Our Common MinistryFe b r u a r y 2 0 1 6Vo l u m e 3 3 , I s s u e 1

A Newsletter Celebrating the Ministries, Community, and People in the Presbytery of Chicago

Contents

Antiracism Training: Intentional Community

Buildingp. 1

The Gift of Exilep. 2

Keepers of Collective Memory AND Way Makers

for the New!p. 3

Change Keeps on Happening

p. 4 - 5

The World Cafe is Coming!p 5

This New Thing: A look at vision,

mission, and processp. 6 - 7

Ministry Transitionsp. 7

POC Awarded a Smart Energy Mini-Grant

p. 8

As a part of our commitment to intentional community building, the Presbytery of Chicago partnered with Chicago ROAR (Regional Organizing for Antiracism), a regional program of Crossroads Antiracism & Training, to hold the Introduction to Systemic Racism Workshop on Saturday, January 16, 2016. The passion, knowledge, and skill of the Chicago ROAR trainers, Joy Bailey and Derrick Dawson, were evident.

“Thank you for organizing the antiracism workshop. It was a perfect beginning. I am glad that more trainings will be offered, as I hope to send more folks from my congregation to the next conversation – my children and youth staff in particular.”

- Rev. Katie Lancaster

We are grateful for the excellent and gracious hosting given by Pastor Beth Freese Dammers and people of Community PC,

“Community as a discipline is the effort to create a free and empty space among people where together we can practice true obedience. . .To create space for God among us requires the constant recognition of the Sprit of God in each other.”

Henri Nouwen, Making All Things New

Antiracism Training: Intentional Community BuildingSubmitted by Rev. Dr. Barbara Wilson, Presbytery Community Organizer

Continued on p. 3

A community group discusses how they might address systemic racism in their context.

2

Our Common Ministry

Beloved,

Every 500 years or so, civilization goes through a massive shift. Like tectonic plates moving beneath the earth’s surface, civilization encounters seismic shifts in our understanding not only of our world, but also of our persons. For many, the result is a state of exile experienced:

- Physically through a deep sense of displacement from a known way of being;- Emotionally as increased demands upon time and person result in exhaustion and depletion;- Mentally as creativity is lost under the burden of attempting to maintain unsustainable structures; and,- Spiritually as core identity is challenged by the seduction of an easy fix and a quick way out.

Exile involves both pain and loss. It calls us to a place of letting go of one way of being that we might live forward into a future that is discontinuous with our past. Given this, we can understand the resistance of acknowledging (let alone entering into) exile.

Yet exile can also be a gift. It can provide a liminal space in which to forge new ways of being that becomes a means of transformation and renewal. The prophet Isaiah’s invitation to us is to "not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18-19.

This not an ethereal invitation, but a concrete promise of God given in the context of exile. The good news is that God is promising a new thing… a way in the wilderness. The prophetic challenge is to cross over into a new way of being. Crossing over into God’s new will not come apart from challenge: of our structures, of our processes, of our very understanding of community.

That we might intentionally live God’s invitation, Presbytery Coordinating Council, along with the VERGE, Congregational Vitality and Mission Collaboration are inviting us to participate in a presbytery-wide World Café process. Follow the link to learn more about World Café: http://www.theworldcafe.com/key-concepts-resources/. More importantly, be on the lookout for testimony and an invitation to join the fellow pilgrims in shaping our future as we heed God’s call. God is doing a new thing in the Presbytery of Chicago! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

With love in Christ,

Deborah Rundlett

The Gift of Exile

3

February 2016

Dear Friends and colleagues,

As I write this, many of you are preparing for the 2016 meeting of APCE (Association of Presbyterian Christian Educators) here in Chicago. The meeting’s theme is “God’s New Thing” and the direction comes from Isaiah 43: 19---

“I am about to do a new thing.”

God winks at us here in the Presbytery of Chicago, because the moderator’s theme, directly echoing the theme chosen by the Verge (formerly the presbytery’s Reorganization and Implementation Task Force,) is only slightly, but intentionally, expanded. Isaiah 43: 18-19 reminds us:

“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth,

do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

To be sure, we have keepers of the collective memory who will remember the former things, and we will bless those memories and be informed by them as we continue to follow God into a new future.

I’m thrilled that our preachers at presbytery assemblies will provide us with insight about this passage.

I’m delighted that the Worship, Music and Arts Team has chosen a new (to many) hymn by John Bell called “The Mind of God”.

