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Ashland to host ‘Breakfast of champions’ at prayer event: “Never bow down to tyranny” (VIDEO)

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ASHLAND — You cannot make an omelet without first breaking a few eggs. This coming Thursday one of the largest National Day of Prayer observances in the state will be taking place early in the morning with a heavy-hitting message: about how ‘Freedom’ is more than a word, and how it can only be sustained through courage and determination. Those in attendance are sure to get a belly full of how desperate the times we are living in.

The Ashland University’s Convocation Center will be site of the 2024 Ashland Community Prayer Breakfast this coming Thursday on May 2nd between 6:30 a.m.-7:59 a.m. Chairman John Bouquet, Senior Pastor at Bethel Baptist Church, is in his thirtieth year leading the Prayer Breakfast Committee for the Ashland County Ministerial Association.

2024 Ashland Community Prayer Breakfast May 2nd, 2024 at Ashland Convocation Center (Photo courtesy of Savannah Bethel Baptist)

“This event brings our community together: the civic leaders, our business partners and our leaders in education, medical, law enforcement, social services and faith community,” Bouquet said. “This gathering also inspires everyone to pause to pray. It does not matter if one is a trustee of a small township or the Mayor of Ashland. For this prayer breakfast, I have seen our ministerial community put aside our differences and distinctions to focus on the Gospel and a single-mindedness for the spiritual good of our leaders.”

Pastor Bouquet stresses anyone with an interest is welcome to attend and the event has room for everyone. “Our pastors and spiritual ministry leaders genuinely serve the spiritual concerns of the Ashland County population. You can be a novice in faith or a seasoned veteran and the Prayer Breakfast will bless you,” he says. The event usually averages over seven hundred in attendance.

“Like a soldier, I have tasted the bitter price of freedom and endured the cold handcuffs and harsh judgement. The soldier stands unflinching knowing that freedom bears a cost, there is a price to pay.”

Artur Pawlowski, Canadian Pastor

The Guest Speaker will be Canadian Pastor Artur Pawlowski. Bouquet said Pawlowski was speaking to State Representative Melanie Miller (R-Ashland) a few months ago and Miller shared the story of the Ashland Prayer Breakfast with him. Pawlowski quickly agreed to participate in the event. “Free speech and freedom to worship are sacred values to our way of life,” Bouquet says. “Those freedoms were taken away from Artur during the Canadian COVID lockdown. Once we take freedom for granted, we could easily lose it.”

Artur Pawlowski initially spent three days in jail for the crime of opening his church during the COVID pandemic. But the persecution did not stop there. “I have spent fifty nights in jail standing up for our rights to gather and worship,” says Pawlowski. “It is time to rise and say ‘Never again!'”

Ashland County is no stranger to fighting government tyranny. The first attempt within Ohio to suspend a business license for an alleged mask violation during the COVID pandemic occurred in Savannah. The Ohio Court of Common Pleas slapped down the overreach by the local health department. In addition, area faith leaders made national news opposing the Biden vaccine mandate by saying in an open letter “We have no King but King Jesus.”

The speaker is sure to get attendees to ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ regarding their religious freedoms. Freedom is just one generation from extinction. Doors open at 6:00 AM Thursday morning.

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in John Fifteen, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.  Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.”

View video below produced by Trust & Freedom on the story of Pastor Artur Pawlowski. (4 min.)

Related articles:

2023 Ashland National Day of Prayer a family affair (SLIDESHOW)
Ashland pastor says Canadian tyranny another example of how gov’t will never control Church (VIDEO)
Ohio Legislature considers putting Canada on religious liberty watch list

Ohio faith leaders to Israel after Iran attack: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper” (SLIDESHOW) (VIDEO)

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GREENWICH — This past weekend Iran launched over three-hundred rockets and missiles at Israel. It is the first time in Israel’s history an attack has come from Iranian soil. The largest drone attack in world history was a reprisal to Israel’s April 1st strike on a military consulate in Damascus. The North Central Ohio region is known for its staunch support of the Jewish State. In response to the unprecedented attack, several faith leaders in the Buckeye Bible Belt responded with a joint statement the day after.

“War has come to the Middle East,” Pastor Ricky Branham declared. “The faith community in the Buckeye Bible Belt has shown unwavering support for the Nation of Israel and her ability to defend itself,”

Several lead clergy give a joint statement on April 14th, 2024 supporting Israel after an Iranian missile attack. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio

The Willard Pastor went on to explain, “In 2017, lead clergymen from one hundred-three congregations corresponded with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu apologizing for the position of the U.S. federal government for not supporting Israeli sovereignty over the Promised Land.  In 2020-21, a band of lead clergy endorsed and purchased Israeli bonds.  In 2023, lead clergymen from 135 congregations called for state recognition of Jerusalem as the ‘Eternal Capital of Israel.’  Following the tragic October 6th massacre of over 1,300 Israelis, lead clergymen from 155 congregations condemned Hamas for its genocidal atrocity; faith leaders also raised thousands of dollars to support Israeli victims,” he said.

Pastor Mark Wireman commented, “Last night on April 13th, 2024 Iran fired over three hundred kamikaze drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles at Israel in its first-ever direct attack on the Jewish State. Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and Yemen’s Houthis also attacked with missiles simultaneously.  With supernatural assistance from the Holy One of Israel, and the help of Israeli Defense Forces and its coalition forces, 99% of the projectiles launched by Iran were successfully intercepted. While several ballistic missiles hit, it is believed that not one drone or cruise missile managed to enter Israeli airspace.”   

The Greenwich Pastor exclaimed, “The LORD is exalted over all the nations, His glory above the heavens.  Who is like the LORD our GOD? The One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?”

“For though the nations rage against you O Jerusalem, Know this: that the LORD Your GOD is with you.  For does not the Prophet Isaiah say, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper?  So fear not O Jerusalem, Fear not Tel Aviv, Fear not Haifa, and Tiberias.  Fear not Sons of David.  For the LORD your GOD is with you.”

Clergy statement by North Central Ohio faith leaders

The Iranian retaliation stemmed from an April 1st Israeli attack involving a command post located beside the Iranian Embassy. The Israeli strike resulted in the deaths of seven Iranian military advisers, including a senior commander in its Islamic Revolutionary Guard that was Iran’s point-man on Hamas’ Oct. 7th assault on Israel.

During the clergy press conference, Pastor LaMont Lindsay recited Psalm 121 saying, “He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you.”

The clergy statement warned, “As Ohio faith leaders, we believe Israel must rely on the Holy One of Israel, and not on any foreign government, including the United States.  It is important to note that since the beginning of the Biden Administration, The U.S. federal government has gifted the terrorist-state of Iran with over 80 billion dollars.  When Iran launched missiles at Jerusalem last night, not only did Iran attack the Capital of the Jewish State, Iran also attacked the third holiest city in Islam.  Arab nations should be appalled by Iran’s actions.”

Rabbi William Hallbrook called the Oct. 7th massacre, ‘Israel’s 911’ with human depravity of ‘the highest magnitude.’ (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

The Book of Ecclesiastes says, There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven,” Pastor Lindsay said.  “A time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.  A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build….And further on it states, there is also a time for war.  As a deterrence for future attacks on the Holy Land, we believe Israel must defend itself and eliminate its attackers.  We believe the time for war is now,” the Mansfield Pastor cautioned.  

Pastor Branham declared, “For though the nations rage against you O Jerusalem, Know this: that the LORD Your GOD is with you.  For does not the Prophet Isaiah say, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper?  So fear not O Jerusalem, Fear not Tel Aviv, Fear not Haifa, and Tiberias.  Fear not Sons of David.  For the LORD your GOD is with you.”

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Zechariah Twelve, “All the nations on earth will gather together against Jerusalem. Then it will become like a rock that cannot be moved. All the nations that try to move it will only hurt themselves.”

View slideshow of recent faith-based advocacy for Israel in the Buckeye Bible Belt.

  • In 2023, Rabbi William Hallbrook and 155 lead clergy call Oct. 7th massacre, ‘Israel’s 911’ with human depravity of ‘the highest magnitude.’ (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Eeki Elner, Founder of the Israeli Leadership Institute, has been instrumental to Ohio-Israeli relations. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • In 2023, a “Night for Israel’ event in Ontario, Ohio raised $7,000 of donations for Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • In 2023, Pastor Russell Stanford, along with 135 lead clergy, call on Ohio lawmakers to formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel Capital. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • In 2023, nine area mayors, including Butler Mayor Wes Dingus give proclamations commemorating 75th anniversary of Israel. (Photo courtesy of Butler Village).
  • In 2021, Benjamin Netanyahu thanks Ohio clergy for investing in Israel bonds (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • In 2021, former Shiloh, Israel Mayor David Rubin, visits Ontario, Ohio. Rubin leads a ministry for victims of terrorism. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • In 2020, 32 lead clergy invest in Israel bonds & persuade county governments to do same. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • In 2018, Deputy Speaker of the Israeli Knesset, Hilik Bar visits North Central Ohio to thank area for its support of Israel. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • In 2017, l03 lead clergy in North Central Ohio send letter to Israeli Prime Minister apologizing for Obama Administration’s opposition of Israeli sovereignty. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • In 2024, North Central Ohio faith leaders give joint statement supporting Israel after Iranian missile attack. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

View video of April 14th, 2024 clergy press conference addressing Iranian attack on Israel below (5 min.)

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105 Ohio clergy on Earth Day: “Fear of environmental apocalypse based on counterfeit gospel” (SLIDESHOW) (VIDEO)

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Lead clergymen from 105 Ohio congregations wrote an open letter addressing government's promotion of climate religion. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

GREENWICH — After last week’s spectacular eclipse, a group of faith leaders held a press conference Sunday to address the Green Movement. Environmentalists, including religious leaders from the World Council of Churches, are saying the end of the world is imminent if people do not reduce their carbon footprint. Some area clergy are saying climate-change alarmists cannot see the wood for the trees.

“Two weeks after the total solar eclipse, some will be celebrating on April 22nd “International Mother Earth Day” and public schools will be indoctrinating children about man-made climate-change,” said Pastor Mark Wireman at the briefing. “This same day, progressive politicians will also be advocating for a global government to micromanage our lives in order to save the earth from certain ‘climate apocalypse.’ The Pastor from Greenwich was not the only “voice in the wilderness.”

Pastor LaMont Lindsay points out the error in trusting computer models to predict future global temperatures. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

With a drop of temperatures, the clergy group believe there was a climate change-event that took place April 8th involving the eclipse’s path of totality and not fossil fuels. Their conclusion: GOD controls the earth’s climate, not man. Pastor LaMont Lindsay, standing with Wireman, firmly shared that the Green Movement is pushing ideas foreign to the Bible. “We are warning the public about the global climate-change cult which is promoting a counterfeit gospel masqueraded as sustainable development,” the Mansfield Pastor said.

Pastor Wireman declared, “As lead clergymen representing one-hundred-five diverse Ohio congregations, we believe this so-called climate emergency, supposedly originating from human activity, is a bunch of hot air, and that forcing the reduction of carbon footprints on individuals, corporations, and nations is tantamount to establishing a one-world religion paying homage to false deities.”

