Lake Shore Baptist Church

Lake shore baptist church abortion planned parenthood.jpg

Lake Shore Baptist Church is based in Waco, Texas.

Leadership

As at Sep. 2012, the following worked for the church:[1]

  • Rev. Dorisanne Cooper, Pastor
  • Rev. Sharlande Sledge, Associate Pastor
  • Charles Conkin, Minister to Youth
  • Jaime McGlothlin, Minister to Children
  • Daniel Farris, Minister of Music
  • Janya Martin, Organist
  • Tammy Woods, Office Manager
  • Gordon Lawrence, Building Superintendent

Planned Parenthood

In 2008, Planned Parenthood of Central Texas listed Lake Shore Baptist Church among churches which are sponsor of its affiliate.[2] Below are further instances of the church working with Planned Parenthood.

Covenant Group for Planned Parenthood

The Lake Shore Baptist Church’s Covenant Group for Planned Parenthood supports the local affiliate, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. The Covenant Group at Lakeshore is committed to support the efforts of its local affiliate by keeping its congregation informed about the mission and operations of Planned Parenthood and by encouraging direct support, as members are able. The Group invites others to join in our support of its local Planned Parenthood affiliate.[3]

The Planned Parenthood Mission Group at Lake Shore has as its mission:[4]

  1. To be informed about the work and the ministry of Planned Parenthood
  2. To be in prayer for the patients, staff, and volunteers at Planned Parenthood
  3. To be a source of information about Planned Parenthood's medical services to the congregation of Lake Shore Baptist Church
  4. To inform the congregation of opportunities to serve patients at Planned Parenthood in Waco
  5. To encourage members of the congregation at Lake Shore to share their resources including time, talents, money, and influence in Ways that facilitate the mission and medical services provided by Planned Parenthood

The Planned Parenthood Mission Group at Lake Shore has covenanted to:[4]

  1. Have representatives of our group meet with the Missions Table from time to time to keep that group informed about current conditions and opportunities at Planned Parenthood
  2. From time to time provide information to the congregation about Planned Parenthood in Waco.
  3. Depending upon individual interests, volunteer to assist with medical services at Planned Parenthood.
  4. Attend occasional open meetings and events offered by Planned Parenthood
  5. As We may be able, contribute financially to Planned Parenthood directly. Encourage additional congregational members to become engaged with Planned Parenthood as advocates, financial contributors, and/or volunteers

Prior to the merger of Planned Parenthood of Central Texas into Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, the group was known as the "Lake Shore Baptist Church Planned Parenthood of Central Texas Mission Group Covenant."

Members

As at Sep. 2012, the following were listed as members of the group:[3]

  • David Kopplin and Faith Kopplin (David is listed as contactperson for the group)
  • Fred Gehlbach and Nancy Gehlbach
  • Gayle Avant and Kay Avant
  • Pam Allen
  • Preston Dyer and Genie Dyer
  • Willie Fields and Patty Fields
  • Tom Hanks
  • Loeen Irons
  • Helen Hastings
  • Rev. Dorisanne Cooper

Ross Avenue Abortion Business

In 2011 the church donated $208 to Planned Parenthood's Ross Avenue Abortion Business. In 2012 they budgeted $324 to give to the clinic. The business is made up of two entities, the Audre Rapoport Women's Health Center which commits abortions, and the Mary Ruth Duncan Women's Health Center which does not commit abortions. The two entities operate out of the same facility at 1121 Ross Avenue, Waco, TX 76703.[5]

Members Working for Planned Parenthood

"A Place at the Table"

Planned Parenthood - Waco was listed as a participating organization at the Sep. 11, 2011 "A Place at the Table" event hosted by Lake Shore Baptist Church. The event, which was held in the Lake Shore Baptist Church building featured "over 40 missions and ministry groups."[9]

"Standing up for Planned Parenthood"

On Sep. 26, 2012, the church held a Wednesday night seminar entitled "Standing up for Planned Parenthood: Why Healthy Texas Women and Families Matter." Leading the seminar was Pamela Smallwood, a former member of the church, and currently serving as Chief Administrative Officer for Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. The invitation to the event stated,[6]

"Pam, Roy and their daughters, Kate and Emily, are part of the Lake Shore family, even though they no longer call Waco home. Pam... has been on the forefront of dealing with recent political efforts to cut funding to women's health programs. Pam has for many years played an important role in helping Lake Shore to understand women's health and the role that it plays in healthy families. She will share some of her voluminous knowledge of these current events and policy decisions as they affect everyday women and the decades old programs, many of which have already been cut."

Reverend Signed Pro-Birth Control Statement

Pastor of the church, Rev. Dorisanne Cooper is listed as a signatory on the Statement by Texas Religious Leaders Supporting Access to Birth Control which is a project of the Texas Faith Network. This group is a project of the Texas Freedom Network's Education Fund which was founded in 1995 by Cecile Richards to "combat the anti-choice policy agenda of the extreme right in Texas."[10]. The statement which calls for government funding of birth control, reads in part:[11]

"We call on our state leaders to support policies that ensure adequate funding and broad availability of birth control, especially for low- and moderate-income women."

Connection with Unitarian Universalist Church

On Aug. 16, 2009, Lake Shore Baptist Church welcomed Nathan Stone to the pulpit. Stone served as Lake Shore’s pastor from 1990-1995. A native of Hawaii, Stone has served as minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Waco since January 2001. He was fully credentialed by the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association in December, 2006. He is a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has previously served at Wilshire Baptist in Dallas, Manor Baptist in San Antonio and Fellowship of Believers in Hereford, Texas. His wife, Pat Stone, works as Director of Education for Planned Parenthood of Central Texas.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Lake Shore Baptist Church: Church Staff (accessed on Sep. 26, 2012)
  2. ↑ Planned Parenthood of Central Texas Newsletter, Fall/Winter 2008 (accessed on Sep. 26, 2012)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lake Shore Baptist Church Missions: Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas (accessed on Sep. 26, 2012)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lake Shore Baptist Church Missions: Lake Shore Baptist Church Planned Parenthood of Central Texas Mission Group Covenant, April 2012 (accessed on Sep. 26, 2012)
  5. ↑ LAKE SHORE BAPTIST CHURCH: 2012 Proposed Budget (accessed on Sep. 26, 2012)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lake Shore Baptist Church newsletter, Sept. 19, 2012 (accessed on Sep. 26, 2012)
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lake Shore Baptist Church Newsletter, Aug. 8, 2009 (accessed on Sep. 26, 2012)
  8. ↑ Stuart E. Rosenbaum's Curriculum Vitae (accessed on Sep. 26, 2012)
  9. ↑ Lake Shore Baptist Church newsletter, Sept. 19, 2012 (accessed on Aug. 31, 2011)
  10. ↑ Clergy Voices: A Conversation with Cecile Richards, volume 10, issue 1, fall 2007 (accessed on Sep. 12, 2012)
  11. ↑ Texas Freedom Network: Texas Religious Leaders Support Access to Birth Control (accessed on Sep. 12, 2012)
Last modified on 27 September 2012, at 04:32