PCA Couple Wins Parents of the Year Award
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P&R News ² March 1999 Recording the Presbyterian & Story of the Presbyterian Reformed News Church in America $2.75 per issue/$15.00 per year Volume 7 Numbers 5 & 6 Published by Presbyterian International News Service, Inc., Coeburn, Virginia Sept - Oct & Nov - Dec 2001 PCA Couple Wins Parents of the Year Award Mr. and Mrs. William Devlin, members of New Life and his wife were going to be out of town, the person with the Urban Family Council, and what it means to live Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, are the said, Mr. Devlin, you dont understandyouve been out the love of Jesus Christ. I said that Jesus Christ is 2001 winners of the Parents of the Year Award. The annual selected as the national parents of the year. The National the only Messiah. We again saw it as a wonderful award was presented by the National Parents Day Parents Day Council made arrangements to fly the Devlins opportunity to go outside the box and be there at the Council. According to its literature, the Council is a from wherever they were, so that they could attend the very seat of government. There were Unification Church multi-racial, inter-faith coalition of religious, civic and ceremony. people, secularists, elected officials, Mormons, Baptists, business leaders and elected officials who believe that Bill relates that his wife, Nancy, still wondered if they Presbyterians. The press was there. It was just a veritable Americas moral and spiritual health can be restored wanted to participate. One of the sponsors of the banquet cornucopia of religious beliefs. God gave us this through a value-based revival. was the Washington Times Foundation, associated with opportunity to give the true message of Jesus Christ As quoted in a press release from the Council, Gary Sun Myung Moon, and Bill Devlin had had his run-ins according to Gods Word, in that Mars Hill of religious Jarmin, its Project Coordinator, stated: Parents Day with the Unification Church. In the spring, he had been devotion. celebrates the unselfish partnership and unconditional invited to participate with Mr. Moon at an event at an This was one more weird opportunity that God had love that parents bring to children, the complimentary African-American church in Philadelphia, which would given us, as a Bible-believing couple, to preach the gospel roles that mother and father play in rearing healthy, happy, in a weird place. Instead of being at the dinner, we were and successful children. The Devlins exemplify this the dinner, as they say here in Philly. partnership and truly embody responsible and virtuous parenting. They are inspirational, parental role models. Other Opportunities Open Up The award ceremony was conducted on July 25, 2001, Winning the award has presented other opportunities at the Cannon House Office Building in one of the for the Devlins to proclaim their message. Two radio Congressional hearing rooms, turned for the evening into stationsin San Antonio and Philadelphiainterviewed a banquet hall. The special speaker for the occasion was him. The story was on the front page of the Washington the Honorable Bob Dole, former Presidential candidate Times, and also ran in that papers weekend edition. and former Senator from Kansas. Other luminaries present According to Mr. Devlin, winning the award has had included former Senator Larry Pressler (RS. D.) and a huge impact, because Nancy and I and Urban Family Senator John Kerry (DMass.). A highlight of the event Council are always looking at ways to authenticate our was the presentation of President George W. Bushs belief in Jesus Christ, and to promote the families living in Parents Day Proclamation, by Matthew Smith of the the city. He stated that their being the Parents of the White House Office of Public Liaison. Year has enabled people to see that heres a couple living The Devlins have become well-known for their in the hood and they can remain successfully married ministry of compassion, particularly in conjunction with and raise five kids who are not bitter. They all have a Urban Family Council (UFC), of which Mr. Devlin is personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They all went to Executive Director. According to Mr. Devlin, UFC is public schools. Here are the Devlins, theyve practiced committed to an inter-racial, urban-oriented, incarnational open hospitality, they have a 24/7 practice of welcoming ministry with an emphasis on loving people. people. With everybody talking about cities dying, heres a sign of life, of all things. Heres a family not attending The Award That Almost Didnt Happen the First Church of Harry Houdiniyou know, always The honor to the Devlins almost did not