| * |
Archived Events and News Previously Posted on the CMA Website
in, for or through AUGUST 2006
Meeting on Campus Ministry
at Chicago State and Northeastern
AUGUST 30 & 31
To: All members of CMA - clergy and lay
From: The Rev. James Pruyne, Executive Secretary. Illinois United Ministries
in Higher Education; (jwpruyne@juno.com)
Concerning: New campus ministries at Chicago State and Northeastern
Illinois University
The Illinois United Ministries in Higher Education is the agent for the
Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ for ministry in public
higher education in Illinois.
We are eager to begin new Ministries at Chicago State University and Northeastern
Illinois University.
To do this, we need some members of CMA, clergy and lay, who would be interested
in exploring this with us and perhaps forming a local board of directors for
each of the ministries.
This effort will entail the construction of new facilities on both of the named
campuses. We have developers with whom we are working who are already involved
in the construction of a new facility at The University of Illinois, Chicago,
and at the two campuses of Southern Illinois University.
We have committees, like what we need for these two additional Chicago sites,
already at work with Western Illinois University in Macomb and the University
of Illinois at Springfield.
We have scheduled the following two meetings in Chicago this week:
THOSE INTERESTED IN CHICAGO STATE ARE ASKED TO MEET AT 4:00 P.M. ON
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30 AT AGAPE HOUSE, OUR CAMPUS MINISTRY AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, CHICAGO. IT IS ON WEST POLK STREET.
THOSE INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT A MINISTRY AT NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS
UNIVERSITY ARE ASKED TO MEET IN THE CAFETERIA IN THE STUDENT UNION AT NORTHEASTERN
ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY AT 1:30 P.M. ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 31.
If you are interested, please make an effort to join us. We need clergy,
lay persons, faculty, and students to help with this process.
Immigration Sanctuary
We invite you to study and support immigration rights, and in particular, Elvira
Arellano and her son who have been granted sanctuary from deportation in the
Adelberto United Methodist Church, 2716 W. Division Street, in Chicago. We ask
your prayers and support for all such families being torn apart by immigration
laws and policies which treat families unjustly.
Download recent articles and comments
on Immigration Sanctuary here.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY, AUGUST 26 & 27: PILLAR OF LOVE THIRD ANNIVERSARY EVENT
You are cordially invited to attend the Third Anniversary Celebration of the
Pillar of Love Fellowship Church, 7438 West 62nd Place, Summit, IL;
Rev. Phyllis V. Pennese, M.Div., Founder & Pastor
Special Guest Speakers:
Saturday, August 26th 2006:
Bishop Wyatt I. Greenlee, Jr., Senior Pastor of Greater New Higher
Heights UCC in St Louis, MO
- 5 P.M. Fellowship Reception
- 6 P.M. Praise & Worship Service
Sunday, August 27th 2006:
Rev. Dr. Yvette A. Flunder, Presiding Bishop. City of Refuge UCC
in San Francisco, California
- 3 P.M. Praise & Worship Service
Fellowship Reception Immediately
Contact the Church at 708-496-9030 for additional information.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 26: FAITH & HEALTH CONFERENCE
Chicago’s Second Annual Faith & Health Conference:
New Life in the City: Spreading an Epidemic of Health through Faith,
will be held on Saturday, August 26, 2006, 8:00 am - 5 pm at the University of
Illinois at Chicago Student Center West at 828 South Wolcott St in Chicago.
This program will be an interfaith gathering of faith leaders, healthcare
providers, health ministers, health promoters, and everyone interested in
learning more about the connection between faith and health or carrying out
health promotion activities in their congregation or community.
Program Purpose:
To learn about the connections between faith and health
To learn ways to improve personal and community health through faith and action
To learn about various resources that faith based organizations can use to
promote health and wellness with a special focus on how to implement initiatives
To have the opportunity to network with people and organizations interested in
the connections between faith and health
Program Includes:
Interactive panel discussions and workshops with faith leaders and health experts,
resource fair exhibits and demonstrations, and numerous networking opportunities
addressing such topics as: Health Ministry Development, Senior Care, HIV/AIDS,
Emergency Preparedness, Obesity/Nutrition and Physical Activity, Maternal and
Child Health, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, and more.
Keynote Speakers:
Dr.Terry Mason, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health
and Host of WVON Radio’s Doctor in the House;
Dr. Gary Gunderson, Director of Interfaith Health Program at Emory
University’s Rollins School of Public Health & Vice President of Health &
Welfare at Tennessee’s Methodist Healthcare System
Sponsored by:
- REACH 2010/Lawndale Health Promotion Project;
- Chicago Southeast Diabetes Community Action Coalition;
- Advocate Health Care;
- Chicago Department of Public Health;
- American Cancer Society
- American Heart Association;
- Health Spring;
- University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC);
- UIC Neighborhood initiative;
- Sinai Community Institute
This event is free and open to the public.
