January is Sanctity of Human Life Month - a time set aside every year by pro-life organizations and churches to focus specially on the value of each and every human life. Additionally, a specific day, Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, is celebrated by churches every year in January on the Sundays closest to the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion throughout pregnancy.
Heartbeat International is introducing special resources in advance of the coming year’s Sanctity of Human Life Sunday for pregnancy help organizations (PHOs) to build connections and relationships with churches, and to bring further awareness to the important work that PHOs do.
“Pregnancy help is strong - in our country and around the world,” said Beth Diemert, director of Affiliate Services for Heartbeat International. “And that's because of the great efforts of pregnancy help organizations.”
This next year's Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is scheduled for either January 16 or 23, 2022.
Heartbeat recently announced a special webpage and comprehensive materials to assist PHOs with making the most of this next Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.
“We want to do all we can to support pregnancy help organizations as go out and connect in their community and with their church networks for Sanctity of Human Life Sunday 2022,” Diemert said.
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Sanctity of Human Life Sunday began in 1984, the declaration made by then President Ronald Reagan.
The purpose of the Sanctity of Human Life Sunday declaration was for churches to have an opportunity to celebrate life, to commemorate the loss of life to abortion, and also as a renewal and a commitment to protecting life in the coming year, something pregnancy help organizations are involved in on a daily basis.
“It is a big day of celebration,” Diemert said.
“This is such an important day for us in our community and in our network of churches,” she said. “We want pregnancy help organizations to be equipped to celebrate Sanctity of Human Life Sunday in the biggest way that they possibly can.”
Building awareness of pregnancy help in churches and keeping them abreast of what is happening in the pregnancy community is a great opportunity strengthen relationships, Diemert said.
“We want to make sure that pregnancy help centers are prepared with the resources they need when connecting with their local churches to build relationships and raise awareness for the incredible work are they doing to reach women in their community,” she added.
Along with the webpage there is printable material, shareable resources for social media, and training offering guidance on varying ways that PHOs can serve their local church.
“This training on how to connect with churches is a great offering that talks about building the church network, connecting with churches, making things accessible to them and centers continuing to provide as much information as they can about what they are doing in their pregnancy help organization and how it serves the church,” said Diemert.
“I think that's a really important concept here,” she said. “It's not just about the church serving us. It's about us serving the church and how can we best do that.”
In talking about Sanctity of Human Life Sunday it is important to keep in mind that many of the men and the women that are sitting in churches on Sunday have their own past abortion history, Diemert said.
Among the resources offered by PHOs that can assist churches are abortion recovery, whether individually or in groups, their many services for women facing unexpected pregnancies, and sexual integrity programs for youth.
Another Sanctity of Human Life Sunday resource for PHOs is a sample letter for reaching out and connecting to churches.
“We are big here at heartbeat on relationships and ministering to clients through relationship,’ said Diemert, “and that applies in our church connections as well.”
Also included is a client success story resource.
When speaking about the good work pregnancy help organizations do, Diemert said, the greatest asset is the story of the women that PHOs are able and privileged to serve. 
“This is also great opportunity to build awareness,” she said.
The resources also include a community impact report sample, which puts into one piece the amazing work done by PHOs. A customizable bulletin insert is also available, and among the printable resources is a card highlighting Four Ways to Rescue Lives.
The printable materials include the 10 Things You Can Say and Do to Make Abortion Unwanted Today and Unthinkable for Future Generations, and also 9 Things You Should Know About Pregnancy Help Organizations.
“This resource walks through what pregnancy help organizations are and how they help the community,” said Jessica Warner, product marketing specialist for Heartbeat Intentional, “really combating some of the lies that people might believe and providing that truth and that message of hope that we want to provide for women, both in churches and outside of them.”
The Heartbeat International Life Trends Report for 2020 is also offered.
“This is a great resource to basically show what nationwide pregnancy help organizations are doing and how they're helping women and communities,” Warner said, “from highlighting client visits and free ultrasounds, mothers who choose life and kind of showing nationally how this is impacting the world.”
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As always, Heartbeat staff members remain available for PHOs should they need any additional assistance or support.
“We are praying that Sanctity of Human Life Sunday 2022 is an incredible opportunity for pregnancy help organizations,” Diemert said, “to make connections, build relationships and bring awareness to the amazing work they do.”
Editor’s note: Heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News.
