Thank you, Rev. Lueking for your kind, humble response
I would like to thank Rev F. Dean Lueking for his eloquent and gracious response, “Going to church anyway–and why” [Viewpoints, July 19] to my article about why I don’t go to church anymore [Viewpoints, July 5].
These are some of the things I love about what he wrote:
1) He listened. “We would do well to listen carefully.” Rev Lueking, thank you so much for listening. I really appreciate it.
2) He affirmed honest inquiry. “God is no enemy of an honestly inquiring mind. The congregation is the right place for inquiring minds to inquire.” My question is: How can I be sure my inquiry is honest? I used to think the proof was whether the inquiry led a person to (or back to) faith. Now I’m hoping that’s not true because if it is, mine so far must have been dishonest.
3) He painted a beautiful picture of Christian community. “The church is the hospital where those broken on the wheel of life find healing and hope.” I’m happy to hear that’s been Rev. Lueking’s experience. I’d like to see all churches place higher priority on specific training in people skills and people helping for staff and lay members. I think this would help the church more consistently be the hospital Rev. Lueking depicted.
4) He is open to seeing that sometimes “God’s love [is] at work through those who make no claim to faith whatsoever.” Absolutely. There are probably stories right here in this newspaper about love and kindness shown to others by people who don’t profess to have faith.
5) He wrote eloquently and beautifully about the basic Christian message: “God has won us back to himself through undeserved grace.” I love the part about grace. I’m not sure why there is so much focus in Christianity on it being “undeserved.” It seems to me that truly loving people just love. They don’t say, “You didn’t deserve this, by the way” because whether I deserve it is not even an issue. They can’t help loving me for who I am, in all my uniqueness, which means they can’t help forgiving me for who I am not. If God is love, as the Bible says, is it not possible He might be that way also?
6) He openly acknowledged: The church is not the 100 percent club of those who have God all figured out.” I appreciated his humility here and throughout his response. Rev. Lueking, do you have any suggestions about how Christians who believe the Bible is true and that its meaning is clear can avoid coming across as having God all figured out? Because I do sense they often come across that way to people outside the church.
7) Last but definitely not least, he pointed out that faith, unambiguously connected with works of love, is what it will take to make people who have left communities of faith reconsider their decision. Yes indeed. Thank you, Rev. Lueking, for affirming the importance of that connection. I believe it’s what draws people to church and helps keep them there after the “honeymoon period” is over. As you indicated, it might even cause them to reconsider if they’ve wandered away.
I’m far from ready to go back to church. But the grace, humility and kindness Rev. Lueking exemplified in his response may have brought me one step closer.
Helen Mildenhall
Oak Park
A bigger Vineyard isn’t necessarily better
To borrow Blair Kamin’s architectural gem: “Bigger isn’t always better; sometimes it’s boneheaded!” South Wesley homeowners might invite Mr. Kamin to a future meeting with Vineyard representatives if they want to add heft to their objections of aggressive building expansion.
It’s bullying to tell a homeowner who is worried about the concrete encroachment abutting his garage, “So move it!”
It’s bullying to threaten the neighborhood’s resistance: “We’ll sue for discrimination!” It sounds like, “If you people don’t let me do what I want, I’ll take you to court!”
Making prideful demands and arrogant threats do not characterize pleasant, attractive, scrupulous, courteous, respectable, nice neighbors, especially when claiming to speak for a church. More likely, such an attitude is a significant aspect of their religiosity.
Sylvia Bumiller
Oak Park
Wishing Vineyard well, the village should tell them no
It’s pretty hard for anyone in our village government to tell someone no. In their early tenure, our new village board told several developers no successfully. Now comes an even harder task–to tell a church no, but it has to be done.
I’ll never forget when Vineyard church, 705 Jackson Blvd., came to town. The day after they installed the brightly lit sign in their front yard, a neighbor called us to see if we wanted to go to the new restaurant opening up in the old church. We had to tell them they weren’t taking reservations–it was still a church, only with a new name.
I would like to remind everyone that the Vineyard neighbors have lived peacefully with a church in their neighborhood for more than 80 years, and the only thing that has changed is the new church owner. In our landlocked suburb, every major institution looks to tear down its single family neighbors when it wants to expand. This is their cheapest option. Unfortunately it is also the thing that is the worst for our community.
Vineyard church has many options other than tearing down its neighbors. Most churches in their position of rapid growth find an area where land is available and build their own building to suit their needs. Or there are churches in storefronts, churches in shopping malls, huge churches in industrial areas. Anywhere where land costs are reasonable, you will find mega-churches.
Another option Vineyard has is to buy or swap for a larger church from a congregation that has been shrinking. One call to the Archdiocese of Chicago or any other major church association would probably turn up several possibilities. As I drive the West Side, I see very large, distressed churches and synagogues in need of help. Vineyard could also buy another existing Oak Park church and run two locations.
