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Order INFORM
of Worship OrderATION
of Worship
PASTORAL/PROGRAM STAFF
Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., Senior Pastor
Rev. Otis Moss III, Pastor
Rev. Stacey Edwards-Dunn, Director of Pastoral Services
Rev. Barbara A. Heard, Associate Pastor
Rev. Cedric McCay, Associate Pastor
Rev. Rochelle Michael, Associate Pastor
Rev. Michael G. Sykes, Associate Pastor
Rev. Tiffany Trent, Associate Pastor
Rev. Reginald Williams, Associate Pastor
Rev. Ramah E. Wright, Associate Pastor
Dr. Julia Speller, Director Christian Education
Rev. Michael D. Jacobs, Minister to Youth and Children
Rev. Ann Patton, Minister of Christian Education
Deacon Shirley Bims-Ellis, Director Center for African Biblical Studies
Robert E. Wooten, Jr., Director of Music
Deacon Jeri L. Wright, Director of Media
Ivey Matute, Executive Secretary
.“There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served.”
1 Corinthians 12:5 (TEV)
table of contents
Order of Worship............................................................................................................................. 4
Hymn of Praise (7:30 a.m. – “O How I Love Jesus”)....................................................................... 5
Hymn of Praise (11:00 a.m. – “I Am On The Battlefield”)............................................................... 5
Unison Scriptures (7:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m.)...................................................................... 6
Pastor’s Page................................................................................................................................... 8
Advent Meditation......................................................................................................................... 11
Sermon Notes................................................................................................................................ 12
To Do Justice................................................................................................................................ 13
Stewardship................................................................................................................................... 14
Black and Christian New Member Class......................................................................................... 15
Special Announcement: Church In Society/2008 MLK College Fair.............................................. 16
[Once the sermon has begun, parishioners may not enter or re-enter the first floor sanctuary.]
I
hear story after story about communities take Colorado History. The problem with the
across the country being torn apart by Colorado History class was that the textbooks
fierce debates over immigration. I read left out significant information about the real
speech after speech delivered by political history. Never did I see people in those books
leaders adding inflammatory remarks to an who looked like me, even though my ancestors
already hostile social environment. In all the had been on the land for centuries before the
fear-producing outcries, immigrants are named as United States expanded and created states like
the problem with America. One such place is the Colorado, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Oregon,
State of Oklahoma. Washington, Idaho, California, New Mexico and
What mystifies me about all this is our Oklahoma. The school books only told stories
apparent memory loss. I am confused by our about those who traveled west on wagon trains—
patriotic cries that raise the American flag courageous and rebellious immigrants in search
and the Statue of Liberty as the icons of our of a better life. It seems that the authors of the
culture. Yet, we seem to have forgotten that the history textbooks had lost their memory too.
thirteen stripes on the flag represent the original Now, our memory loss is showing up in
colonies made up of rebellious and courageous hateful state legislation that strips people’s
immigrants coming to this land to make a better dignity and their basic human rights. Oklahoma
life. We have forgotten that the Statue of Liberty House Bill 1804, enacted November 1, 2007,
is called a symbol of freedom and opportunity, is based on assumptions that have no proven
inscribed with these words, “Give me your tired, foundation. Legislators and the Governor
your poor, your huddled masses yearning to endorsed a bill that blames “illegal” immigrants
breathe free…” We have forgotten that most of for the economic woes and lawlessness in the
the American West was Mexico not very long state. Where is the data that proves that “illegal”
ago. Most alarming is that we ignore that this immigrants are committing crime at a higher
land first belonged to Indigenous peoples who rate? Where is the data that verifies that “illegal”
have been set aside. immigrants are draining public resources?
This memory loss reminds me of my history This bill is not about data, it is about a loss of
lessons in public schools over a half-century memory that has rendered people invisible in the
ago. As an eighth grader, I was required to history books and in today’s stories.
continued on page 10
Sunday, December 9, 2007 8 © Sermons copyrighted by Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.
Pastor’s page
working family values
No-benefit jobs leave parents struggling
by Heather Boushey One of the key characteristics of low-wage jobs
W
is that they aren’t subject to the same kinds of ba-
hen we send our children out into sic labor standards as other jobs. High-wage jobs
the world of work, we assume that often provide the kinds of benefits that workers
if they can get their foot in the with families need, such as the flexibility to take an
door and get a job, then they can hour to take the children to the dentist and then
move up the ladder and take care of themselves and make it up later, or paid time off for maternity and
their families. The job may not be perfect, but they paternity leave. But those in low-wage jobs, who
will be able to make ends meet and have time to be are also in need of family-friendly policies, simply
both good workers and good parents. don’t get these kinds of perks.
