Central PA Pregnancy Services
We’re rolling back the years to the 2010s, when Bryce McMinn was executive director at Morning Star.
“God used Morning Star and my time there mightily to prepare me for the vocation He’s led me into today. I can’t tell you how critical that time at Morning Star was in preparing me for the ministry I’m doing now.” – Pastor Bryce McMinn, Ruthfred Lutheran Church, Bethel Park, PA
Listen as Bryce speaks about Morning Star’s constant drive to provide the best possible care for our clients.
Bonnie Finnerty and Maria Gallagher of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation interviewed Morning Star’s Executive Director, Linda Plummer, and Nurse Clinic Manager, Steve Morris, on Positively Pro-Life!
In this podcast, Linda and Steve talk about the history and growth of Morning Star, why fathers are critical in the decision-making process, the roles of fathers in the family, and Morning Star’s fatherhood program.
Permission was granted by a college student to share her story…
The college student in the video never thought she would have an abortion. But she did. And even though she was surrounded with “support” from her mother and friends, the trauma that ensued from her abortion was heartbreaking. She questions whether there is anyone who will really understand. In her words, “I am alone.”
But she isn’t alone—YOU are there for her. Through your donations, Morning Star is able to provide her with post-abortion support through our HEART Program. We offer individual sessions, support groups and retreats to women who have been left emotionally wounded by abortion—providing them with help, hope and healing.
YOU are also here for all of the women who are facing unplanned pregnancies this holiday season and haven’t yet made a decision. Their pregnancies are weighing heavily on their hearts as they face the new year. They are panicked, scared and feel alone. YOU are providing these women with education, so they can make informed decisions, ultrasounds, so they can see and bond with their babies, and counseling, so they can discuss the obstacles they face, create a plan and find a path forward—so they can choose Life for their babies.
Partner with Morning Star to make an impact on a mom’s and a baby’s LIFE. It costs $401.37 to support one mom—so she doesn’t feel alone, like the college student in the video.
The college student in the video shared above thought she would never have an abortion. She went to the March for Life, attended the Pro Life Club in high school and stood outside of Planned Parenthoods. But in the end, she did have an abortion, largely due to the father not supporting her in having their baby.
We know that fathers play an important role in the decision-making process. 85% of women who have had an abortion said they would have chosen Life if the father supported them in their pregnancy. That’s why Morning Star takes the fathers out of the waiting room and into a counseling room, showing them how we value their role as fathers. We assess their situations and relationships with the moms, and their perceptions of fatherhood. Steve Morris, Registered Nurse and Morning Star’s Nurse Clinic Manager, shares one of his conversations with “Doug,” a father who wanted his girlfriend, “Tammy” to abort their child…
“Doug was happy to finally have the kids out of the house. He was looking forward to enjoying his older children, focusing on his career and enjoying his independence and time with Tammy. And then they found out Tammy was pregnant. Doug told me that this pregnancy would ruin all of their plans. Even though Tammy was older now, she was still leaning towards having the baby. But Doug wanted to know all of their options, and specifically wanted information about the abortion pill and how to get it.
At one point, Doug said to me, ‘I don’t know if this relationship can continue because I don’t want to be tied down.’ So I circled back to ask questions about Doug’s relationship with his older children. It was very apparent how proud he was of his kids and, even more importantly, of himself for stepping up to be a father—he provided for them and was very active in their lives. After a lengthy conversation, I posed the question, ‘Who is going to be there for this child? You were there for your other kids…who will be there for this baby as he or she grows up?’ Doug got very quiet and you could see him thinking. I urged him to talk with Tammy and share his perspective, so he felt heard, and then figure out if there’s a path for them to make it work, together.
Doug and Tammy came back into Morning Star for a second counseling and ultrasound appointment and Doug shared that, after a lot of discussions, they were having the baby—and he would be there for Tammy and their child.
With your end-of-year donations, TOGETHER we can help provide much-needed counseling to these fathers who find themselves facing an unplanned pregnancy—so ultimately, a Life-giving choice is made.
