Newsletter of the Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago January 2011 | Sunday Morning Programs | Coming Activities and Events | Recent Sunday Programs | Notices and Announcements | Our People | Sunday School Scoop | Tribute Fund | About Us | Staff | Last Month's Newsletter | Download Newsletter PDF | Welcome to Our Annual Living Ethics Series Every Sunday morning from 10:30 a.m. to noon. These programs are free and open to the public. • ERIC ZORN, popular columnist for the Chicago Tribune, opens our annual Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 9th. He will speak on “The Importance of Dialogue in a Monologue World.” Zorn will discuss the increasing importance of civilized public dialogue and informed debate in a polarized, shouty world. He will describe the benefits of our having constructive conversations on delicate, vital, and controversial topics. • RON MILLER, co-founder of Common Ground and chair of the Department of Religion at Lake Forest College, continues our Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 16th. He will speak on “Living Without God.” More Americans than ever are living without God, Miller says, but they are neither atheists who deny God nor agnostics who are uncertain about God. He will explore this lifestyle and the challenge it presents for both humanists and religious believers. • FRITZ WILLIAMS, Leader Emeritus of the Baltimore Ethical Society, continues our Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 23rd. He will speak on “An Ethical Journey.” A favorite storyteller among humanists and ethical culturists, Williams will reveal the deeply personal nature of ethics by examining the experiences and insights that shaped his own ethical development—a process of growth and discovery and a struggle to achieve ownership of his own life. • MAUDESSIE JOINTER, a Chicago police officer who runs the Safer Foundation’s “Keepin’ It Real” rehabilitation program, concludes our Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 30th. She will speak on “Rehabilitation: Lessons from the Experience of Convicted Burglars.” Accompanying her will be three prison inmates who will describe the burglary risks we all face and tell how they are preparing to reenter society. Coming Society Events • Our Fiction Circle, led by Ken Novak, is on Sunday, January 9th, at 12:15 p.m. We’ll discuss One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Considered one of the 20th Century’s most influential novels, it is available everywhere. If you’re sight impaired, see Ken for an audio copy. • Our Ethnic Dinner Out resumes on Saturday, January 15th, We’re returning to Czerwone Jabluszko (The Red Apple), which The Reader has called the best buffet restaurant in Chicago. It’s at 6474 N. Milwaukee Ave. There is street parking and a small lot in the rear. Enjoy the ultimate Polish comfort food at a remarkable price. RSVP to Richard Curren at Sunday coffee hour or at richard_curren@yahoo.com. We order at 5:30 p.m. • Our Film Discussion Group, led by John Ungashick, meets on Monday, January 17th, at 7:15 p.m. We’ve again chosen two current movies. True Grit is a Western, about a teenage girl who hires a U.S. marshall to track down her father’s killer. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, it stars Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin. The King’s Speech is a historical drama depicting King George VI’s battle to overcome an embarrassing stammer. Directed by Tom Hooper, it stars Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter. • Our Creative Writers group, led by John Taylor, meets next on the fourth Sunday of the month, January 23rd, at 12:15 p.m. Newcomers are welcome to come and share their short, original works with us. • Our Sunday Morning Colloquy topics this month are Emancipation on January 9th, Waiting on January 16th, Conversation on January 23rd, and Loving on January 30th. Led by Ken Novak, our small, nonjudgmental group examines how we feel about our lives. We meet in the library at 9:30 a.m. back to the top Recent Sunday Programs • Suzanne Willis, professor of physics at Northern Illinois University, spoke November 21st on “Science or Bunk: How to Tell the Difference.” The moderator was Matthew Zaucha. “Science is a process,” Willis began. She said it requires us to “figure out the answers to our questions by experimenting.” She called curiosity “the essence of science.” Setting up a hypothesis, “we analyze whether it is refuted or confirmed,” she said. But “pseudo-science starts with the answer,” she charged. As examples she cited creationism, astrology, and UFOs, where