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Race Amity Day June 9
See Bottom Of Letter For Details
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Four years ago, my son started high school and met a new friend. I slowly
began to get to know his mother. Mostly we would discuss our sons and what
they were up to, or our families and our other children. I would see her a few
times a year at school events. She was very sweet and very friendly, but our
discussions were typically superficial. I wondered about inviting her to a
devotional, but it never felt like something she would be interested in.
According to my son, they celebrated Christmas, but their family was not very
religious. Last year I learned from my son that her father passed away
unexpectedly. My own father was in hospice at the time. I sent her a card with
a prayer for the departed. Much to our surprise, we bumped into each other a
couple weeks later at a grocery store neither of us usually go to. I told her
I had continued to be praying for her family and her father. We hugged and
talked in the aisle for a long time. We made plans to have lunch a couple
weeks later. At lunch we had a much deeper conversation on life, our world and
community, the youth. I invited her to my monthly devotional, and she
accepted. She has now come a handful of times and texts me if she hasn’t heard
from me to make sure she knows the date of the upcoming one. She left my
devotional this past week wanting to make plans to visit the House of Worship
as she has never been. She also shared with me that her son wrote a paper on
the Baha’i faith for one of his college classes this year. I have a beautiful
friendship now that may have remained something superficial had I not put my
faith out there. My new friend is making friends with other Baha’s in the
community and is eager to continue praying and learning with us.
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Friday, June 21st at 12:00 pm at Society 57
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During our last meeting we talked about different prayers and beliefs of our
different communities. One friend shared a beautiful prayer from the Baha'i faith.
Another shared about Lamed Vav Tzadikim (Tzadikim Nistarim), which refers to 36
righteous people, rooted in Judaism. We would like to continue this by bringing
meaningful prayers from our faiths at each meeting.
We discussed the power of
books, documentaries & Ted Talks like:
40 Rules of Love: A Novel of Rumi by
Elif Shafak10 Questions for the Dalai Lama (documentary)How to outsmart your
unconscious bias (Ted Talk)
We were also reminded us of the upcoming
event: Sunday, June 9th at 4:00 p.m. in Naperville's Frontier Park - Race Amity
Day.
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⋅ Donuts and Devotions
Every Sunday at Central Park in Naperville from 10-11am.
There is no prepared program and all are welcome! There is both
reading and chanting of prayers, followed by fellowship and donuts.
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⋅ Interfaith Devotions
Saturday June 1, 6-8 pm
Held at the Shahrokh residence. Please text (630)
805-1397 for the address.
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⋅ ComeUnity Coffee Break for Social Justice
Second Thursday of every month
ComeUnity will resume meeting in September
For more information, please email ComeUnity.SocialJustice@gmail.com
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⋅ Fridays By The Fire
Every Friday
Held at the Dobbs residence. Pleases message (630-476-1437)
for the address.
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Contact Details for Area Teaching Committee
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⋅Meaningful Discussions
Join in on studying sections from the Baha'i writings to provide a spiritual
perspective on challenges that are relevant to the community today.
Held Sunday mornings at 11AM at the Oak Park Baha'i Faith Community
Center
124 Madison, Oak Park IL
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⋅ Hour of Prayer
Held every Sunday at 10AM at the Baha'i Faith Community Center
124 Madison, Oak Park and over Zoom. Go to this website for details and links for
Zoom. https://opbahai.org/activities
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⋅The Most Vital And Challenging Issue Racial Justice Film Series
Friday April 5th at 7pm
The April meeting of this monthly film series will feature the documentary film
Slavery by Another Name (based on the best-selling book by
investigative reporter, Douglas A. Blackmon). Light refreshments will be served and
a discussion will follow at the Baha’i Faith Community Center, 124 Madison Street,
Oak Pak, IL.
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⋅ Hour of Prayer
Held every Sunday at 10AM at the Baha'i Faith Community Center
124 Madison, Oak Park and over Zoom. Go to this website for details and links for
Zoom. https://opbahai.org/activities
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⋅Thursday Night Devotionals
Thursdays from 7:30pm-8:30 pm
Hosted by Karen Skaggs via Google Meet
Please message (815-546-6607)
or Karenskaggs95@gmail.com
for link.
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⋅Blended Sunday morning devotionals
Sundays at 9:00 am
Please join us on zoom or in person.
