In these darkening days, the weights of the year often become heavier. As families gather, we remember those who are no longer with us, or disagreements that have left family estranged. The season of gift-giving puts strain on those already struggling to make ends meet. The cold and the dark can be hard on our bodies, bringing out aches, pains, illness, and depression. These struggles stand in stark contrast to the merriment of the Christmas carols, holiday décor, and advertising campaigns proclaiming this to be the most wonderful time of the year.
It is important, through the various struggles of the season, to remember that we are not alone. To this end, we will be offering a Longest Night Service on December 18 at 6:00 pm in Nambu Chapel. It will be a time for us to gather to mark the losses we are grieving- whether they be loved ones lost, expectations dashed, financial security threatened- and sanctify them in the light of Christ’s Advent. It will be a candlelight service at which we will hold silence, pray, and reflect both on what we have lost in the past year and what has sustained us along the way.
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The Edgewater Community Religious Association will host its annual Thanksgiving service at 3 pm on Sunday, November 24 at St. Ita Catholic Church. It will feature speakers, music, and sacred readings from various faiths represented in our community. There will be a reception to follow.
At the service, we will also be collecting canned goods to benefit Care for Real, the Edgewater food pantry. The Immigration Task Force is coordinating for this Advent Season 2019 a series of workshops on immigration. The workshops are part of the “Adventures in in Learning” program from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the 4 Sunday of Advent (December 1, 8, 15 and 22).
In the series, we will learn about what are the roots and the challenges of immigration and what we can do about it. Juan Carlos Hernández, Immigration Program Coordinator for the Chicago Religious Leadership Network, will be with us on Sunday, December 1 and 8, to give us the historical, sociological and political perspective of immigration. Sunday, December 15 and 22 we will learn about immigration from a biblical and theological perspective. Each Sunday we will also be doing a specific action about immigration. God will be speaking to us about this important issue that is one of the challenges of the 21st Century. On Saturday, November 16 at 6 p.m. in the sanctuary, we will be celebrating a Thanksgiving Night. We will be giving thanks to God for all the great things God has done in our congregation this past year. We recognize it has been a difficult year, but God has blessed us and provided the need and support we needed this past year. The preacher of the night will be Rev. Shakespeare Osorio, Associated Regional Minister, ABCMC and Pastor of the Iglesia Bautista Central.
On Sunday, November 17 at 9:30 a.m. we will have our Celebration Service with a Homecoming. We are inviting everyone who has been member or part of our Hispanic congregation to be present to celebrate what God is doing. It would be a time of rejoicing, praise and celebration. Rev. F. Salvador Orellana, director of Intercultural Ministries; Latino Ministries; and Rebuilding, Restoring, Renewing Puerto Rico for ABHMS, will be bringing the Word of God for the occasion. At 11 am, we will be cutting our birthday cake with the whole church (Karen, Japanese and English congregations) and at 11:30 a.m. will be having our celebration lunch. It will be a time of blessing and rejoicing. Be part of the great things that God is doing in our Hispanic congregation and in North Church Baptist Church. Armando Márquez is a catechist who worked alongside Monsignor Oscar Romero in the base communities of El Salvador. He will be visiting NSBC to offer personal reflections on his relationship with Msgr. Romero and the church's liberating work in El Salvador on Sunday, November 3 at 1:00 pm in Nambu Chapel (after Unity Sunday worship at 10:30 am).
How does Chicago get the funding to pay for all of the services it provides for city residents? Who has a say in how the money is spent? On Sunday, October 13th, join us in the NSBC library for a discussion with ONE Northside about how the budget works and how we can actively participate in the campaign for an equitable city budget that funds mental health clinics, affordable housing, and jobs programs by raising new revenue from corporations and the city’s wealthiest residents.
On Saturday, October 19, ONE Northside will also be hosting a Town Hall with our alderpeople. Attend this Town Hall to learn about the City budget and make your voice heard! ONE Northside supports a more equitable city budget that addresses the needs of all Chicagoans, especially those who are increasingly locked out of the process. Should the budget address low-income housing and mental health? Who should have the greatest tax burden? Come learn about and help shape the way your money is spent. The Town Hall is from 2:00-4:00 pm at Alternatives Youth Center, 4370 N. Sheridan. ONE Northside is a mixed-income, multi-ethnic, intergenerational organization, of which NSBC is a member, that unites our diverse communities. We build collective power to eliminate injustice through bold and innovative community organizing. We accomplish this through developing grassroots leaders and acting together to effect change. In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was God. (John 1:1)
What is a word? Vibration. Music. Sound. Creation. In getting in touch with our own voice and the voices of others, we connect to the Divine. What would happen if we let ourselves fully experience the resonance in our bodies when we sing? How does collective, creative sounding affect our connection to our intuition? How does improvisation relate to our capacity for deep listening? What does it mean to be truly open to the moment? These are some of the questions we will explore together over a period of an hour and a half. You will be led through grounding meditations using your own voice to center and connect you to what is rather than what you think should be. We will then begin to explore our connection to one another as inherently creative beings, using guided vocal improvisation and sounding exercises in a group. This workshop is NOT only for trained singers! Everyone who can make sound with their throat is invited. Singing is everyone’s birthright, so don’t be shy! This is more about connecting to your own voice and exploring creativity and community than it is to create some kind of “polished sound” or “performance.” Try to wear clothes you feel comfortable lying down in and moving around in. The more at ease we can feel, the better it will be for really letting go into the exercises. And bring with you an open and curious mind This class is free and open to everyone! It meets on Saturdays from 10:30 am-12:00 pm in Nambu Chapel. The class will be led by Julia Rahm, who has been the Alto Section Leader with NSBC since spring of 2018. Julia is an initiate of the Inayati Sufi Order, an interfaith spiritual community of seekers with a rich tradition of using music to tune the heart and help people discover peace and harmony with themselves and others. She has a Master of Music in Voice Performance from Roosevelt University and a Bachelor of Arts from Sarah Lawrence College in Theater, Music and French. She combines all her interests—music, the voice, meditation and mindfulness, improvisation and creativity— into developing this holistic, exploratory voice practice. Every year, the neighborhood of Lakewood Balmoral has a yard sale the Saturday after Labor Day (September 7). The church will provide hospitality (water and restrooms) and food stands featuring traditional cuisines from our different congregations: pupusas from El Salvador, tacos from Mexico, noodles and tea from Burma/Thailand. This year, we will again be celebrating the talents of our family, friends, and neighbors by hosting a Crafts & Vendor Fair. Here is a list of this year's vendors: Karen Dreasler, handmade pottery smallwares Marcia Gohmann, crocheted slippers, towels and dolls Dr. Peggy Griffin, self-published vegan cookbook and reflections of the civil rights movement Valerie Jackson-Bateman, handmade copper jewelry Jo Gertzen, quilted table runners & wall quilts Jasmine Perry, handmade beaded & semi-precious stone jewelry Dawn Noldan, homemade preserves and handmade fabric totebags Dorothy Loving, handmade silver and gold beaded jewelry Anita Bonilla, handcrafted gift boxes If you are a crafter or artisan and would be interested in participating, there is still time! Please review the information in the document below, fill out the included form, and send it to [email protected].
On Sunday, June 9, we will be gathering at 11:30 am to celebrate the end of another year of of Adventures in Learning. We will honor our Sunday School teachers and graduates, and see special presentations by our Sunday School classes. All are welcome!
This Sunday, May 19, all four congregations will come together for a joint worship service at 10:00 am in the sanctuary. This worship service will be immediately followed by our annual meeting and a luncheon.
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