she said there is no testing, peer review, or reconciling with known scientific facts or laws. Willis spoke of bogus claims, mere anecdotal evidence, and pitches in the media, warning us to “guard your wallets.” She said that non-scientists need to beware of “sciency” arguments and to find out “what scientists themselves say.” As new scientific evidence emerges, such as about the cause of ulcers and earthquakes, we must also be willing to alter old theories and accept new ones, she concluded. • Amber Gribben, subbing for Stephanie Davies who had a family emergency, spoke November 28th on “Vermiculture—Worms Ate My Garbage!” The moderator was David Wokosin. Gribben hailed the composting and recycling of organic kitchen waste by red wiggler worms as a way of lessening the need for landfills and of quickly returning nutrients to the soil. She skillfully demonstrated with special small tiered tubs, racks, and bins how these inch-long eyeless, toothless worms are easily grown, fed, and cared for. Gribben described the life cycle of the worms, who are hermaphroditic, reproduce quickly, and live many years. She said they are odorless, require a minimum of care, and not native to cold climates adapt quickly to the indoors. She called them “the black gold of the garden world.” • Diane Schanzenbach, a professor at Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy, spoke December 5th on “Policy Debates on Success in School for Our Children.” The moderator was Lisa Barrow. Schanzenbach complained that improvement in educational outcomes is “contained by political realities.” She said that children from low-income families are less prepared for school and have the worst teachers. She said “the best teachers tend to leave the worst schools.” She accused the federal No Child Left Behind program of leaving the poor schools behind. Schanzenbach called for more control of teacher hiring by school principals, an increase in teacher incentives, and a “value-added” measure of school success. She called simply decreasing class size a “blunt instrument” and said that charter schools have a mixed record. She added that more evidence is needed to show success in increased funding. • Sheila Weinberg, CEO of The Institute for Truth in Accounting, spoke December 12th on “The True Size of the Fiscal Mess in Illinois.” The moderator was Buzz States. Weinberg declared that legislators “are using various tricks to conceal our true debt.” She accused them of “not telling us the truth.” She said the state’s budget is not balanced, comparing this to the need for balancing our own personal budgets. She also pointed to under-funded state pensions and millions of dollars in unpaid bills that are owed to schools, hospitals, and other service providers. Weinberg said “we need to stop these shenanigans” and “hold the politicians accountable.” She called for “fact-based budgeting” and support for passing the Truth in Accounting Act in Springfield. “Let’s demand the truth,” she insisted. The state “must live within its means.” Our People • Michelle and Jim Harris have joined the Society. They live in Skokie and have two children in our Sunday School. Michelle is a stay-at-home mom while Jim works as a real estate broker and property manager. They especially like the Sunday school and our “sense of community.” Welcome, Michelle and Jim! • Rosa Drake Julstrom, mother of our president Steve Julstrom, is also a new member of the Society. She recently moved to Chicago from McComb, Illinois. Welcome to you too, Rosa! From the President The coming of the New Year is traditionally the time to take stock of the previous one. We can look back on 2010 as an eventful but productive and reinvigorating one for the Society. Our year-ending Winter Festival is always a joyous celebration for all ages. 2011 begins with a building workday and rounds out the five-Sunday month of January with our Living Ethics series. This traditional year-opening series highlights various perspectives on ethical questions that we face as individuals or that we all face together in the modern world. Some of us, me included, may tend to take for granted these sorts of thought-provoking platforms that continually engage our minds each Sunday. We should be cognizant and appreciative of the hard work of our dedicated Sunday Program Committee, which locates, contacts, and arranges for the always challenging speakers. They make a vital contribution to maintaining the intellectually stimulating environment that we have come to expect and value. —Steve Julstrom , President Sunday School Scoop Our Winter Festival was one of the best ever. Thanks