Anglicans for Life
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anglicans for Life is a pro-life organisation of the Episcopal Church, and internationally associated with the Anglican Communion. Anglicans for Life promotes the right to life position in debates on the issues of abortion, assisted suicide, elderly care, cloning and embryonic stem cell research. The organisation has more than fifty chapters in the United States, Kenya, Slovakia, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Australia.
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[edit] History
In 1966 the Rt. Rev. Joseph M. Harte of the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona founded Episcopalians for Life. In 1973 the United States Supreme Court ruled to make abortion legal (Roe vs. Wade). Episcopalians nationwide formed Chapters in dioceses across the country as this new law came into effect.
On December 6, 1983 the National Organization of Episcopalians for Life Research and Education Foundation (N.O.E.L.) was officially incorporated. The first official Board of Directors met in February 1984 to elect Bishop Harte Chairman Emeritus and the Rt. Rev. John Howe as Board Chairman.
From 1983 to 1996 NOEL operated from Fairfax, Virginia. It published newsletters and invited speakers, such as Dr. Carolyn Gerstner, to present their pro-life concerns. N.O.E.L.’s ministry reached nationwide, ministering to women in unplanned pregnancies, educating Episcopalians about abortion, and working to influence the church by introducing pro-life resolutions at General Conventions.
In 1996 the headquarters moved from Virginia to Sewickley, Pennsylvania. In 1998 the board appointed Georgette Forney as the fifth President of N.O.E.L., a position formerly named “Executive Secretary” and “Executive Director”.
In 2003 the Rev. D. Lorne Coyle was elected as the new Board Chairman. The board changed the name of the organization from N.O.E.L. to "NOEL". In February 2007 the organisation was renamed Anglicans for Life, and has become a partner with the Anglican Communion Network [1].
[edit] Campaigns
In conjunction with Priests for Life, NOEL launched the Silent No More Awareness Campaign in 2003, in an effort to further educate the general public about abortion and other pro-life issues. The Campaign allowed N.O.E.L. to network and partner with other pro-life organizations in the United States. Later NOEL began the Deserve Better Campaign to raise awareness about the need to help pregnant women and the "Anglican Angel Project", a support system for single mothers.
