Heart Touchers - Religion in Public Schools

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{Heart4Teens.com} *Religion in Public Schools*

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If you enjoy this free email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration into the lives of teenagers everywhere! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, you can join Heart4Teens.com readers around the world by visiting:

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http://www.Heart4Teens.com/Teen_Stories

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Over 87,000 people have listened to popular Chicken Soup Author Michael T. Powers' free inspirational message entitled: "Breathing Life into Others". If you aren't one of them just visit: http://www.HeartTouchers.com and click on the link to listen to the free streaming audio message!

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Religion in Public Schools
(What's Kosher, and What Isn't)

by Mark Earley

'Tis the season . . . back-to-school, that is, and chances are if you are a Christian teacher, administrator, parent, or student connected to the public school, you've got some questions about what is and is not currently permissible in the classrooms when it comes to religious freedom. Maybe you're asking questions like these:

May my children express their religious beliefs in a school assignment or in artwork? May a teacher discuss her personal religious viewpoints during class discussions? What about music? May a music teacher include religious music in choral programs? Or may a literature teacher teach the Bible or other religious material if taught in an objective and historical manner?

Take this scenario, for instance. Your son has just returned from a wonderful summer missions trip with his youth group to Lima, Peru. He's gotten a glimpse of the needs beyond his own backyard and a vision for advancing God's kingdom. He knows several kids at school from his youth group and some from other churches who also share his passion for helping the poor and taking the Gospel to every people group. So he organizes an early-morning prayer group, finds a teacher, Mrs. Hutchison, who is willing to open up her classroom, and is very encouraged to see an average of twenty-five kids showing up every week. But Mr. Overman, the assistant principal and an outspoken atheist, after hearing the buzz about what's going on before school, bursts into the prayer gathering one morning and publicly chastises the teacher and students. The assistant principal orders the group to disband. Your son comes home that evening dejected and angry. Will you know what to tell him?

It would be helpful if you knew, for example, about the Equal Access Act, which addresses this situation, or if you knew the Department of Education Guidelines, which state:

"Students may organize prayer groups, religious clubs and 'see you at the pole' gatherings before school to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other non-curricular student activity groups. Such groups must be given the same access to the school facilities for assembling as is given to other non-curricular groups."

Thankfully you can find all of this information in an easy-to-read and newly updated guide called Teachers & Religion in Public Schools. It is produced by the Center for Law and Religious Freedom of the Christian Legal Society and the Christian Educators Association International. The guide uses three easy symbols--a green light, a stop sign, and a warning signal--to indicate whether a particular practice is legally permissible today in the public schools. I want to strongly encourage you to get this great resource into your hands and into the hands of teachers, administrators, other parents, or students connected with the public schools.

I know that you, as a "BreakPoint" listener, are concerned with how faith fits in the public square. Here's an active way and a practical way that you can help others in this regard, and perhaps protect legal religious expressions of faith in the public schools in your neighborhood this academic year. To find out more about this wonderful resource, contact us here at BreakPoint at 1-877-3CALLBP or visit us online at www.breakpoint.org.

Mark Earley

Mark Earley, 50, former State Senator (1987-1997) and Attorney General of Virginia (1998-2001), became president of Prison Fellowship on February 1, 2002.

As President and CEO of Prison Fellowship USA, Earley oversees the national ministry founded by Charles Colson in 1976, which has since spread to 108 countries in addition to the United States. Prison Fellowship's core commitments are Fellowshipping with Jesus, Visiting Prisoners, and Welcoming Their Children. In line with these commitments, PF works with thousands of churches and volunteers across the U.S. to disciple prisoners and prepare them to re-enter the community; to minister year-round to prisoners' children through Christmas, camping, and mentoring programs; and to help redeem the culture by embracing, defending, and applying a clear biblical worldview.