I wish Vineyard well. Vineyard’s rapid growth speaks to the fact that the church is connecting with people, and I would hope that as a religous institution serving the individual, they would respect the wishes of their neighbors. After all, people are what religion is all about. The threats of lawsuits etc. are totally out of religious character; no one is denying their right to be in the community.
We would do well to remember Vineyard’s fight with Evanston over a building there. After costing the City of Evanston a lot of money, they ended up moving.
So Vineyard has many options. One option they do not have is to start tearing down a single-family neighborhood and begin putting 1,000 cars on our streets every Sunday. There is no “compromise” on issues like this.
Respectfully, please tell them no.
Paul Hamer
Oak Park
After ‘Bike the Drive,’ why not ‘Bike the Avenue?’
Sunday, 28 May
Destination: The Book Table, 1045 Lake St.
Wow. What an event. Number of cars on Lake Shore Drive this morning: zero. Number of bicycles: 20,000. What a great way to see the city. We started our ride up by North Avenue Beach and went south all the way to the Museum of Science and Industry. Oak Street Beach, Buckingham Fountain, Soldier Field, McCormick Place, and some great views of the downtown skyline. It was a real treat to be on an eight-lane highway with so many other bikes–and no cars. Lake Shore Drive was surreally quiet. A few years ago it would have been unthinkable to shut down a major artery to automobile traffic, but a bike-friendly mayor and the relentless energy of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation made the unthinkable a reality–and now Bike the Drive is an annual event.
Our friends from downstate Illinois drove up for the ride; they made a long weekend of it. We spent Saturday on a mini-tour of Oak Park. I quickly realized that leading a few other bikers around Oak Park is not the same as riding around with just my son in tow. By myself, I can easily adjust for a bad choice. With bikes following me, it’s harder to turn around and choose a different route. At one point we’re riding south on Woodbine and I suddenly realize Woodbine dead-ends at Chicago. So now I’ve got three choices: turn everyone around and find another route; ride on the sidewalk, which is dangerous, not to mention illegal; or ride right on Chicago, which is generally very busy and has cars parked on both sides, leaving not much room to maneuver. I decide to take us one block west on Chicago itself; then we’re able to jog south again on Forest.
Since our destination is The Book Table on Lake, we take Superior over to Marion and then Marion down to Lake. And now I can’t remember if The Book Table is to the right or to the left. And those other bikers are right behind me. I start to go right; my wife suggests left. She’s usually right, so we go left and there it is. We make a quick stop at the book store, where they’re holding a book for me, and then we’re off to the library and Great Harvest Bakery.
The Saturday tour was a good warm-up ride for Bike the Drive and a great way to show off Oak Park to our friends. We love living here and were happy to show them around. The next day, on Bike the Drive Sunday, we log just under 20 miles. I heard some people rode the whole thing twice, for a total of 60-plus miles, before Lake Shore Drive opened up again for automobile traffic at 10 a.m. Maybe those same diehards would be willing to get their 60 miles in by doing laps up and down Oak Park Avenue during “Bike the Avenue.” It could happen. In Bogota, Columbia, they shut down 75 miles of main roads to automobile traffic every Sunday for seven hours. From 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday–bicycles and pedestrians rule the roads of Bogota. Interesting.
What would it take for a novice biker to safely and easily ride the half-mile from The Book Table on Lake Street to the public library on Lake Street? Try it yourself sometime. It’s not as easy as you might think.
Karl Lauger
Oak Park
Forum proved lively, balanced discussion on Iraq is possible
We thought globally, and we acted locally. I want to recognize and thank all of the volunteers who made last Saturday’s forum on the Iraq War, organized by the local Democracy for America group, both successful and enjoyable, including Beth and Todd Bannor, Bill Thomasson, Jim Dickert, Antonio Elizondo and Evelyn Kreuger. Our DFA Iraq War Forum–one of nearly 100 being organized nationwide–shone more light on a subject that Republicans in Congress want to distract us from with things like amendments against gay marriage and flag burning.
About 40 members of our community heard an insightful panel discuss “a way forward” from the situation we currently face in Iraq. Thanks especially to Ira Cohen from Cong. Danny Davis’ office; Dan Proft, former publisher of IllinoisLeader.com; and our own Township Assessor (and Iraqi-American) Ali ElSaffar. Along with moderator Dr. Steve Gevinson of OPRF High School, Ali, Ira and Dan provided a lively back-and-forth.
Our local cable provider, Comcast, will be cablecasting the event on the public access channel, so you can see for yourself soon, but the highlight for me was to hear Ali’s compelling personal and family perspective. His views formed a useful centerpiece around the sparring between Ira on the left and Dan on the right, leading many to wish this could be a recurring conversation.
Above all, even though many left energized to go out and get active, the forum showed that even in often highly partisan Oak Park it is possible to hold a balanced and civil discussion on highly charged public policy topics. Again, thanks to our volunteers, panelists and moderator for making it possible.
