove Patch With Reference To God

One of the nation’s most conspicuous Church-State separation groups has written to a sheriff’s office in Ohio to claim that the ‘For God and Country’ patches worn on deputy uniforms are unconstitutional.” CPCF will take action.

WA: Our Teachers Need Prayer And To Be Allowed To Pray

The Ninth Circuit has upheld the firing of a high school football coach because, after a game, he went to the middle of the field and silently kneeled and thanked God.  He had earlier acquiesced in the school’s request not to invite players to join him, but his kneeling when students could see him was enough for the court to say his private action was not protected.  The logic of this ruling reaches a multitude of actions by teachers, such as having a Bible on the desk, wearing an hijab on the head or a cross on a necklace, and having a bumper sticker showing a church affiliation.  The coach has requested the Supreme Court to review the case, and CPCF is joining a brief asking the Court to do so as well.  Pray that the Court will do so and protect the right of teachers to pray in appropriate circumstances.


Prayer for the American Prayer Caucus Network and CPCFoundation

The American Prayer Caucus Network is a nationwide network of nearly 1,000 federal and state elected leaders who are standing for faith and impacting the culture. Please join us in praying daily for them, their families, and staff.

Each week Congress is in session, members of Congressional Prayer Caucus meet before votes to pray in Room 219 of the U.S. Capitol. Please pray for the CPC to continue to grow and be increasingly effective for generations to come. 

Pray for our President and all Those in Authority 

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” 1 Tim. 2, Psalm 91 

Include: Judicial Branch, Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, Military, Faith Leaders, First Responders, Etc.

Pray for the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation

The Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation, a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization created to support government leaders who wish to partner prayer with legislative and citizen action to protect our Judeo-Christian heritage and religious freedom.  Please pray for the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation team, our State Directors, legal team, Board of Directors, web developers, technical team, production team, design and graphics team, CPCF intercessors and donors.

Join the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation Prayer Team! 

Email me to join the CPCF Prayer Team! Commit to praying for the Members and families of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, The American Prayer Caucus Network, and the CPCFoundation.


Prayer for Anti-Faith Groups

Freedom From Religion Foundation
American Civil Liberties Union
American Humanists Association
American Atheists
Secular Coalition for America
Military Religious Freedom Foundation