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Archived Events and News Previously Posted on the CMA Website
in, for or through NOVEMBER 2005
Services for Ruth Trost
Mrs. Ruth Trost, wife of the late Rev. Walter Trost, died Wednesday,
November 30, 2005 of cancer. The Trosts served Bethlehem UCC in Chicago
from 1969-1989 and later moved to Bensenville. Services were held
on December 3, 2005 at Peace UCC,
(Posted 10/27/05 through 11/30/05)
Open Letter to Mayor Daley Asks Support For
Chicago's Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
Add Your Name to the Letter
From: Protestants for the Common Good
Chicago faces a historic opportunity. As a religious leader in Chicago,
your support is needed now...will you help?
Protestants for the Common Good will be sending an open letter to Mayor
Richard M. Daley to ask for his support of Chicago's Inclusionary Housing
Set-Aside ordinance. This ordinance is expected to be heard by the City
Council this fall. The Mayor's support is critical for its passage.
This ordinance would provide for a significant increase in both rental
and owner-occupied affordable housing throughout the city of Chicago.
The current proposal before the Chicago City Council would set aside
15% of all new units created as "affordable". To read a fact sheet on
the proposal
Click Here.
You can lend your voice by adding your name to this letter. You may read
and sign the letter on the PFCG website by
Clicking Here.
You may also send an email to:
tandrews@thecommongood.org
asking to be added to the letter. Please include your name, your title,
and your church affiliation.
We also need your help in passing the word along to other clergy in the City
of Chicago who support affordable housing. Please forward this request to
all clergy or religious leaders in the city who you think might be willing
to sign on in support of the ordinance.
With you, we can make a difference! If you have any questions, please feel
free to call me at 312-223-9544, x223. Thank you for your consideration.
Blessings,
Rev. Jennifer Kottler, Deputy Director
Protestants for the Common Good
77 W Washington St # 1124, Chicago, IL 60602
312-223-9544 x 223
jennifer@thecommongood.org
www.thecommongood.org
(Posted 11/15/05 through 11/30/05)
Interfaith Leaders Respond to Rep. Mark Kirk
This message comes from
Michael McConnell, Regional Director
American Friends Service Committee
Following is the statement that the Council of Islamic Organizations of
Greater Chicago is asking for interfaith leaders to sign in response to Rep.
Mark Kirk's recent remarks:
We are deeply disturbed by Congressman Mark Kirk's comments made on November
5, 2005 at a Northwestern University symposium where he defended racial
profiling. He said, "I'm OK with discrimination against young Arab males
from terrorist-producing states."
It is morally reprehensible that a whole people are singled out for
profiling based on their race, religion or ethnic origin. Racial profiling
violates constitutional guarantees of equal protection, due process, and
freedom of religion. These guarantees are not a privilege
reserved for U.S. citizens, but internationally recognized human rights that
apply to all people, regardless of their legal status.
Racial profiling has failed in fighting crimes domestically and has
alienated the very communities that can help in this nation's struggle
against criminality. Real security for the United States will depend upon
international cooperation among states and peoples.
We note that this is the first time in recent memory that an elected
representative in the greater Chicago area has openly called for racial and
religious profiling.
We, as leaders of Chicago's interfaith community, call upon Congressman Kirk
to retract his statement in favor of racial profiling. This is the best
course of action for any responsible congressman who understands that
creating mistrust and division can never serve the greater good, be it
locally or globally.
Interfaith leaders willing to sign the above statement should contact Malik
Mujahid at Malik@soundvision.com.
Forwarded to CMA by:
Michael McConnell
Regional Director
Great Lakes Region - Chicago Office
American Friends Service Committee
637 S. Dearborn, 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: 312-427-2533
Fax: 312-427-4171
Email: afscchicago@igc.org
www.afsc.org
Hurricane Katrina Photo: Mike Dubose, UMNS
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Thanksgiving 2005
Sisters and brothers, at this time of national thanksgiving, we are aware
that natural tragedies have been particularly intense, and have devastated
the lives of thousands of our friends and neighbors.
We have all been touched in some way by these tragedies. Our churches grieve
for lost loved ones, relatives, homes and possessions. We come into God’s
presence with a mixture of lament and thanksgiving. We need to be thankful for
blessings that we have received, and at the same time, we yearn to find ways
to covenant with those in need and pain.
Let us enter into a time of prayer to lift up all that we feel in our hearts,
both our joys and sorrows, on this Thanksgiving holiday.