Hosted by Jim & Cheryl Dougherty
1848 Corregidor St Joliet, IL 60435
815-600-1335
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⋅Monthly Meditation
First Wednesday 7pm-8:30pm
Please join us at the Welcome Center of the Baha'i House of Worship (112 Linden Ave,
Wilmette, IL) as we explore meditation from the Baha'i perspective.
Eventbrite link for more
information
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⋅Fireside
Friday nights 6pm to 7:30pm
Held at the Bahá’í House of Worship Welcome Center (112 Linden Ave, Wilmette,
IL)
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⋅Devotionals at the Temple
Sundays 12:30pm to 1:00pm
Please join us at the Bahá’í House of Worship for a devotional followed by
discussion on a theme 1pm to 1:30pm
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⋅Discussion on Quilts
May 7 at 7pm at the Northbrook Library
Please join The Quilt Whisperer Connie Martin to discuss 18
pre-Civil War quilt replicas that were used to communicate with travelers on the
Underground Railroad and related family history
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⋅Men's Breakfast
Come and enjoy some flapjacks & Mancakes, wash it down with a gallon of hot
steaming java, and top that off with an ice cold cup of OJ. Now that's a breakfast!
Saturday April 13
2nd Saturday @ 8am
Uptown Cafe 24 E Miner St,Arlington Heights, IL 60004
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⋅First Friday Conversations
Friday, June 7, 6:30pm-8:30pm at the McKee residence.
For the address contact Nancy@PizzaAndSocialJustice.org.
Link: https://zoom.us/j/326557993
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If you feel ready to engage in meaningful conversations about racism, what it looks
like in the world and in ourselves, and what we must do to begin rooting it out,
this is the place to come.
We will be serving pizza, followed by discussion
on a topic related to Racism/Social Justice.
The doors open at 6:30 with the
meeting starting at 7:00 pm. Zoom will be active at 6:45 for those who wish to stay
home or are to far away to join us in person.
Our goal is building a stronger
community through sharing and conversation.
Pizza Served at 6:30 pm Meeting
Start time: 7:00 pm
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It has been an eventful month of May for the Race Amity Movement in Illinois. On May 3,
2024, the Illinois State House adopted a resolution with three main sponsors and 13
co-sponsors to proclaim June 9, 2024, as Race Amity Day in Illinois. This Proclamation
will be presented at the picnic in Lombard on June 9th.
The purpose of the Race Amity Movement is to support means for people of all races,
cultures, backgrounds, ages, and genders to meet and develop lasting deep friendships,
which helps build bonds of unity and strengthens the community at the foundation. One
avenue is celebrating Race Amity Day, which has been declared in several towns as the
second Sunday in June (June 9 this year).
This includes DuPage County, the Village of Northbrook, Northfield Township, Rockford, and
others.
Chief sponsor Sen. Rachel Ventura issued a press release about the resolution. Check
it out here: For the complete text of the news release, please go to https://www.senatorventura.com/news/press-releases/120-ventura-passes-resolution-to-declare-race-amity-day-in-illinois
On May 28, 2024, the DuPage County Board formally proclaimed June 9, 2024, as Race Amity
Day in DuPage County, with a formal presentation to the co-chairs of Illinois Citizens for
Race Amity. The proclamation was sponsored with the Board by Board Member Yeena Yoo and
Vice-Chair Michael Childress. The Proclamation was read by Chair Deborah Conroy and was
passed by voice vote. The Proclamation was then presented to Jim Percic and Bette
Lawrence-Water, co-chairs of Illinois Citizens for Race Amity. Both Jim and Bette spoke
briefly to the Board, thanking them for their support
Some events to be held to
celebrate the flourishing movement
⋅Race Amity Day Picnic at the Cobb Park in Kankakee, IL on June 2nd, from 12-4pm
⋅Race Amity Day Festival June 9th in the Village Green Park starting at 4 pm with a drum
circle and potluck supper
⋅Race Amity Day Picnic June 9th in the Madison Meadow Park Pavillion 12-3pm
Please see the Save the Date flyers for more information. If you are interested in
assisting us or want more information, please feel free to contact Illinois Citizens for
Race Amity at ILCit4RAD@comcast.net.
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Please send in any events, narratives, pictures, or arts that you would like shared! You
can reach us at Newsletter
Submissions
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Northern Illinois Baha'is
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2N500 Bernice Ave.
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
United States of America
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