Thats My Church

For better or for worse:

Opponents of embryonic stem cell research and cloning forced Delaware Senate Bill 80 to be “gutted” of its most important elements in order to gain passage in blue-state Delaware.

Several supporters, including sponsor Rep. Deborah Hudson, R-Fairthorne, said the bill’s references to embryonic stem cell research were removed because of a powerful lobbying and advertising campaign that opposed the bill.

The campaign Rep. Hudson referenced, “A Rose & a Prayer,” is a grassroots effort that involved Delawareans of many faiths. More than 2,400 Delawareans signed up for a total of more than 1,500 hours of prayer in opposition to SB 80. Also as part of the campaign, state legislators last week received more than 1,500 roses with cards from individual voters asking them to vote against the bill. In addition, it is believed that over ten thousand Delawareans contacted their representatives asking them to vote against the bill.

Supported by Christian ministers, such as Bowen Matthews of Brandywine Valley Baptist Church and Bishop Michael Saltarelli of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, A Rose and a Prayer created a dynamic grassroots network was instrumental in preventing the original SB 80 from coming to the House for a vote.