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Trinity Trumpet June
2020
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In this issue: Worship Series: Marking the Time - special services for the next few weeks, the link to Sunday worship, a mission message from Roger Dart,
continuing support for Trinity UCC, an item for your reflection.
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WORSHIP SERIES: MARKING THE TIME
We will mark special celebrations for the next few weeks.
TRINITY SUNDAY and Holy Communion - June 7, 2020
Have elements - a bread of your choice, a drink of your choice and be ready to be blessed.
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PET SUNDAY Virtual Pet Blessing Service - June 14, 2020
Have your pets camera ready! Led by Rev. Susan Martersdeck
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Fathers Day - June 21, 2020
"The real heroes of the world are the men who take the time to make a difference in the life of a child."
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INSTALLATION ANNIVERSARY on TRINITY SUNDAY June 7/June 9
This Sunday will mark 1 year since my Installation Celebration here at Trinity. Oh my, what changes a year has brought to us! As we think back, I hope that even during these troubling times you will find that our congregation is stronger, more compassionate, more connected and continuing our ministries even though we are physically "absent from one another."
My prayer is that in this next year we continue to find new ways to extend our community and gather more into the heart of God's love.
Pastor Dale
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Virtual Worship Login Information
Because of software updates, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO DOWNLOAD ZOOM 5.0 Please say 'yes' and follow any instructions to complete this download. You will not be able to log into the service until you complete this step. So please arrive early if you have not already done so.
To Dial In by Phone Only 1 (312) 626-6799 ID 534-284-7861
Participant ID (Not required. None provided)
"Otherwise just press #"
Meeting Password [new requirement] 760760
*Please have bread and a drink that you prefer for communion this week.
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Adult Education
The 7 PM Wednesday Evening group, and the Thursday 10 AM Bible Study are meeting virtually. Please email Pastor Dale ( [email protected])
if you haven't attended before and would like more information.
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A Message from Roger Dart on Mission
How can we not talk about the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our every activity?
Almost as soon as the 'stay in place' order was sounded, the lack of food became apparent.
Demands on the many food depositories and pantries were immediate and overwhelming, a condition that remains today.
Our own local West Deerfield Township pantry is no exception. In a conversation with both Alyson Feiger and then Jill, the pantry supervisor, my question about a continuing need for paper products was
answered: the need for paper products is greater than ever.
Our Love of Neighbor group has unanimously agreed that we should continue to support the pantry, but in a revised way. We encourage you to donate paper products, in particular paper towels, napkins, plates, and compostable dinnerware. However, instead of bringing your donations to the church, take them directly to the pantry located in the Township offices at 601 Deerfield Road. By encouraging you to do this, we hope to spread out our donations over time and more closely match supply to the demand.
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On June 13th, the Deerfield Farmer's Market will open, with some noticeable changes.
The market vendors will be located in the parking spaces along Park Avenue, spaced apart for 'social distancing'. Despite a number of other pandemic-related changes, the GLEANINGS by congregations of Religious Leaders United will take place.
I am seeking a team of two or three volunteers to work with me and represent Trinity on two, or perhaps three Saturdays, from about 11:30 AM until 1:30 PM. There are dates
available from June 13 through October 10th, 2020.
If this is something y
ou'd like to do, please contact me at 847-274-2626 or
dart.rc@gm
ail.com
Thank you for everything you are doing!
Roger
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Continuing to support Trinity in this time of social distancing
Though we are not able to gather as a congregation, the important work of Trinity continues. Since we are not gathering for worship in-person (for the time being), we are missing the opportunity to share our gifts to support our church during worship. Yet the costs of operating the church and supporting our mission continue. We hope that members will continue their planned giving as they are able.
Gifts in the form of paper checks can be mailed directly to the church. As a reminder, our address is:
Trinity United Church of Christ
760 North Avenue
Deerfield, IL 60015
Alternatively, members who use electronic banking services from their banks may want to consider using those services for gifts to Trinity. The same information shown above can be used to set up Trinity as a "Payee" in those banking services. Some banks require that an "Account ID" be provided when establishing a Payee. If that's the case, either an envelope number or member's last name will generally serve that purpose. Regardless of whether a payment comes with an Account ID or not, we will credit the contribution based on the name of the account holder.
The features of electronic banking vary somewhat across institution. Some services allow customers to schedule regular payments, avoiding the need to make an entry into the system for each contribution. Scheduled payments can generally be changed or halted at any time.
Thanks to the members who provided financial support to Trinity during these strange times. Though contributions received have been less than our budgeted amount for this time of year, many people continued giving using methods like the ones outlined here. Your ongoing gifts are helping us carry on!