Register by calling 1-800-3 ADVOCATE (1-800-323-8622), or visit:
www.cityofchicago.org/health
and click the conference icon on the right
SATURDAY, AUGUST 19: MIDWEST PAAM PICNIC
The UCC Pacific Islander and Asian American Ministries (PAAM) invites all youth
and young at heart to a picnic on Chicago's Lakefront on Saturday, August 19,
2006, from 9 am to 4 pm, in Lincoln Park at Montrose Avenue off the Outer Drive.
The picnic is sponsored by Cluster Three of the Midwest PAAM; for more information,
call Heman Ezra at 847-781-5246 or Marner Rivera at 773-685-6289.
Emergency Ecumenical Service for Immigration Sanctuary
Friday, August 18th - 7 pm
From: Gary Cozette, Director of the Chicago Religious Leadership Network
on Latin America (CRLN)
We just received this important notice from the Northern Illinois Conference
of the United Methodist Church and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and
Refugee Rights. We invite you to participate in this emergency ecumenical
service on Friday in support of immigration rights, and in particular, Elvira
Arellano and her son.
Dear Friends: You are receiving several emails from me this evening.
If you have been watching the news, you know they are important and concern
recent pressing events.
Friday, August 18th at 7 p.m. - there will be an ecumenical service
at Adelberto United Methodist Church, 2716 W. Division Street in Chicago, in
support of their decision to be a sanctuary to Elvira Arellano and her son and
for all those families being torn apart by immigration laws and policies which
treat families unjustly.
Bishop Minerva Carcano appeared on MSNBC and CNN yesterday discussing immigration
issues in response to Elvira Arellano's pending deportation and Adalberto's action
to be sanctuary.
We are asking for your presence at the ecumenical service at Adalberto UMC,
2716 W. Division Street, Chicago, August 18 at 7 p.m.
Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church
Download recent articles and comments here
on Immigration Sanctuary at Adalberto UMC in Chicago.
Chicago Film Premier: Inlaws and Outlaws
August 5 - 10
This announcement comes from the True Stories Project in Seattle, Washington:
UCC Pastors and church members are invited to the Chicago premiere of the
film Inlaws and Outlaws. This honest, moving and thoroughly
entertaining film is a breath of fresh air, combining the true stories of
straight and gay folks alike to get past the divisive rhetoric on marriage
equality and get to the heart of the matter - its all about love.
As the gay marriage debate rages on, this new film by Drew Emery skips past
the rhetoric to get to the heart of the matter: that it’s all about love.
Everybody has a story to tell about meeting their mate, deciding to commit
and struggling with the ups and downs of a long-term relationship. By weaving
together a series of refreshingly honest interviews, Inlaws & Outlaws
takes a humorous and wide-angled look at real relationships of all shapes and
sizes. Whether straight or gay, young or old, coupled or single, by the end
you’ll be rooting for them all . . . and falling in love with love.
We are aware that many of you either are, or are prayerfully considering
becoming, Open & Affirming (ONA). We offer to you this film as another tool
for expanding the dialogue around a more inclusive and loving society. Our
hope is that, once seeing the film, you’ll join our Hearts + Minds Campaign,
and make this film about love and hope your own. We’d love nothing more.
Come to one of the IndieFest screenings, meet the director, Drew Emery,
and learn how you can sponsor a screening in your church.
Where: IndieFest - Chicago’s Independent Film Festival
www.indiefestchicago.com
Held at Village Art Theatre, 1548 N Clark St, and at the Seneca Hotel,
200 E Chestnut in Chicago
Screening Schedule:
Saturday, August 5th, 2 pm - Village Art
Monday, August 7th, 7 pm - Seneca Hotel
Wednesday, August 9th, 12 pm - Village Art
Thursday, Aug 10th, 4 pm - Village Art
Tickets are $10 and are available through
www.ticketweb.com
For more about the film and how you can be involved, check out our website:
www.inlawsandoutlawsfilm.com
True Stories Project
4041 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle WA 98106
206-274-5858
jessie@inlawsandoutlawsfilm.com
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12: ILLINOIS CONFERENCE YOUTH INITIATIVE EVENT
Illinois Conference Youth Initiative will sponsor its next get together on
Saturday, August 12, from 2-7 pm, at Westchester Community Church, 1840
Westchester Blvd, Westchester, IL 60154.
This is a kind of fun-in-the-sun-get-to-know-you-better event.
There will be time to play outside games and go swimming at the community
pool across the parking lot. The afternoon will end with food.
