Written by Sammie Gallo, Youth Outreach Coordinator for Anglicans for Life
Consider this your personal invitation to join us for a new opportunity this year – one that we’re so excited for! In a few weeks, we have the opportunity to partner with another pro-life organization that really understands why God values life. They’re making honoring life not only a priority but also a reality for students, parents, and youth leaders!
In previous years, Anglicans For Life’s youth outreach, Abundant Life: You Were Made For More hosted a Youth SUMMIT for middle school and high school students, but this year we are changing the plan for several reasons. In conjunction with the March for Life, we’re inviting youth groups and families to join us at OneVoice DC on January 18, 2024!
Check out the link for the event for more details!
Students, youth groups, and adults are invited to join youth from across the nation at a free non-denominational prayer & worship event to end the ultimate human rights injustice of abortion. The event, OneVoice DC is hosted by the Radiance Foundation. If you are a youth group, middle school or high school student, or family that stands for life, please include this fun, youth-filled event on your itinerary for March for Life weekend. OneVoice DC is held at the Westin D.C. Downtown Hotel – the official March for Life hotel and the hub of where everything is happening!
The Radiance Foundation is an amazing organization; they have the goal to illuminate every human being as having inherent and equal worth through education, culture-shaping issues, and motivating people to put truth and love into action. They do this through creative ad campaigns, powerful multimedia talks, factivism journalism, and compassionate community outreaches. Their ultimate goal is to affirm that every human life has God-given purpose – something that Abundant Life has stood for since our day 1 creation in 2019.
Ryan Bomberger, a co-founder of the Radiance Foundation with his wife, Bethany, has a rather unique perspective of the innate nature of Purpose – God has used his life to courageously speak difficult and emotionally-loaded topics like adoption, rape, and diversity.
The change in plans this year also includes inviting students and youth groups to attend the adult Life SUMMIT on Saturday, January 20th. We believe students will benefit from the outstanding speakers we have scheduled to address participants. Furthermore, we appreciate that many students have multiple commitments on Saturdays, so they can plan to attend either all day or from 10 am to 2pm, allowing them to hear the keynote presentations only. The goal of this event is to really look at what God’s Word calls His people to do when it comes to life – to protect it and value it – and to equip people and mobilize people to take action in their communities through education, pastoral care, and ministry.
Youth Leaders: If you’re considering bringing a group of students to Washington D.C. for the Life SUMMIT events on January 18-20, 2024, we want to make your life easier – we have designed announcements you can share with students’ parents and your congregation to promote the trip on our “Event Promotion” tab on the SUMMIT website – head over to https://www.afllifesummit.org/ for all the details and information!
We would love for you to attend Life SUMMIT 2024 in-person with members of your church or family. However, if you are unable to, there are a variety of ways you and/or your group can still participate virtually. These include individual participation, household participation, and church watch parties. PLUS, OneVoice DC is also live streamed! There are so many ways for you to participate in our sanctity of life events from wherever you’re located.
If you’re interested in learning more about Life SUMMIT’s keynote speakers, I encourage you to head over to afllifesummit.org/speakers page to learn more about them. Carl Truman, Abby Johnson, and Dr. Christina Francis are all well-spoken and highly intelligent individuals who are going to share wisdom with us.
If you’re joining us for the SUMMIT on Saturday, you also can join me for lunch, where we’ll have discussion on the speakers and a time of fellowship among other pro life students! I’d love to meet you and connect with you in an effort to encourage you as you brainstorm what you can do for life in your communities and schools.
We’re so excited for this year’s January events and can’t wait for you to join us! If you have questions or want to learn more about our LIFE SUMMIT or OneVoice, please reach out to us on our social media platforms or via email (abundantlifeym@gmail.com) and we’d love to discuss your plans with you.
Looking forward to seeing all of you in a few weeks and celebrating Life, remembering and commemorating the lives lost to Roe v. Wade, and looking toward the future at what we can do to make sure life is protected no matter what the circumstances.
Sammie graduated from Robert Morris University in 2017 with a background in biology and psychology and started working with Anglicans for Life (AFL) in 2017. In addition to her work with AFL, she spent 3 years going into public schools with the Women’s Choice Network, speaking to high schoolers about healthy relationships and sex education. She has a passion for making sure every teenager, parent, and youth leader is equipped, engaged, and encouraged to have Gospel-centered conversations regarding relationships, sexuality, and life issues.
Sammie married her best friend, Juan Gallo, in May 2019. During her free time, she and her husband invest in teenagers and young adults in their community, disciple their two kids, Ofie and Leo, and Sammie recently began a new career path as a registered nurse in emergency medicine.