Activist to issue local call to repentance

By JOHN FORTMEYER CNNW publisher

PORTLAND -- A local activist known primarily for his efforts against abortion plans to make special visits outside four of the metro area’s larger churches this month, calling “the Church of Greater Portland” to repentance.

Under the title of “Madawaska Productions,” Paul deParrie plans to pronounce a special message on four consecutive Sunday mornings -- Nov. 4, 11, 18 and 25. He said the statements would likely be delivered prior to morning services on public sidewalks outside City Bible Church in Portland, Portland Foursquare, Beaverton Foursquare, and New Hope Community Church in Clackamas

In a paid advertisement in this issue of Christian News Northwest, deParrie outlines his concern that the local Christian community has “given way to the wicked in the land” by not adequately speaking out against abortion, homosexual activism, and idolatry and by not stressing personal holiness in daily living.

“We will visit four representative churches in November, Lord willing, to pray and read the Word, and to give such other words as the Lord leads at this time,” said deParrie. “These churches were selected purely as representatives and ‘gates’ to the Portland Church, not because the word is more applicable to them than to others.”

He said the pastors would be sent advance notice of the appearances and of their purpose. He emphasized there will be no effort to interfere with the churches’ services.

According to deParrie, Madawaska Productions “will attempt to restart organized anti-abortion and other gospel activism -- truth-saying -- in greater Portland. Some will be the traditional work like pickets and such; others will enter a new dimension of what I am calling ‘prophetic’ events where the Word of God is specifically taken to the ‘gates of the city’ -- the power centers and powerful people. I believe God will respond to these words in very visible ways.”

He said the Church is ultimately responsible for the evil in America: “It will only be when we enter into personal and corporate repentance for our culpability for the bloodshed in our land that we have any hope of carrying off this vision.”

He said Madawaska is a Native American term. “My mother was born and raised in Madawaska, Maine,” he said. “I seem to have inherited my activist nature from her ... As I was preparing to begin this new work, I was impressed to adopt a name that was not obvious in its nature, as I believe God will have many different kinds of work to do through it.”

He said Madawaska Productions is not incorporated, nor has tax-exempt status been sought for it, because of the government constraints that such steps would impose on the work.

He said the ad is “as close as I can get to giving the word to all the Church of Greater Portland without visiting each building.”