The girl in the video above was pro-life, she thought she would have her baby, but she ultimately chose abortion. Although each woman’s story is unique, this student’s situation does provide a good understanding of what these moms go through emotionally, as well as physically, when they find out they are pregnant—and when they chose to end the life of their child.
Through the Life-affirming services YOUR donations provide, together we are saving women from experiencing the trauma of abortion—and ultimately saving the lives of their babies. One of the most vital services your donations provide are ultrasounds. No matter how far along a woman is in her pregnancy, she receives an ultrasound at her very first visit at Morning Star. And if she’s early in her pregnancy, she will be invited back every week to see the development of her baby, giving her time to make a decision and the opportunity to bond with her baby.
Listen to Chasidy and Ann, Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (RDMS) at Morning Star, as they give an inside look on the education they provide during an ultrasound exam and the typical reactions from women considering abortion.
YOUR support is providing these vital ultrasounds—showing a woman it’s not just “tissue” and ultimately impacting a mother’s choice and a baby’s life. YOU are making sure these women are not alone and have the support they need—education they won’t get anywhere else. It costs $401.37 to support one mom. Will you help us be there for the moms facing unplanned pregnancies this New Year?
Your tax-deductible donations help provide Life-affirming services, including confidential, non-judgmental counseling to women who are considering abortion. By sitting down with a Morning Star counselor, these women talk through their situations, pinpoint all of the challenges they face and find solutions—so they feel it IS possible to have their babies.
With the help of a Morning Star counselor, “Jocelyn” chose Life and adoption for her child….
Jocelyn had children with a man who had been physically abusive to her throughout their relationship. She was unable to escape the situation due to financial issues, no alternative housing options and no friend or family support to watch her children. Jocelyn suddenly found herself facing another unplanned pregnancy with the same father and felt she couldn’t bring another child into the situation. Upon sitting down with a Morning Star counselor, Jocelyn was able to identify people that could babysit when she was working and utilize the community resources we provided to remove her, and her children, out of the abusive living situation. Although she felt she couldn’t support and care for another child on her own, Jocelyn did choose to carry her baby and give him up for adoption.
Help Morning Star support moms like Jocelyn to give them LIFE options—like adoption. Your gift will directly impact the lives of a mom and her baby.
We know the long-term effects abortion has on a woman. And because of this, it is very important to reach students in middle and high schools, before they have an unplanned pregnancy. Morning Star provides them with the education they need to make healthy choices for their minds and bodies.
Leslie Moyer, Morning Star’s Director of Educational Programs, shares how her Unfiltered-Truth curriculum is reaching and affecting students in our community….
“Kiara,” one of my students in high school, came up to me after class had ended. She told me she was glad I had talked about relationships and how to identify red flags that lead to toxic or abusive relationships. Kiara shared with me that she was in a bad relationship the previous year and wished she had my class back then, because she really needed that information. She said, “I’m really glad you were here. I don’t want anyone else to go through what I did. I didn’t know how to get out of it (the relationship) and really needed the break up skills you taught us today.”
Leslie’s student surveys show the top lessons students are most interested in are relationship red flags and break up skills. Effective communication skills and peer pressure are two other popular topics students want to learn more about. One student wrote in her evaluation of the class, “They (the topics) were important to me because in today’s world the picture of relationships have been distorted and blinded.” Another student wrote, “I will not let someone use me and I will not let my happiness depend on others.”
Presenting the Unfiltered-Truth Program not only helps students to avoid sexual relations to prevent unplanned pregnancies and STIs (sexually transmitted infections), but it also helps them to steer clear of the emotional problems involved in sexual relationships without long-term commitment.
Students in the classroom are also made aware of Morning Star’s no-cost services, so they know where to turn to for their sexual health—not Planned Parenthood.
