Heartland Christian Church Demands Peaceful Pro-Life LifeChain Participants Leave [Excerpts]
In a sad irony, the huge stretch of over 500 Rockford, IL pro-lifers participating in the annual LifeChain met the fiercest opposition, not from the infamous Rockford abortion mill nearby, but from the area's largest Christian church. The Heartland Community Church of Rockford attempted to prevent the participants in this year's LifeChain from spending one hour of anti-abortion protest near its property.
Part of the LifeChain extended past the new Heartland church, which recently bought a facility in close proximity to LifeChain's usual position on Alpine Road. Lifechain had spread its members along the sides of the road, peacefully and quietly holding non-graphic pro-life signs with slogans such as "abortion kills children." The Rockford pro-life community has participated in the national Lifechain witness for fifteen years.
One of LifeChain's coordinators, Kevin Rilott, told Lifesitenews.com about the rainy Sunday afternoon, relating how the black rainclouds suddenly parted and the sun broke through at 2 p.m., just a few moments before the hour-long protest officially began.
Unfortunately, said Rilott, "one dark cloud remained."
An employee of the nearby church, Mr. Walter Scott, approached one section of the chain and demanded that they leave the premises. The protesters responded that they had only gathered to quietly oppose the actions of the Rockford abortion clinic just a few miles down the road.
"The pro-lifers explained they were simply praying for one hour for the lives of God's children in danger," said Rilott. But Scott responded that Heartland "does not support your message," and continued to insist that the pro-lifers leave, despite the fact that they were standing on public property. Mr. Scott "also had had some unkind remarks about 'abortion protesters,'" said Rilott.
Some pro-life advocates left the area, unaware that Mr. Scott's accusations of trespassing were false.
Repeated attempts to contact Heartland Community Church for comment were unanswered by press time.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/oct/08100708.html
[TBC: Two days later the Church pastor and elders issued an apology.]
