A Voice for the Unborn: United in Prayer at California’s State Capitol
Photos by Francis Faurot
Pastor Joe Pedick of Calvary Chapel of the Harbour in Huntington Beach, CA, leads a heartfelt prayer at a pro-life rally on the steps of the California State Capitol in Sacramento, standing with a group of young advocates and members of Concerned Women for America of California, united in their message: “CA Will Be Saved.”
Calvary Montclair, CA, Pastor Joe McTarsney (second from left in black shirt), his wife Dyane (far left in gray coat), and others fervently lift their voices during the prayer walk outside the Planned Parenthood office across the street from the Capitol. The believers prayed not only for those seeking an abortion but for government officials, abortion workers, and for pastors to stand courageously against abortion.
After Pastor Joe McTarsney closed his church service the last Sunday of March, he and his wife, Dyane, raced home, got their suitcases, and drove to the airport to catch an hour’s flight to Sacramento, California’s capital. Once he and about 20 of his congregants from Calvary Montclair, CA, arrived, they met to pray before attending the next day’s March for Life at the state’s Capitol. Some of them had driven six hours to participate. “It excited me to see our church gathered for an important cause that’s near and dear to our Father’s heart,” he reflected.
It was the first March for Life for Enrique and Cynthia Guzman, who attend Calvary Montclair. In 1997, while living with Enrique, Cynthia had an abortion after having delivered a baby just a month earlier. Although they have experienced healing and forgiveness over the years, and have participated in their church’s prayer walks and pro-life ministries, this event brought more healing to her heart, she admitted. “It was beautiful to interact and speak freely about our abortion without judgment and with lots of love. For my husband to be here to experience this with me was another part of my healing I didn’t know that I needed.”
The unity they saw impacted them. “People had one goal—to bring awareness and to be a voice for the voiceless. It really brought comfort to me and my wife,” Enrique explained. “I think about the ‘What if’ at the abortion clinic. I feel it would have made a big difference for us if there had been somebody to hand me something or speak some words to me: You don’t have to do this. There’s hope.”
Members of Calvary Montclair stand for the sanctity of life outside the Planned Parenthood clinic. JoAnna Wilson is holding the sign; at left and center are JoAnn and Paul Kielsmeier.
California prides itself on being a sanctuary for abortion-seekers and has enshrined the right to abortion into its Constitution. On March 31, believers from Calvary Chapels joined with other California churches to take the message of the sanctity of life outside the walls of their buildings.
Events included a pastors breakfast, a prayer walk to the Planned Parenthood clinic across the street, a prayer and worship rally, and a March for Life rally. It closed with a march around the State Capitol—reminiscent of Joshua’s march around the walls of Jericho in Old Testament history. “God is a life-giver, and it’s important for us to gather and represent His voice,” Joe McTarsney urged.
His wife, Dyane, is passionately and actively pro-life, a lesson she learned as an elementary school student from her parents, who took a young pregnant woman into their home. She declared, “Because we live in a sanctuary state for abortion, it’s crucial that we let our government leaders know that we, residents and voters, believe in pro-life. We don’t want abortion in our state. The more that show up, the louder our voice. … Our hope is that they will listen.”
Tearing Down Strongholds
Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:3-4
When the Israelites marched around the walls of Jericho, they were silent until the last day. In Sacramento, “They weren’t silent at all in that march around the Capitol,” Joe Pedick said with a chuckle. He is pastor of Calvary Chapel of the Harbour in Huntington Beach, CA. Leaders peacefully used bullhorns to encourage marchers through worship, chanting, and pro-life slogans.
With hands raised high during a time of worship, a woman offers praise for the gift of life, standing strong in her conviction at the pro-life rally. In its fifth year, the rally was sponsored by the March for Life, Love Life, the California Family Council, Concerned Women of America—California, and California Will Be Saved.
Dyane elaborated, “There is a stronghold in our country—the slaughter of the innocent life of the unborn; we would love the Lord to move so strongly that, as those walls of Jericho came tumbling down, the stronghold of abortion would be broken in our country,”
Beyond peaceful protest, the day featured prayer and worship. “It was very worshipful, with lots of prayer,” Joe Pedick explained. “The focus wasn’t so much on what people were doing wrong, but on the Lord. We were calling out to Him, asking him to help.” In addition, he related, “It was nice to see all the different pro-life organizations there, coming together in solidarity for the child.”
Cynthia Guzman recalled visiting Ron Houck of Painter4Life, a vendor on the grassy mall. “He had painted this beautiful portrait of Jesus, of Him as a baby from fertilization to birth: “The Lamb of God—Conception to Birth”. He blessed me with that portrait. I just started crying; I didn’t expect that.”
At the Planned Parenthood clinic, Dyane recalled, participants prayed and worshiped. “The different prayer topics were for moms, dads, and babies; government officials; abortion workers; and that pastors would be courageous enough to stand against this evil.”
Pastors & Churches Standing for Life
It’s important for pastors to lead their congregations in pro-life activity, both CC pastors noted. Both practice what they preach through this ministry. “These little babies in the womb, made in the image of God, have no voice, so someone has to speak up for them,” Joe Pedick exhorted. “That should start with the leadership in the church. In this day, with the technology we have, I can’t imagine why we can still do this barbaric thing. I can’t imagine anyone is OK with this.”
These mothers need to hear the truth, he continued. “They hear from doctors that this isn’t a real life. We need to be that voice in their lives and tell them that they’re carrying a life, and that there are alternatives to abortion. It’s very important that I lead in that.”
Pastor Joe McTarsney added, “We’re called to be the moral and biblical conscience in the public square. If not us, then who? It’s amazing to see the body of Christ here, locking shields together to speak about life. God’s Word commands us to protect and advocate for those who are vulnerable, including the unborn.” Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:17. “Walking for life is putting our biblical beliefs into practice. When I see the Scriptures being lived out, what God’s Word clearly says, I’m excited and thrilled,” he marveled.
Both pastors and their wives were impressed by the involvement of many young adults—from high school to college—especially young women. At one point in the day’s events, some of those participants led the crowd in a poignant rendition of a popular Christian worship song, “How Great is Our God,” on the Capitol steps, according to Joe Pedick.
Dyane added, “You see college students standing there for life. I love that the baton is being passed to the next generation,” she exclaimed.
A Challenge
Dyane shared that she is motivated by and deeply convicted by Proverbs 24:10-12: If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
“We know this is happening in our state. We have to stand against the evil of abortion because God knows that we know. We don’t get to excuse ourselves by saying, ‘I didn’t know.’ The Lord never encourages ignorance—we are to understand the days and times we live in. And then we are to minister,” she pleaded emotionally. “That doesn’t just look like going to a march. It’s not just protesting abortion. It’s standing for life from conception to natural death and helping those in need.”
The size of the church doesn’t matter, Dyane added.“We’re small, but the Lord has called us to do these things. We can stand for truth and righteousness and be the light of the world, shining our light in these ways.”
Voices united across generations: Citizens of all ages march together in Sacramento, advocating for a culture of life and hope. “You see college students standing there for life. I love that the baton is being passed to the next generation,” exclaimed Dyane McTarsney.
A young boy proudly holds his sign at the pro-life rally in Sacramento, a testament to hope and the call to protect life at every stage.
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