Leslie shares an example of building these relationships in the classroom:
“A male client came to Morning Star for STI testing. I happened to be counseling in the clinic that day and asked how he heard about Morning Star. He pulled out his wallet and brought out the Love Test on a small card that I hand out to all of my students. On the back of the card are our services and information. He said he kept that card for several years in case he would ever need help. During his appointment we talked about the things he had learned in school, including healthy relationships, and how he can apply those skills to his current life situation.
Today, YOU can help reach students in our schools and equip them with the education they need to make healthy choices.
Today, YOU can help us to develop relationships with these students so they come to Morning Star for their sexual health.
Today, YOUR donation can impact a student’s life.
For five decades, Morning Star has been supporting moms and dads who are panicked, alone, and are facing one of the toughest situations of their lives. With YOUR partnership, Morning Star has empowered these moms and dads to choose Life—supporting generations of families in our community. Families like “Amara” and “Kevin”…
Amara was pregnant and didn’t think she could go through with an abortion, but Kevin was pressuring her to have one. They came to Morning Star to talk to a counselor about their different thoughts and feelings about the pregnancy and to get an ultrasound. During the ultrasound exam they were both very quiet. As our sonographer showed them their baby and pointed out the heartbeat, Amara reached out and grabbed Kevin’s hand. Kevin continued to stare at the screen but didn’t say very much. They both agreed to come back to Morning Star for another medical pregnancy services appointment.
One week later, Kevin and Amara walked into Morning Star and Amara was smiling. She told her counselor that after seeing their baby at their first appointment, she had told Kevin she would not terminate her pregnancy. Kevin had some time to process what he had learned at Morning Star and Amara’s feelings throughout the week. As Kevin looked at his baby during the second ultrasound, he became much more engaged, asked questions and said he couldn’t believe how much HIS baby had grown.
Ultimately, after their third appointment and ultrasound exam, Amara AND Kevin chose Life for their baby.
YOUR support to Morning Star is directly impacting lives. YOU are ensuring that couples like Amara and Kevin have the education, counseling and ultrasounds they need, so they can make an informed choice—one that empowers them to choose Life for their babies. You are also providing them with needed baby supplies and educational workshops and classes to provide a healthy legacy for their children.
It costs Morning Star $401.37 to provide these services to one mom. Help us close our 50th anniversary with the financial donations we need to impact more lives this Christmas season.
Morning Star counselors are a voice of comfort as they educate mothers on the importance of having an ultrasound. As a result of continued in-depth training, our counselors are equipped with the right conversation tools to assure women that Morning Star will provide the care, information and important medical services they need before they make an abortion decision. We only have one chance to educate a woman on the importance of gathering information before she makes a decision about her pregnancy.
Typically, our callers are panicked and upset. After speaking with our counselors, they understand their next logical step: scheduling an appointment to verify the pregnancy, confirm it is viable and find out how far along they are.
Sue, one of Morning Star’s counselors, started her day off with a phone call from a girl in tears. “Jenny” had just started a new job and found out she was pregnant. Her health insurance wouldn’t start for a few months and she didn’t think she could afford to have her baby unless she received support—both during and after her pregnancy.
Sue was able to calm Jenny and assure her that she had time; she didn’t have to make a decision immediately. Sue explained why it was important to schedule a medical pregnancy services appointment—including a no-cost ultrasound—at Morning Star. Sue also told Jenny she would be given information for other parenting support, including community referrals, Morning Star’s educational workshops and assistance with baby supplies. Jenny made an appointment that very day.
Over the last months, Morning Star’s client outreach has had a huge impact and has led to new opportunities for growth. With an increasing number of new moms coming to Morning Star, we are advancing our ultrasound program to ensure that every new mom has the support she needs to choose Life.
We know that ultrasounds change minds… and 4D ultrasound machines have an even bigger influence on the decision a mom and dad are making, especially when they are convinced their baby is “just tissue” or a “clump of cells.” Thanks to fundraising efforts by the Knights of Columbus, Morning Star now has three new 4D ultrasound machines at our Harrisburg and Middletown clinics. On a 4D ultrasound, moms and dads can see a live video of their baby moving: stretching, sucking their thumb and closing their eyes. This fourth dimension further shows parents the reality of life growing within.
