On January 27, 2025, The Prayer For Life Rally was held at the Iowa State Capitol. Governor Reynolds, Attorney General Bird, several legislators, and LCMS Pastor Jonathan Conner were featured. In attendance were Grant and Sarah DeJong, who were the first couple Lutheran Family Service had the honor of serving in our Down Syndrome Adoption Program.

The legislative priority of Lutheran Family Service and many others is to protect all life from the beginning of life at fertilization until natural death. The movie Fatal Flaws a documentary by Kevin Dunn, was shown with over 50 people in attendance to kick off the day. The documentary explores Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. Lutheran Family Service has educated and worked with our Iowa Legislature for the past nine years to suppress the legalization of Physician Assisted Suicide in Iowa.

At noon, the Rally featured Governor Reynolds who talked about faith in God and all persons being made in His image.

Ladies, gentlemen, friends, Iowans, life deserves protection. Life deserves good laws. Life deserves our voice. Death should be opposed. In the womb, in illness, in age, in the hospital bed, death should be opposed. We understand that we lack the power to defeat death – only Jesus, who rose from the dead, has that power – but we should not partner with death. And we should never, never do death’s deed for it.

Pastor Jonathan Conner of Zion Manning Lutheran Church so eloquently stated. The text of Conner’s full prayer can be found below, or you can view the video here:

On February 11, Lutheran Family Service will once again host LCMS Pastors from Iowa District East and West at the Capitol. The goal is to pray with legislators, to discuss the precious lives of each individual person because they have been created, called, and redeemed by our Savior. The pastors will also meet with the seven legislators who are also members of LCMS congregations, offering them prayers and support.

Bills being considered in this session (regarding life) as of today include:

• SJR 1 is a bill that would change the Iowa Constitution to include a right to abortion. Lutheran Family Service is opposed to this bill. It is not expected to pass, but we must remain vigilant and work to educate all about the value of human life.
• HF 103 is a bill about the treatment of pregnant students in state colleges who should be given reasonable accommodations (LFS is in favor of this bill as it encourages pregnancy over abortion.)
• HF106 is a bill that would give the right for civil action in cases of wrongful fetal death. (LFS is in favor of this bill).
• SSB1028 is a bill that would secure an accurate depiction of fetal development for school curriculum. (LFS is in favor of this bill)

Please continue to pray for Life!

Address and Prayer of Pastor Jonathan Conner of Zion Lutheran Church, Manning at the 2025 Iowa Prayer Rally for Life:

Ladies, gentlemen, friends, Iowans, life deserves protection. Life deserves good laws. Life deserves our voice. Death should be opposed. In the womb, in illness, in age, in the hospital bed, death should be opposed. We understand that we lack the power to defeat death – only Jesus, who rose from the dead, has that power – but we should not partner with death. And we should never, never do death’s deed for it.

To be life’s voice we must persistently ask, What is it? What is the unborn? An image bearer of God breathing God’s breath. What is the Down Syndrome baby? An image bearer of God breathing God’s breath. What is the terminally ill man? An image bearer of God breathing God’s breath. What is the elderly woman? An image bearer of God breathing God’s breath. Who are we to deny life that breath? Who are we to suffocate that breath? How could we ever be the cause of death? How could we ever do death’s deed for it?

No, our call is to celebrate and defend life in every age and stage and to give honor to the Breath-Giver, Jesus Christ. Let us pray.
Lord God of wisdom and power, majesty and mystery, we stand in humble appreciation for Your great gift of life. From the moment of fertilization, we, no matter our ability, bear Your image. From the moment our newborn lungs first fill with air, we breathe Your breath. Through our explorations of Your creation – from the mystery woven into our cells and sinews to the majesty adorning the morning and night skies – we are granted the privilege of thinking Your thoughts after You. And even to gray hair, wrinkled skin, and brittle bones, we see Your sun rise with bright force and we follow its ray to its ultimate source: You. How greatly You must love us.

But, Lord, You know Death daily menaces us. It lurks in the shadows, waits in the wings, and mercilessly haunts our going out and coming in. Sometimes it steals from us suddenly; sometimes it steals a little at a time. It is our unrelenting enemy. Help us, Lord, not to lose courage in the face of death, knowing that Christ is risen. He has and will finally and fully defeat this great oppressor. It will not menace us forever. As we wait expectantly for His return to end death’s terror and to establish His reign of life and happiness, steel us against our great enemy. Help us resist the temptation to make death our ally, to do death’s deed for it. Give us a voice for life, a united voice for life, a voice that honors life from fertilization until forever.

Strengthen crisis pregnancy center workers. Their work is difficult and often requires carrying great emotional burdens. Raise up courageous men and women to support them and give them loving and determined hearts. Allow them to find their unwavering peace and settled happiness in You. Change hearts that would view fetal abnormalities, such as Down Syndrome, as a reason to partner with Death and help them to see the beauty inherent in every divine-image bearing life.

For those who grieve their previous partnering with death, women, men, doctors, legislators, turn them to Christ for forgiveness, healing, and hope. Help them lay down their burden of guilt and walk upright under the forgiving smile of God.

Embolden our leaders and legislators, and our Governor, Kim Reynolds, in words, policies, and legislation – from protecting the unborn to honoring the aged – to stand courageously for life and squarely and resolutely against Death. Steel them against Death’s allies who euphemistically cloak Death in garments of deception. Empower them with a clear vision of reality, vision that sees through the lies that aim to defend death and endanger life. Give them wise and winsome, fearless and unflinching, voices for life.

For those in our government and in our state who do not yet know You, the Lord of Life, bring them to repentance and faith that they might experience and know forever Your abundant joy, Your everlasting happiness, Your never-ending life, for You live and reign in unremitting happiness with Our risen Lord Jesus and the Spirit, one God, now and forever, Amen.