Lead clergy co-signers of the open letter have congregations located in sixteen counties across Ohio.  Counties with the most congregations represented include: Richland, Ashland, Trumbull, and Crawford. In their open letter, the clergymen quoted from Romans 1 which says, “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.”

“It is our observation that the fear of environmental apocalypse grows out of the lack of the fear of GOD…. Climate change events like a solar eclipse or a volcanic eruption are engineered by GOD.  It is painstakingly clear, while climate alarmists inspire a false religion of despair and alarm, believers in Christ offer the world true hope of the all-powerful Creator and Sustainer who provides salvation thru Christ.”

Dr. Ricky Branham

“GOD is in control,” says Pastor Lindsay. “To be clear, relying on computer models to predict global temperatures hundreds of years into the future when meteorologists cannot predict a ten-day forecast is absurd. As faith leaders, we believe human activity has little influence over global temperatures. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is necessary for plant-life to survive and is not a pollutant as environmentalists insist.  During this so-called environmental crisis, the U.S. has more trees today than it did one-hundred years ago, and the world has seen a 14% increase in green vegetation over the past thirty-years.

Unfortunately the field of science has a checkered past; instead of following the data, scientists often follow the money. The faith leaders pointed out that the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was caught red-handed trying to trick the world into believing global warming was a crisis requiring a drastic response.

“The bottom line is the cult of climate-change has little to do with the climate as much as it does with power and control,” says Dr. Ricky Branham. “As lead clergymen, we have not forgotten the Climategate scandals in both 2009 and 2011 involving the release of emails confirming an organized conspiracy by the United Nations. When leaders like Kamala Harris and Pope Francis warn climate-change could destroy civilization, they are really advocating for global tyranny and for population-control policies.”  Branham adds, “When people become “the pollution,” authoritarian governments deem life expendable, which is directly counter to Judeo-Christian values..”

Dr. Ricky Branham says while climate alarmists inspire a false religion of despair and alarm, believers in Christ offer the world true hope. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

The clergy wrote that “Elites attempt to negate the existence of GOD by rationalizing that man is producing climate-change. According to Joe Biden and his Department of Defense, climate-change is the biggest existential threat in the world today.  Mr. Biden belittles people that do not conform to his green policies by calling them “Neanderthals.” The clergy went on to say, “Mr. Biden harms the quality of life for Ohio citizens and the under-privileged, by weaponizing a bureaucracy to withhold access to natural fossil fuels.”

Dr. Branham notes, “It is our observation that the fear of environmental apocalypse grows out of the lack of the fear of GOD.  After Noah’s Flood, The Bible states in Genesis 8, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Climate- change events like a solar eclipse or a volcanic eruption are clearly engineered by GOD.” The Willard pastor emphasized, “It is painstakingly clear, while climate alarmists inspire a false religion of despair and alarm, believers in Christ offer the world true hope of the all-powerful Creator and Sustainer who provides salvation thru Christ.” 

The clergy closed their open letter by adding, “Although the Bible commands us to be good stewards of the earth, as faith leaders, we will not be holding our breath on April 22nd.  Humanity, and not earth, needs salvation from sin. The heavens will soon be speaking again when the Messiah cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Christ is coming back soon-and that is no science fiction.”

View slideshow from the April 14th, 2024 clergy press conference in Greenwich, Ohio.

  • The Ark Encounter was in the path of April 8th’s eclipse. Ohio faith leaders believe the earth will not be flooded again, as cited in the Bible. (Photo courtesy of Ark Encounter screenshot)
  • Dr. Ricky Branham says the cult of climate-change has little to do with the climate as much as it does with power and control. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • The 2024 Great American Eclipse went thru Ohio last week. Faith leaders reported an 8 degree temperature drop in 30 minutes time. They contend the event was GOD-engineered climate change. (Photo courtesy of NASA Screenshot)
  • Pastor LaMont Lindsay points out the error in trusting computer models to predict future global temperatures. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Pastor Wireman says on Earth Day, politicians will be advocating for a tyrannical global government. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • In their open letter, Ohio clergy believe climate change events like volcanoes are Acts of GOD. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there are an estimated 1,350 potentially-active volcanoes around the world. (Photo courtesy of Pixabay)
  • Dr. Ricky Branham says climate alarmists inspire a false religion of despair and alarm, believers in Christ offer the world true hope. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Pastor LaMont Lindsay warns the global climate-change cult is promoting a counterfeit gospel masqueraded as sustainable development. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Lead clergymen from 105 Ohio congregations wrote an open letter addressing government’s promotion of climate religion. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

View video produced by Frontlines Ohio from a recent clergy press conference addressing man-made climate religion. (4 min.)

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In cannabis debate, Clear Fork School Board and citizens say: ‘Not in our backyard’ (SLIDESHOW)

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On March 18th, Clear Fork Valley School Board unanimously approved non-binding resolution calling for prohibition of commercial cannabis in the school district. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

BUTLER — This week the Village of Butler took center stage over the marijuana debate in the Clear Fork Valley. The school board took a formal position at Butler Elementary, and the Bellville Mayor, swallowing her pride, scheduled a public forum at nearby Butler Village Hall to discuss the proposed Bellville weed dispensary. Opposition to cannabis appears to be at its peak in the Clear Fork Valley.

From morality, to quality of life, to school safety, and road safety, concerns were brought up about the dangers of marijuana in Thursday’s forum. County Commissioner Darrell Banks said he believes a dispensary will harm fundraising efforts for an adjacent YMCA sports facility. Several businessmen believe the social reputation of the Village will suffer. And with school officials now joining law enforcement and faith leaders, cannabis opposition is front and center.

Over one hundred-forty people attended a public forum on a marijuana dispensary proposed by Standard Wellness to be located in Bellville. The forum was held at Butler Village Hall on Thursday, March 21st. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Mayor Teri Brenkus, the key proponent of commercial cannabis in Bellville, could not find a host inside the Village for the forum. This week, Brenkus has been on the hot seat. Prior to the start of the forum, informational handouts on the recall election process to remove municipal officials from office were circulated by citizens. Sixty-percent of Bellville residents voted against legalizing marijuana in the November general election. Village Council also voted 5-1 on January 9th to pass a six-month moratorium preventing commercial cannabis companies from doing business in Bellville.

Earlier this week, Brenkus was formally asked to resign by Village Council for “reasons of moral misconduct and appearance of impropriety.” In addition, Village Administrator Larry Weirich, another supporter of cannabis, was placed on administrative leave effective immediately due to allegations related specifically to “immoral conduct as it relates to discipline and grievances.” Both measures passed by unanimous 6-0 votes. Weirich is the Richland County Democrat Party Chairperson.

On the same night Bellville Village Council made the emergency legislation on Tuesday, the Clear Fork School Board passed a non-binding resolution. Passed by a unanimous 5-0 vote, the statement said, “The Board Members of the Clear Fork Valley Local School District have resolved that it is in our students’ best interests to support the prohibition of any business in the boundaries of our school district that cultivates, processes, or retails marijuana. We believe that by supporting this prohibition, we are preserving and protecting our community’s exemplary quality of life and the health and safety of our students.”

Chart presented during forum based on OVI data from Sandusky City Police Department. (Photo courtesy of Benjamin Mutti)

After the passage of the school board resolution, High School Principal Brian Brown said the drug-testing program was “the best thing we did in my thirty-two years here in the district.” In 2014, Clear Fork schools implemented a random drug testing protocol for student motorists and students in extra-curricular activities.

Since the announcement of a proposed marijuana dispensary in Bellville, three area municipalities and six townships have passed legislation prohibiting commercial cannabis in their jurisdictions.

During the forum, several supporters of the dispensary alluded to perceived medical benefits provided by the drug. Reputable healthcare providers presently do not provide ‘medical marijuana,’ thus the demand for the state-licensed dispensaries. In 2019, the Cleveland Clinic released a statement saying, “To be clear, there is a difference between medications and ‘medical marijuana’ in the popular sense of the term…. At Cleveland Clinic, we believe there are better alternatives.”

Standard Wellness CEO Jared Maloof also attended the forum. The CEO promises to bring $360,000 in revenue toward Bellville if approved, and generate $10 million in revenue annually. Maloof stated that he does not use marijuana. He also stated that there have been no police reports taken out on dispensaries he owns (Sandusky OH, Springfield OH, cultivation facilities in Gibsonburg OH, & Corrine Utah). “We improve property values and bring stability to communities we are located in,” Maloof said.

On January 9th, at the admonition of local faith leaders, Bellville Village Council voted 5-1 for a six-month moratorium prohibiting marijuana businesses. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Some would disagree with CEO Jared Maloof’s statements about his compliance with the law. Maloof testified to an Ohio Senate Committee on March 7, 2023 suggesting Ohio “Put a stop to hemp-derived Delta 8 and other related cannabinoid sales in the state.” Maloof asserted that “The status quo is children can purchase THC at their local gas station and parents across this state have no idea that it is happening.” While it is illegal to sell or possess Delta 8 products in the State of Utah, according to the Utah Bee, “Standard Wellness has been making Delta-8 based products available for patients since the opening of their dispensary.”

Not to mention, in the same testimony Jared Maloof admitted that ‘medical’ marijuana operators in Ohio were “deciding in droves to sell legally-produced marijuana into the illegal market.” In other words, state-licensed marijuana dispensaries are operating as criminal enterprises.

One of the citizens for public comment questions if Standard Wellness can be a good neighbor and community partner. Benjamin Mutti thinks these issues should be considered red flags to Village Council. “This company is saying one thing and doing another,” Mutti said. “The Cannabis Industry authored the rules now included in the Ohio Revised Code. The text of these rules acknowledge the fact that addictive marijuana will bring more substance abuse, bring more impaired motorists, bring more access to the hallucinogen by children, and bring more mental health harm. Because of this negative baggage, the consensus should be to ban commercial cannabis development altogether,” he added.

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Mark Eight, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

View the slideshow of the March 21st public forum regarding a marijuana dispensary proposed at the State Route 97/I-71 interchange in Bellville. The forum took place at Butler Village Hall.