The cost per person will be for the swimming pool and the food (probably pizza).
Each church group must bring one adult chaperone for every six youth under
the age of 18. The chaperone must be over the age of 25. This is required by
both Illinois Conference and United Church of Christ Safe Church Policy.
ALSO you must bring an emergency contact number for each attending.
For further information or to sign up, contact Rev. Paula Comper at:
Illconfav@aol.com.
AUGUST 1: CHICAGO HOTEL WORKERS' CAMPAIGN PRAYER BRUNCH
Chicago hotel workers’ contract expires August 31.
Come to the workers' campaign prayer brunch on August 1 to learn about the issues.
Join the Chicago Interfaith Committee on Worker Issues and other concerned
religious leaders to learn more about the 2006 Hotel Workers Rising campaign
so you can be prepared to stand with workers when the time comes.
The Brunch will be served on Tuesday, August 1st, 9:30 - 11:00 AM at
St. Leonard’s Ministries Michael Barlow Center, 2100 W. Warren Blvd,
Chicago 60612 (just west of the United Center).
RSVP by July 27 to Sister Barbara Pfarr at 773-728-8400 ext. 19 or at:
bpfarr@iwj.org.
Isaiah says that in God’s economy, No longer will God’s people build houses and
others live in them, or plant and others eat (65:22). Hotel workers - largely
immigrants and workers of color - work day and night to provide comfort for the
stranger. Yet instead of sharing in the prosperity created by their labor, they
are left without the wages and benefits necessary to provide comfort and sustenance
in their own homes.
Four years ago, Chicago hotel workers won decent wages and real health care through
a powerful campaign with their union, UNITE HERE. The support of Chicago’s religious
community and the work of the Chicago Interfaith Committee on Worker Issues were
important in making that happen. This year, UNITE HERE is seeking to maintain and
improve conditions for union hotel workers and extend those benefits to thousands
of non-union hotel workers.
This announcement comes from:
Chicago Interfaith Committee on Worker Issues
1020 W. Bryn Mawr Av - 4th floor, Chicago, IL 60660-4627
Phone: 773-728-8400
Fax: 773-728-8409
www.chicagointerfaith.org
Download a copy of the event flyer here.
Is there room in the inn for worker justice?
From Rev. Mike Denton:
Please come to the brunch on August 1st for clergy and religious leaders that
will discuss ways to support hotel workers in the Greater Chicago area.
As those of you who attended the Illinois Conference meeting were made aware
by the Illinois Conference's Justice and Witness Team, hotel workers throughout
the country are going through a difficult time.
Just before 9/11, hotel workers had a negotiated a contract with several hotels
that named the number of rooms workers were supposed to clean, the amount of
money they would be paid to do this work, benefits, as well as other expectations
of both the employees and the employer.
After the attacks on 9/11, the hotel industry went through a serious slump. Some
hotels had to lay off workers. In order to bring customers back, hotel chains
increased the number of amenities that guests receive. Different chains did
different things but some of the things you may have noticed are more pillows
on the beds, as well as thicker comforters and sheets. In many hotels, they
added thicker, plusher mattresses. You may have noticed that it's relatively
normal for most rooms to have tea and coffee service, more and thicker towels
and other amenities that vary from chain to chain or hotel to hotel. The hotel
industry has rebounded and it's profits are now higher than pre-9/11 levels.
Although this may have had some benefits for guests, these amenities are causing
physical harm to the workers. All of these things add collective weight (some of
the mattresses are as much as 40 pounds heavier than previous mattresses and
they have to lift several to make the beds). The added amenities mean that there
is simply more to do.
However, the workers are expected to clean the same number
of rooms in a shift as they did before the added amenities.
Those who clean our hotel rooms are experiencing an injury rate that, by some
numbers, is as much as 25% higher than anyone else in the service industry.
In addition to that, there are other compensation and benefits issues to be
addressed. Many of these issues are going to be considered as workers negotiate
their new contract at the end of August.
I'd encourage you to learn more about these issues and suggest two ways of doing
so. First of all, the unionized hotel worker's website goes in to a lot more
depth around these questions at:
www.hotelworkersrising.org.
Secondly, for local clergy and religious leaders there is a brunch on August
1st (see flyer above) that will go in to more details about ways we may be able
to support hotel workers in the Greater Chicago area as they go through this
difficult time.
We serve a Christ who's family was told that the inn held no room for them.
As we continue to serve this same Christ, shouldn't we make sure that there's
room in the inn for worker justice?
Rev. Michael Denton
Association Co-Minister of
The Chicago Metropolitan Association of
The Illinois Conference of
The United Church of Christ
|
* |
