PASTOR MARK D. BOYKIN AND ANTHONY VERDUGO OF THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY COALITION TO HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE CHALLENGING THE CITY OF WEST PALM BEACH’S RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT REPEALING THE STATE OF FLORIDA’S PROHIBITION OF ADOPTION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION

March 17, 2010  (West Palm Beach, Florida) Rev. Mark D. Boykin, Senior Pastor of Church of All Nations and Anthony Verdugo, Founder and Executive Director of The Christian Family Coalition of Florida, and a group of city residents will hold a press conference on:

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2010

12:00 noon

City of West Palm Beach City Hall

“We are coming together to defend our family values and the traditions we hold dear in the State of Florida,” said Pastor Mark D. Boykin, “It is sad to see Mayor Frankel and the City Commissioners capitulating to nefarious extremist groups in order to push a radical agenda,” continued Pastor Mark D. Boykin.

“We have so many issues and problems in the City of West Palm Beach, and we need the mayor and city commissioners to focus on solving city issues and not to undermine the fabric of the nuclear family,” added Pastor Mark D. Boykin.  

The City Commission of The City of West Palm Beach will be introducing Resolution No. 130-10 supporting Senate Bill 102 and House Bill 2, repealing a 33 year old Florida Law that prohibits adoption based on sexual orientation.   The City Commission Meeting will take place on March 22, 2010 at 4:00 PM in the City Hall.

“The State Legislative Session has begun in Florida and there are a number of liberal and self-interest groups that will do their best to destroy the fabric of our society and our family values - we are heading to Tallahassee to safeguard our rights,” said Mr. Anthony Verdugo.

A large contingency will be traveling to Tallahassee to meet with State Elected officials. The following groups will have representation: Church of All Nations, The Christian Family Coalition, Catholic Cultural Fund, Communities Strengthening Families for the Good Life, Cuban American Publishers Association, Democratic League, and the Republican National Forum among others.

Pastor Mark D. Boykin will also be addressing the City Commission Meeting at 4:00 PM in City Hall.

House of Representatives Peter Stark (Democrat-California) introduced a bill last week called: “The Every Child Deserves a Family Act” (H.R. 4806).  According to the ACLU’s website this legislation “would help to reduce the number of children languishing in state-run facilities by providing them with loving, permanent home.”  

It sounds like a family value legislation, except that it does the opposite.  Congressman Stark’s legislation aims at limiting federal funding to states that prohibit adoption and foster care placement based on the potential parents’ sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status.

That means Florida.  We are the only state in the union that specifically prohibits gays, lesbians and transgender from adopting children.  We in Florida believe in “Family Values,” that of a man and a woman raising a family or single mothers and fathers doing the same.

Now with this legislation the Federal government will violate our state’s rights.  We must continue the fight to preserve our Family Values and stop folks like Congressman Peter Stark from destroying the very fabric of our society.

It is estimated that at any given time, there are roughly 500,000 children in the child welfare system, with 125,000 waiting to be adopted.  What we need is a better system to allow parents to adopt children.  We need to strengthen our foster care system and advance child welfare by providing members of our society with a greater opportunity to attain the stability of a permanent home with loving parents.

Congressman Stark, our Florida State Laws with regards to adoption are working.  We don’t need you from California or D.C. to tell us to how to legislate in Florida.  

For quite some time we have been reading and hearing in the news that Mayor Lois Frankel is working behind the scenes to repeal the city charter to scrap mayoral term limits.  We need to work together to stop her power grab. 

Mayor Frankel can’t seek a third term unless the city charter is changed.  Changing the charter requires voter approval.  Putting the question before our city voters requires action by the five-member city commission or signatures from about 6,000 city voters to force a referendum.

Here’s where we come in.  We need to put a stop to the city charge change and let’s preserve our term limits in the City of West Palm Beach. 

If the politicians won’t listen to us, we need to then vote them out.  Please send an email and contact every city commissioner and the mayor and let them know that we want them to keep their hands of our city charter and keep term limits.

You can call, e-mail or mail the City Commission and the Mayor:

Mayor Lois Frankel                                                                               

Phone (561) 822-1400 

Email lfrankel@wpb.org

Molly Douglas, District 1 Commissioner

Commission President

Phone (561) 822-1390

Email mdouglas@wpb.org

Isaac Robinson Jr., District 2 Commissioner

Phone (561) 822-1390

Email irobinson@wpb.org

Kimberly Mitchell, District 3 Commissioner

(561) 822-1390 

Email kmitchell@wpb.org

Jeri Muoio, District 4 Commissioner

Phone (561) 822-1390

Email gmuoio@wpb.org

William Moss, District 5 Commissioner

Phone (561) 822-1390

Email wmoss@wpb.org

Let them know that we don’t want them to vote for a referendum to abolish term limits.  Also please make sure that you do not sign any petition that will eliminate term limits. 

It’s time to stand up to this power grab.  Make sure that when you send them an email that you copy us at info@pastorboykin.com - Thank you.

On Saturday, February 27th I attended the Christian Family Coalition's "2010 U.S. Senate Candidates Forum." All top four candidates for the Senate spoke, including FL Governor Charlie Crist. I had the opportunity to speak. Get informed and go out and vote for the candidates that uphold our Christian values!

BOCA RATON, FL -- "It was, that day in fact was the most emotional day that I ever experienced there." 

Pastor Mark Boykin of the Church Of All Nations in Boca Raton, just returned from his second trip to Haiti. This time he was able to see Hotel Montana for the first time after the earthquake. He was on a mission. He wanted to remember the Lynn University students and professors who lost their lives in the earthquake.

He bought flowers in their memory. 

Pastor Mark Boykin said, "We went to the memorial site and they have pictures there of the deceased and we laid the bouquets down and I was able to say a prayer and have a moment of silent meditation." 

He says a man approached him after seeing him put the bouquets at the makeshift memorial.

"And the first thing he asked me was do you feel that this will bring closure to the families who lost loved ones. And my answer to him and my answer today would be I think I can symphathize but there is no way that I can emphathize with what they are feeling." 

A spokesperson from Lynn University told us they were not aware of the gesture but are thankful and grateful for any and all support outpouring from the local community.  

As reported by: Tania Rogers - WPTV News Channel 5 (NBC) - February 19, 2010

Please join me in prayer for the "million youth march" on March 26th in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. I have been asked to lead this march through the city, and then speak to the people in downtown. Al Jareera, CNN, and countless others will be there. 

We will be joined by a large contingency from Dominican Republic. If you are interested in going...we will give more details next week. Please pray for Haiti!