Harrisburg 101 Off the Launchpad

Jan 29, 2014 | 3 comments

by Michael Geer

Despite the 6 degree weather and the prospect of our State Capitol building being filled with union protesters, about a dozen citizens from throughout central Pennsylvania braved the elements and joined us for our inaugural Harrisburg 101 training seminar yesterday.

Our session began here at the PFI headquarters on Front Street, and as our group ate pizza, the team presented an overview of the work of the Pennsylvania Family Institute and our associated groups – Pennsylvania Family Council, the Independence Law Center, the Family Choice Scholarship Program, and our City On The Hill Youth Leadership and Worldview camp. We also discussed what “Christian citizenship” should look like as we engage in the public square.

From there, it was off to the Capitol, and an expectation of the unexpected. While traipsing around the Capitol complex, we talked a mix of history, policy process, “war stories” and biblical principles. We visited key parts of the Capitol, giving an insiders look at that beautiful building. It’s much more than a “palace of art” (as it has been rightly described) – it’s also the people’s house where real, substantive issues are hammered out, and where our involvement can truly have an impact.

I hope, through our first Harrisburg 101 that we inspired confidence in our “students” that they can make a real difference, both on important policy matters and in the personal and even spiritual lives of those they touch as they engage in influencing our government.

Keep an eye on the Pennsylvania Family Institute website (www.pafamily.org) for upcoming Harrisburg 101 dates.