More than 200 people gathered at the Iowa Capitol on Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the installation of a Nativity Scene. Iowans have been upset recently over the display from the Satanic Temple of Iowa inside the Capitol and used Tuesday’s event as an opportunity to respond, but more importantly, to celebrate the Christmas season.
About a dozen people spoke at the event, sharing Scripture, prayer and song. You can watch the event here. The event was organized by Paul Dykstra, who serves as the Iowa State Director of the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation. Every Tuesday at noon he leads a prayer group at the Capitol.
Martin Cannon, with the Thomas More Society, said it is the eighth year the group had sponsored or placed the Nativity Scene at the Capitol.
“We are here to celebrate truly good news,” Cannon said. “Dramatized, especially in this building, where we see the powerful humility of Christ appearing amidst the smaller majesties of man. But it’s only good news because there is bad news. We see it as much as ever today. Evil is real. It has real consequences. It distorts what is good. It deceives who it can. There is a spiritual battle going on all around us, all the time. And we must engage in it.”
Chuck Hurley of The FAMiLY Leader said he and his wife have been praying weekly at the Capitol for 33 years.
“This is by far the biggest prayer crowd we’ve ever had,” Hurley said. “I just want to say, what Satan means for evil God will use for good. So this is a good day. The elephant in the room, or should I say the goat head in the room, is that Satan is real, he likes to mess with us. He’s been messing with us for 33 years, now he’s just way out of the closet.”
Hurley paraphrased Gov. Reynolds who said the way to do battle on this issue is through prayer. He read a passage from Matthew 19.
He warned that Satan targets children, but children are invited to go to Jesus.
“On the national satanic temple website, according to WHO-TV, on the national website, one of the top purposes for the satanic temple is abortion on demand,” Hurley said. “Does that tell you what you need to know about who is coming for our kids?”
Gov. Kim Reynolds attended a portion of the event, but did not speak.
Glad 200 showed up to celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s unfortunate our Governor, Kim Reynolds could find the time or opportunity to add her voice and support of our Lord to the celebration. Silence screams the truth the loudest.