When we moved to our new Harrisburg clinic in 2020, we were excited to have a second ultrasound exam room that would allow us to grow into the future. The future is NOW. As of October 1, we are thrilled to announce that we have hired a third sonographer and are now running two ultrasound machines during most operating hours. That means that Morning Star can now provide an additional 38 ultrasound appointments each week. We need your help to provide this Life-saving medical care to every new parent who walks through our doors. To ensure that new parents like “Shayla” and “Dwayne” have a chance to see their baby.
Shayla hadn’t been dating Dwayne very long when she came to Morning Star with an unplanned pregnancy. During her counseling appointment, Shayla said she was willing to keep all her options open, but she had to have Dwayne’s full support if she was going to continue with the pregnancy. With the uncertainty of their relationship on her mind, Shayla was encouraged to bring him to her next appointment.
Dwayne came to Morning Star, though he was very unsure whether he wanted to be a father. However, when he saw his baby on the monitor during Shayla’s ultrasound exam, Dwayne was shocked that “it was a baby.” Later, staring at the ultrasound picture in his hands, Dwayne told the counselor that seeing his baby and the heartbeat had a tremendous impact on him. He felt they had to have this baby and he would do whatever was needed to support Shayla. As Dwayne was leaving Morning Star he turned to the counselor and said, “Thank you for all the things you do here.”
Your support of our mission and ministry provided Shayla and Dwayne with the care they needed to choose Life for their baby. And we are counting on your support to continue to provide these Life-saving services to the increasing number of new clients coming through our doors.
By December 31, Morning Star must raise $146,500 to support the 365 new clients we expect to see by the end of this year. Morning Star’s marketing strategy for reaching women at risk for abortion in our community is working. Our continuous, in-depth training for counselors is equipping them with the right words to support and educate women considering abortion. Increasing our staff and ultrasound appointments ensures that we can see every woman who reaches out to us for help. In order to continue and expand this work, Morning Star’s annual budget needs to grow.
Your tax-deductible donation ultimately provides the support a mother needs to have her baby. One mom told our counselor Briana, “I love being his mom. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me.” Every baby is a gift from God and you are a part of this miracle.
May God bless you and your family this Christmas season.
Medical abortions (the abortion pill) accounted for over 16,349 abortions in Pennsylvania in 2020. The abortion industry wants women to believe that abortion is healthcare you can receive in the privacy of your own home. They have even gone so far as to actually mail abortion pills directly to women’s homes—without them ever having to see a doctor, ever having to have an ultrasound, ever having to ensure that there is danger of ectopic pregnancy.
Women desperate to find a solution to an unplanned pregnancy are in danger. Help us to reach, educate and support women like Laura—to save their hearts and the lives of their children. Donate Now
2,582 babies were lost to abortion in our community in 2020. In the current political environment, it is vital for Morning Star to reach women at risk for abortion, women like Libby, and provide them with Life-affirming services—empowering them to choose Life for their babies. Donate Now
Thanks to the Knights of Columbus, Morning Star received three new 4D ultrasound machines this fall. These machines provide a fourth dimension of time: a live video. Mothers and fathers are able to see their baby smile, wave and suck his thumb, and the 4D ultrasounds provide greater detail of the baby, so our medical team are able to detect malformations more easily.
It costs $401.37 to reach and support one mom. Can you help an “Amanda” and save her baby? Donate Now
How do you save a baby and the heart of a mom considering abortion? Provide her with an ultrasound. Donate Now
Through our new marketing outreach, Morning Star is reaching more women at risk for abortion. YOU can be there for moms like Maven who have nowhere else to turn. Donate Now
85% of mothers who have an abortion say they would have chosen Life if the father supported them in their pregnancy. Your gift will help a father find his voice and support the mother of his child. Donate Now