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20: JANET LEIGHNINGER ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCIL
Cluster One hosts an Ecclesiastical Council for Janet Leighninger on Sunday,
November 20, 2005 at 4p at the Congregational United Church of Christ, 1001
West Kirchoff Road in Arlington Heights (847-392-6650). Download Janet's
Ordination Paper Here.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20: BENNIE WHITEN AT PARK MANOR
The Congregational Church of Park Manor United Church of Christ, 7000 S.
King Drive, Chicago, IL 60637 (773-224-4700) will celebrate Mission Sunday
on November 20, 2005 in their regular service at 10:30 am with
guest preacher Rev. Bennie E. Whiten, Jr., retired minister and president
of the Massachusetts Conference of the UCC, and currently Acting President
and CEO of the UCC Insurance Board. All are welcome at this service.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20: CARIBBEAN NIGHT AT FIRST CONGREGATIONAL IN ELMHURST
First Congregational UCC in Elmhurst cordially invites you to our
Caribbean Night on Sunday, November 20, 2005. Dinner will be at 5 pm and
at 6pm we will have a performance By Afri Caribe music and dance ensemble
(check out their website at
www.Africaribe.net)
Come on out and help our Youth Group raise funds for our Spring Break
Mission Trip to the Island of Puerto Rico. Spend an evening enjoying
delicious Puerto Rican Food, music and dance. Donation: $10.00; children
under 5 years old free. We are located one block east of York Road and
two blocks north of St. Charles Road on the SE corner.
To make reservations please call:
First Congregational United Church of Christ
235 S. Kenilworth Ave, Elmhurst, IL 60126
630-832-2580
or send an email to:
marta.elmhurstucc@sbcglobal.net
Support Lincoln Park Community Shelter:
St. Pauls UCC in Chicago, The Lincoln Park Community Shelter and Lincoln
Park Presbyterian are being sued by some of their neighbors to close down
the shelter program they have maintained for over 20 years.
There will be a hearing at the Chicago Zoning Board of Appeals on
Friday, November 18, and Shelter supporters are urged to attend.
Read more here.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18 - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20: SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS VIGIL
Join the UCC at School of the Americas
For more than 10 years, a vigil has been held in November at Fort Benning,
Georgia, at the gates of the U.S. military's Latin American soldier training
center, the former School of the Americas (SOA). The vigil marks the
anniversary of the November 16, 1989 massacre of six Jesuit priests, their
housekeeper and her daughter in El Salvador at the hands of SOA graduates.
Many in the religious community and in the U.S. Congress have demanded that
the SOA be closed, and each year United Church of Christ members have been
key participants in this event.
This year, the vigil will be held Nov. 18-20. UCC members and friends are
encouraged to attend the UCC dinner and gathering on Saturday, Nov. 19, from
6:30-9 pm at the Four Points Sheraton in Columbus, GA. For more information
on housing and travel, contact the SOA Watch site at:
www.soaw.org.
If you are a UCC member and planning to attend, please contact Sandy
Sorensen at sorenses@ucc.org
or call her at the Justice & Witness Ministries DC Office (202) 543-1517,
so that we can make appropriate plans and keep you updated about the
UCC presence at the vigil. Many UCC participants will stay at the
Four Points Sheraton, located near the Columbus, GA, airport. For
reservations, call the hotel at (706) 327-6868.
For more information, visit:
UCC Take Action.
Illinois Conference Clergy and Educators Day Away - November 17
The speaker and focus have changed from that originally announced.
Dr. Serene Jones had to withdraw as speaker for health reasons, so the
planning committee has been hard at work to offer a meaningful alternative.
Following the General Synod's resolution regarding equal marriage rights
for same gender couples, we decided to bring in a top Biblical scholar
and dynamic presenter, Dr. Randall Bailey, Professor of Hebrew Testament
at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia. His
presentation was very well received by UCC African American pastors meeting
recently in Chicago on this topic. We are grateful for his willingness
and ability to come on short notice.
We believe that there is a need to address this issue biblically and
theologically as well as address any anxiety and concern we pastors may
be experiencing within our congregations and ourselves. Dr. Bailey will
give us an opportunity to deepen our understanding, to dialogue and to
grow our faith as we respond to God's still speaking voice.
We will meet at Jennifer's Garden (Interstate 80 west of Interstate 55
at the Morris Exit off I-80, north side of highway) on Thursday, November
17, gathering at 9:30 am (program begins at 10am and will conclude by 3pm).