  • Speaking as Bellville citizen, county official and former Mayor, Darrell Banks commented, “We should not put this pot shop across the highway from the YMCA soccer facility. It will adversely impact fundraising for this $22 million facility. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Bellville resident & CASA Volunteer with the Juvenile Court, Frederick Sites, commented that 16 of the 17 children he works with have parents abusing drugs. He said all 16 cases had cannabis as one of the drugs they were abusing. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Clear Fork Valley School Board President, Brian Johnson commented that “We should all agree that we need to protect our children.” (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Chart presented during forum based on U.S. Secret Service analysis of targeted school violence. (Photo courtesy of Benjamin Mutti)
  • Over one hundred-forty people attended a public forum on a marijuana dispensary proposed by Standard Wellness to be located in Bellville. The forum was held at Butler Village Hall on Thursday, March 21st. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Bellville businessman Don VanMeter, the Wishmaker House Bed & Breakfast owner, commented that Bellville officials tried to sneak the dispensary in. He said “Cannabis is not good for our community.” (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Standard Wellness CEO Jared Maloof commented that his marijuana dispensaries bring stability and high property values to the neighborhood. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Speaking as Bellville citizen, county official Steve McKinley commented, “The use of recreational marijuana is almost always associated with human failure. Americans medicate more, work less, and yet have more depression. Without GOD, there is no fulfillment. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Bellville businessman Steve Haring, the owner of Valley View Development, commented that a dispensary will bring crime issues and more juvenile users. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Chart presented during forum, based on 2023 Ohio Senate Testimony by Jared Maloof. (Photo courtesy of Benjamin Mutti)
  • CEO Jared Maloof’s Standard Wellness, was sued by the State of Ohio in 2022 for not providing records when compelled to do so by state regulators. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Associate Pastor & Bellville Resident Mike Stine commented that sixty-percent of the Bellville citizens already voted in November to oppose legalizing cannabis. He said, “We need to stand our ground and love everybody.” (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • On January 9th, at the admonition of local faith leaders, Bellville Village Council voted 5-1 for a six-month moratorium prohibiting marijuana businesses. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Chart presented during forum; based on OVI data from Sandusky City Police Department. (Photo courtesy of Benjamin Mutti)
  • Over one hundred-forty people attended a public forum on a marijuana dispensary proposed by Standard Wellness to be located in Bellville. The forum was held at Butler Village Hall on Thursday, March 21st. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • On March 18th, Clear Fork Valley School Board unanimously approved non-binding resolution calling for prohibition of commercial cannabis in the school district. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

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4 local townships prohibit commercial weed: “With outlaw industry, our community will go downhill” (VIDEO)

4 local townships prohibit commercial weed: “With outlaw industry, our community will go downhill” (VIDEO)

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NORTH CENTRAL OHIO — Malabar Farm State Park, located in Monroe Township, is the former residence of American writer Louis Bromfield. The famous conservationist is credited with promoting the use of multiflora rose as a natural fence for wildlife. When the hardy and thorny rose took over country sides, critics believed the invasive weed did more harm than good. After last fall’s Ohio elections, another weed is taking the state by storm; and Monroe Township is putting up a different fence on the very thorny issue of cannabis.

Last month, Monroe Township passed a resolution prohibiting “adult-use cannabis operators and medical marijuana cultivators, processors, and retail dispensaries within the unincorporated area.” Adjacent Washington Township, home of the ski resort Snow Trails, approved the same measure one week earlier.

On February 21st the Monroe Township Trustee Board passed a resolution prohibiting commercial cannabis. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

The decision by the townships in Richland County drew the praise of many, including Pastor Dink Porter. “The weed industry, illicit or otherwise, has a history affiliated with criminal behavior,” says Porter. “If this outlaw industry comes to the area, our community will go downhill. It is always better to prevent problems from happening rather than to treat them.”

One Ohio State study found commercial weed facilities can lead to an increase in property crime in adjacent areas. The three-year study conducted on Denver weed dispensaries suggests there is reason to be concerned about having a cannabis outlet near your home.

In February, Pastor Porter addressed Madison Township Trustees on the issue and was also one of the lead clergymen representing over one-hundred-forty congregations opposing the legalization of recreational marijuana last fall. During their clergy press conference in Madison Township, the faith leaders stated that weed decimates a person’s self-control, cognitively impairs its users, and increases risk-taking behavior.  The faith leaders cited Proverbs 25 which says ‘Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.” One of the leading tourist attractions in the area, the Biblewalk Museum, happens to be located in Madison Township.

“You cannot sit on the fence on this issue. It is good to see these township trustee boards take leadership on this issue of marijuana. Because they took the first step, other elected officials will follow.”

Pastor Dink Porter

According to Pastor Porter, two Zanesville businessmen proposing to build a weed dispensary in Madison Township recently visited a local church for Sunday services to build bridges with the neighborhood. Fortunately for the faith community, the Madison Board of Trustees unanimously approved a resolution prohibiting commercial cannabis March 4th.

While commercial cannabis is tested and taxed, black market weed will almost always outsell its commercial competitors since it will usually cost less. In many cases, a symbiotic relationship between black market and commercial dispensaries can result.

One marijuana executive trying to get his foot in the door into the region admitted his industry’s dispensaries are helping fuel the black market. “We have seen several times that otherwise good people who have never broken a law in their lives are deciding in droves to sell-legally produced marijuana into the illegal market,” said Standard Wellness CEO Jared Maloof in testimony to the Ohio Senate in 2023. His cannabis company is trying to build a dispensary in Bellville, Ohio but has met resistance from faith leaders and citizens.

On March 4th, the Madison Township Trustee Board passed a resolution prohibiting commercial adult-use marijuana. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Some states that legalized marijuana for recreational use have experienced a surge in the drug’s black market activity. Colorado, in particular, has become a haven for underground marijuana cultivation and export, prompting questions about how legalization led to unforeseen consequences. Legalization opened the door to burgeoning criminal market with large-scale illegal operations being grown in plain sight. With its own plumbers, electricians, and front people who rent and buy properties, Colorado’s black market has become a magnet for international cartels. After a decade of legalization, two-thirds of the local jurisdictions in Colorado have prohibited medical and recreational weed.

This week Cass Township, in Richland County, passed a six-month moratorium prohibiting commercial cannabis. On the same day, nearby Bloomingrove Township passed a resolution banning commercial weed indefinitely. In January at Shiloh Village Council, a developer discussed locating a cultivation facility outside the village in Cass Township. One of the members of Village Council said she had serious concerns over the proposed cannabis facility and did not want increased crime in her neighborhood; her home was recently burglarized.

“You cannot sit on the fence on this issue,” says Pastor Porter, “It is good to see these township trustee boards take leadership on prohibiting marijuana. Because they took the first step, other elected officials will follow.”

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Isaiah Eight, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”

View video below by clicking on image. This PBS News Hour report discusses how Colorado’s marijuana legalization strengthened the drug’s Black Market across Denver’s suburban metropolitan area.  (7:34 min)

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Pastor James Spencer goes home to be with the LORD: “He was a firebrand…”

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MANSFIELD — James Morris Spencer, a devout Pastor, faithful husband, and loving father, transitioned from this earthly life to his eternal home in Heaven with his Lord and Savior on February 29th, 2024. Surrounded by his family at his home in Butler, Ohio, the fifty-one year old’s passing marked a significant moment, aligning with the rarity of Leap Day, symbolizing the leap into eternity for a man of unwavering faith.

Pastor James Spencer leaves behind his wife, Michelle and their six children. (Photo courtesy of Snyder Funeral Home)

Serving as Head Pastor at Peoples Baptist Church in Mansfield, Pastor Spencer faithfully shepherded the congregation for nearly twenty-years. Throughout his ministry, James remained deeply involved in soul-winning endeavors, youth and music ministries, touching countless lives with his unwavering faith and compassion. He also established a faith-based drug treatment ministry and also drove a church bus to transport students to church each week.

Reverend El Akuchie of the Richland Community Prayer Network looks back fondly on James Spencer’s involvement in the community. “Pastor James was a firebrand. I always appreciated his steadfast defense for Biblical values in our community. He was not ashamed of the Gospel. Many people looked up to Pastor Spencer, knowing they would never get a bland answer from him. I believe he carried this same zeal and passion on to his children and to the many others he touched.”

Pastor James Spencer recently passed away. Spencer, (pictured on left) was a strong advocate for election integrity. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Chris Spencer, James’ younger brother, also serves as Senior Pastor at Crestline Grace Baptist.

Pastor Spencer was known to be eccentric and radical in his faith. His hobby included singing to gospel music blaring in his car; one time he was playing his gospel music so loudly, that he got pulled over by a law enforcement patrol! Sometimes the Pastor would get so energized by the Holy Spirit that he would run around in circles. He would also scream (or sing) Psalms 100 to wake up his kids on Sunday mornings. He would exclaim, “This is the day that the Lord has made! We will rejoice and be glad it in it!”

“Pastor Spencer has been a staple to the Mansfield area for many years. He was a faithful soul-winner and a staunch defender of what is right within our community. While he will be greatly missed, the footprint and legacy he leaves behind will be seen for years to come.”

Pastor Chad Hayes

Several Baptist Pastors who partnered in a number of clergy collaborations with Spencer reflected on their impressions of him.

“I have known Pastor James and his family for over twenty-four years,” said Pastor Randy Raynes from Mansfield Fellowship. “His parents were member in my church. From a young man working as a layman in a church to eventual pastor, James has had three passions: staying true to the fundamentals of the faith, actively striving to reach the lost with the Gospel, and seeking a revival of faith among today’s churches. He stood true and strong with a loving heart,” Raynes said.

Senior Pastor at Mansfield Peoples’ Baptist Church for twenty years, Pastor Spencer publicly defended the use of police chaplains. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Pastor Chad Hayes commented, “Pastor Spencer has been a staple to the Mansfield area for many years. He was a faithful soul-winner and a staunch defender of what is right within our community. While he will be greatly missed, the footprint and legacy he leaves behind will still be seen for years to come.”

The full obituary for James Spencer can be seen here.

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Proverbs Eight, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” This passage was hand-selected by Pastor James Spencer for his funeral.

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Faith leaders bring report to Madison Township Trustees: “Cannabis does not make dollars and sense” (VIDEO)

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MADISON TOWNSHIP — Earlier this month, several businessmen proposed a brick and mortar marijuana facility in Madison Township with hopes to begin building in June. While representatives of Backroad Wellness claim their business will generate tax revenue for the township, some faith leaders believe the cannabis company will only be ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul.’

Last Tuesday night, two lead pastors from Madison Township encouraged the Township Board of Trustees to pass a resolution prohibiting commercial recreational cannabis. They cited a Colorado economic report indicating there was more to the story regarding supposed revenue generated from cannabis to the state. In 2018, the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University published a report in the aftermath of the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and found disturbing short-term consequences. The report was published the same year Madison Trustees prohibited medical marijuana.

Pastors Dink Porter and Robert Kurtz attended Tuesday night’s Madison Township Board of Trustees meeting. They both spoke in favor of the prohibition of commercial cannabis. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

“For every dollar gained in tax revenue, the study found Coloradoans spent approximately $4.50 to mitigate the effects of legalization,” Pastor Dink Porter told Trustees. “With research showing a connection between marijuana use and the use of alcohol and other substances, the estimated costs of DUI’s for people in 2016 who tested positive for marijuana only, approached a whopping twenty-five million dollars.”

The bottom line the report said, was “Economic and social costs in this report are intentionally low and the comprehensive costs are likely much higher.”

Pastor Porter believes these findings validate what the Bible already speaks on about avoiding the influence of harmful and addictive drugs. He believes allowing the cannabis industry to enter the community does not morally and financially “make dollars and sense.”