The reality, however, is that millions of jobs PUBLIC BENEFITS, such as Medicaid and
in the United States are not these kinds of jobs. child care subsidies, are supposed to fill the gap for
Nationwide, about one-third of jobs are low wage, workers who do not get on-the-job benefits. Yet
paying less than two-thirds of the male median we find that in states across the country, not only
wage, and, more often than not, don’t come with do benefits phase out long before you’re likely to
health insurance, paid time off, or retirement plans. get employer-based benefits, but few (often less
Many workers in low-wage jobs do not even know than half) of those eligible actually receive benefits.
what their work schedule is for next week, let alone Most work support programs, including child
what they’ll do if they need a sick day. care subsidies and Medicaid, focus on the poor-
Low-wage workers and their families are often est among us or those without employment. This
excluded from what most of us would consider leaves millions of working families—who are not
normal activities, such as taking a paid sick day what the government would define as poor, but
if their child is sick. This is a moral outrage. In who don’t earn enough to meet their basic needs
a nation where the majority of children do not and don’t get on-the-job benefits—struggling to
have a stay-at-home parent, how should families make ends meet.
cope when a child gets the flu? Leave the child at We need to think long and hard about what
daycare and get all the other children sick? Risk kind of economy we want to create for the next
their jobs by missing a day of work? Every day in generation of workers. What are the basic stan-
the world’s richest nation, parents are forced to dards that should be common to all jobs, not just
choose between being a good parent and being at the best jobs? At the very least, the United States
their job. should follow the lead of other advanced
W
hen we hear the admonition to “Put Christ in our Christmas,” it often seems like one
more thing we are being asked to do, another “should.” The first Christmas, however,
was a gift. Mary and Joseph, shepherds and magi, received something very special. If we
are to savor the moments of Advent and Christmas, perhaps it would be well to connect the word,
“savor” with “savior,” remembering their true meanings.
The word, “savor,” has the core idea of tasting, experiencing a particular flavor or smell, recogniz-
ing a distinctive quality. If we savor something, we take time to relish it and enjoy it. Savoring the
Advent moments involves sensing the joy of its central message all along the way.
The word, “savior,” involves not only what we are saved from, but what we are saved to. Salvation
moves us from aloneness or rejection to belonging and being accepted. It is a gift of love that comes
from the Savior, of whom we sing in this season, “Christ, the Savior, is Born!” We are given a great
gift. We belong, and, knowing this is true as Advent moves along, we can anticipate that God does
have good things in store for us.
The result of this can be a sense of givenness that can permeate our living. Life is something more
than the day to day struggle to get by. Jesus promised us an abundant life. Part of the secret of that
life is living in the “given-ness” spirit, both in what we give and what is given to us.
What a blessing this is, when it comes in a world where often it seems as though people are always
asking things of us, often expecting more than we can give. With faithful, caring concern, we try to
fulfill our responsibilities and be helpful to those around us, but often we are misunderstood and feel
we have no more to give. Jesus comes to say that God always stands with us, hand on our shoulder,
giving us support and strength.
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E
very five years, Congress reauthorizes the • Lugar/Lautenberg Amendment: Would broaden
Farm Bill. This legislation has tentacles that the agricultural safety net by making a free
reach far and wide with regard to many revenue insurance program available to all farmers,
of the policies under which we live. The Farm saving billions of dollars to be used for nutrition,
Bill hits everything from energy to conservation; conservation, the McGovern-Dole international
school meals program and more.
from compensation for farmers to the food stamp
• Grassley/Dorgan Amendment: Would cap
program.
commodity payments at $250,000 per household,
As the program currently exists, large cash helping to ensure that payments are targeted to
payments are made to large corporate farmers, those who need them.
while the small farmers are being left out in • Brown/Sununu Amendment: Would reform crop
the cold. Rural families of modest means are insurance programs to bring the insurance companies’
being forced to close down or relinquish their underwriting gains more in line with other types of
farms, which have sometimes been in families for insurance and lower their Administration &
generations, to large corporate farms. This bottom Operations (“A&O”) reimbursement. No farmers
pricing, and corporate reward is nothing but a would see any change in their premium costs or
continuation of the Wal-Martization of America. coverage. It would save money to reinvest in food
Furthermore, a reform in the Farm Bill would stamps, conservation, and McGovern-Dole
international school feeding program.
allow for proper compensation of black farmers
• Menendez Amendment: Would make a small
who were discriminated against by the USDA
cut to Direct Payments and reinvest the savings in
in 1999, when that agency refused to provide food stamps and conservation.
technical assistance, the results of which caused • Amendments which would allow black farmers to
many bankruptcies and farm foreclosures. In 1999, be compensation for discrimination suffered at the
a settlement of nearly $1 billion was paid to nearly hands of the USDA from the 1997 Pigford case.
