1.  Important Annual Lobby Day coming up
Dear Friend of the Family,

Protecting the sanctity of life from conception to natural death has never been more crucial here in Massachusetts. For the past year, we’ve been sounding the alarm about the extreme ROE act now pending on Beacon Hill. This “Infanticide Act” would expand legal abortion through all nine months, make it possible for minors to get abortions without their parent’s knowledge or consent, and would even allow infanticide, withholding treatment for a baby born alive during an abortion.

Just as alarming is the Physician-Assisted Suicide bill that denies the special dignity and unique value of every life, leaving the elderly and terminally ill vulnerable to being pressured to end their life prematurely or to be denied critical treatments. Since it is always cheaper to give a patient pills to commit suicide than to provide real care, insurance companies as well as government-controlled health care will have a financial incentive in recommending death. Sadly, perpetuating the culture of death is more important to our legislature than promoting life and protecting the most vulnerable among us.

This is why it is so important that you join us for our Annual Pro Family Lobby Day on Wednesday, March 18 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., starting at Park Street Church. (Please Note: The views expressed during Lobby Day sponsored by MFI do not necessarily reflect the views of all of Park Street church’s individual members.) We will start the day with inspiring presentationsfrom pro-family legislators and activists on these bills. Then we’ll give you lunch and accompany you up to the State House to speak with your state representative and senator regarding these important issues.We’ll also give you the latest update on the infamous Sex-Ed Mandate now before the Massachusetts House after recently passing in the Senate. This bill takes away local control from school districts, pushes parents aside, and gives Planned Parenthood a virtual monopoly on sex education in every Massachusetts public school. Research shows that nearly 1 in 4 kids say that sexually explicit material presented in their sex ed classes, like the kind of content included in Planned Parenthood’s curriculum, makes them feel pressured to engage in sexual activity. It’s up to us to educate our legislators about the dangers of mandating the comprehensive sexuality education being promoted by Planned Parenthood and their allied organizations. We need to keep curriculum decisions in communities, where they belong.
We are excited by the level of activism we’ve seen from the local pro-family community already this year. Many thanks to the hundreds of you who called and thanked the 62 state representatives who have NOT sponsored the ROE Act, shoring up support in the House to uphold a veto from the Governor, should the bill make it that far. We’re also encouraged by the growing momentum around our new parent information forums. With your help, we are taking this presentation all over the state, equipping parents to protect their kids from sexualization in our public schools and raising awareness on the dangers of the Sex-Ed Mandate. More and more of you have opted your students out of explicit sex ed classes and by doing so have sent a loud and clear message to school officials, that we can do better and choose curriculum that encourages our youth to make healthy decisions. Check out this recent interview that I did with Fox 25 News on this important issue.

You are showing up when it counts and it’s making a difference. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to continue to make your voices heard on the issues that matter most to you. Pre-register now to attend Pro-Family Lobby Day!

And finally, I highly recommend that you enroll your students in TeenPact Leadership School coming up May 4th through 8th at the State House in Boston. This dynamic fast-paced program is designed to train Christian students to understand the political process, and to stand up for truth and righteousness in the public square. Students learn to find their way around the capitol, how to read and understand bills, and study and enjoy parliamentary debate. They even run for mock political office and meet public officials. Through TeenPact’s interactive classes and hands-on leadership experiences, young people are encouraged to embrace the call to be the next generation of leaders that will defend the faith and engage the culture in meaningful ways. Four- and five-day classes are offered for students ages 13-19 and students ages 8-12 can participate in a one-day class. For more information contact Christine Bourque, State Coordinator, at (774)208-7453 or massachusetts@teenpact.com, or register here.

For our Families,
Andrew Beckwith

2.  Judges needed. No experience necessary!

From Kathy Edelblut:

The National Christian Forensics and Communications Association (NCFCA) is hosting a speech and debate tournament with over 150 students competing on March 6-7 at

CenterPoint Community Church, 101 School St., in Salem, New Hampshire. Would you consider volunteering a few hours to judge? No experience in either speech or debate is necessary. You are already qualified!

