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Stone Catchers January 2023

Stone Catchers is the social justice ministry

of First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights.

Volunteers Needed for MLK Day of Service

Monday January 16 9am - 1pm


Volunteers are needed to help unload cars and sort donations on Monday January 16. Volunteer from 9 am - 11 am or 11 am - 1 pm. While light rain is predicted it will be much warmer than in past years! If you are able to help contact Michele

Save the Dates and Host Opportunity

Sunday February 26, 2023

The Negro Motorist Green Book at the

Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center

Stone Catchers will sponsor an All-Church trip to the Illinois Holocaust Museum to tour this special exhibition 


The Green Book exhibit offers an immersive look at the reality of travel for African Americans in mid-century America, and how the guide served as an indispensable resource for the nation’s rising African American middle class. In an era of Jim Crow laws and “sundown towns” – communities that explicitly prohibited African Americans from staying overnight – “The Green Book” offered critical, life-saving information and sanctuary.


The afternoon will begin at 11:45am at First Pres for lunch. We will then travel by cars to the museum for a guided tour of the special exhibit. You will also have the opportunity to tour other areas of the museum during the afternoon.


Registration will open February 1 for this trip. Cost is $15 for adults and $10 for Children and youth. Cost includes lunch and admission to the museum.


For more information or questions contact Michele

Sunday March 5, 2023

Lunch and Discussion with Marc Adams and Mariam Escobar from Frontera de Cristo



First Pres will welcome Mark Adams and Miriam Escobar from the PCUSA border ministry Frontera de Cristo. Mark has served as the US Coordinator for the border ministry and his wife Miriam is a PCUSA mission worker with Frontera de Cristo working with families in sustainable agriculture.  


We are looking for a host home for Mark and Miriam for the weekend. If you would be able to host Mark and Miriam in your home for the weekend of March 3 -5 please contact Michele

Find out more about Frontera de Cristo

Michele and Katy are headed to Birmingham

Michele and Katy will be headed to Birmingham, Alabama on January 24 to share the story of the work of Stone Catchers at the Association of Partners in Christian Education. We will be presenting a workshop - Grace Filled Social Justice Ministry. Thank you to each one of you who has played a role in seeking justice in our community and beyond, and giving us the opportunity to share this experience with others.


We will also have the opportunity to travel to Montgomery, Alabama and tour the Equal Justice Initiative: Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice created by Bryan Stevenson.


We look forward to sharing our experience with you when we return.

Books and Podcasts


A repeat of the books and podcasts from an earlier newsletter for those who missed them or just didn't have time over the holidays.

The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez by Aaron Bobrow-Strain is a non-fiction riveting account of one woman's struggle to survive the militarized U.S.-Mexico border and take on the U.S. immigration system.  


If you missed reading this one over the summer for summer book club this would be a good read to prepare for our visit from Marc and Miriam from Frontera de Cristo.

The New Jim Crow by Michele Alexander argues that mass incarceration is "a stunningly comprehensive and well-disguised system of racialized social control that functions in a manner strikingly similar to Jim Crow.


A an excellent book to read in preparation for the trip to view the Green Book exhibit.

The Last Sundown Siren - A Podcast


In 1921, the small town of Minden, Nevada began sounding a “sundown siren” that warned Indigenous people to leave the city limits or face violent consequences. Over a hundred years later, the alarm still blares daily. Why? It depends on who you ask. In a town full of historic markers, there’s nothing about the Indigenous history; local officials now say the siren is a tribute to first responders. Marty Meeden, a descendent of the local Washoe Tribe, had fought to end this traumatic daily reminder to no avail—until he met a pair of unlikely allies: a passionate white bicyclist and a teenage all-star runner. Together, they are working to silence the sundown siren forever, and show how remembering our history can help us all heal.

Listen to The Last Sundown Siren

“Movements for social change are like jigsaw puzzles. Everyone is a unique and special piece. If your piece is missing, the picture is not complete. Why? Because you're the most important piece.” JoAnn Bland, Civil Rights Activist

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

Michele Holifield

Contact Michele