According to Pastor Robert Kurtz, who also attended the meeting, he believes additional tax revenue is not a cure-all. “Money seems to be the attraction in the consideration of encouraging this ingestion of a substance known to debilitate those who partake. ‘The love of money is the root of all evil,’ those are GOD’s words. The fact is, there are wages to pay associated with sin and as we see from the culture today, marijuana is going to make us pay,” Kurtz said.

“Money seems to be the attraction in the consideration of encouraging this ingestion of a substance (marijuana) known to debilitate those who partake. ‘The love of money is the root of all evil,’ those are GOD’s words. The fact is, there are wages to pay associated with sin and as we see from the culture today, marijuana is going to make us pay.”

Pastor Robert Kurtz

Last October, Pastor Kurtz hosted a clergy press conference at his nearby church opposing the legalization of marijuana. The clergy represented over one-hundred-forty congregations across twenty counties. They warned that as the general public becomes desensitized to drug abuse, the next generation ultimately will become desensitized to right and wrong.

In the last Madison Township Trustee meeting, Brian Hennessey and Jonathan Mayle of Backroad Wellness said their proposed four-thousand square foot marijuana facility would sell a variety of products. Their dispensaries in Cambridge, Lima, and New Boston, sell products with high THC potency including products inaptly named, “High Divorce Rate Live Resin” that has 68% THC, “Problem Child Solventless Ice Hash” which has 63% THC, and Durban Poison Live Resin which has 72% THC.

The Centennial Institute report also stated, “Calls to Poison Control related to marijuana increased dramatically since the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana.”

At Tuesday’s Madison Trustee’s meeting, Pastor Porter cited a study finding for every dollar of revenue marijuana generated, Coloradoans spent four and a half dollars. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the most common overdoses among children nationwide involve ingestion of edible cannabis foods. Since ‘medical’ marijuana was legalized, Ohio’s two poison control centers have reported a significant increase in children ingesting such products. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Drug and Poison Information Center reported seventy-nine cases of ingestion in 2020, for a 108% increase. Nationwide Children’s Hospital Central Ohio Poison Center also recorded seventy-nine cases in 2020, for a 394% increase from the previous year.

“GOD’s commands are for our good always,” Pastor Kurtz said at the meeting. “GOD commands us to view our bodies as His temple. As society continues its descent into this mess, I am asking our Trustees to stand for what is morally right and do what you can to prohibit this poison from being sold in our community.”

Symptoms of THC overdose include respiratory distress, loss of coordination, lethargy, and loss of consciousness. If your child is sick and you suspect he or she has eaten a food containing high amounts of THC, call the Central Ohio Poison Center Hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in First Timothy 6, “For the love of money is the root of all of evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

View the video produced by Centennial Institute entitled: “Video the Marijuana Industry Does Not Want You to See” (9 min.)

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With eye on workforce, Shelby nips cannabis in the bud & prohibits commercial use

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SHELBY –As home to Pioneer Vocational School and North Central State, the City of Shelby is centered around skilled workplace development. Both schools serve as catalysts helping to enhance the skill set of the area workforce. With the recent state legalization of recreational marijuana, the City of Shelby is trying to stay ahead of the game. After all, it is difficult to have a successful economy when employees are high on drugs.

There is no question marijuana dispensaries will increase drrug positivity rates in the workforce. The downside is, high employees hurt themselves and their co-workers. In order to prevent their city from going down the tubes, City Council unanimously voted to pass an ordinance prohibiting commercial cannabis.

Shelby City Council unanimously approved ordinance prohibiting commercial cannabis. (Photo courtesy of Shelby City Boxcast TV)

Shelby clergy gave accolades to the Council after passage of the prohibition ordinance went seamless with a 5-0 vote. “We appreciate the Council has the foresight to see that the cannabis industry adversely impacts other existing industries,” says Bishop Anthony Cooper. “Most importantly, cannabis adversely impacts our families and the ability for breadwinners to earn income. As the Bible says, ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

Studies show employees who use marijuana have 75% higher absenteeism. It is already difficult to recruit and retain workers, and find ones who can pass a drug test. Legalizing recreational marijuana only exacerbates the staffing problem for employers who have to make up for lost time from failed drug tests.

WIth more employees using cannabis, Ohio employers should prepare for an influx of workplace accidents and injuries. Quest Diagnostics found the number of marijuana-positive drug tests performed after workplace accidents soared 204% from 2012 to 2022, coinciding with the trend of more states legalizing recreational use of marijuana. 

“We appreciate Council has the foresight to see that the cannabis industry adversely impacts other existing industries in our city. Most importantly, cannabis adversely impacts our families and the ability for breadwinners to earn income. As the Bible says, ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

Bishop Anthony Cooper

Daily testing of all employees can be expensive, operationally burdensome, and can capture marijuana usage as far back as thirty days. On top of that, employees face the reduction or even elimination of workers’ compensation benefits.

In addition to absenteeism, workplace injuries, workplace theft to support drug habits, and the sale of drugs by one employee to another are all issues employers face because of illicit drug use. Moreover, cannabis has measurable effects that impair reaction time in critical situations, slowing reaction time, and decreasing attention. Studies further show a 55% increase in workplace accidents in states that have legalized recreational marijuana, and an 85% higher injury rate for workers who tested positive for marijuana.

Pastor Art Kennard says the cannabis industry not only impairs the workforce, it can also invigorate organized crime. “The Bible talks about the sluggard who does not work. ‘A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man,” the Shelby Pastor said. “It is one thing to malign the work force, it is another to enable criminal enterprises. Right now the City of Denver is fighting organized crime networks burglarizing cannabis dispensaries.”

Pastor Art Kennard & Bishop Anthony Cooper attended Shelby ‘City Council Tuesday night. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

The ordinance passed by the Shelby City Council states, “The sale of adult-use cannabis does not promote or provide public peace, health, safety, convenience, comfort, prosperity and general welfare to the residents in city limits.” Previously in 2018, Shelby Council passed an ordinance prohibiting the processing, cultivation, and retail distribution of medical marijuana in city limits.

Faith and civic leaders hope the local workforce keeps their nose to the grindstone. “If workers fail to show up for work or have dirty drug tests,” says Cooper, “Companies will either go automated to avoid all the trouble or just leave the area. And that leaves our community without jobs.”

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Proverbs Twenty-Nine, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

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66 Clergy on proposed Bellville marijuana dispensary: ‘It will steal, kill & destroy’

45 Lead clergy endorse Steve Sheldon for Sheriff: “He will not let his guard down” (VIDEO)

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RICHLAND COUNTY — One person stands between an unconfined federal government and “We the People.” After the Ohio Constitution included the Office of the Sheriff as an elected position in its Constitution in 1803, almost every other state has followed suit. Consequently, of the three-thousand sheriff’s in the United States today, approximately 98% are elected by the citizens of their county or parish.

It is one thing to simply be an agent of the government. It is another to have a discretionary role as an agent of the Constitution.

Incumbent Sheriff Steve Sheldon (with microphone) will be squaring off against two challengers on March 19th’s primary election. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

The Richland County Primary Election will occur Tuesday, March 19th, 2024, with candidates: Steve Sheldon, Matthew Mayer, and Donald Zehner vying for the highest law enforcement office in the County. Elected sheriffs are directly accountable to their State Constitution, the Federal Constitution, statutes, and ultimately to the citizens of their county.  This week local faith leaders weighed in on the sheriff’s race.

In an open letter, a group of area clergymen wrote, “Recently after attending a National Sheriff’s Association Conference, Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones outlined imminent national security risks, drawing parallels to Israel’s security situation.  Recounting the October 7th massacre on Israelis, where local police were critical in responding to attacks, the Ohio Sheriff underscored the essential role local law enforcement plays.

The area pastors said, “With the U.S. currently engaging in military action in two countries, with thousands of undocumented people from one hundred-sixty different countries entering our nation monthly thru an unsecure border, more red flags for potential terrorist activity exist today than there were before the September 11th attacks.  Local stability and security are of vital importance.”

“Sheriff Sheldon was one of the leading voices in opposing the legalization of marijuana.  Besides regularly attending corporate prayer gatherings in the community, Mr. Sheldon maintains a chaplain program in the Sheriff’s Department.  Under his Administration, Sheriff Sheldon also implemented a faith-based Project Starfish drug rehab program and affixed National Motto “In GOD we trust” placards on all new deputy squad vehicles.”

Clergy Letter endorsing Sheriff Sheldon in 2024 primary election

“The Bible says Isaiah 62, “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence.”

The faith leaders went on to say, “Based on a Biblical worldview, our strong conviction as forty-five lead clergymen, is Sheriff Steve Sheldon will best serve as the next Richland County Sheriff for the upcoming March 19, 2024 Primary Election to advance the cause of faith, family, and freedom.

“Sheriff Steve Sheldon has over forty-years’ experience in law enforcement and has served as Richland County Sheriff for five terms, beginning in 2005.  Mr. Sheldon has been a strong advocate for the Second Amendment which helps protect First Amendment freedoms, and was one of the leading voices in opposing the legalization of marijuana.  Besides regularly attending corporate prayer gatherings in the community, Mr. Sheldon maintains a chaplain program in the Sheriff’s Department.  Under his Administration, Sheriff Sheldon also implemented a faith-based Project Starfish drug rehab program and affixed National Motto “In GOD we trust” placards on all new deputy squad vehicles.”

Area clergy publicly supported immunity for law enforcement in 2021. Two clergy pictured with Sheriff Sheldon. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

The clergy letter stated, “While times are perilous, strong leadership and bold direction are needed to protect our local community.  Nehemiah 4:14 says “Be not ye afraid of them: remember the LORD, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

Faith leaders represented in the clergy letter are from multiple-denominations in Richland County and have historically been vocal of their support for the rule of law and local law enforcement.

Faith leaders closed their open letter by saying, “Furthermore, based on merit we support the candidacy of Steve Sheldon and believe he best serves the interests of faith, family, and freedom.  As forty-five leading clergymen, we encourage Ohioans to show up at their polling places in person on Tuesday, March 19th, 2024 and vote for Steve Sheldon as Richland County Sheriff.”

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Exodus Eighteen, “Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.”

View video produced by Protect Ohio Families & Workers, of Sheriff Steve Sheldon publicly opposing recreational marijuana (1 min.)

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Ashland ministerial group holds first 2024 meeting: ‘We can accomplish so much more together’ (VIDEO)

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ASHLAND — Often times societal problems are mischaracterized as ‘political’ rather than spiritual. At the end of the day, the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. Recently the “Ashland Angle” show interviewed the president of an active clergy group that engages culture outside the Church’s four walls. Because this band of faith leaders leaves no stones unturned, some in Ashland believe there is the Republican and Democrat Parties, and then the Ashland County Ministerial Association.

“The Ashland County Ministerial Association (ACMA) is a group of clergy, professional church workers, and nonprofit directors that partner together to tackle problems in our community,” says Dave McNeely President of the ACMA. “Our county has about one-hundred-ten churches, and we hold monthly meetings with over forty leaders regularly attending. For the last forty years, this multi-denominational association has helped unify the Church and influence our community for the better.”

