Life Chain returns to area Sunday

FARMINGTON – The National Life Chain is returning to the area this weekend for its 22nd year.

The event takes place from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday on Karsch Boulevard, between Washington and Potosi Streets, in Farmington.

“Life Chain is a peaceful, prayerful stand for life,” said event coordinator Dotty Bach. “It is held each year in cities across the nation on the first Sunday in October. People simply gather along a major street in their town and hold signs asking God to protect life.”

Bach said the local Life Chain began in 1992 under the leadership of Clark Crawford.

“He felt the need to do this,” she said. “He knew that I was pro-life and he called me and asked if I could help out. I asked him what he wanted to do and he said he was going to buy some posters and go around to the churches and talk to pastors.”

When Crawford mentioned he also wanted to send out several letters but wasn’t good at doing it, Bach said she knew she could be of assistance.

“I told him if he told me what the letter should say I would send them out,” she recalled. “So that’s how the whole brainchild started.”

Responsibility for the program fell squarely on Bach’s shoulders when Crawford announced five years ago that he was moving to Tennessee.

“He gave me the name of a man that he said agreed to help me,” she said. “Unfortunately, he passed away suddenly in an automobile accident. So then I was really by myself.”

A member of the Parkland Pregnancy Resource Center board, Bach said she shared her dilemma with fellow volunteer Mike Ward.

“He asked me what did I need and I told him I needed somebody to keep the signs, but I’d really like some help,” Bach said. “Mike joked that he’d keep the signs, but that I was kind of on my own when it came to help because he had too many things going.”

Bach began collecting names and addresses of anyone interested in standing the following year.

“I would send them a personal letter and still send them out to all the churches, too,” she said.

Bach said she sees herself as being more of a spokesperson for the Life Chain instead of its leader.

“It’s really not my job — it’s God’s job,” she explained. “I really don’t want to take the credit for it.”

Bach said Life Chain is not sponsored by any local church but members from congregations throughout the area participate in the event.

“I would guess that there are about 30 churches represented,” she said. “I always ask people to give me their name, address and what church they go to so I can kind of see where we’re going.”

Bach said they put posters out asking people to come and telling them Life Chain is a time of meditation, not visiting.

“It’s prayer for us as much as it is for the people that we’re ministering to,” she said. “We want to make sure people understand that we value life.”

Bach emphasized that everyone is invited to participate in Sunday’s Life Chain. There is no preregistration or cost to take part.

For more information call Bach at 573-756-1357 or visit nationallifechain.org.

“Life Chain is a peaceful, prayerful stand for life.” — Dotty Bach, event coordinator

The area’s annual Life Chain returns for its 22nd year Sunday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Karsch Boulevard, between Washington and Potosi streets. Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to come out for a time of prayer and meditation. There is no preregistration or cost for the event.

Kevin Jenkins is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-518-3614 or kjenkins@dailyjournalonline.com