happen. trying to escape to the suburbs. Unbeknownst to them, the Rev. Terrence Griffith, pastor Again reflecting on the award ceremony, he said that of the First African Baptist Church in Philadelphia and a being in such a place of prominence was an opportunity, former national senator from Grenada, had nominated not to promote us, but to promote the Lord Jesus. them. When the forms came, the family thought that this was some come-on from some sort of organization The William Devlin Family Traveling to Pakistan probably looking for moneykind of like one of the Even before the award this past summer, Bill Devlin Whos Who books. Despite his wifes better judgment, also feature Wilson Goode, Philadelphias former mayor. has continued to enjoy unusual opportunities to share Bill went ahead and filled out the forms. Because of that When the Philadelphia Inquirer religion reporter got the gospel. Bill was going to Pakistan as Chairman of the act, I certainly wouldnt win the Husband of the Year wind that Bill would also be on the platform, he called Bill, Philadelphia Interfaith Task Force, an organization award, he confesses. saying, Devlin, whats going on? Bill told the reporter opposed to religious persecution. In January 2001, he The Devlins were first selected as winners of the that he was going to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus and Victor Gill, a native Pakistani, traveled to that Islamic state award. We were the nominee from Pennsylvania, Christ. Im going to say that theres one Savior, and its nation. As they were preparing for the trip, Bill started to says Mr. Devlin. Within about a weeks time [of winning not the Rev. Moon. He also was quoted (accurately) in pray about whom he should see, and he got to thinking that], all 50 names [from all the 50 states] were thrown in. the Inquirer as saying that Moons Theology is Out to about Benazir Bhutto, the former Prime Minister of It was kind of like the Miss America contest. I said, Well, Lunch. When he saw his quotation in the newspaper, Pakistan. Victor had met the head of the Pakistani Peoples I wont accept unless it comes with a crown. he thought, Oh, dear, my goose is cooked. He was met Party, with which Mrs. Bhutto is associated. That contact Then late one night, he received a phone call from a at the event by a female assistant, who said, Were sorry, allowed Bill to forward to him his resume, which includes friend who had been part of the selection process, your opportunity to speak has already passed. his numerous political contacts (such as Senators Rick informing him that he had won the national award. The With that background, Nancy wasnt sure about Santorum [RPa.] and Arlen Specter [RPa.]) and his significance of that still hadnt sunk in when he went to participating where people from the Unification Church widespread political activity. (In 1999, he ran for the office the next day, and received a call from someone would be prominent. But they went, and they proclaimed Philadelphia City Council in the Democratic primary.) in Washington, D. C. It was the week before the award the gospel of Jesus Christ. Word was received that Benazir Bhutto would like to meet ceremony, and the person on the other end of the line with Bill and Victor. began explaining how he and his wife were invited to this A Packed Banquet Hall They met with Mrs. Bhutto over a period of two days, special banquet in the nations capital. When Bill started Mr. Devlin states that the place was packed for the at her apartment in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Bill said to thank the person but decline the invitation because he banquet. We were allowed to speak about our work that he was able to sit in her living room, sharing the 2 P&R News ² Sept - Oct & Nov - Dec 2001 gospel with her. Brother Bill Devlin. I said I didnt want to Devlin relates. need to talk about sacrifice. We can talk Her basic reaction to the gospel accept it. Victor told me that it would be an about this in a pluralistic society. These presentation, according to Mr. Devlin, was affront not to accept it. Here I come from A Trip to St. Louis values are not confined to Christianity. that she said, Im a Muslim. They also Last spring, Bill talked about her life in politics. I asked her traveled to Covenant The Job Still Ahead view on abortion. She said shes personally Theological In response to a question, Bill Devlin pro-life, but if someone wanted to get an Seminary, in order to said that his bid for Philadelphia City Council abortion, she wouldnt stop them by law. I communicate UFCs a couple of years ago did open things up said, Benazir, you sound just like an message of loving for Urban Family Council in the secular American politician! She wasnt very people in an inter- marketplace.