By Nancy Duel

Update:
"Video gambling takes a beating," Sun-Times News Group
"Homewood residents take side on gambling," Sun-Times News Group
"Gambling debate at town hall meeting," Sun-Times News Group
"Nearly 60% oppose video gambling," Chicago Tribune

Upcoming forums are scheduled for:

Monday, October 12, time and location TBA
Wednesday, October 21 at 7:00 p.m., Chicago, Rogers Park Library, 6907 N. Clark Street

Meetings have already been held in Naperville, Des Plaines, Homewood, Rockford, Schaumburg, and Barrington.  The purpose of the meetings is to equip individuals and groups to contact their village, town, or city governments to request that they ban video poker in their communities.

It is critical that more of these forums be held promptly.  If you or your church or community group would like to host one of these events, please contact Rev. John Boryk at jaboryk@comcast.net and 847-791-3144, or Nancy Duel at nduel@aol.com or 847-259-3793.

By Rev. Beth Galbreath

"The Coming: Telling the Lectionary for Advent and Christmas," an epic telling of these scriptures with a workshop on Biblical Storytelling, will be presented by Prairie Wind Guild: Tellers of Sacred Stories. The free event will be Saturday, Oct. 17, 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Wheaton Christian Reformed Church, 711 East Harrison, Wheaton, Ill.  

Spirited Biblical storytellers from the Chicago area and northern Illinois will perform the stories of the Advent and Christmas lectionary. Attendees will be invited to explore the art of Biblical Storytelling through lively discussion and easily reproduced techniques.  

Biblical storytelling is an art and spiritual discipline that brings stories of Scripture to life for both the teller and listeners. Prairie Wind Guild is an ecumenical guild in northern Illinois to teach the art and encourage one another. It's a completely free, non-technological part of bringing the Gospel to digital culture people, because digital communications such as film and TV are primarily story-based.

For more information, go to www.prairiewindguild.org, or call Beth Galbreath at (815) 879-2611.

By the UM General Board of Higher Education & Ministry

Registration extended to October 5!

Do you know a youth or young adult who is discerning a call to ministry? EXPLORATION 2009 is a three-day gathering for high school seniors and young adults up to age 24 who are considering a call to ordained ministry as a deacon or elder. The event will be held Nov. 13-15 in Dallas. Now is the time to register, so if you know of those who should attend, please pass this message on to them and invite them to consider registering for EXPLORATION.

James L Paulson, retired clergy member of the Northern Illinois Conference, died on Thursday, September 24, 2009.  He was 84 years old.  During his ministry in NIC he served the following churches:  Rockford: Court Street, Elgin: Wesley, Hazel Crest, Crystal Lake: First and Lombard: First.  He also served as Aurora District Superintendent.   
 
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2009, at 1:30 p.m. at Cape Coral First United Methodist Church in Cape Coral, FL. There will be a reception following the service. 
 
Messages of condolence may be sent to Rev. Paulson's family in care of one of his sons:
Mr. John Paulson, 4002 S.E. 20th Place - Unit F 2, Cape Coral, FL 33904 
 
Memorials in Rev. Paulson's name may be sent to:
Cape Coral First United Methodist Church, 4118 Coronado Parkway, Cape Coral, FL 33904
For: Activity Renovations Building Fund

May the peace of Christ with you.

By Julia F. Jones, Assistant Director,  Great Rivers Regional Office, Church World Service

When I traveled to Haiti last year, I found communities of warm and welcoming people, despite the extreme poverty and rising food costs in that country.  I heard mothers tell stories of making "cookies" out of mud and salt, baked in the sun, to give to their children so they would have something in their stomachs.  I heard stories of political violence, of devastating hurricanes, of the lack of education for children and adults. 

But, as an employee of Church World Service (CWS),  I also heard words of thanks from these same people, who explained how CWS and CROP Hunger Walks have changed their lives permanently, for the better.  CROP Hunger Walks have enabled women in Haiti to learn to read, to receive micro-loans, and to start businesses.  Men are learning new sustainable agriculture techniques and to feed their families.  Children can now go to school, when they had never dreamed of that possibility before.  And this is just one country!

CROP Hunger Walks enable change and hope to be realized in 80 different countries,  including right here in the U.S.  It is incredible to witness how small efforts make big differences, moving us toward a world where there's enough for all.

Will you be a part of this transformation of lives?  There are over 100 CROP Hunger Walks happening this fall in Illinois, supported by many United Methodist churches.  Because hunger is present in our communities too, a quarter of funds raised in CROP Hunger
Walks return to local food pantries. 

Please walk this month, or donate to a walker.  You can find your Walk and register or donate online at www.cropwalkonline.org.  Or please call me or my colleagues at our office in Oak Brook, (888) 297-2767 for more information about your local Walk.  And if your community's event has already happened, you may still make a contribution as an individual or
as a congregation.  Please be a part of changing lives, near and far!

In the News: Faces of Faith - Rev. Haerem Kim (Southtown Star)

1. How many visitors does your church receive on an average week of worship services?
2. What is the most effective thing your church has done to attract visitors?

Click here to share your answers

We'll share your responses in an upcoming eNews. It's not scientific, but we think it might be fun. If you have a question you'd like to ask our audience of smart and good-looking church leaders, please send it to communciations@umcnic.org.