Support 439, Oppose 434
October 08, 2024
Welcome this afternoon to First Central Congregational Church. I am the Rev. Dr. Scott Jones, Senior Minister of this congregation. We are one of the oldest Protestant congregations in this city, and have resided in this spot in the Blackstone neighborhood for 101 years.
Today we religious and faith leaders are here to support ballot measure 439 and oppose ballot measure 434. We do so as people of faith, because we are people of faith.
My own tradition, the United Church of Christ, is descended from the Pilgrims and the Puritans who came to this continent seeking freedom and autonomy, and our denomination has long supported reproductive justice and the freedom of people to choose their own health care,
including the right to an abortion. In 1971 we called for all legal prohibitions to end, and for abortion to be removed from the category of penal law. We declared that “voluntary and medically safe abortions [should be] legally available to all women.”
And so, as a Christian and as a pastor, I oppose ballot measure 434, which would give politicians control over personal medical decisions and force women to carry pregnancies against their will. This ballot measure disrespects the fundamental freedoms we are entitled to as children of God--the very liberties that my religious ancestors fought and died for.
And, as a Christian and a pastor, I support ballot measure 439 which will end the current abortion ban and align with the doctrinal teachings of my Christian faith. We should respect women and doctors, giving women control of their own medical decisions and letting physicians fulfill their vocation to care for the health and well-being of their patients.
In the United Church of Christ we proclaim that all Christians should “work toward a society where a full range of reproductive options are available to all women regardless of economic circumstances.”
So as a Christian and a pastor, I encourage you to oppose ballot measure 434 and support ballot measure 439.
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