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This is your report of the  Saturday,  March 1, 2008 meeting,

+++ Christian Coalition at Northside Christian +++

+++OUR APRIL 5TH MEETING WILL BE AT  NORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL+++

Northside Christian, 7777  62nd Ave. North..  Easy to find; Starkey Road south from Panera Bread, cross Park Blvd. and continue south 2 Traffic lights more to 62nd Ave. North.  Turn left one mile on left is Northside Christian.  Go to the left side of the left side building, follow signs.

(Keene Road. (Clearwater, Starkey Road Largo/Seminole, Park Street, St. Pete, same road) 

Meetings begin promptly at 10:00a.m., First Saturday of each month

 

You will remember we had a great CANDIDATE FORUM there in the 2006 Election.

 

There will be coffee, and some finger food..  It's Not necessary if you wish but you can bring some also.

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Even though Panera Bread in January 2008 had agreed that they would gladly have our room available for the year, they now have told us not for April and May.    Northside Christian has welcomed us once again, and we say thank you Northside  Christian School.

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            33 of us welcomed the new Executive Director of Christian Coalition of Florida Dennis Baxley to the meeting.  Dennis served 7 years in the Florida House of Representatives.  He was  Speaker Pro-Tem for 2007;  following 2006 Leslie Waters to this important post.  Dennis is a successful Ocala businessman, married to Micheline.  They have   5 children and 5 grandchildren,  and a Deacon at First Baptist Church of Belleview.    

            Dennis is known in Tallahassee as knowledgeable and with strong Christian Voice.

            We were impressed with our new executive Director, so at our future meetings we will have a container available, where you sign in, for voluntary contribution to Christian Coalition of Florida.   After the meeting we will add up and send a Christian Coalition Pinellas check, and any other checks to CCFla, so that we give as a group.    It doesn't have to be a large gift, unless you want,  but we are impressed to do this at this time..  Dennis told us of his plans and it sounds like plans we could be part of his overall direction.

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            Seminole Mayor Jimmy Johnson often attends our meetings so I asked him to update us on plans to improve 102nd Ave. North.    Jimmy told of traffic back-ups in afternoon rush-hour between Seminole Blvd. and 113th Street. Those of us who drive in that mess realize that it should have already been two lanes to at least Thurston Groves.  Each day it is a dangerous mess.     If 102nd Ave. were 2 lane from Seminole Blvd. to the Park, with turn lanes, it would nicely solve the traffic problem without disturbing the Cemetery. 

            Two other things need to be done to 102nd  Ave. at the same time: a Traffic Light, or Round-about, at Ridge Road,  and  an overpass across the Pinellas Trail like Ulmerton Road and Park Blvd. have.

            This would cost TAXPAYERS 7 million dollars as compared with the Pinellas County plan of over 33 million dollars.   When I last spoke with Jimmy saturday he said, I'll call you Monday to verify these numbers, and he did not call me Monday, and I'll tell you why.

           

           

 

            Jimmy explained at the meeting that he had an incurable lung disease, and needed a Lung Replacement, and was on the national lung list.  We stopped the meeting and prayed for his 'new' lungs, Doctors with the necessary knowledge and skills, and that God would make it happen, in Jesus' Name.. After all, "with God all things are possible"

            In less that 24 hours from we prayed Jimmy was in Tampa General Hospital, with  a 'new lung', in the recovery room, and "to God be the glory". Please continue to pray that Jimmy has successful,  recovery with no complications,  or rejection of the new lung..

            Jimmy, at the meeting, also explained that when we leave this life we should give our good parts to others in need.   After all, "God loves a cheerful giver"  Two places where we may make this designation on auto insurance renewal and drivers license renewal. 

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"When the righteous are in authority the people rejoice: when the wicked beareth rule the people mourn." Psalm 29:2

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             PATRICIA (Trish). MACFARLANE Candidate for the City Council of Pinellas Park Seat #4.   Patricia is a 7th generation Floridian, and a St. Pete Junior College graduate,   She and husband David have been married 34 years, have 3 adult children and own Majestic Oaks Equestrian center, an education center and boarding facility for horses.  Trish says, "I believe in government of the people, by the people, and for the people; (not government of 'certain special interest groups only).

   

            Christian Coalition is totally non-partisan.  We endorse no candidates, but will tell you about those who we feel well qualified for office.  We admire and appreciate people who take time from there lives and want to give something back by serving in public life.  Candidates are always welcome.

President Ronald Reagan said, "No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formable as the will and moral courage of free men and women."

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Ron's thoughts on  Candidates for President 2008

            Gov. Mike Huckabee is officially out of the Primaries.   Once they cast him as the Christian Candidate he was not taken as a serious candidate again, even though he was the candidate with executive political experience.   Among his shortcomings is that he is not a 'Washington Beltway Insider'.  Many, including me said that he gave the best answers in the 'debates'.   A major problem was money, of course, and the others did not have that problem.   If you are a Christian and Conservative these are not your first choice, are they?      We need God in control of this election, for then it will be good.

            The issues of greatest importance to Christian/Voters, and should be featured in the 'debates', are Federal Judges, and specifically US Supreme Court Judges.   This was a major misque of President Bush 41 was not firing  93 Federal Attorneys his first day in office, like Bill Clinton did.  Clinton got seated  Ruth Bader Ginsburg, lead attorney for ACLU (anti-Christian liberty union), and also a member of their Board of Directors, and some call that the 'Ginsburg Court' because it simplified the ACLU' work. 

            President George Bush (the younger) finally got new 2 new judges approved, Justice Samuel Alito Jr. and Chief Justice John Roberts, and we call this the 'Roberts Court'.   They join Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Anthony Scalia.  These 4 are Justices that can be counted on to stand with the US Constitution and not create new law as their feelings lead. 

            What kind of court will this election winner leave us?  It will influence generations to come.

"If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."     Ronald Reagan

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Dr. John Giotis has written articles on current events that you can find on our website:  www.ccpcfl.org

And been a friend for years.   It was good that he finally had the opportunity to be at a meeting in person.