MOUNT UNION - Crossroads Pregnancy Center is saying "Happy Birthday."
The pregnancy care center and ministry is celebrating 27 years serving Mifflin, Juniata and Huntingdon Counties.
A fall banquet and celebration begins at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at New Life Fellowship Church in Mount Union, with the theme of the evening as "Everyone Deserves a Happy 'Birth' Day."
The ministry has been offering free and confidential services providing emotional, material and spiritual support as well as referrals to other local agencies.
"CPC provides teaching on the topics of parenting and sexual integrity. Local public schools and youth groups have invited the R.E.A.C.H. Program (the abstinence division of CPC) to share information on healthy relationships encouraging young people to wait until marriage," according to a press release for the event.
Some of its programs include:
Free pregnancy tests
Options counseling - Options of parenting, adoption and the procedures and risks of abortion. CPC never refers of recommends abortion.
Bridges program - One-on-one classes learning about pregnancy and parenting skills. Clients can exchange the classes for material items they need, such as a new crib and mattress, car seat, baby clothes and diapers.
Sexual Integrity program - Teaching God's plan for sexuality through video and book studies.
R.E.A.C.H. program - Relationship Education About Choices and Health - the abstinence division of CPC which is currently presenting in nine public schools and area youth groups.
Men's program - Encouraging and teaching fathers to stay connected through mentoring relationships while helping men deal with emotions, teaching relationship education, baby basics and child rearing.
Post-abortion program - Helping clients heal from the emotional and spiritual effects of abortion and community referral to other agencies.
Cindy Mansbeger is executive director for the program. She said the "birthday" theme was chosen to cause awareness regarding abortions.
"We have chosen the verse from Psalm 127: 3-5a, 'Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.'"
"Our center exists to save lives and protect futures. To do this, we seek to meet the rising needs of the community in the areas of unplanned pregnancy and related issues. All new mothers and their unborn babies deserve to be loved and cared for so that the event of a new birth is a happy experience. No woman should feel so alone and so unsupported that she feels abortion is her only choice. Life is a sacred gift from God. He has a plan and a purpose for everyone," Mansberger said.
Christian music artist Kristina Cornell will provide music for the evening.
Dinner is complimentary but reservation tickets are required. A full-course homemade dinner is being served: Baked ham, filling, mashed potatoes, green beans with cornflake crumbs, noodles, homemade bread, applesauce, cupcakes and homemade ice cream. Call 242-4800 or 814-643-0331 by Oct. 25 to make a reservation, or visit www.cpcforlife.org/support.