Scott Peterson
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For Your Reflection
On Pentecost Sunday we reflected on the events leading to George Floyd's killing and the eruption of the world following his death. As we each try to process our own feelings and responses, this musical piece may provide a powerful backdrop for your reflection. Attached is an introduction of the people for whom the 7 Last Words was composed as a requiem.
On March 31, 2019, the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra (TSO) partnered with the Morehouse College Glee Club and Florida A&M University Concert Choir for this powerful performance of Joel Thompson's "Seven Last Words of the Unarmed." Dr. David Morrow of Morehouse College conducts this piece that laments the untimely deaths of 7 unarmed black men. Following the performance is a panel discussion about the work, led by Leon County (FL) Sheriff Walt McNeil, that includes composer Joel Thompson and two TSO board members-Byron Greene and Patrick Slevin.
A guide is attached that describes the circumstances under which each man died.
Why do you have your guns out?
What are you following me for?
Mom, I'm going to college.
I don't have a gun. Stop shooting.
You shot me! You shot me!
It's not real.
I can't breathe.
Keneth Chamberlain - "Why do you have your guns out?"
Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. was fatally shot on November 19, 2011, in White Plains, New York. Chamberlain was a sixty-six year old former marine and corrections officer who had bipolar disorder, as well as arthritis and respiratory illness.
After his
Life Aid
medical alert necklace was accidentally set off, triggering an alarm, police came to his home and demanded
that he open his front door. Chamberlain informed them through the door that he did not need help and then asked them to leave.
Despite his objections, the police broke down Chamberlain's door, tasered him, and then shot him.
He died in surgery at
the
hospital not long after. Police claim he had approached them with a knife, but his family disputes this.
Trayvon Martin - "What are you following me for?"
On the evening of February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida, George Zimmerman fatally shot Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American high school student. Zimmerman, a 28-year old Latino man, was the neighborhood watch coordinator for his gated community. Martin was there visiting his relatives at the time of the shooting. Zimmerman noticed Martin as he returned to the community after having walked to a nearby convenience store. Zimmerman called the Sanford police to report
him as a suspicious person. The dispatcher asked Zimmerman if he was following Martin, when Zimmerman responded, "Yeah," the dispatcher said, "We don't need you to do that," to which Zimmerman responded, "Okay."
Nevertheless, he continued to follow Martin, and after ending his call with police, a violent encounter took place between Martin and Zimmerman, which ended when Zimmerman fatally shot Martin 70 yards from the rear door of the townhouse where Martin was staying.
What happened during the altercation is a matter of dispute. When police arrived at the scene, Zimmerman had a bloody and swollen nose, was bleeding from the back of his head, and his back was wet and soiled, as if he had been in grass.
Zimmerman was charged with Martin's murder but acquitted at trial on self-defense grounds. The incident was reviewed by
the Department of Justice for potential civil rights violations, but no additional charges were filed, citing insufficient evidence.
Amadou Diallo - "Mom, I'm going to college."
On February 4,1999, Amadou Diallo, a 23-year-old immigrant from
Guinea, was shot and killed by four New York City Police Department plain-clothed officers. Early that morning, Diallo was standing near his building after returning from a meal. At about 12:40 a.m., the police officers - Edward McMellon, Sean Caroll, Kenneth Boss, and Richard Murphy - passed by in a Ford Taurus. Caroll later testified that Diallo matched the general description of a serial rapist who had struck a year earlier, or that he might have been a lookout.
The officers testified that they identified themselves as NYPD officers, but a witness testified that the officers started shooting without warning. Diallo ran toward his apartment doorway at their approach, despite their shouts to stop
and "show his hands." There was not much light, and Diallo reached into his jacket and withdrew his wallet. The officers opened fire when one shouted "Gun!." During the shooting, officer McMellon tripped and fell, causing the other officers to believe he had been shot. The four officers fired 42 shots, hitting Diallo 19 times. All four officers were charged with second-degree murder and acquitted at trial in Albany.
Michael Brown, "I don't have a gun. Stop Shooting."
At 11:53, a.m. on August 9, 2014 a police dispatcher reported that someone had stolen a box of cigars at the Ferguson Market in Ferguson, Missouri, and described the suspect as a black male wearing a white t-shirt. A few minutes later, at 11:57 a.m., the dispatch described the suspect as wearing a red Cardinals hat, a white t-shirt, and khaki shorts, and that he was accompanied by another male. At 12:00 p.m., Officer Darren Wilson of the Ferguson Police radioed asking if his assistance was needed in searching for suspects. Seven seconds later, an unidentified officer said they had disappeared. Wilson called for backup at 12:02 p.m. saying he might have spotted them.