You may judge as little as one round on the day of your choice or several rounds over multiple days. Judging each round is only a two to three-hour commitment which includes a brief training video. Refreshments will be provided to express our gratitude. If needed, validation of your community service hours is available upon request.

Please visit  https://www.ncfca.org/2020-salem-nh and select “Click to volunteer!” Then provide your contact information, and indicate the round(s) that you plan to judge. Please note: Judges for the tournament must be at least 18 years old and no longer enrolled in high school. 

Whether you have judged at one of our events in the past or this will be your first time, we are confident that you will be blessed by what you experience!  If you have any questions, please contact Denise Coombes  at salemjudges@ncfca.org or by phone (call or text) at (603)943-2025.

Everything about this competition was done professionally. I appreciated the fact that time was given to explain how the judging was to be done. I was totally blown away by the level of kids I was judging. The participants presented their speeches and debates with passion and knowledge. All the presentations took on a level that I have never seen while judging other contests. – Community Judge

This will give you an idea of what judging at one of our events looks like. If you have children or know of parents who wish their children to learn public speaking skills, forward this email, or better yet, bring them along with you! This competition comes but once a year to our area, so it’s a great opportunity to see what “Speech & Debate” is all about.

3.  TeenPact in New England and New York this spring
From Elizabeth Mallicoat at TeenPact:

Dear MassHOPE families,

My name is Elizabeth Mallicoat. My mom chose to homeschool me from a young age, and through the years she did everything she could to provide me with different opportunities and ensure I was well-rounded in my education. I will never forget the time when I was thirteen years old, and she signed me up for what I thought was a “government camp.”

My first week at TeenPact pushed me to step outside my comfort zone and challenged me to think critically about different issues. I came away recognizing my need for a personal relationship with the Lord, and with a desire to step up as a leader. Fast forward ten years, and even after graduating from college and experiencing countless opportunities, I can genuinely say nothing has shaped me as much as my time in TeenPact. 

TeenPact Leadership Schools believes that the answer to the world’s problems is not through statesmanship or politics but through the transformation of lives. We exist to train up youth to think Biblically, understand government, and recognize their influential capacity. It is our goal to come alongside families in New England as they seek to educate their students. We will provide students with a first-hand perspective of how government works, premier leadership training, and a week to be encouraged by spending time with like-minded Christian peers. 

I love this story a student from Connecticut shared with me: 

“When I was thirteen, I wasn’t going down a great road because I didn’t have peers around me who influenced me positively. But after attending TeenPact, I realized how young people could be both a mentor and a peer. I suddenly found a community where I was being mentored but also related to. This showed me how to be a Christian in this culture. In three years, I went from being an insecure and arrogant kid to being someone who is confident and loves chasing after Jesus. The main thing TeenPact taught me is how to pursue God.” – Tyler Gebhart, Connecticut 

At TeenPact Leadership Schools, we believe that students learn best by doing. Our Four Day Class (13-19-year-olds) is fast-paced and designed to give students the ultimate hands-on crash course in state government. Having students learn to find their way around the capitol, know where to find bills and how to read them, study and enjoy parliamentary debate, run for a mock office during the week, and meet public officials all adds up to an incredible experience.

TeenPact is in every state in New England, and in New York – find a class to attend today! To learn more, visit teenpact.com/new-england/ or send me an email at

elizabeth.mallicoat@teenpact.com. I would love to answer any questions you may have and talk to you about this incredible ministry.


4.  Attend TeenPact Vermont this April
Last year was the very first time we held TeenPact (https://teenpact.com/) in Vermont, so we are excited about now offering a class for the second year in a row! Join our class in Montpelier on April 13-17, 2020. Go to teenpact.com/vermont.for more information. If you have further questions, contact Madeline Kerstetter, the TeenPact Vermont state coordinator, at vermont@teenpact.com.

