Reverend Mother Dawn Frankfurt just finished leading her congregation of St. James Episcopal Church of Wichita, Kansas in celebrating the birth of the baby Jesus. Carols were sung, liturgies were performed and communion taken, all in the name of the miracle baby who was sent from Heaven to save the world.

The congregation was invited to contemplate and rejoice over the mysterious miracle of God incarnate, formed in Mary’s womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, giver of life. Perhaps the participants in St. James’ Christmas Eve service had warm and fuzzy feelings as they saw a customary Christmas pageant complete with the Holy Family with the baby Jesus in the manger.

But in a turn of events reminiscent of the story of King Herod, who ordered the massacre of the innocents in order to rid himself of rivals for kingship, Mother Dawn, in a matter of mere days, turned 180 degrees from celebration of the Christmas message to celebrating the killing of the unborn. 

In cooperation with Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid Missouri, St. James is hosting a Chili for Choice dinner on January 22, the 42nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. 

You, too, can go to the chili dinner to celebrate Planned Parenthood’s aborting 327,653 unborn children during the year 2014. The invitation apparently means “come one, come all.”

It is unknown if a specially written liturgy for extolling the extermination of pre-born lives along with dispensation of the body and blood of Christ via the celebration of the Holy Eucharist will be held after the celebratory consumption of chili -- would that be vegetarian chili? 

But I digress.

 Who knows but that a worship service celebrating death might be as exciting as the celebrations of old in which worshippers of Moloch beat the drums and played the sackbut in order to drown out the screams of sacrificed infants placed in the idol’s red hot arms. 

Any enthusiastic pro-choicer can only hope.

One thing is certain.  “Bleeding Kansas” is still hemorrhaging.

“Bleeding Kansas” was the title given to the state by Horace Greeley, who wrote about the internecine, pre-Civil War struggle (1854-1861) between pro and anti-slavery forces.

As in pre-Civil War times, Kansas is wracked by battles, this time between pro and anti-abortion forces. The granite-faced former governor and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was and is a virtual harpy when it comes to the abortion issue.  Rabidly pro-abortion, Sebelius stood in the way of then Attorney General Phill Kline’s legitimate interest in protecting minor girls from late term abortions performed by the notorious George Tiller. As Michelle Malkin reported:

“As governor of Kansas, Sebelius fought transparency motions in the proceedings tooth and nail for years. Prosecutors allege a long-running heinous cover-up to manufacture false records of patients who had late-term abortions -- and to whitewash Planned Parenthood’s systemic failures to report child rape. Former GOP state Attorney General Phill Kline’s investigation turned up massive discrepancies in reported child rape statistics compared to Planned Parenthood and the late late-term abortionist George Tiller’s bogus claims. Planned Parenthood of Overland Park and Tiller together performed abortions on 166 girls aged 14 and under and only reported one each to authorities. So, 164 cases of underage rape or statutory rape went unreported and were not investigated by authorities.”

Tiller was shot while he handed out bulletins at Reformation Lutheran Church, ironically also located in Wichita. 

The church’s web site says:

“God has always chosen to transform the world by choosing the broken, deniers, betrayers, murderers, adulterers, cheats, and liars to be his people. We count ourselves among such an infamous group and welcome others to explore this life with us, no matter where we are on the journey of faith.”

The website fails to add that the point of being a transformed and sanctified Christian is that one works to forsake one’s past life as a sinner. A Christian is one who walks a new Way, discarding the old sinful ways. If one still believes in and performs murders, he or she should not remain a church member in good standing. He should not be handing out bulletins to worshippers. 

As for the Church herself? What words suffice to describe the total depravity of any denomination of the Christian Church that talk about the Jesus, the giver of life while also celebrating the taking of life?

Perhaps the indictment of the seven churches in Revelation might apply. Reverend Mother Dawn and her ilk should read the messages to the ancient Church, for the words of St. John the Divine assuredly apply today to any church that forsakes the heritage of the life-proclaiming gospel of Christ for the celebration of the death of innocents.

Here’s just one:

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

According to John, the intimate friend of Christ, that’s the grown up baby Jesus talking to the Church of yesterday and today.

Such is the state of St. James Episcopal Church and Reformation Lutheran Church of Bleeding Wichita, Kansas, that abortion and abortionists are now celebrated. Perhaps in due time, we may even see George Tiller become St. George, Slayer of the Unwanted.  Perhaps a liturgy could be composed in honor of his brave deeds?  We can almost be assured one or the other church will attempt it.

Stranger things have happened.

Fay Voshell holds a M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, where she was awarded the seminary’s prize for excellence in systematic theology.  Her articles have been published in many online magazines, including American Thinker, National Review, PJMedia, RealClearReligion and many others.  She may be reached at fvoshell@yahoo.com.