Cost is $20, including lunch. Contact the Conference at 708-344-4470 or
by email at uccillconf@aol.com
if you wish to attend. You must pre-register to be included in the lunch.
Hopefully this will be a day that will feed our minds and our spirits.
NCCJ Interfaith Thanksgiving Observance
"Vision of One...Reflection of Many"
19th Annual National Conference for Community and Justice Interfaith
Thanksgiving Observance will be held Wednesday, November 16, 2005,
from 12:00 - 12:50 p.m. at Chicago Temple/First United Methodist Church,
77 W. Washington St, Chicago
Prayers, readings and music will be offered by the religious communities
of Chicago. Informal reception immediately follows the observance. For
more information, please contact the NCCJ at 312-236-9272.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13: LYNN ROSIEJKA ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCIL
Cluster Four hosts an Ecclesiastical Council for Lynn Rosiejka on Sunday,
November 13, 2005 at 3p at St. Peters UCC, 125 West Church Street in Elmhurst
(630-530-6000). Download Lynn's
Ordination Paper Here.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13: HYCEL TAYLOR AT PARK MANOR
The Congregational Church of Park Manor United Church of Christ, 7000 S.
King Drive, Chicago, IL 60637 (773-224-4700) will celebrate Trustee Day
this Sunday, November 13, 2005 in their regular service at 10:30 am with
guest preacher Rev. Dr. Hycel B. Taylor. The church's pastor is Rev.
Luther Holland, Jr. All are welcome at this service.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12: UCC PROFILE WORKSHOP
Chicago Metropolitan Association Co-Ministers Michael Denton and Edward
Goode will be leading a workshop on How To Compose A Good Clergy
Profile on Saturday, November 12 at the Chicago Theological
Seminary (Room 133) beginning at 9:00 am and concluding by 12 noon.
Because calling bodies usually start their selection process by reading a
clergy profile, it's strategically important to present in the profile such
a compelling self-portrait that the search committee just has to have a
face-to-face meeting.
This Profile Workshop will be helpful to students in their last year of
seminary education.
CTS, 5757 S. University Avenue, Chicago, is a seminary of the United Church
of Christ.
If you would like to attend this workshop, please call us at 312-939-5918
or send us an email so we have some idea
of the attendance expected.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12: DEVELOPING A PARISH NURSE MINISTRY IN YOUR CONGREGATION
This workshop will provide an in-depth approach to developing a parish nurse ministry
within the congregational setting.
The program will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2005, 8 am to 4 pm at
Advocate Bethany Hospital (Briar Room), 3435 West Van Buren St, Chicago, IL
Registration fee is $25 per person. Includes continental breakfast, lunch and materials.
To register, please contact:
Denise Dowling
ACHP Office Coordinator
(847) 384-3744
denise.dowling@advocatehealth.com
A SOBERING VETERAN'S DAY
November 11, 2005
Witness For Justice #241
By Bernice Powell Jackson
Last week a young man whom I met in a church in Florida several years ago came to mind. He had his own small business (I can't remember if it was a lawn care or computer service business) and he had joined the reserves to earn extra cash to support his family as his business grew. He had just been called up for active duty when I talked with him. He was prepared to fulfill his obligations. But he knew that his fledgling business could not survive his long period of absence and his family would be forced to survive on his military earnings and those of his wife.
That soldier's story has been replicated thousands of times in thousands of communities across the nation over the past three years. When the nation passed the milestone of 2,000 American soldiers killed in Iraq, it was a sobering reminder of the ultimate sacrifices made by young men and women at the behest of their commander-in-chief and for us all. That number is small compared to the losses of Viet Nam, Korea or either of the World Wars. Yet, it is huge to each and every family and each and every community from which these service men and women come.
In this war, reservists and National Guard members who have been called into active duty are paying a high price, with a quarter of the deaths coming from these two categories. Many of them were well-known and valued in their communities, including police officers and fire fighters, teachers and farmers. Many of these soldiers and reservists are now on their second tour of duty in Iraq. The New York Times recently ran an article telling the story of a young father who returned home for the birth of his child only to return to Iraq for his third tour of duty where he was killed. At least one estimate predicted that all troops will have completed three tours of duty by next spring. Will we then require them to return to Iraq for a fourth tour of duty? If not, where will we get more troops? What happens to those National Guard and reservists who have been kept in active duty under the stop loss provision even though they have fulfilled their contracts and more? What happens to those businesses, those farms, those communities which have done without those called up to active duty for three years now? With no indication of when American troops might be coming home, we must assume that many more soldiers will die during the months ahead of us.