I’m prayerful that 2016 will be a remarkable year as we listen deeply to one another and God’s Spirit as we make our way and watch for what is springing forth.

Joy to you,

Jennifer Burns Lewis

Keepers of Collective Memory AND Way Makers of the NEW! Clarendon Hills. To the one

hundred persons in attendance, including presbytery staff and community partners, we say “Thank YOU!” We note that all eight geographic regions of the presbytery were represented.

“To be perfectly honest, this training made me -- as a white male-- uncomfortable at times, but that is as it should be. I learned that in order for any congregation or group to become truly diverse (multi-cultural and inclusive), we need to examine the role that being a part of the dominant culture advantages and at the same time excludes, limits, and disadvantages the rest of society. I recommend every church that wants to call itself an inclusive and welcoming congregation attend this workshop. I am very grateful that as we re-envision and restructure the Presbytery of Chicago, we are starting by honestly addressing structural racism.”

- Stuart Jamieson

Continued from p. 1

Continued on p. 8

4

Our Common Ministry

Spirit of Love Community Ministry officially begins the journey of “nesting” with Good Shepard Presbyterian Church on February 1, 2016, beginning as we did in the coffee shop; with a Bible study, followed by worship beginning on Sunday, February 7.

As we look to transition into this new space, ordained for our community, we bring with us families of many and of one, youth and elderly, parents and children. We have been able to reach the un-churched, and the de-churched, and we will continue to reach more. We are bringing hungry individuals who want to know the Lord, want to be apart of a family and community based ministry in which they can grow spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.

Our hopes and dreams lie in understanding that we are just passengers on a bus, that Jesus Christ is driving, and that we must be obedient in listening, trusting, and following the Holy Spirit. We understand that, even with our

The Spirit of Love Community Ministry began in August of 2014 with a community Bible study at Café Meson. Within a month, the owner asked if we were looking for a space to worship, which we were. November 1 marked the first worship service and by the end of January 2016, we will have been worshipping at Café Meson a total of 15 months. Our community has grown from six adults and four youth to sixteen adults and eleven youth and children in that time.

From the beginning, the vision for Spirit of Love has included a physical space for us to grow, not only in numbers, but spiritually, as well. To be effective in our ministry, we knew we would need a space where we could be physically available to the community. We dreamed of a space with good parking, that was handicap accessible, with a kitchen, a fellowship hall, and a sanctuary. Though, we knew a store front in the neighborhood was a much more realistic goal. Either way, the Holy Spirit was not yet moving, at least as far as we could see. We had to be patient. We had to wait. To us, this meant being open to receive the blessing of a worship space, being obedient to our God, praying, and being patient for the Holy Spirit to

lead us to the next step.

The call came in early November of 2015. Jan Edmiston, the Associate Executive Presbyter for Ministry, called both myself and Pastor Kent Organ of Good Shepard Presbyterian Church, inviting us into a conversation about how we might help one another in our ministries. Being neighbors, the thought occurred that we might be able to partner together to strengthen and grow our individual communities in a way we could not do alone.

Leadership from both Good Shepard and Spirit of Love gathered together, beginning a relationship only to find that there was a lot of similarity in both style and theology. These two seemingly disparate communities, found that not only do we complement each other well, there is a desire to learn from the other. We see so much potential in this relationship. The leaders from each community met and drew up a covenant that each session has agreed upon.

Change Keeps on Happening Submitted by Pastor Julio Pena, Spirit of Love Community

5

February 2016

dreams, Jesus might have other plans, and we are okay with that. We don’t know what our ministry will look like as we nest with Good Shepard, or how our community will be shaped. We don’t know what challenges we will face together as we travel this path of change. We know our basis is to have bible study, fellowship, and worship in which we can share the message of peace, hope, love, grace, and mercy that comes from Jesus Christ through us as we are being a light to the individuals that come into the presence of God and us.

We know the change that is happening now, could not have been done with out the guidance of the Holy Spirit; and to the individuals who have been lead by the Holy Spirit in accompanying our change, we say THANK YOU.