15,000 families. However, over 63,000 black • Other amendments that add funding to
farmers eligible for the $50,000 claim given to nutrition programs: Several other amendments
each family, were left out in the cold. will likely be offered to increase funding for the food
Moreover, the food stamp program, which stamp program and other vital nutrition programs.
purports to be the first line of defense against hunger
ACTION ITEMS
in America, needs to be expanded in order to make
1. Call your Senator and urge them to support
more families eligible in order to eliminate hunger.
reforms to the Farm Bill.
Only a reform in the farm bill will allow some
2. Do not shop at Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club.
of these policies to be altered, in order to be more
equitable for those suffering under this policy. Thought for this week:
Therefore, I urge you to call your Senator and “Africans cannot afford the luxury of listening to the siren songs
of those who do not recognize or respect us... Trusting in our
demand that the Farm Bill include the following
own cultural heritage, ancient and modern, we are in the best
amendments: position to solve our own problem.” —Dr. Asa. G. Hilliard, III
During this holiday season, let us show our love and generosity!
We smile and offer goodwill to all people. We give to others gladly and
experience the warm feeling that comes with giving from the heart, in
order to please those we love.
Let us all join in during this Holy Season and continue during the
coming year to show our love and generosity.
volunteers
needed
for the 2008 MLK College Fair
church in society
will register voters Friday, January 18, 2008
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
after worship services
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Today 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
through
Sunday, January 6, 2008 Navy Pier, Festival Hall A
Atrium 600 East Grand Avenue • Chicago, IL
2008 Kwanzaa
Service
Friday, December 28, 2007
7:00 p.m.
Sanctuary
TRUMPET
On Sale Today
In The Akiba
(after each service
and during the week)
BEREAVED
THE FAMILY OF: PLEASE SEND CARDS TO: ADDRESS:
Mr. Lee Jamison Mr. Kenneth Harris & Family 21417 English Dr., Frankfort, IL 60423
Mr. James Jones Ms. Georgetta Farr-Jones & Family 6720 S. Oglesby Ave. (49)
Mr. William Russo Ms. Naa Yarteley Akuetteh & Family P.O. Box 984, Dolton, IL 60419
Loretta Brathwaite
Little Company of Mary Hospital
2900 W. 95th Street
Evergreen Park, IL 60805
708-422-6200
CARDS ONLY
BRADFORD, Luevater 9301 S. Racine Ave. (20)
BROWN, Hysson 10427 S. Hoxie Ave. (17)
CARTER, Herman 2631 S. Indiana (16)
CHAPMAN, Malachi 10838 S. Wallace Ave. (28)
DANIELS, Carbena c/o Sheila Williams,
518 Calumet Way Calumet City, IL 60409
DELOACH, Berenice 7114 S. Harding Ave. (29)
GARDNER-PEARSON, Renee 17607 S. Mulberry,
Country Club Hills, IL 60478
GILMORE, Laura 1155 Westgrove Pkwy., Apt. #186,
Tempe, AZ 85283
HARRIS, Michelle 811 W. Madison St., Apt. #115 (07)
McDADE, Darlene 18555 Hickory Ct., Apt. 17, Lansing, IL 60438
PUTMAN, Delores 6820 S. Prairie (37)
ROBERTS, Fontain 1829 N. Austin Ave. (39)
SAYLES, Bernice 6831 S. Cornell Ave., 1st Flr. (49)
SMITH, Green K. 8126 S. Campbell Ave. (52)
TAYLOR, Dr. Brenda 52380 Windemere Dr., Granger, IN 46530
TORREY, Hoyt 4241 El Moor Way, Las Vegas, NV 89044
702-435-0257 CARDS & CALLS ONLY
WALKER, Jr., Floyd 8428 S. Green St. (20)
WALKER, Lillian 6138 S. Carpenter St. (21)
WASHINGTON-DYK, Gwendolyn 2045 W. Jackson Blvd., Apt. #2012 (12) 312-421-7867
CARDS & CALLS ONLY
WHYTE, Rev. James 3429 Peachwood Rd., Knoxville, TN 37921
YOUNG, Charlotte 1330 W. Wentworth, Calumet City, IL 60409
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