State Representative Melanie Miller is a board member of the Ashland County Ministerial Association and serves as Executive Director of the Ashland Pregnancy Care Center. (Photo courtesy of screenshot from Ashland Angle)

According to its website, in addition to meeting together for prayer and mutual encouragement, the ACMA coordinates community outreaches and has a membership covenant. Pastor McNeely says the ACMA has addressed a number of issues.

“Thru our association of faith leaders, we have helped address the drug addiction crisis thru the non-profit ministry Project One. We have also helped unify our community by coordinating corporate prayer events like the gathering at Freer Park, and our annual National Day of Prayer. I believe there has been a ripple effect that can be seen in our area because of this prayer.”

The ACMA rents out the Convocation Center at Ashland University for annual prayer breakfast which has an average attendance of seven hundred. As one of the largest National Day of Prayer observances in the state each year, Ashland leaders from various spheres of influence participate in the corporate gathering to take spiritual authority over different areas of society.

“So many challenges we face as local communities are not challenges that the government is equipped to address. So we need church leaders to help address these heart issues in the community.”

Ashland Mayor Matt Miller

During the pandemic and national social unrest of 2020, a collaboration of twenty-five churches from the ACMA held a sacred assembly to seek GOD and ask for His mercy. The event drew nearly two-thousand to Freer Park and drew national headlines.

In 2022, a number of pastors and faith-based leaders from the ACMA held the Ashland Library Board accountable for displaying inappropriate materials in the children’s section. Consequently, one of seven board members has been removed as a result of their stand. Faith leaders demonstrated that the issue of child-grooming is not just a fringe issue, with fifteen lead clergy and two hundred attending a library board meeting to address the protection of vulnerable children.

Pastor McNeely commented that one of the top priorities of the Association is to reach area youth to curb juvenile delinquency. “As an Association, we have met with school boards and elected officials to promote Bible education during school hours. This program, LifeWise Academy, now has over one thousand elementary students from all five school districts in our county learning from the Bible each week. And the Ashland County Ministerial Association was the tip of the spear to help accomplish this. Next year, we will be launching LifeWise Academy for Ashland High School students.”

The Ashland County Ministerial Association is a voluntary gathering of pastors & professional church workers who meet together for prayer and mutual encouragement. (Photo courtesy of screenshot from Ashland Angle)

LifeWise Academy has complimented teachers’ efforts in improving student behavior and academic achievement. Ambassador Enterprises commissioned a third-party data research firm, Thomas P. Miller & Associates, to gather and analyze data from over six thousand different schools across Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa, to understand the effectiveness of LifeWise programming in their region.  In seventy-six of the studied schools, LifeWise Academy has been in place for multiple school years.

The survey found that the schools’ attendance rate increased in just the first year of the program, most attendance improved by nearly 7%.  Additionally, student participation increased by 10% in a LifeWise program school. In the second and third years, schools with LifeWise programming saw improvements in discipline, with declines in both in-school and out-of-school suspensions. 

Ashland Mayor Matt Miller commented during the Ashland Angle interview, “So many challenges we face as local communities are not challenges that the government is equipped to address. So we need church leaders to help address these heart issues in the community.”

“When we learn to work together, we accomplish so much more,” Pastor McNeely said.

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Psalm One-Thirty-Three, “How good and pleasant it is when GOD’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.”

View the video about LifeWise Academy, a character-based program for public schools based on the Bible. (3 min.)

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Buckeye Museum cancels Queer Prom venue, community partners call it ‘Wolf in sheep’s clothing’

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MANSFIELD — Community partners of a downtown family destination did not dance around the issue when giving their disapproval of an upcoming event. Last week a group announced it was set to host a ‘queer prom’ for local teenagers at the Mansfield Buckeye Imagination Museum. When actual details of the event became public, the museum began having second thoughts.

All things considered, imagination did not meet reality when the interactive children’s museum decided to cancel the controversial venue. Deena Hamilton, founder of Love on a Mission, originally announced her group was having a ‘Queer Prom’ on February 10th at the museum. Hamilton said LGBTQ teens ages twelve to eighteen, their friends, and their allies, were all invited to attend.  When news about the thirty-thousand square foot children’s facility was being rented out with drag queen performers, citizens and patrons complained. Museum officials were caught off guard.

Advertisement of cancelled event coordinated by Love on a Mission. (Photo courtesy of Facebook)

The Museum’s Board of Directors said they were happy to host the event, but that because of the additional information on the venue involving the performers, the Board decided it was “no longer the right facility rental for the event.”

“We want to emphasize that we are open to feedback that is constructive and helpful in creating a community where everyone feels valued and like they have a seat at the table,” the Board statement said. “At this time we are taking steps to further ensure the safety and appropriateness of future events hosted at our museum.”

The sexually-motivated names of the drag performers leave nothing to the imagination. Love on a Mission organizers scheduled entertainers “Miles N. Sider” of Marion, Ohio, “Anita B’ Boned” from Ashland, and “Tina Jade Marlo” of Columbus to do stage acts for children ages twelve to eighteen. Potential criminal histories of the performers could not be tracked since listed names of the entertainers are aliases and their official genders not known. Some of the acts posted by the performers on social media are too graphic to display.

The Richland County Democrat Party was listed as one of the sponsors of the Queer Prom event. Presently, Democrats hold only seven elected offices in city and county governments, compared to twenty-three offices held by Republicans.

“I am grateful the Buckeye Museum saw the light and withdrew from hosting this event,” says Linda Harvey, President and Founder of Mission America, an organization that studies cultural and social trends in the state. “Ohio parents and citizens should be heartbroken that major political groups intentionally want to lead twelve-year-old children to depraved events involving high-risk behavior. What people of conscience can do is to continue to speak out and call these predatory acts to account.”

“I am grateful the Buckeye Museum saw the light and withdrew from hosting this event. Ohio parents and citizens should be heartbroken that major political groups intentionally wanted to lead twelve-year-old children to depraved events involving high-risk behavior. What people of conscience can do is to continue to speak out and call these predatory acts to account.”

Linda Harvey, Mission America

Besides the social grooming of young people that takes place, critics of drag queen events point out that these unseemly events can be traced to child abuse. In 2019, the Houston Public Library admitted that a registered child sex offender had been reading to children as part of their Drag Queen Storytime program. In 2022, a Pennsylvania drag queen who danced explicitly for children, was charged with twenty-five counts of child pornography.

In addition, controversial restroom policies allowing transgender students to use the restroom of their choice saw these students commit violent assaults to multiple female students in Oklahoma and Loudon County, Virginia. Area faith leaders have consistently gone on the record supporting biological restrooms and supporting religious freedom. History has a way of repeating itself.

The Buckeye Museum is located beside the Renaissance Theater inside Mansfield’s “Imagination District.” In 1979 the theater closed down from a lack of community support after it changed to ‘diverse’ programming that included X-rated movies. After reopening, the theater changed its standards, and has become the largest performing arts center in North Central Ohio and home to the Miss Ohio pageant.

One Buckeye Museum patron and mother of five commented, “Just as wearing “blackface” is culturally insensitive to many Blacks, grown men cross-dressing as drag queens can be just as offensive to women. These so called performers are wolves in sheep clothing trying to sexualize our children.”

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in James Four, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Related articles:

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Blunt message to Shiloh Council: ‘If cannabis allowed in, what next, heroin & cocaine?’

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SHILOH — A marijuana salesman visited Village Council Tuesday night to discuss a business venture he is proposing and got a chilly reception. On the agenda was a cannabis cultivation facility where Council and residents got to hear two polar opposite views centering around cannabis.

While still in the preliminary stages, David Smallwood of DAS Builders LLC wants to test the waters in Shiloh to see if village officials are interested in supporting a Level 3 cannabis indoor grow facility. Smallwood said a small investment group was interested in the area but did not disclose the name of the group. He said he has helped build other cannabis facilities in Michigan and that the facility would have security ‘tighter than Fort Knox.’

Eighteen citizens attended Shiloh Village Council Tuesday night & discussed the prospects of a local cannabis. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

“Tonight I just wanted to see if there is a potential interest,” Smallwood said. “No company wants to be in an area where people are proactive of trying to push them out.”

The speaker on the agenda following Smallwood said he believes the community does not need the facility due to a drug overdose epidemic ravaging the country. “If I told a fireman at the Shiloh Ox Roast that you need to spray water at a grease fire in order to put it out, they would look at me cross-eyed,” Benjamin Mutti told Shiloh Council. “In the same way, increasing the availability of gateway drugs in an area will not stamp out a drug epidemic, it will only inflame it.”

Mutti said he believes when commercial marijuana facilities are permitted into communities, recruitment and retention of law enforcement will plummet as police morale sours. One of the members of Village Council said she had serious concerns over the proposed cannabis facility and did not want increased crime in her neighborhood. She shared how her home had been burglarized recently and because the Village is on the outer rim of the county, there is usually a delay in response time by Sheriff’s deputies.

Another long-time Shiloh resident from North Walnut Street commented that the Village does not need more drugs on the streets. He said several years ago he threatened a drug dealer near Village Hall in order to get him to leave the area.

“If I told a fireman at the Shiloh Ox Roast that you need to spray water at a grease fire in order to put it out, they would look at me cross-eyed. In the same way, increasing the availability of gateway drugs in an area will not stamp out a drug epidemic, it will only inflame it.”

Benjamin Mutti

A West Main Street resident supports an ordinance banning all commercial cannabis facilities. She commented the area is ‘too conservative’ and would not support a cannabis facility since most of the village is surrounded by Mennonite farms. During his talk, Mutti described how his Mennonite friend in the area has been frequented by drug addicts knocking on his door at night asking him for money. His friend now fears for the safety of his family.

Discussion over revenue the cannabis facility would bring ensued. Smallwood said his marijuana facility would help bring lucrative tax revenue to Shiloh. A resident, seconded by Mayor Paul Currier, offset the claim and compared it to the State Lottery. “When the lottery first came out, we were told those funds would be used to pay for the schools. It was just lip-service giving empty promises.”

According to a media report, Smallwood was scheduled to speak at the previous December 12th council meeting but did not show up. According to the report, Mayor-elect Currier is quoted as saying, “If he (Smallwood) was serious about his idea of marijuana fields, he would have shown up.” Currier went on to say, “I can guarantee you that there is not going to be a fifty or one-hundred acre field of marijuana grown in this area. Shiloh is not about that, I am not about that, and I hope the residents feel the same way.”

Shiloh Pastor Russ Smith, one the residents attending Village Council, pictured speaking at clergy press conference in May 2023. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

While Smallwood said commercial marijuana is safer when regulated by the government, Pastor Russ Smith commented that the black market will always provide cheaper weed to clientele, saying, “The black market does not have to go thru the costly testing process. Dealers are easily under-selling their taxed commercial cannabis competitors.” The pastor shared at the meeting that he knows both sides of the issue since he previously had a drug and alcohol history. He said he has been sober for nineteen years. Pastor Smith previously signed a clergy letter recently given to Bellville Village Council opposing a proposed cannabis dispensary.

