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Stone Catchers April 2023

There is much to share this month - thanks for reading!

Stone Catchers is the social justice ministry

of First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights.

Gun Violence

trigger_poster.jpg

This reflection originally appeared in the June 2022 Stone Catchers Newsletter. I am re-running the reflection with a few added photos

Michele


Reflection (June 2022)


Last spring Stone Catchers sponored a viewing of the documentary film Trigger: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence."  The film was produced by Presbyterian Disaster Assitance and is an excellent way to begin discussions around reasonable gun control. We gathered for a discussion after the viewing to discuss our thoughts and hopes.


But despite our efforts and the efforts of many others .............


Gun violence continues to plague our country. In the past weeks we have witnessed mass shootings in New York, California, and Texas, and just last night Tulsa.  There are more that don't even make the news because it is all too common.


While reading our June book In My Grandmother's House,  author Yolanda Pierce discusses the spirtual Where You There in her chapter Being Present. Specifically she talks about the phrase "Oh, Sometimes it causes me to Tremble! Tremble! Tremble," and she poses the question of whether we have lost our ability to tremble - to be depply affected - in the face of injustice and tragedy. It is overwhelming these days.  


I hope in the midst of the tragedy we will continue to tremble and then find our way to take action to bring about peace. This Friday June 3 and the entire weekend is recognized each year as Gun Violence Awareness Day. I hope that you will consider what you can do to say Enough!


Michele

First Pres is Marching in the Buffalo Grove

Pride Parade Sunday June 4, 11am


Join First Pres members and friends at the Buffalo Grove Pride Parade. This is a family friendly event, and we are hoping to have people of all ages marching with us. Let's step out and join over 100 other religious and community organizations to show that all our welcome in the Northwest suburbs.


Sign-Up at the link below to receive more information on the First Pres parade decor and logistics.


Contact Michele for more information or questions.

Sign Up to march in the Parade
More information on Pinta Pride Project and the Parade

More Stone Catcher News

Get an early start on reading for the Stone Catcher's Summer

Book Club


We will kick off the summer with Dolen Perkins-Valdez's Take My Hand. Inspired by true events that rocked the nation. Take My Hand is a searing and compassionate novel about a black nurse in post-segregation Alabama who blows the whistle on a terrible injustice done to her patients.


Next, we will explore Climate Justice by Mary Robinson. Former President of Ireland. Mary Robinson shares stories from her travels around the world. Her mission in telling these stories is to bring together the fight against climate change and the global struggle for human rights.


Our final book of the summer will be Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang. Beautiful Country is a memoir putting readers in the shoes of an undocumented child and her parents arriving in New York City from China in 1994.


Mark your calendars now for a summer of engaging reading. We will meet for a light dinner and book discussion in the parlor at 6:00 pm on the following evenings:


June 22 – Take My Hand

July 27 – Climate Justice

August 24 – Beautiful Country


Please contact Michele Holifield with any questions about Stone Catchers or the summer book club.

Spring Showcase Event


Invite your friends and neighbors and join in all of the fun and learning at the Cook County United Against Hate Spring Showcase taking place at First Pres. Come meet neighbors from other community organizations working agasint hate in the Northwest Suburbs, and take the pledge to stand against hate.

Cook County United Against Hate website

Immersion Learning at the Border and Coffee


Stone Catchers and the Mission Committee are looking at a possible immersion experience at the Arizona/Mexico Border in 2024. Follow the link below to find out more about the possibilites, and watch for more information coming this summer.



Also watch for opportunities to purchase coffee for home from Cafe Justo on Sunday mornings. We learned of the life changing work of Cafe Justo during our visit with Mark Adams - PCUSA Mission Co-Worker at Frontera de Cristo.


Frontera de Cristo

A Personal Note,


On April 28 I will be joining about 30 other PCUSA members on a weeklong study journey to the indigenous lands of the Southwest United States. The travel seminar is part of the Presbyterian Peacemaking program. During our time we will:


  • learn about the impact the Doctrine of Discovery has had on Indigenous peoples in the past and continues to have today; and
  • explore peacemaking issues such as land and water rights, intergenerational trauma, poverty and addiction, border town conflicts, environmental racism, the health effects of uranium mining, and the impact of boarding schools.


We will begin in Albuerque, New Mexico and end in Phoenix, Arizona with much travel through the indigenious lands of New Mexico and Arizona. We will visit several native Presbyterian churches during the week. I will bring greeetings to all from First Pres. I look forward to sharing with you some of my learning over the next months. I appreciate your prayers and safe travel thoughts for our group.

Michele

From In My Grandmother's House by Yolanda Pierce

"Learning the difference between the ghostly silences into which we must speak truth to power and the holy silences from which we can draw strength and comfort may take a lifetime"

If you are interested in getting involved with Stone Catchers or have questions about events, programs or initiatives, please contact

Michele Holifield

Contact Michele