The Spirit of Love Community Ministry will continue to follow a text that comes from Micah 6:8, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

To God be the Glory. ☐

Over the last several years there has been an increasing hunger across presbytery to connect with one another and our communities that we might love, listen, and learn. The recommendation from the Vision and Praxis Task Force back in 2013 included an in depth exploration of the community organizing model and a call to nurture a new culture of relationship. The first recommendation has resulted in the call of the Rev. Dr. Barbara Wilson to serve as our community organizer. Already her work among us is being felt in profound and powerful ways. That we might continue to build on the second recommendation, the three transition teams—the VERGE, Congregational Vitality, and Mission Collaboration—are inviting the Presbytery of Chicago to participate in a series of World Cafés to be held across our three counties.

For those not familiar with the World Café is a process for leading collaborative dialogue and knowledge-sharing that nurtures for listening around the edges. There are no leaders, only hosts. World Café is built around the assumption that people already have “the answer” within them, along with the wisdom and creativity to confront the most difficult challenges that confront us. The cafés are designed around seven design principles:

- Set the context- Create hospitable space- Explore questions that matter- Encourage everyone’s contribution- Connect diverse perspectives- Listen together for patterns and insights- Share collective discoveries

These principles are born out of the belief that we are wiser together than alone!

What do you need to bring to the conversation?

- An open heart, open mind, open will- Your passion and love for Christ’s church- Mindfulness, compassion, hope, and a willingness to play- A desire to envision what Christ desires as we move into a future that is discontinuous with our past.

The World Café is Coming to a Community Near You!

6

Our Common Ministry

Early in 2014, Rev. Alex Lang approached his congregation with a vision. An entirely new way of thinking and being for the community of First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights. The process would take a few years to walk through, and everyone would need to invest. Resting on three pillars (Relational Ministries, Caring Ministries, and Missional Ministries), the vision would lead to the new communal mission of the church.

The Relational Ministries pillar is being led by Associate Pastor Rev. Tai Zimmerman and encompasses the community aspects of the congregation. Some of the small groups that have been around forever are continuing to meet, but, they have also expanded into fantasy football, crafting groups, and a group who brews beer together. The shift comes from recognizing that different generations have different needs, different ways of being and of connecting spiritually.

First Arlington’s Caring Ministries are straightforward

and simultaneously complex and challenging. On the one hand, care includes times of crisis, such as funerals or sudden illness in

a family. On the other hand, it is working to address the care needs of the congregation in the everyday times. Associate Pastor Rev. Judy Hockenberry is working with the Deacons and the Stephen Ministry of the congregation to address these needs.

The final pillar of vision is the locally focused Missional Ministries component being led by Pastor Rev. Alex Lang. This final component consists of a process Lang developed during his previous call in Pennsylvania. To begin, the community had a brainstorming session to discern where they felt called as a congregation to contribute to their local community. Local being the operative word.

“Many times, mission is seen as a way to help those struggling with poverty out there in the developing world, away from home. In reality, all we have to do is open our front doors to encounter poverty in our own community,” Lang explained.

Six main categories emerged from the brainstorm conversation: Children/Youth, Education, Housing, Services, Employment, and Environment. Now the search was on.

Potential mission partners would have to meet 4 requirements.

1. Can we as a Christian church support their mission?2. How well does their organization implement their mission?3. Are they excited to work with us?4. Can they support a volunteer base of up to 800 people? (No joke, every member is expected to contribute a minimum of 1 hour per month)

The organizations who met the criteria were invited to come to the church and give missional presentations. Nearly two years later, after multiple congregational meetings and surveys, the time had come for session to vote.

The congregation decided to partner with Faith Community Homes by sponsoring three new families and by bolstering the support services offered. Faith Community Homes works with families on the cusp of losing their homes find affordable housing and develop long term

This New Thing: A look at vision, mission, and process

“Churches that exist for themselves, to serve their own needs, are not going to survive.”

-Rev. Alex Lang

Written through conversation with Rev. Alex Lang

7

February 2016

strategies to avoid similar situations in the future. The congregation is also planning to host a weekly family night at the church for all the families from Faith Community Homes and all of the members and community from First Presbyterian Arlington Heights.

While invigorated by this new mission, the session was not totally satisfied. A call to global mission was very strong in the congregation. Through 26 years of mission trips to the Dominican Republic, they had seen firsthand the poverty known around the world. But how does one do international mission locally?

The decision was made to also partner with RefugeeOne, the largest refugee resettlement organization in the Chicagoland area, if that ever important local component could be met. Contingent on the feasibility of a refugee community being set up within 20 minutes of the church. In this way, the congregation can make a positive local contribution to crisis happening around the world.

