THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JAnuARy 3, 2025 Page 9 DiDomenico Foundation members, including Sen. DiDomenico and his wife, Trish (pictured), alongside the toys that they donated to the City of Everett’s annual Toy Drive. DONATIONS | FROM PAGE 1 of unwrapped toys from individuals and organizations to distribute to Everett families in need of assistance to help them have a joyous holiday season. This year, the City was able to serve over 200 families and over 460 children thanks to these generous donations. The donors who helped make the Holiday Assistance Program and Toy Drive a huge COMMENTARY | FROM PAGE 3 ter Stapleton, he vowed to make serving Christ his principal aim in life. He was struck by the realization that during his gubernatorial campaign he had spoken with 300,000 Georgians while in the previous fourteen years he had shared the gospel with only 140 individuals. Carter soon experienced a more intimate relationship with Christ that continued until his death. It prompted him to study the Bible with great interest, go on witnessing missions, and teach a Sunday school class for many years. His rejuvenated faith also inspired him to run for the presidency in 1976 and helped shape his political philosophy and numerous policies. During his 1976 campaign, Carter declared that “The most important thing in my life is Jesus Christ.” He argued that Christ’s admonition to “love God with all your heart and soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself” provided the foundation for his life. The Georgian’s frequent assertion that he was a “born-again” Christian sent many reporters scurrying to find out what the success by donating toys this year are as follows: • Christian Lighthouse Church • City of Everett staff • DiDomenico Foundation • Everett residents • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW Local 103) • Schiavo Club • Teamsters Local 25 Mayor DeMaria would also like to recognize all the team term meant. Throughout his life, Carter worshipped faithfully at various churches, read the Bible daily, prayed fervently, and relied on God to guide him. Carter’s worldview was shaped by a variety of factors: his family, education, and church as well as his experiences in the military, business, and politics. He was a Southerner, a populist, a Democratic, an engineer, a Washington outsider, and a Baptist evangelical. His Christian faith, however, played a large role in how he understood the world and strove to govern as president. Although Carter never formulated a coherent political philosophy, his Christian convictions helped determine his political priorities and stances on many issues. In his inaugural address, Carter explicated Micah 6:8 which exhorts people “to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God,” As president, he emphasized morality, justice, virtue, forgiveness, humility, servanthood, peace, stewardship of natural resources, and concern for the poor. Carter argued that the Bible was the ultimate authority for all life and that, therefore, “we should try Members of Teamsters Local 25 alongside the toys they donated to the City of Everett’s annual Toy Drive. members who worked tirelessly to ensure every Everett family in need of assistance was served. Dedicated City staff orchestrated the intake to ensure that only eligible Everett residents benefited from the Holiday Assistance Program. The Mayor’s Office oversaw the team of staff and the entire process, including taking applications, helping organize to assure that secular law is compatible with God’s law.” This meant that Americans must strive to alleviate hunger and discrimination, foster peace, and promote human rights around the globe. Carter’s faith is readily apparent in his character, convictions, and contributions through numerous enterprises. His critics and supporters agree that he was honest, trustworthy, compassionate, extremely intelligent and hardworking, and exceptionally well-prepared in his daily work as president. Senator Mark Hatfield (R-OR) and numerous other Christian politicians praised Carter for distinguishing between civil religion and biblical faith, confronting Americans with their shortcomings, and calling for national repentance. Carter’s faith prompted him to challenge citizens, especially in his so-called “malaise” speech in 1979, to tighten their belts, reduce their wastefulness, live simpler lifestyles, and make sacrifices to benefit future generations. This approach caused him political difficulties and contributed to his losing the 1980 presidential election to Ronald Reagan. Members of the Carmen A. Schiavo Club alongside the toys they donated to the City of Everett’s annual Toy Drive. the toys, bagging the toys for families, making phone calls and distributing the toys to the families who qualified. “The Holiday Assistance Program would not have been possible without the efforts of our incredible City staff who worked hard behind the scenes all season long, along with the generous donations that were provided by so many Carter agreed with theologian Reinhold Niebuhr that “nations must use their power” as “an instrument of justice and a servant of interests broader than their own.” This led the Democrat to argue that the United States should actively promote peace and human rights, work to reduce arms, and use its foreign aid to lessen hunger, curb population growth, and stop despoiling the environmental. During the Cold War, Carter strove to make foreign policy decisions based on “a lasting world order beneficial to all people” rather than on a “shortterm calculation of American advantage over the Soviet Union.” Driven by his sense of justice and desire to improve relations with Latin American nations, he engineered a treaty to give Panama control of the canal running through its land. Guided by his commitment to peace, he helped negotiate the Camp David Accord that improved relations between Israel and Egypt. Throughout his presidency, Carter strove diligently to advance human rights throughout the world and helped inspire dissidents in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and other locales to thoughtful individuals and organizations,” said Mayor DeMaria. “We are truly grateful for the crucial role everyone has played in helping our residents who need a little help to enjoy this special time of year. It always warms my heart to see our community come together in such a big way every year in support of this program. Thank you all.” denounce political repression. During the last forty-three years of his life, the former president strongly promoted Habitat for Humanity and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He created the Carter Center in Atlanta in 1982 to wage peace, fight disease, and build hope. Its staff have monitored elections in dozens of nations and striven to strengthen democracy throughout the world. Carter personally worked to help negotiate peace settlements and try to improve American relations with Haiti, North Korea, and other nations. His legacy is truly worthy of celebrating. Gary Scott Smith is Professor of History Emeritus at Grove City College and is a fellow for faith and politics with the Institute for Faith and Freedom. He is the author of “Strength for the Fight: The Life and Faith of Jackie Robinson” (2022), “Duty and Destiny: The Life and Faith of Winston Churchill” (January 2021), “A History of Christianity in Pittsburgh” (2019), “Suffer the Children” (2017), “Religion in the Oval Office” (Oxford University Press, 2015), “Faith and the Presidency From George Washington to George W. Bush” (Oxford University Press, 2009), “Religion in the Oval Office” and “Heaven in the American Imagination” (Oxford University Press, 2011).
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