5.  Invitation to visit co-op in Hudson
From the CMCH Co-op:

Are you considering joining a co-op? Ours (Central Mass Christian Homeschool Co-op) meets in Hudson, Massachusetts two Fridays each month between September and April.  We have a few openings for new members for the school year 2020-2021 and are accepting applications soon. We also would like to invite you and your family to visit to see if we are a good fit for your family. Our website is www.cmchscoop.org. Please note that this website is currently showing classes for this year (2019-2020). We hope to begin updating it soon for next year’s classes. Some classes we are offering for our older students include: Pottery – waitlist for this class already (minimum age 14), Choir (grade 6+), Study Skills (grade 6+), Computer Programming (high school), science labs, Auto Maintenance (grades 6+), and Graphic Design (grades 6+). Photography (grades 6+). Additional options for 6th graders include science labs with the 4th – 5th graders, and Recess Games/Line Dancing/Movement with the 4th– 5th graders. Many classes for grades PreK-6.  We also have a nursery for babies. 

Please email Wendy at cmhscoop7@gmail.com and she will send you more information, answer any questions, and set up a date for you to visit. Remaining meeting dates:  Feb. 28, March 13, March 27, April 17. All meetings begin at 9:00 and end at 11:45. We’d love to have you visit us. If you visit on a regular co-op day, your children will be welcome to sit in on a class with their peers (older students observing with younger participating), while you will be welcome to either sit in on class and/or sit in our moms room to chat with other moms. This visit will allow you to see if our co-op will meet your family’s needs. All member families are asked to sign our Statement of Faith; however, students in older grades who are dropped off do not sign this statement. 

6.  Community Evaluators needed for March 14th ICCFS Tournament

Join us as a Community Evaluator in Hope Valley, Rhode Island! We are looking for community volunteers to watch presentations and give written feedback to our students as they hone their leadership and communication skills. In just two hours during a tournament, you can evaluate Speeches and the Round Table event for students ages 11-18. Your help enables students to cultivate critical thinking, public speaking, and interpersonal skills.

No previous experience is necessary! Your life experience and unique perspective are all you need. We do provide a brief orientation during each scheduled time block to show you how to complete your ballot. 

Would you invest in these leaders of tomorrow with the gift of your time by providing helpful comments? All you have to do is go to the ICCFS Community Evaluator Sign-Up 2020 LINK and select “Hope Valley, RI – March 14, 2020”. Or contact Cindy Clarkin,  RI HOPE Chapter Sponsor – Cindy.Clarkin@ICCinc.org or (401)392-3612.

Cindy Clarkin
 RI HOPE Chapter Sponsor 
(Click HERE to visit the newly updated RI HOPE website featuring photos, calendar, videos and over 40 Blog Posts written by students, parents, alumni, and Teresa Moon, the CEO and President of ICC)
The Institute for Cultural Communicators has been training communicators for Christ since 1997.

7. Support RI HOPE student leaders at Wright’s Farm networking event February 20

From Cindy Clarkin:

I have been teaching communication and leadership skills to 100’s of young people in RI HOPE for 6 years and with ICCinc.org for over 20 years. 

It has been my privilege to mentor and empower them to be the next-generation Christians who will influence their culture, not someday, but TODAY! 

The RI HOPE Student Leader Team would like to meet you and tell you their transformation stories of how they went from ordinary students to extraordinary leaders for Christ.

The Networking Event is *free and open to parents, students, school administrators, church and civic leaders…anyone interested in learning how they can become a communicator for Christ. Lots of folks have expressed an interest in supporting young Christian leaders. 

It’s time to turn your interest into action.

Come on February 20th!

For more information and to RSVP visit the EVITE LINK: http://evite.me/4W4Ep491KE or the Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/219044082595817/  

You will hear their Ordinary to Extraordinary Stories:

“I used to think that my plan was sufficient, but now I know that God will guide me in ways that I can’t possibly imagine.” – David

“I used to think that I didn’t have anything worth writing about, but now I know that I already have a story worth telling – my own.” – Olivia

“I used to think that I would never be good enough, but now I know that I have my own part to play in God’s plan.” – Rachel
“I used to think I had to bottle up my feelings, but now I know that it’s ok to be real with the people you love and be free.” – Christy

*Networking Event is free and will be held in the Coffee Lounge (next to the Gift Shop) from 6:00-7:00 PM with time for Q & A, networking, and strengthening existing connections.
Dinner is courtesy of Wright’s Farm Restaurant. Seating is at 7:15. Cost $20.00 per person.
RSVP to Cindy.Clarkin@iICCinc.org (401)392-3612 by February 15th to let us know you are coming and to reserve a dinner ticket.