Shortly after that, Wilson drove up to Brown and a companion as they were walking in the middle of the street and ordered them to move off the street. Wilson continued driving past the two men but then backed up and stopped close to them. A struggle took place between Brown and Wilson through the window of the police SUV. Wilson's gun was fired twice from inside the vehicle, hitting Brown's right hand. Brown fled, and Wilson then got out of his vehicle and began to pursue Brown. At some point, Wilson fired his gun again, while facing Brown, and hit him with at least six shots. Brown was unarmed and died on the street.
Less than 90 seconds passed from the time Wilson encountered Brown to the time of Brown's death.
Oscar Grant - "You shot me! You shot me!"
Oscar Grant III (1986-2009) was a young African-American man who was fatally shot early on
New Year's Day 2009 by Bay Area Rapid Transit Police officer Johannes Mehserle in Oakland, California. Responding to reports of a fight on a crowded Bay Area Rapid Transit train returning from New Years festivities in San Francisco, BART Police officers detained Grant and several other passengers on the platform at the Fruitvale BART Station.
Officer Johannes Mehserle and another officer restrained Grant and forced him to lie face down on the platform. Mehserle was unable to remove Grant's right arm from under his body in order to handcuff him. Mehserle drew his pistol and shot Grant once in the back as he lay there immobilized. Mehserle later claimed that he had intended to use a Taser on him. Grant was unarmed. He was pronounced dead the next morning at
Highland Hospital in Oakland. The events were captured on multiple official and private digital video and privately owned cell phone cameras. Owners disseminated their footage to media outlets and to various websites, where it was watched millions of times. Both peaceful and violent protests took place in the days following.
John Crawford - "It's not real."
The shooting of John Crawford III occurred on August 5, 2014 in a Walmart in Beavercreek, Ohio. Crawford, a 22-year-old African-American man, picked up an un-packaged BB/pellet air rifle inside the store's sporting goods section and continued shopping in the store. Another customer, Ronald Ritchie, called 911. According to Ritchie at the time, Crawford was pointing the gun at people and at children walking by, and messing with the gun. Ritchie has since stated "At no point did he shoulder the rifle and point it at somebody", while maintaining that Crawford was "waving it around". Two officers of the Beavercreek Police arrived at the Walmart shortly after their dispatcher informed them of a "subject with a gun" in the pet supplies area of the store and shot Crawford. He was later pronounced dead at Dayton's Miami Valley Hospital.
The shooting was captured by the store's security video camera. The video shoes Crawford talking on his cell phone while swinging the BB/Pellet air rifle when he was killed. According to Crawford's mother, the video shows the officers immediately fired without giving any verbal commands and without giving Crawford any time to drop the toy even if he had heard them.
Eric Garner - "I can't breathe."
On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner died in Staten Island
, New York City
, after a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer put him in what has been described as a
choke hold f
or about 15 to 19 seconds while arresting him. The New York City Medical Examiner's Office attributed Garner's death to a combination of a
choke hold
, compression of his chest, and poor health. NYPD policy prohibits the use of
choke holds
.
NYPD officers approached Garner on suspicion of selling "
loosies" (single cigarettes) from packs without tax stamps. After Garner told the police that he was tired of being harassed and that he was not selling cigarettes, the officers went to arrest Garner. When officer Daniel Pantaleo tried to take Garner's wrist behind his back, Garner pulled his arms away. Pantaleo then put his arm around Garner's neck and took him down onto the ground. After Pantaleo removed his arm from Garner's neck, he pushed the side of Garner's face into the ground while four officers moved to restrain Garner, who repeated "I can't breathe" eleven times while lying face-down on the sidewalk.
After Garner lost consciousness, officers turned him onto his side to ease his breathing. Garner remained lying on the sidewalk for seven minutes while the officers waited for an ambulance to arrive. The officers and
EMTs did not perform CPR on Garner at the scene; according to a spokesman for the PBA, this was because they believed that Garner was breathing and that it would be improper to perform CPR on someone who was still breathing. He was pronounced dead at the hospital approximately one hour later.
What needs to be done:
- Use body cams/film the police.
- Train police more effectively; provide rigorous and on going training, include training on "unconscious" or "implicit" racial bias.
- Demilitarize the police; end the federal government program providing military weaponry to local police departments, establish local restrictions to prevent police departments from purchasing or using military weaponry.
- Provide fair police union contracts; remove barriers to misconduct investigations and civilian oversight, keep officers' disciplinary history accessible to police departments and the public, ensure financial accountability for officers and departments that kill or seriously injure civilians.
- End for-profit policing; end police department quotas for tickets and arrests, limit fines/fees for low-income people, prevent police from taking the money or property of innocent people. Make police pay for their own misconduct.
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Please note that the church office is closed, but Lisa is working from home, and regularly checking Trinity's email: [email protected]
Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay home
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