This Veterans Day will be a sobering one, not only for the families that have lost loved ones, but also for those 15,000 families of soldiers injured in the war. Soldiers struggling with lost limbs, with burns, those who have been blinded or left paralyzed by the war. Then there are those struggling with mental illness caused by the trauma of war. Some of them will need months of help to overcome these physical and mental impairments; some will never be the same.
Americans continue to support our troops in many ways. But more and more Americans are coming to the conclusion that we are paying too high a price for a war for which the American people have been given no truthful, legitimate reason. More and more Americans are disturbed about unbid or unsupervised contracts going to politically connected corporations for work in the re-building of Iraq. More and more Americans are disturbed that there is no exit strategy even being discussed, let alone shared. More and more Americans are coming to the conclusion that the war in Iraq has only nurtured a new breed of terrorists who are killing Iraqi civilians and American soldiers every day.
We owe it to our troops to support them and their families. We owe it to our nation to ask difficult questions about this war and to demand truthful answers. This is a sobering Veterans Day for us all.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6: JEANNE SANTUCCI ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCIL
Cluster One hosts an Ecclesiastical Council for Jeanne Santucci on Sunday,
November 6, 2005 at 4p at St. Paul UCC, 144 East Palatine Road in Palatine
(847-358-0399). Download Jeanne's
Ordination Paper Here.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6: ELMHURST CONGREGATIONS WORSHIP TOGETHER
Four Elmhurst church congregations and Elmhurst College, all affiliated
with The United Church of Christ, will unite for a special worship service
on Sunday, November 6, 2005, at 10:00 a.m. at Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel
on the Elmhurst College Campus.
Rev. Michael Denton, Association Co-Minister of the Chicago Metropolitan
Association of the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ,
will preach. Other clergy participating in the worship service are Rev.
Larry Leonard and Rev. Elaine Eachus from St. Peter's United Church of
Christ, Rev. David McCurdy from Church of the New Covenant, Rev. William
Nagy from First Congregational United Church of Christ, and Rev. Stephen
Schuette and Rev. Sally Scheib from Bethel United Church of Christ.
Special music will include combined adult and children's choirs as well
as a contemporary instrumental music group.
All who are interested are invited to attend this special service.
Activities for school-age children and child care for toddlers and
pre-school children will be available. A special offering will be
collected for Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi, a United Church
of Christ agency which suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Katrina.
Those attending the service can enter the campus at Alexander Boulevard
and Myrtle Avenue; parking is available near the Chapel. For directions
and maps, visit the
Elmhurst College Website.
For more information, please contact Rev. Stephen Schuette at Bethel
United Church of Christ in Elmhurst at 630-279-4040 or by email at:
steve@bethel-ucc.org
FRIDAY & SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4 & 5: ILLINOIS CONFERENCE OF CHURCHES 75th ANNIVERSARY ASSEMBLY
The Illinois Conference of Churches will hold a 75th Anniversary Ecumenical Assembly
on November 4 & 5, 2005 in Springfield, IL. The Rev. Dr. Robert W. Edgar, General Secretary
of the National Council of Churches, will be the keynote speaker.
Registration is $60 or less depending on the portions attended. Registration deadline
is October 25. Contact ICC at 217-522-7099 or visit
www.ilconfchurches.org
to download a flyer and registration form.
FRIDAY & SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4 & 5: DEVELOPING A HEALTH MINISTRY IN YOUR CONGREGATION
Advocate Health Care's Congregational Health Partnerships program offers the Agents
of Healing training as a place for congregations to explore how they can reclaim
healing as a vital part of congregational life.
The training is 12 hours scheduled as follows.
Friday, November 4, 2005; 7-9 pm
Saturday, November 5, 2005; 9 am - 4 pm
Three hour follow-up session on a date determined by class.
All sessions will be held at Advocate Bethany Hospital (Briar Room)
3435 W Van Buren Av, Chicago, IL 60624.
We recommend that each congregation send a team of 3-6 people to the training, but
individuals are welcome to attend. Participants may include representatives from
the church council or relevant committees, health practitioners, people interested
in health and healing, religious education directors, lay visitors, youth leaders,
and pastors/rabbis/priests.
Cost for the training is $20.00 per person, payable at the first session.
Fee includes continental breakfast, lunch and workshop materials.
Checks should be made payable to Advocate Health Care.
To register, please contact:
Denise Dowling
ACHP Office Coordinator
(847) 384-3744
denise.dowling@advocatehealth.com
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