Thanks for taking a moment to check out these events in our shared life & the wider world.
If you’d like something included in an upcoming newsletter, please let the office know! Reach out to office@waucc.org or 773-935-0642 (text or call).
Thank you to everyone who helped with the boxes and lecterns last Sunday! There’s still plenty to unpack and sort through at the church, so just email or text the office if you’d like to stop by this month. Andrew is available to let you in, except for the following dates: 8/13-17, 8/30.
Our Helping Hands offering for July & August supports the
East Garfield Park Healing Breakfast,
a small but mighty part of the Live Free Illinois initiative.
The breakfast is run by Mazell Sykes, an 80 year old woman who lost her son to random gun violence. She has turned her grief to grace, organizing the breakfast, and also hosting pop-up events in the community when murders occur. She and her husband travel to that block, bring out a grill and cook food for everyone in the community/on the block. This encourages everyone to come out and eat, talk, cry, get involved. You won’t find them online, but you can support this vital grassroots program by giving generously!
Book Club – Saturday, August 16th at 10am!
CLICK HERE to join.
Our book club selection for this month is
Small Boat
by Vincent Delecroix:
“In November 2021, an inflatable dinghy carrying migrants from France to the United Kingdom capsized in the Channel causing the death of 27 people on board.
A shocking, moral tale of our times, Small Boat reminds us of the power of fiction to illuminate our darkest crimes.”
Stay tuned – we’ll have a registration link in next week’s newsletter!
The Christian Century featured TWO articles about Oak Flat in their latest issue!
In Apache Stronghold’s rooted resistance, Tim Nafzier argues that the fight to protect Oak Flat is not just about a single holy site. It is about recovering our bond with the land.
The editors, writing in The Desecration of Oak Flat, remind us that idolatry doesn’t usually work out well for any of us.
A fantastic piece of news from Mennonite Action: Ismael was released from ICE detainment! Read the whole story below, via their newsletter:
We proclaim release to the captives: Ismael is home!
With tears of joy, we share the incredible news that Ismael has been released. Thank you for your prayers during this most difficult and intense weekend for Ismael, his family, and our congregation. It was deeply meaningful to receive 50 videos from across the US and Canada, your voices echoing our prayers in song. We shared two of the videos during our service on Sunday morning. Your support gave us the energy to press on through the grief, fear, and exhaustion.
Yesterday afternoon at 4:15 pm, a habeas corpus petition was filed by the senior staff attorney for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area on Ismael’s behalf. It was a miracle this lawyer was able to take Ismael’s case in the first place, file the petition within the course of 48 hours, and do it pro bono.
At 8:45 pm on Sunday the federal judge responded to the petition with a TRO (temporary restraining order) against the ICE field office in San Francisco, demanding the immediate release of Ismael from custody.
This morning Matt Alexandar, staff with Faith in Action Bay Area, who has been supporting our church’s accompaniment team for Ismael, went to the ICE building where Ismael was held. He had the court order in hand to ensure Ismael’s release. By 8:30 am ICE released Ismael and Matt drove him home to his mother.
Thanks be to God, who is manifest as we work together to create a world of justice and mercy.
Pastor Joanna Lawrence Shenk
Please reach out to the Mennonite Action team if you or your congregation has had similar experiences with ICE encounters. As we continue to work for the release of all who are abducted, we’re eager to provide support to your congregation, and to learn how we can better serve you and those in your community who are currently detained.
North Side Housing is running low on food for their pantry. With a recently increased demand from their clients, please consider donating some items to their food drive!
Don’t miss this stunning exhibit
by Palestinian
photographer/filmmaker
Abu Hatab.
It runs through August 20th.
Sometimes you just need a document!
Click below if you’re looking for:
- This Sunday’s BULLETIN
- The latest version of the CHURCH DIRECTORY
- The approved CHURCH COUNCIL MINUTES (July mtg)
- Buying something for church? Remember that it’s tax-exempt! CLICK HERE for a copy of the form.
- Need to be reimbursed for a church expense? Download a Wellington REIMBURSEMENT FORM and submit it to the Church Office!
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