Through an ECO fund during their stewardship campaign, the congregation successfully secured commitments of $80,000. This amount will cover the cost of sponsoring three new families with Faith Community Homes, three families with Refugee One, a computer lab for tutoring and job training, and the family night.

The congregation is just beginning to walk the path they have been dreaming about during the visioning work of the past two years. This summer, the church will begin hosting the family nights, working out the kinks as they go, so they can fully launch the family night component in September 2016. ☐

OrdinationsT.C. Anderson – Ordination scheduled for Feb. 20, Associate Pastor of First Presbyterian, Arlington Heights

RetirementsCliff Lyda from Elmhurst Presbyterian Church, effective May 31, 2016 Steve Pierce from Southminster Presbyterian Church, Arlington Heights, effective Feb. 29, 2016

Transitions within the PresbyteryNoris Caban – from Pastor of The Community Church of Broadview to Chaplain, LaGrange HospitalNanette Sawyer – from Temporary Supply of St. James and Founding Pastor of Grace Commons to Temporary Supply Associate Pastor, Fourth ChicagoIvan Velasco – from Designated Pastor, Ravenswood Chicago to At-Large

Welcome to the PresbyteryKen Hockenberry – from Mid-Kentucky Presbytery to Interim Pastor, Carter-Westminster, SkokieRocky Supinger – from San Gabriel Presbytery to Associate for Youth Ministry, Fourth Chicago

Leaving the PresbyteryLuke Hyder is leaving as Associate Pastor for Youth, First Libertyville to accept a call to be Pastor of Cascade View Presbyterian Church in Everett, WA

DeathsMike Nevling – Dec. 4, 2015 – Former Pastor of The Village Church of NorthbrookTom Gyori – Dec. 23 – Former Pastor of Ravenswood Presbyterian Church & POC Staff Member

Ministry TransitionsSubmitted by Rev. Jan Edmiston

8

Our Common Ministry February 2016

The Presbytery of Chicago has been awarded a Smart Energy Mini-Grant by our community partner, Faith In Place. Faith In Place inspires religious people of diverse faiths throughout Illinois to care for the Earth through education, connection and advocacy. Faith In Place offers service in four program areas: Energy & Climate Change, Sustainable Food & Land Use, Water Preservation and Advocacy. Check out www.faithinplace.org.

The purpose of the Smart Energy Mini-Grant is to support faith communities as they educate

members in hard-to-reach populations (Senior, Black, Latino, and Rural communities) about the importance of smart energy programs. If your congregation serves or partners with these hard to reach populations and you would like to host an Engaging Faith In Place educational event for your youth and/or adults, email us at bwilson@chicagopresbytery.org or call Barbara Wilson at 312-488-3013.

Please Note: Events must be held by April 30, 2016; we will provide the educational resources, staff and a light meal for your event.

“Faith in Place provides small smart-energy grants to qualifying faith partners, helping them educate their community about saving energy while saving the planet. I can’t wait to work with more Presbyterian communities of faith! “

– Lorena Lopez Smart Energy Outreach

Coordinator

POC Awarded Smart Energy GrantSubmitted by Rev. Dr. Barbara Wilson, Presbytery Community Organizer

Our Common Ministry is published through the Presbytery Coordinating Commision's Communication Workgroup to share the news of the ministries of the Presbytery of Chicago and the congregations and workshipping fellowships in Lake, Cook, and Du Page Counties, Illinois.

We invite you to submit your news, stories, photographs, poems, and art.

Email: ourcommonministry@chipres.orgWebsite: www.chipres.orgAddress: 815 W Van Buren St, Suite 500Chicago, IL 60607Phone: (312) 488-3000

Deborah Rundlett, Executive EditorKatie Rains, Managing Editor

We acknowledge the work in previous years in antiracism, cultural competence, and white privilege conducted in the presbytery by the Multicultural Church Ministry Team and Advance Justice MPLT. It is our hope to build upon and further strengthen our collective work by offering training for education and skill building, along with concrete opportunities for consistent engagement to impact vitality and mission throughout our presbytery and communities

We now continue the justice work of anti-racism. Your next opportunity to participate in the Introduction to Systemic Racism Workshop (with our amazing Chicago ROAR trainers, Joy and Derrick), is on Saturday, April 16. Look for upcoming details in Presbytery Connect or on the Presbytery of Chicago website. Learn more about Chicago ROAR and Crossroads on their website: www.croar.org. ☐

Continued from p. 3