Welcome Summer

This week we're excited to be hosting our first summer group- Hoffnungsau Mennonite of Hutchinson KS. It's a great start to a season of serving Chicago and seeking God's face in others. Our staff is ready to learn the lessons God has for us.  

Open House- June 19- 4-6pm

Join us to learn more about DOOR Chicago and the incredible work that we do in the city. Please save the date for our Open House:
Saturday June 19,   4:00-6:00 p.m. 
at Chicago Community Mennonite / First Church of the Brethren, 
425 S. Central Park Blvd., Chicago.
There will be tours of our program space, stories of changed lives, and of course, delicious free treats! We hope that you can make it.

Travel in the City- Brian Sales

Those who lead our country say that construction is the back bone of this nation. Currently, we in the Chicago area have a firsthand look at lower part of the country’s thoracic vertebrae. On most major routes around the Chicago land area you will find men and women risking their lives working diligently to repave, repair, and improve our buildings, roads and bridges. With any large construction project comes time added to driving routes. I myself had to add an extra 20 minutes on top of my route to the DOOR Chicago office from my apartment (this use to take me just 22 minutes). If I had any advice to those who visit our city (DOOR Chicago have several hundred coming this summer) public transit wouldn’t be a bad idea. Most of the agencies that we go to are near a public transit stop which is very convenient. First Church of the Brethren itself is located near several public train and bus stops. . Public transit also gives you a more diverse lens at Chicago culture. Not taking public may have you spending more time in a vehicle than anywhere else. May God grant all of those who travel to our program this summer have their trip blessed by God and watched over by the Holy Spirit.

http://www.dot.state.il.us/road/chicago.htm

A psalm

Becky and I took some time to write a psalm last week in the middle of the city. The following is the one I wrote.

Oh God,

You are more beautiful than Preston Hall
a pillar taller than the old Sears Tower
more awesome than Pritzer Pavilion
and as fun and familiar as Crown Fountain

You can be witnessed in the streams of Humboldt Park
and in the streets of Austin
You are as colorful as the diverseness of Rogers Park
and as full of history as Bronzeville, Bridgeport, and Pullman

You are in the midst of this city, my city. I see you here.

In the people I see you - Michelle, Brenda, Mattie, Nadia, Annie
I see you in the work of many non-profits

I see you in the very being of this city -
you show up on the 82 bus,
where you stand up against injustice and sit with weary

You bring the city together with sports, music and the utter pride of being a part of this city.

You provide the big shoulders on which we can rest and be propelled to get back to work...against violence, racism, and misunderstanding

You sit and play in the neighborhoods and call us to attend to what is good and right.

You are in this city, my city, and more importantly your city.

Upcoming Open House

DOOR Chicago is having an open house on

June 19
4:00- 6:00 pm
First Church of the Brethren

Come and See what we are all about, hear the stories, meet the staff!

Another Peace and Justice walk

Friday, Becky and I took another walk for justice. The assignment was "Take pictures that somehow represent the presence or the absence of peace and justice."

Here are some of my photos from that walk..



"Urban Web" - such a diverse concept, and yet we are gracefully stuck together.



This Canadian Goose struck me funny as a peaceful image. This goose decided to make her nest on the green roof at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, on a walking path on the green roof. Therefore, the Museum had posted a sign that people may not want to walk on the path when the goose was present due to territory issues around nesting. I found this funny and yet maybe one definition of peace. Geese tend to be mean, and yet, the nature museum didn't disturb the nest but rather decided that we needed to be present with this new life.





I have a special place in my heart for this church. This was one of the first service sites DOOR Chicago partnered with in 2001. They have a small bag lunch program for anyone who comes on Tuesdays. I believe that is a good example of a church doing what it can and to be a part of the solution...being called to do something and following through. However, this picture turned out to show a church that is working for peace and justice in the world with a tow zone sign in it. Injustice is right in front of us, and yes, we can ignore it by going around into our safe places - but it is important to look at it and confront it!

Linking new traditions

Stations of the Cross. Good Friday. What does it mean today?

I love a good tradition. I also love when a tradition causes me to learn about news ways to act on my faith. The 8th Day Center for Justice’s annual Good Friday Walk for Justice calls my attention each year to the suffering that folks are enduring in our world. Using the model of the stations of the cross, linking this walk to that Jesus took in Jerusalem and current injustice in the world helps me understand both better. Becky and I joined about 400 others in downtown Chicago for this walk.

May we all learn ways to celebrate and also fight injustice in this Eastertide.