You can contact Mark via the Prison Fellowship website at: http://www.pfm.org

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Thought For The Day:

"A person consists of his faith. Whatever is his faith, so is he."
--Indian Proverb

Verse for the Day:

"As in water face reflects face, so a man's heart reveals the man."
--Proverbs 27:19

Teen's Thought For The Day:

Don't ask "How far can a Christian teen go in their physical relationship with their boyfriend or girlfriend." Instead ask, "How far can I stay away?"

Parent's Thought For The Day:

"Behold your little ones. Pray with them. Pray for them and bless them. The
world into which they are moving is a complex and difficult world. They will run
into heavy seas of adversity. They will need all the strength and all the faith
you can give them while they are yet near you. While they are young, pray
with them that they may come to know that source of strength which shall
then always be taught of the Lord' and great shall be the peace of thy
children." --Isaiah 54:13

Coach's Thought For The Day:

"He has the players too happy."
--Red Auerbach, the Boston Celtics' general manager, asked if he had
any criticism of Bill Russell's coaching, 1966

Deep Thought For The Day:

"For others who may not know this: When the preacher says, 'You may now kiss the bride,' he's only speaking to the groom."

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Author MICHAEL T. POWERS
www.Heart4Teens.com

Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Teen's Soul on Love and Friendship and 25 other inspirational books.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20

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ALL-STAR Ministry

--The Youth Church of Faith Community Church in Janesville, WI

If you are in 6-12th grade and live in the southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois area and would like to check us out, we meet every Sunday night from 6:30-8:00 PM at Faith Community Church which is located at 2931 Lucerne Dr. in Janesville, WI. (About 3 blocks south-east of The Skating Place.)

All-Stars: 6:30 - 8:00 PM Sunday nights! Open to all youth grades 9-12.

The Outlet: 6:30 - 8:00 PM Sunday nights in the Multi-Purpose Room! Open to all youth grades 6-8.

Currently we have students from Edgerton, Fort Atkinson, Milton, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Marshall, Franklin, Orfordville, Clinton, Beloit Memorial, Beloit Turner, South Beloit, and Hononegah. E-mail me back if you have any questions about our weekly meetings or would like to come to any of our events that are listed below... We have way too much fun and then, most importantly, talk about issues that are relevant to you as a teenager.

Upcoming Topics:

Sunday September 10 -- Share What You've Experienced (Life Hurts, God Heals Part 8)
Sunday September 17 -- No All-Stars due to the annual Youth Fall Retreat!

New Series! Rewired: Developing a Biblical World View

September 24: History: Who's Story?

October 1: Have You Lost Your Mind?
October 8: Making Sense of it All
October 15: If We Come From the Ground We're Nothing But Dirt
October 22: Image is Everything
October 29: The Gates of Hell

November 5: Bad to the Bone
November 12: Somebody Save Me
November 19: That's Not Fair
November 26: Prepare to Die

December 3: True to Who
December 10: Why am I Here?
December 17: We're in this Together
December 24: No All-Stars -- Spend Christmas Eve with your family!
December 31: No All-Stars -- Spend New Year's Eve with your family!

For 2007 Topics please visit: http://www.FaithCommunityChurch.net/youth

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Teen Community Groups

6:30 - 8:00 PM Wednesday nights (September though May)

These groups are limited to no more than ten teens and are split into Jr. High and High School ages. This night is for those teens who want to dig deeper than what we do in All-Stars, but may not be ready to be a part of the Xtreme Teens. These cell groups will also be doing special activities with each other as the year goes on to build community.

Jr. High age meets at the church and are led by Kent & Rachel Martin and Tedi Knox! (Call 305-0318 if you have any questions!

High School age meets at Matt and Kristi Kauffman's house: 4339 Fox Hills (Call 758-1243 if you have any questions!)

Xtreme Teens

Xtreme Teens meet on Wednesday nights from 6:30 - 8:00 PM all year round at the Powers' house. This group is very extensive with weekly homework, memorization, service projects, etc. Students interested in this group will have to fill out an application, provide references as to why others think they should be involved with this, and sign an agreement as to what is expected of them. Admission into Xtreme Teens is on a case by case basis. Contact Pastor Michael for more details!