In his address, Mutti told Village Council that according to a Colorado study, when marijuana is more readily available, more quantities of alcohol is consumed that can lead to riskier behavior; in 2012, Colorado legalized recreational marijuana. According to Mutti, morality is like art, it consists of drawing the line somewhere. After providing a copy of Ashland’s cannabis prohibition ordinance, he told Council, “Tonight is your chance to pass emergency legislation to prohibit commercial cannabis. This is your opportunity to help secure our culture. If this Village allows commercial cannabis to come into the community, what next will come thru these doors, heroin, or cocaine?”

Mayor Currier said he wants to table the issue until state lawmakers come up with a plan to bring new marijuana restrictions.

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Numbers 16, “So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.”

Related articles:

66 Clergy on proposed Bellville marijuana dispensary: ‘It will steal, kill & destroy’
Ashland & Lexington exercise local control, both ban recreational marijuana (VIDEO)
Economic leader says local clergy prevented cannabis company from coming to Ontario

Ashland & Lexington exercise local control, both ban recreational marijuana (VIDEO)

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Ashland Mayor prays during pandemic

NORTH CENTRAL OHIO — This year the pothole season came early for many communities as they deal with the aftermath of the November elections. Despite drug overdoses being the leading cause of injury death in Ohio since 2007, Ohioans voted to legalize marijuana for ‘recreational purposes.’ Last year over one hundred faith leaders promoted a “Believe Local” campaign encouraging communities to follow traditional family values and not to conform to “California values.” Some communities are now exercising local control in order to avoid becoming like the Wild West.

The new Ohio law states the “legislative authority of a municipal corporation may adopt an ordinance, or a board of township trustees may adopt a resolution, by majority vote to prohibit, or limit the number of adult use cannabis operators permitted under this chapter within the municipal corporation or within the unincorporated territory of the township, respectively.”

In 2022, one hundred-ten lead local clergymen held a press conference in Mansfield April 20th, encouraging political and economic leaders to keep cannabis illegal. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

On January 2nd, Ashland City Council passed emergency legislation to prohibit commercial ‘recreational’ marijuana. Council members agreed by a unanimous 5-0 vote to prohibit adult-use cannabis operators in the city limits ‘to protect the health, safety, welfare, comfort and peace of the citizens.’ The measure is similar to previous legislation passed by Council banning commercial cultivation, processing and dispensing of marijuana for ‘medical’ purposes.

Ashland Mayor Matt Miller added that consuming marijuana on city-owned property is prohibited as well. “In other words, you cannot smoke it at a picnic pavilion, the playground or at the golf course or any of our publicly-owned properties in the City of Ashland,” he said. Violations of the new ordinance could result in a first-degree misdemeanor charge, according to the ordinance.

“When we see other states that have legalized cannabis ten years ago grappling with the documented overdoses and adverse impacts of legalized cannabis, it is baffling why Ohio would decide to follow and jump off the cliff with these visionless states,” says Ashland Pastor John Bouquet. “We need to take back our communities from this Issue 2 debacle. I am proud that our elected officials in Ashland are statesmen with vision who can see down the road. Surrounding townships will be following the lead of our Mayor and City Council. Our state will not be able to handle the onslaught from the black market that is coming. It will be like playing with fire.”

“When we see other states that have legalized cannabis ten years ago grappling with the documented overdoses and adverse impacts of legalized cannabis, it is baffling why Ohio would decide to follow and jump off the cliff with these visionless states.”

Ashland Pastor John Bouquet

In 2011, the communities of Mansfield, Ontario and Lexington all banned bath salts/synthetic marijuana after a spike in emergency room visits and a multitude of overdoses. At the time, the METRICH Commander even encouraged residents to confront storeowners who sold the products. Possessing and selling the drug, which were designed to imitate cannabis, was made a crime punishable by jail and/or fine. Bath salts have chemical components of marijuana that can cause seizures, hallucinations, and extreme paranoia. After actions by local communities, the State of Ohio followed with a statewide ban.

With THC levels capped at 90% for extracts in Ohio’s new law, elected officials backed by faith leaders believe marijuana will have disastrous consequences on youth and form a new crop of addicts. Marketing tactics in the cannabis industry use catchy names replicating the names of well-known commercial food products. For example, the brand recognition of “Pop-Tarts,” a widely consumed kid-friendly breakfast product, was seized upon by one marijuana producer to market “Pot Tarts.” Unfortunately, these products are thought to be contributing to the increased accidental marijuana exposures among children and others.

Medical health experts say the human brain continues to develop until approximately the age of 25, and regular marijuana use during adolescence and up to this age can change the way the brain functions in adulthood, risking impacts to academic performance, IQ, and behavior. Kids under age six exposed to cannabis after accidentally ingesting an edible is skyrocketing. Calls to poison control centers grew from 207 cases in 2017, to 3,054 cases in 2021, a growth that mirrors the expansion of legalized recreational marijuana.

Lexington Pastor Mark Meyer says it was in the best interests of the community for Village Council to prohibit commercial marijuana operations. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Based on marijuana’s negative impact on youth, Lexington passed its own ordinance on January 16th. Councilman Adam Gongwer made a motion to pass emergency legislation prohibiting ‘recreational’ marijuana; the motion passed 4-0-1. (Aaron Hoptry abstained) Lexington also prohibits commercial ‘medical’ marijuana businesses.

Lexington Pastor Mark Meyer is thankful for Lexington Village Council’s intervention. “I am grateful for Village Council’s vote. Each community has to do what it thinks is in its best interests. This is about making our community a better place for the next generation. Knowing my life’s experiences before Christ and now how my life is with Christ, I can definitely say marijuana is a gateway for other harmful addictions. The Bible clearly says we are to be free and to avoid being under the influence of wine (or other intoxicating substances) because it is like a snake with poison in its fangs. Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind will be confused.”

Ashland and Lexington join other communities like North Olmsted who also have banned commercial marijuana operators from conducting business their cities.

Pastor Bouquet adds, “If the Church would speak to the issue, if they would guard their spiritual jurisdictions, then we can protect the next generation from entering the drug world. Marijuana is a gateway drug which is deceiving the hearts and minds of our youth.”

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Proverbs Sixteen, “The highway of the upright turns aside from evil. Whoever guards his way preserves his life.”

View video produced by CBN News about nineteen-year-old from Colorado who experienced addiction and mental illness after consuming cannabis from legal market. (8 min.)

Related articles:

66 Clergy on proposed Bellville marijuana dispensary: ‘It will steal, kill & destroy’
Faith leaders believe Bellville cannabis will bring problems for local policing (VIDEO)
142 Clergymen encourage Ohioans to VOTE NO for Marijuana Issue 2: ‘Don’t let Buckeye State get lost in weeds’ (VIDEO) (SLIDESHOW)

City of Groveport called out for its ban on faith-based items at festival

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GROVEPORT — After fifty years in existence, the City of Groveport decided this past year to ban the sale of “faith-based” items at its annual Apple Butter Day festival. The city’s secular approach to control commerce did not last very long. A legal challenge by one of the seventy vendors challenging the censorship eventually upset the applecart.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) reported the situation developed when Jake and Jan Seabaugh, who had had booths at previous events, decided not to participate this year because the city banned the sale of “faith-based items.” Their products include wood carvings and stained glass, including items with religious themes like crosses, doves, a Star of David, and carved signs with the words “Peace, Believe, Love.”

The City of Groveport rescinded their prohibition of faith-based items displayed at the city’s Apple Butter Day Festival. (Photo courtesy of Unsplash)

In a letter to the city, FIRE explained the First Amendment protects the expression of religious and nonreligious views alike.

“The Supreme Court has addressed this sort of scenario more than once. In Rosenberger v. Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia, the court held that a public university violated the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech by denying a religious student magazine access to the same funding resources made available to secular student-run publications. As the court stated, the ‘government must abstain from regulating speech when the specific motivating ideology or the opinion or perspective of the speaker is the rationale for the restriction,’” FIRE reported.

Apple Butter Day is advertised as a family-oriented, non-commercial community event. All items sold or
displayed must be handmade. No commercial items are permitted. Because of the nature and the spirit of the Apple Butter Day festival, preference is given to vendors whose products are crafts using old-fashioned or primitive technique.

“Although the application deadline has passed, the city will allow these groups to vend at the festival tomorrow if they so choose. The law director also confirmed the city will initiate a formal review of the vendor policy, including the other unconstitutional restriction on ‘socially offensive language.’”

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression

FIRE reported, “To Groveport’s credit, the city’s law director called FIRE today and confirmed the city will allow the sale of faith-based items at tomorrow’s festival. The city also reached out to Jake Seabaugh, as well as a church and a religious organization that had previously reserved booths at Apple Butter Day, to notify them of the policy change. Although the application deadline has passed, the city will allow these groups to vend at the festival tomorrow if they so choose. The law director also confirmed the city will initiate a formal review of the vendor policy, including the other unconstitutional restriction on ‘socially offensive language.’”

City officials initially called for the ban by claiming it was needed to avoid “endorsing” religion.

But that reflected a fundamental misunderstanding of the First Amendment, the FIRE explained. “The Supreme Court most recently reaffirmed this principle in Shurtleff v. City of Boston. There, the court held that Boston violated the First Amendment when it denied the plaintiff permission to fly the Christian flag on a city plaza, as the city regularly allowed other outside groups to hold ceremonies and events at the plaza where they could fly flags of their choosing on city flagpoles,” the Foundation reported.

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Acts Twenty-Two, “And as they bound Paul with thongs, he said to the centurion who stood by, ‘Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?”

Related articles:

Cuyahoga County taken to court over its discrimination against Christian (VIDEO)
For holidays, High Court rejection of ‘Lemon Test’ bitter for skeptics, sweet for believers (SLIDESHOW)

Faith leaders believe Bellville cannabis will bring problems for local policing (VIDEO)

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Area clergy publicly support police immunity in 2021, stand with Sheriff & his dept. vehicles that have national motto (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

BELLVILLE — As a compromise with local clergy and law enforcement, Bellville Village Council decided last week to temporarily freeze any marijuana business startups from coming to the Village for six months. Outside the purview of the public, planning for a recreational marijuana dispensary had been in the works at the Interstate 71/ Ohio 97 interchange. Faith leaders are now trying to nip the proposal in the bud before the business has a chance to be approved.

Although the landowner of the proposed dispensary says he wants to provide cannabis for recreational purposes and as treatment for military veterans, research to date does not support cannabis as an effective treatment for Post-Tramautic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The drug can actually be harmful according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Either way, several local veterans agree the dispensary will not be good for the community.

Pastors Matt Merendino and Chad Hayes attended the Bellville Village Council meeting January 9th and presented a clergy letter from sixty-six lead clergy opposing a proposed marijuana dispensary. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Pastor and veteran Chad Hayes disagrees with marijuana as a viable treatment. “They can say all they want about treatment for veterans, but we need to take the moral high ground: legalizing marijuana is a breach in national security. This drug is making us less vigilant as a people. In the big picture, this is a war on America and its culture, that is why they are trying to decriminalize all drugs. We cannot follow the Pied Piper down this path.”