Cindy Clarkin

RI HOPE Chapter Sponsor 

(Click HERE to visit the newly updated RI HOPE website featuring photos, calendar, videos and over 50 Blog Posts written by students, parents, alumni, and Teresa Moon the CEO and President of ICC)

The Institute for Cultural Communicators has been mentoring communicators for Christ since 1997.

8.  Winter/spring session for Christian ballet school
New registrations are still being accepted for the winter/spring session at Beautiful Feet Ballet School, a Christian ballet program for girls in Marlborough. For more information, visit www.beautifulfeetballet.com.

9. The MassHOPE Educator ID Card

Educator IDs are now available for benefits such as potential discounts at retailers. Order them from our website HERE.

10.  Attention, graduating seniors

For many years MassHOPE sponsored two events for graduating seniors: a graduate recognition ceremony at the annual Worcester convention in April, and a formal cap-and-gown ceremony at Holden Chapel in June. This year, however, is bringing changes. We are moving the convention to a new venue in Sturbridge, and we are dropping the recognition ceremony.

The formal graduation is still on! See https://masshope.org/graduation/for details. If you are interested in learning more about this event, please send an email to graduation@masshope.org. Deadline to sign up is Saturday, April 25, 2020.

11.  Are you on our mailing lists?

To those who have been recently added to our email list through our website: if you would also like to be added to our “snail mail” list to receive information (such as our print newsletter) via the U.S. Postal Service, please send your full name and complete mailing address to newsletter@masshope.org.

12.  Your news items wanted
Do you know of an event or activity in or near Massachusetts that would edify or interest the homeschool community? Email Anne Smith at 
ewsjfamily@startmail.comand we will review it for possible inclusion in the MassHOPE Messenger.

13.  For-fee advertising
The MassHOPE Messenger is a biweekly e-newsletter that is sent free to approximately 2500 mailboxes. Unfortunately, it is not free to distribute. This cost increases each year, and MassHOPE has limited funds. Therefore we charge a nominal fee of $20 for unsolicited submissions from individuals, and from most organizations or groups unaffiliated with MassHOPE, who wish to advertise their for-fee services. Items will ordinarily run in two consecutive issues. For more information, contact Anne Smith at ewsjfamily@startmail.com.

14.  Remember to “Like” MassHOPE on Facebook
“Like” MassHOPE’s Facebook page: facebook.com/MassHOPE?fref=ts.You’ll be encouraged in your homeschooling journey and will receive all updates for upcoming events.

15.  Do you receive The Voice of HOPE?
MassHOPE publishes a quarterly print newsletter, The Voice of HOPE. In addition to announcements you might also find in the Messenger, we provide three or four full-length articles on a variety of homeschooling topics. If you would like to add your name, please send your name and “snail mail” address to newsletter@masshope.org.

16. Support MassHOPE through AmazonSmile
Do you shop at Amazon? If you shop through AmazonSmile, Amazon will make a donation to MassHOPE! If you’re not already signed up, you can do so more easily than ever. To start supporting our organization, simply click this link, which is unique to MassHOPE:  http://smile.amazon.com/ch/04-HYPERLINK “http://smile.amazon.com/ch/04-3220412”3220412. That’s all!  From then on, when – and only when – you enter the Amazon website through amazonsmile.com, Amazon will automatically donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to MassHOPE. Thank you for supporting the work of your Christian state homeschool organization!

17. How to submit Box Tops for convention savings

You can earn free or reduced admission to the MassHOPE conventions AND support MassHOPE at the same time! Submissions for the 2020 convention are now closed, but you can start getting credit toward the 2021 convention. Want to submit Box Tops for convention credit but aren’t sure how to proceed? Just click on this link: https://masshope.org/boxtops/.