Candidate Forum Friday: Tony Wilt & Carolyn Frank

Three candidates are running for the special election on June 15 to fill an empty seat left when Del. Matt Lohr was tapped by the McDonnell administration. However, only two candidates will face off since the Democrat decided to skip the forum.

Sponsored by the Valley Family Forum, here is the announcement:

You are invited and encouraged to attend a Candidates’ Forum at 7:00 p.m., this Friday, May 28, with independent Carolyn Frank and Republican Tony Wilt. The event will be held at the Cornerstone Church on Lake Shenandoah.

Along with Democrat Kai Degner, they are campaigning to represent the people of the 26th District in the Virginia House of Delegates, a seat that was formerly held by Matt Lohr. The special election for this seat will be held on June 15.

Degner Rejects Invitation
Unfortunately, Degner has just informed us that he will not participate in this or any other event sponsored by the Forum. That flies in the face of a public challenge he issued earlier this month for “the greatest number of opportunities possible to hear the positions of the candidates.”

Our Purpose
The Forum is a non-partisan organization whose goal is to help provide Valley voters with essential information on what the candidates believe and how they would plan to vote on key issues, especially those regarding faith, family, and freedom that come up regularly in the General Assembly. It goes without saying that voters need that information before the election rather than being kept in the dark until afterward, when it is too late.

The Program
We will use the same two-part format that we used last October with candidates Gene Hart (D) and Matt Lohr (R), and that Rick Warren introduced with John McCain and Barack Obama in 2008.

The first part will consist of general questions to each candidate separately. The second part will focus on more specific issues and bills that are likely to come up in the House of Delegates next year.

The event is open to everyone, whether they live in the 26th District or not, so we can share the information with others who may not be able to attend. Members of the media are also invited.

If you need additional information, please call Forum coordinator Rita Dunaway at 438-9543 or write to rita.dunaway@gmail.com.

See you there!

Amazing Grace

"The inspiring story of how one man's passion and perseverance changed the world. Based on the true story of William Wilberforce, Amazing Grace follows his courageous quest to end the British slave trade.

"Along the way, Wilberforce meets intense opposition from members of Parliament but his minister, John Newton, a reformed slave ship captain who penned the beloved hymn 'Amazing Grace,' urges him to see the cause through."

William Wilberforce, a man of great faith, weathered the winds of change in the political climate of Great Britain and never gave up.

"It is a sad day when a man dies known to others but unknown to himself."
--William Pitt, Prime Minister of England (1783-1801 & 1804-06)

"God sometimes does his work in gentle drizzle ... not storms ... drip, drip, drip."
--John Newton, 1725-1807

Amazing Grace played on the bagpipe is hauntingly beautiful ... the words take on more significance as one grows older. Remember ... the author was a slave ship captain who became a pastor....

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
We have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
And Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Then when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

"Pastors & Patriots: Voting Our Values"

It’s decision time in America as we go to the polls next Tuesday. We share the deep concerns expressed recently by Dr. James Dobson, Founder and Chairman of Focus on the Family, about the Biblical and moral issues at stake in this election, and about the future of America.

So, what are those key issues, and why are they so important? What is a pastor’s role during this election season? How do we decide who is best qualified to lead our nation? Who does Dr. Dobson support? And why does it matter anyway?

Our subject this week is “Pastors and Patriots: Voting Our Values on Nov. 4”. This is the sixth and final program in our pre-election series, and we’ll be asking Pastors Jim Harrison and John Sloop to help us sort through the Biblical issues at stake in this election and where each of the presidential candidates stands on these key issues.

I value the spiritual and moral discernment of both of these pastors, as I do the others who have spoken out on these pre-election programs. Therefore, I will ask them for their personal views about which of the two presidential candidates they believe is more strongly committed to promoting these key Biblical values. We’ll also report on which of the two candidates Dr. Dobson supports.

Note: In addition to their comments, you can also go to several excellent, non-partisan voter guides like David Barton's Wallbuilders and AFA.net for a clear comparison of where the candidates stand on a range of “values” issues. These guides are also approved for distribution in churches and other tax-exempt organizations, so please ask your pastor or priest if they can be distributed in your church on Sunday.

* * * *

“Valley Faith in Action” airs at 8:00 p.m. Friday on WAZT-TV, which is Comcast Cable Channel 14 in the Harrisonburg area (the channel may be different in your area). It will air again on Sunday at 8:30 p.m., Monday at 8:30 a.m., and Tuesday at midnight.

If you would like to help support this program, you can send a tax-deductible gift to the Valley Family Forum at 3465 Izaak Walton Dr., Harrisonburg, 22801. We would also welcome any comments you would like to share with other viewers.

Together, we can make a difference, so please remember to vote your Biblical values on Nov. 4!

*** "Pastors and Patriots: Voting Our Values on Nov. 4” *** Guests: Pastors Jim Harrison and John Sloop Friday and Sunday Night on WAZT-TV *** Guests are Pastor Jim Harrison from the First Church of the Nazarene and Pastor John Sloop from the First Presbyterian Church on Court Square, both in Harrisonburg. ***