Eric Davis
Oak Park
Oak Park should join towns showing support for Kyoto Accord
Like many other Oak Parkers, I recently saw the film, An Inconvenient Truth. This documentary provides a stunning array of facts demonstrating that global warming is real and is accelerating to perilous levels. It documents that there is no controversy among scientists about the reality and severity of the threat, just complacency on the part of U.S. government and disinformation promoted by entrenched corporate interests. It also shows the many ways individuals, corporations and communities can take action despite these barriers.
For example, while the United States has failed to sign the Kyoto Accord, despite being the world’s largest contributor to global warming, seven U.S. states and more than 250 cities have committed themselves to living within the accord. I was deeply pleased to see that Chicago was on that list.
Oak Park is not.
Why not? And more importantly, what will it take for us to be on it?
Oak Park is a forward-thinking community that has long embraced high community and environmental standards. I suspect that it would not take much more for us to be living within the Kyoto Accord. You can view the list of cities and the requirements at http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/mayor/climate/.
I encourage Village President David Pope, village board members and administrators, and the leadership of the VMA, VCA, NLP and others to take action.
We owe it to our children.
Kris Gallagher
Oak Park
RF park board is starting to resemble the Politburo
As a citizen of River Forest and a taxpayer to the River Forest Park District, I wonder when the RFPD board became the Politburo? First, Chairman Dudek sacks board member Holly Hirst as board secretary because he decided she wouldn’t be around much longer. Then he conducts the bulk of the meeting in executive session. What’s next? Will the chairman declare Ms. Hirst a nonperson and photoshop her out of any picture in park district publications?
On another note, it is obvious to anyone paying attention that Mr. Dudek plans to sue the village over the lights at Keystone Park issue. While I favor the installation of lights, I believe that a suit on the matter is a waste of time and, more importantly, tax dollars. The Illinois Supreme Court has already decided in Wilmette Park District v. the Village of Wilmette that a park district must comply with the zoning requirements imposed by the village. While I am not a municipal law attorney, I can read. The only difference between the Wilmette Park District case and the present dispute between the RFPD and the village board is the names of the parties to the suit.
Nonetheless, Mr. Dudek seems hell bent on suing the village. Even as an outsider, it is clear to me that he is dedicated to suing more to vindicate himself than anything else. He has made it plain that he is unwilling to compromise since he has decided that the lights are a must. Unfortunately for Mr. Dudek, the Illinois Supreme Court has held, in essence, that his opinion in this regard does not matter. The village has the final say about whether the park district can install lights.
I believe that the main responsibilities of any elected official are to conduct the public’s business in as transparent a fashion as reasonably practical and to be cautious when it comes to spending the taxpayers’ money. With the exception of Ms. Hirst, Mr. Dudek and the RFPD board fail on both counts. Too much park district business is being done outside the rightful glare of the taxpayers under the dubious cover of executive sessions. Moreover, the bill for legal fees over this lights issue is already large and is sure to grow exponentially if the RFPD decides to challenge the decision of the village on this issue.
At bottom, Mr. Dudek is free to tilt at all of the windmills he desires if that is what it takes to salve his bruised ego. He just shouldn’t expect the taxpayers to pay for his mount and lance.
Thomas Cargie
River Forest
Keep Public TV free from influence by special interests
It disheartens me to see commercial ads on Public TV. Yet this may get worse because all federal funding for PBS and NPR has been slashed from the House of Representives’ budget two years from now. We currently have to sit through the feel-good ads from a major oil producer which explain their efforts in conservationism and alternative fuels–but on Wall Street are having banner profits from the rise in oil prices.
The purpose of public broadcasting is for educational programs and unbiased news reporting. We should all wish for the end of commercially driven ads, since the money brought in from those companies can only influence the news and programming on Public Broadcasting over time. In two years when all federal funding has ceased for Public TV, it will have to get financial support elsewhere. Eventually large pharmaceuticals, car companies and junk food companies will get air time, too, if they haven’t already. Scrutinize the ads on “free” TV–ABC, CBS and NBC–and decide if you want to see those advertisers on PBS. If not, I suggest you write or call Congress and the White House to tell them to keep Public TV away from special interest groups.
David Riddle
Oak Park
Journal should help voters stay informed on Triton
On June 28, Wednesday Journal had an excellent article by Bill Dwyer on governance issues at Triton College, as well as a letter from a faculty member and an editorial on the same subject. Your editorial correctly points out that readers should care about Triton because we send a lot of tax money to support it and because so many OPRF grads attend Triton. It concludes, “voters should stop mindlessly supporting the same tired, old, overly acquiescent board members.”
While I wholeheartedly agree with the editorial, I respectfully submit that Wednesday Journal bears some responsibility for the sorry situation. Voter mindlessness is partially the result of a lack of information. Your newspaper rarely covers what’s happening at Triton, and none of your endorsements dealt with Triton board candidates in the last election. I’m wondering whether these candidates met with you for endorsement interviews or were even invited to do so. If there was no one you could endorse, your assessments still would have been valuable to local voters.
Judith Alexander
Oak Park