Pastor Hayes served as a Marine and hosts at his church Reformers Unanimous, a Bible-based, addiction recovery program, designed to rescue and restore those in addictive behaviors. Hayes was also one of the clergy who presented a clergy correspondence signed by sixty-six faith leaders at Village Council January 9th. The correspondence called for a commercial ban on marijuana.

Bellville Pastor Matt O’Harra, who served in the National Guard, is also one of the clergy co-signers of the letter opposing a dispensary. “While there may be other additional medical benefits that we are not aware of, I have serious concerns over the recreational usage of this drug,” he says.

A systematic evidence-based review of more than 10,700 scientific studies conducted by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine found verifiable benefits of marijuana for only two disorders, chronic pain and the nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. Researchers found wide disparities between patient claims and physician-verified therapeutic benefits.

“They can say all they want about treatment for veterans, but we need to take the moral high ground: legalizing marijuana is a breach in national security. This drug is making us less vigilant as a people. In the big picture, this is a war on America and its culture, that is why they are trying to decriminalize all drugs. We cannot follow the Pied Piper down this path.”

Pastor Chad Hayes

The cannabis company that wants to come to Bellville has more than thirty products. Standard Wellness sells products that include: cannabis-infused gummies, cannabis chocolate bars, cannabis caramel bars, discreet vaping products, and distillate syringes. The company has several strains of marijuana plants it derives its products from, including Sour Diesel, Death Star, Killer Queen and Durban Poison, which has THC content between 15-25%. In 2019, the company recalled one of its products due to contamination concerns. Three years later, Standard Wellness was sued by the State of Ohio for non-compliance to Ohio Pharmacy Board requirements.

Citizens who attended the January 9th Village Council meeting warned that not only will impressionable youth be negatively impacted by a marijuana dispensary, there will also be a need for more police officers to address unruly behavior associated with marijuana use. They warned recruitment and retention of police officers will plummet as police morale sours.

Bellville Mayor Teri Brenkus believes the dispensary can bring more tax revenue for law enforcement. “We have been struggling to pay our officers higher wages and increase our police department staffing,” she said. “We currently only have five full time officers for 24/7 coverage.”

Joining the other faith leaders is Bellville Pastor Mark Dettmer, who also serves as a police chaplain. “We regularly see individual liberties infringed when marijuana-users accidentally injure or kill people on the roadways, or when marijuana-users sometimes display violent and irrational behavior. Several years ago, it was heartbreaking when a Morrow County deputy was almost killed after neighbors had him investigate a marijuana plantation during a property dispute. We need to consider the dangerous working environment we are putting our law enforcement into.”

Pictured at an October press conference of over one hundred-forty lead clergy, Pastor Steve Brennemen, former Morrow County Sheriff, shared about one of his deputies almost dying after being shot by a marijuana grower. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Richland County Sheriff Steve Sheldon wrote to Village Council that he stands firmly against recreational marijuana. METRICH Project Director Keith Porch also told Council in a letter he submitted that “You should not place revenue over the security and sanctity of the family.” He cited Colorado as a classic example of the failed policy of marijuana legalization.

During the January 9th meeting, Bellville Village Council approved an emergency draft resolution stating, “It is our community’s best interests to prevent unacceptable threats and risks to the health of our citizens, especially children, to prevent dangers in the workplace and unacceptable challenges and costs to employers, to prevent roadways from becoming more dangerous and to help prevent significant new, unfunded costs to Ohio’s public social services.”

Pastor Robert Kurtz , serves as chaplain with the Sheriff’s Department. Besides riding along with deputies on duty, his duties include counseling police officers and also families dealing with homicide and suicide. In a previous news story he commented, “There are many dangerous challenges that confront law enforcement officers in our streets today. I think the public forgets police officers are human beings too. Nationally, there were forty-five police officers from different racial backgrounds last year who were shot and killed in the line of duty.

“My observation is, with the legalization of so many illicit drugs, it is creating the atmosphere for violence and that is why we are seeing these combustible conditions.”

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Proverbs Chapter 1, “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, ‘How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?”

View video on the problem of marijuana produced by Prager U below (5 minutes)

Related articles:

66 Clergy on proposed Bellville marijuana dispensary: ‘It will steal, kill & destroy’
142 Clergymen encourage Ohioans to VOTE NO for Marijuana Issue 2: ‘Don’t let Buckeye State get lost in weeds’ (VIDEO) (SLIDESHOW)
Faith leaders warn Ohio could turn into California if Issue 2 Marijuana passes (VIDEO)

66 Clergy on proposed Bellville marijuana dispensary: ‘It will steal, kill & destroy’

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BELLVILLE — With the passage of State Issue 2, the Marijuana Industry in Ohio is expanding into localities, and in some cases, disguised in camouflage. At the admonition of local faith leaders, Bellville Village Council voted 5-1 Tuesday night for a moratorium prohibiting marijuana businesses from coming into the village. After calls to put brakes on a dispensary, Councilman Jason Guilliams made a motion to approve a resolution inside the village prohibiting recreational and/or medical marijuana for six months. Justin Enix was the lone dissenting vote.

Originally the Village Planning Commission was supposed to vote December 28th whether to allow a new recreational marijuana dispensary at the Interstate 71/Ohio 97 interchange. That is until the public found out.

Faith leaders contend proposed marijuana dispensary will sabotage drug-free efforts at Clear Fork Schools they advocated for in 2013. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

“As community partners, we regret that very little information about this highly-consequential project was released to the public, Pastor Chad Hayes told Village Council.  “To our knowledge, no village official reached out to faith leaders about this plan.”

Scant information has been posted on the Bellville Village website regarding the proposed marijuana dispensary. The only mention is from the July 11th, 2023 council meeting minutes. “Bellville Mayor Teri Brenkus questioned what the Village’s position would be on interest in being the potential location of a medical marijuana dispensary, an inquiry she received from Barrett Thomas,” the minutes said.

In a correspondence given by clergy to Village Council, the clergymen wrote, “There is no question the local faith community consistently opposes the use of the Schedule 1 narcotic marijuana. This past election cycle saw lead clergy from over one hundred-forty congregations publicly oppose the legalization of “recreational” marijuana.  Last year, one hundred-ten clergy sent a letter electronically to every mayor in Richland County, including Bellville, opposing recreational marijuana.  Lastly, in March of 2017, a clergy letter opposing “medical” marijuana, an addictive drug with no FDA approval, was also sent to every mayor in Richland County, including Bellville.”  The letter went on to say, “If approved by the Village, this marijuana business will come to steal, kill and destroy.”

“As local stakeholders and lead clergymen from sixty-six congregations, we publicly value human life and oppose harmful substances that jeopardize public health and safety,” Pastor Matt Merendino, one of the clergy co-signers told Council. “Therefore, we are calling on Bellville Village Council to pass emergency legislation banning all businesses involving the cultivation, processing, and dispensing of marijuana located in the Clear Fork Valley area that will ultimately poison our local culture.”  

“We are calling on Bellville Village Council to pass emergency legislation banning all businesses involving the cultivation, processing, and dispensing of marijuana located in the Clear Fork Valley area that will ultimately poison our local culture.”  

Local clergy letter

Pastor Matt Merendino told council he has seen students access marijuana illegally using someone else’s marijuana card. He also shared with Village Council that thirteen clergy in 2013 advocated for the implementation of a random drug testing program for students involved in extra-curricular activities in Clear Fork Valley Schools.  “This program, which was approved by the School Board at the clergy’s request, was designed to protect the health and safety of young people and prepare them for the workforce where drug-free work cultures exist.

“We believe the injection of more marijuana into our community, a drug associated with mental illness, would undermine this drug testing program,” Merendino said.  “As a result, the approval of a commercial marijuana business would inflame an illicit drug culture leading to a spike in emergency room visits similar to 2016, when twenty-four young people were hospitalized for ingesting THC-laced candy.  This ill-fated concert event, entitled ‘The Last Weekend on Earth,’ took place at Ohio Dreams outside the Village of Butler, attracting national news outlets, and bringing shame to our region.”

Brandy Marquette, Executive Director with Community Action for Capable Youth (CACY) wrote a letter to Bellville Village Council pointing out that since medical marijuana sales began in Ohio in 2019, accidental poisonings have significantly increased. “I urge Council to carefully consider the potential consequences and the possible long-term impact on children and teens. At a time when Ohio is experiencing a mental health crisis, violence on the rise, and a record number of drug overdoses, we are deeply worried that a dispensary may increase drug availability,” she wrote.

Proposed marijuana dispensary (highlighted in yellow) is adjacent to Burger King near the Interstate 71/Ohio 97 interchange. (Photo courtesy of Richland County Auditor’s website)

Benjamin Mutti gave Village Council a draft emergency resolution which Council later voted on. Based from Senator Mark Romanchuck’s Senate Resolution 216, Mutti touched on the economic ramifications, calling marijuana a ‘lawless industry that collides with lawful societies,’ and that other states that legalized marijuana ten years prior demonstrate this.

“This dispensary will have a ripple effect on the economy and law enforcement. A smaller workforce will result when drug tests show up dirty. Employers will either leave the area or go automated. Ultimately, we will need more police officers to address unruly behavior from marijuana use, but recruitment and retention of police officers will plummet as police morale sours. It very well could be like the Wild West when the cartels move in.”

Local law enforcement officials submitted letters to Council and also do not want marijuana coming to Richland County. Sheriff Steve Sheldon wrote, “With over forty years experience in law enforcement, I believe this type of facility would negatively impact the Village of Bellville and surrounding areas.” METRICH Project Director Keith Porch wrote, “I am against bringing a recreational marijuana manufacturing facility to the area. We are a community of children and families and at some point, revenue should not be placed above maintaining the security and sanctity of our families.”

Citizens also chimed in during public comment. Bob Gunther and Art Lowe both gave their disapproval of the dispensary. Darrell Banks reminded Council that Richland County was one of the counties that voted against the marijuana issue 2 and said marijuana will negatively impact public safety on the roadways. Reverend Mike Stine opposed the dispensary saying “all things may be lawful, but not all things are beneficial.” Sixty-year resident, Jim Haring, owner of a nearby proposed four-hundred housing unit development, also objected to marijuana in the community. Citizen Steve McKinley believes if the Village approves the marijuana dispensary after the six-month moratorium, it will be pardoning misbehavior. “For my career in law, I have observed recreational marijuana to typically be associated with human failure. It is often times why kids are neglected by their impaired parents and also one of the main drivers for delinquent behavior.”

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in John Chapter Ten, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” 

Related articles:

142 Clergymen encourage Ohioans to VOTE NO for Marijuana Issue 2: ‘Don’t let Buckeye State get lost in weeds’ (VIDEO) (SLIDESHOW)
110 Ohio clergy promote “Believe Local” campaign combating marijuana & drug decriminalization (SLIDESHOW)(VIDEO)
Economic leader says local clergy prevented cannabis company from coming to Ontario

Christmas story told in guided tours at area churches (SLIDESHOW)

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BELLVILLE — More than two billion people from one hundred-sixty nations consider Christmas to be an important date on the calendar. In fact, sixty-five percent of Americans, according to one study, said Christmas should be more about Jesus. The study also revealed that while those two-thirds may want more Christ in Christmas, most could not adequately give the details of Jesus’ birth story.

This season, some people are making sure the real reason for the season is not forgotten.

Clear Fork Alliance Church hosted a “Experience Bethlehem” tour this month. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

For three days, the Clear Fork Alliance Church hosted a twenty-minute guided tour re-enacting life in Bethlehem during the time of Christ’s birth. Attendees got to live the Christmas story, experience the sights and sounds of Bethlehem, sample food, see soldiers arrest beggars in the streets, hear angels sing, smell the animals near the manger, and follow the star to the manger.

“This is one of the outreaches we have in our community to remind them to keep Christ in Christmas,” says Cindy Merrin, one of the event coordinators. “He is the reason for the season. Close to twelve hundred people attended our event which was over a three-day period. We have had visitors come from Cleveland and Columbus. Last year people came from Kentucky and North Carolina to see.”

Merrin spent Sunday afternoon guiding tour groups through ten scenes from the Bible. The church has made the event a tradition, putting on the event every year since 2000. The idea came from an outdoor tour at a church in Fremont, Ohio.

“They totally transformed our gym and made it a whole new world. It is really cool to watch the little kids go through the gym and their eyes open up because they are like, they have heard these stories, but this is what it looks like. They just get so excited about it.”

Kaitlyn Marett

Visitors can register with the census taker, receive a free bag of gold coins, and spend them at Bethlehem’s various shops. Fifteen vendors make up the Bethlehem village square, including booths with a blacksmith, carpenter, jeweler, leather maker, llamas and sheep.

Cindy Ruckman of McFarland’s Llama Farm donated her llama, two sheep and two chickens for the event.

Kaitlyn Marett said her favorite part of the event is what comes next, when guests are free to roam through the replica village of Bethlehem. “They totally transform our gym and make it a whole new world,” she said. “It is really cool to watch the little kids go through it and their eyes open up because they have heard these stories, but this is what it looks like. They just get so excited about it.”

“Experience Bethlehem” recounts the birth of Christ. Joseph & Mary are depicted in this scene. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Lead pastor Matt Merendino manned the olive and grape stand alongside his wife, Missy. He said the event benefits the community as well as the church. “I love doing Bethlehem. It brings the whole church together,” he said. “It’s fun to be together and to serve together. I think people remember they like each other and they like hanging out with each other.”

While “Experience Bethlehem” occurred December 8th thru the 10th, people can still experience the Christmas story in North Central Ohio. “Come Let Us Adore Him,” is a free tour of the life of Jesus at BibleWalk between December 23rd thru December 30th 10 AM-4 PM. The museum is closed on December 24th and 25th.

BibleWalk in Mansfield is Ohio’s only wax museum. It has a sixty-minute journey into the life, death, resurrection, ascension and ends with Christ seated on His Throne at “The Great White Throne Judgement.” This tour also features twenty-five separate narrated scenes of Jesus Christ’s life from the Bible, and also one of Madame Tussaud’s famous Last Supper re-creations.

The Christmas tours at these churches are the antithesis of the tours at the Ohio State Reformatory, which is just down the street from BibleWalk. While OSR glorifies death, these church tours proclaim life and carry a more memorable message: resurrection from the dead.

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Luke Chapter Two, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.”

View the slideshow below of local guided tours recounting the birth of Christ.

  • BibleWalk has a sixty-minute journey into the life, death, resurrection, & ascension of Christ.
  • Visitors experience what Bethlehem was like at time of Christ. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • “Experience Bethlehem” recounts the birth of Christ. The fulfillment of prophecy is depicted in this scene. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Visitors experience what Bethlehem was like at time of Christ. Llamas and sheep add to the intrigue. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • “Experience Bethlehem” recounts the birth of Christ. Angels talking to shepherds are depicted in this scene. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Visitors experience what Bethlehem was like at time of Christ. A dreidel shop adds to the intrigue. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • “Experience Bethlehem” recounts the birth of Christ. King Herod is depicted in this scene. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • BibleWalk has a sixty-minute journey into the life, death, resurrection, & ascension of Christ.
  • Visitors experience what Bethlehem was like at time of Christ. Pastor Matt Merendino and his wife add their vineyard products to the intrigue. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • “Experience Bethlehem” recounts the birth of Christ. A Roman soldier is depicted in this scene. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • “Experience Bethlehem” recounts the birth of Christ. Joseph & Mary are depicted in this scene. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Clear Fork Alliance recently hosted an “Experience Bethlehem” tour that was open to the public. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Related articles:

Holy night in Savannah as live nativity draws capacity crowd (SLIDESHOW)
Biblewalk is logging in with new wood carving collection (VIDEO)

For holidays, High Court rejection of ‘Lemon Test’ bitter for skeptics, sweet for believers (SLIDESHOW)

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Nativity scene on West High in Mount Gilead, Ohio has been has been ongoing holiday display tradition, circa 1999. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

NORTH CENTRAL OHIO — The separation of church and state continues to erode. Although never mentioned in the Constitution, the deep-rooted ‘Lemon Test‘ had been exerted by courts to censor religious speech on public spaces. But at the end of this past Supreme Court session, the High Court cancelled this restriction, which could impact generations.

“Cities, states, schools, and other public places are free once more to display Christmas nativities, Hannukah menorahs, and other symbols of religious Holy Days,” says Mat Staver, Chairman and Founder of The Liberty Counsel. “The Court finally struck down the judicial activist decision known as Lemon v. Kurtzman that had been used to attack Christian values, symbols, faith, and principles for fifty-one years. This is a resounding win for both Free Speech and Free Exercise of Religion.”

Menorah display at Marshall Park in Ontario, Ohio has been ongoing holiday display tradition since 2021. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

In May of 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 9-0 against the City of Boston when it unlawfully allowed fifty different flags to fly in its city plaza, but prevented the Christian flag from being flown. This past year, the Supreme Court cited the Shurtleff v. Boston case when it determined the Bremerton School District violated Coach Joe Kennedy’s First Amendment rights, saying prayers amounted to private speech and could not be restricted by the school district.

Since 2021, Staver’s Liberty Counsel law firm has won all nine of its cases it has argued or briefed before the Supreme Court. Staver believes there is a crucial difference between government endorsement of religion and private speech.

“Censoring religious viewpoints in a public forum where secular viewpoints are permitted is unconstitutional. Praise God for a High Court that has reversed the errors of previous “activist” judges and Justices! The Supreme Court has restored the First Amendment, preserving the right to religious freedom and speech,” exclaims Staver.

“As a result of our work overturning this Lemon, we are free to celebrate Christmas. Antireligious entities can no longer force the censorship of Nativity scenes, Menorahs or other symbols of religious holy days.

Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel

The Court stated that the City of Boston violated the Constitution by censoring Camp Constitution’s private flag in a public forum open to “all applicants” merely because the application referred to it as a “Christian flag.” Contrary to the City of Boston’s position that flying the Christian flag violated the Establishment Clause, the Supreme Court ruled that censoring the Christian flag was, in fact, religious viewpoint discrimination and violated the First Amendment.

Besides triggering review of local and state government flag-flying policies nationwide, the Shurtleff v. Boston decision was cited in the 6-3 SCOTUS ruling in favor of high school football coach Joe Kennedy, who was fired for silently praying on the field after games.

Building on the 9-0 win in Shurtleff, the Supreme Court overturned the draconian precedent going back to the 1971 case known as Lemon v. Kurtzman. The so-called “Lemon Test” had been used to censor religious words, symbols, images, and displays. The Shurtleff decision combined with the Coach Kennedy ruling was the nail in the coffin for the Lemon Test, setting a new standard that provides greater protections for Christian viewpoints.

Nativity scene at Central Park in Mansfield, Ohio has been ongoing holiday display tradition since 2019. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

With victories involving the Bladensburg Peace Cross, the Christian flag, and Coach Kennedy, the First Amendment is not going away anytime soon; much to the chagrin of Big Tech and Deep State operatives.

“As a result of our work overturning this Lemon, we are free to celebrate Christmas, says Mat Staver. “Antireligious entities can no longer force the censorship of Nativity scenes, Menorahs or other symbols of religious holy days.”

Religious displays on public spaces abound in the Buckeye Bible Belt; communities not exercising their First Amendment rights are the exception. Looks like political correctness will have to sit on the sidelines for this one.

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Psalm Nineteen, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.”

View slideshow below of religious displays on public spaces in North Central Ohio.

  • Nativity scene at Bicentennial Park in Ashland has been ongoing holiday display tradition since 2022. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Nativity scene on Bellville, Ohio Public Square has been ongoing holiday tradition; circa 1963. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Menorah display at Fredericktown, Ohio Municipal Hall, inaugural holiday display in 2023. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Nativity scene at Fredericktown, Ohio Public Square has been ongoing holiday display tradition, circa 1974. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Menorah display at Community Park in Lexington, Ohio has been ongoing tradition since 2021. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Nativity display at Central Park in Loudonville, Ohio has been ongoing holiday display tradition. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Nativity scene at Malabar Farm State Park near Lucas, Ohio has been ongoing holiday tradition since 1976. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Nativity scene at Mount Vernon, Ohio Public Square has been ongoing holiday display tradition; circa 2017. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Ten Commandment display at Norwalk, Ohio City Hall; circa 1957. (Photo courtesy screenshot)
  • Nativity scene at Willard Park in Ohio has been ongoing tradition for Willard Festival of Lights since 2019. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Ricky Branham)
  • Nativity scene at Willard Park in Ohio has been ongoing tradition for Willard Festival of Lights since 2019. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Ricky Branham)
  • Nativity scene at Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio has been ongoing holiday tradition since 2019. (Photo courtesy screenshot)
  • Nativity scene on West Main in Shelby, Ohio has been ongoing holiday tradition; circa 1963. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Menorah display on West Main in Shelby inaugural holiday display in 2023. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Nativity scene on East Main in Shiloh, Ohio has been ongoing holiday tradition; circa 1984. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Nativity scene at Central Park in Mansfield, Ohio has been ongoing holiday display tradition since 2019. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Menorah display at Marshall Park in Ontario, Ohio has been ongoing holiday display tradition since 2021.(Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
  • Nativity scene on West High in Mount Gilead, Ohio has been has been ongoing holiday display tradition, circa 1999. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Related articles:

Is Supreme Court victory for football coach on prayer a game-changer? (VIDEO)
Ashland joins family of religious displays in North Central Ohio (SLIDESHOW)
Knox County clergy call out atheist group for bullying football coach (VIDEO)
Menorah lightings in Ohio Heartland displace Bethlehem darkness (SLIDESHOW)
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