so much to Tom Hoeppner for his leadership, JoAnn Hoeppner for her piano playing, and to all our kids, families, teachers, and friends. Whether you were a performer or an audience member, your participation is appreciated. We’ll begin a unit on World Religions this month, looking at the various creation and afterlife or death beliefs. Each year we try to learn about religions from a different perspective to gain an understanding of these cultures. Also Ken Novak has arranged a visit from the Urban Worm Girl to set up a worm bin in the Sunday School and teach us how to care for them. —Sharon Appelquist, Director sundayschool@ethicalhuman.org back to the top Activities and Announcements • Our Annual Pledge Drive is roaring along. Thanks to all of you who have already pledged—and a reminder to those who have yet to show their financial support of the Society. We hope to make a significant dent in our deficit—so please pledge generously. Many members have raised their pledges to at least one percent of after-tax income. Those pledging two percent are being honored as Pillars of the Society—as are those pledging 20% more than last year. As of December 27th, pledges had reached $59,314—coming from 71 members, 42 of them Pillars. • In Ethical Action, we’re planning another Soup Kitchen at the Evanston Baptist Church, 1717 Benson, on Monday, January 24th, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A dozen volunteers are needed to shop, cook, serve, and clean up. Sponsored by Interfaith Action of Evanston, of which we are a member, it’s an opportunity for serving the homeless and hungry. To sign up for this outreach to the community, contact Marilee Cole at 847-653-8050 or Marileesgarden@comcast.net. We’re also setting up a Coat Table in the reception area to collect cold weather clothing and bedclothes for distribution to the needy. Items can be dropped off at the Society on Sunday, January 2nd, 9th, and 16th. • Our Women’s Group, co-chaired by Marilee Cole and Ellen Marshall, is sponsoring a Chinese Reflexology Workshop on Saturday, January 29th, 10 a.m. to noon. Led by Grace Chen-McClone, the workshop will stress self-healing and relaxation through the massage of pressure points in the feet. The session is limited to ten women. The suggested fee is $10. A sign-up sheet is posted in the hallway. • Our Coffee and Social Hour depends on the bite-sized snacks we bring on Sunday morning. Organizers Sue Walton and Judy Carney ask that we follow a monthly schedule corresponding to our last names: 1st Sun. A–D; 2nd Sun. E–K; 3rd Sun. L–P; 4th Sun. Q–Z; 5th Sun. Thanks! • Our annual January Clean-up Day is on Sunday, January 2nd, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Both young and old can help us clean and organize the basement, utility closets, library, kitchen, and Sunday School. For information, contact Building Committee Co-Chair Scott Walton at 847-475-0391. • Next month’s Ethical Humanities discussion, led by Ken Novak, is on Sunday, February 6th, 12:30 p.m. We’ll discuss how the benefits and problems of urbanity follow mathematical patterns, using the short article “A Physicist Solves the City” in the December 19th, 2010 New York Times Magazine. Access it online at http://nyti.ms/dUa6HM. • Our Second Saturday Coffeehouse, hosted by Vicki Elberfeld, is skipping this month. But we’re looking forward to February 12th, when our own jazz vocalist Marne Glaser will lead a “Love and Chocolate” pre-Valentine evening. •The Annual Assembly of the American Ethical Union is scheduled for June 16–19 in Columbus, Ohio. The theme is “Choices that Matter.” Several of our members are in the AEU leadership—Scott Walton as a Board member, Aimee Neumann as RE director, Tom Hoeppner as growth and development chair, Ken Novak as head of Assembly program-ming, and Sue Walton in logistics planning. • Our Tribute Fund is a way we can honor each other—such as condolences on the loss of a loved one and congratulations on a birthday, wedding, graduation, or personal achievement. Each tribute is printed in the newsletter. Forms are on the literature tables. • Become a member of the Society—if you enjoy our Sunday morning programs, have made new friends at our activities and discussions, share our ethical humanist outlook, and want to be part of a caring community. Call Membership Chair Tom Hoeppner at 847-256-3622 with any questions. The next Membership Orientation is on Sunday, January 9th, at 12:15 p.m. • storytelling workshopwith Ethical Leader Fritz Williams, our platform speaker the next morning, is planned for Saturday, January 22nd, 2–5 p.m. Participants will tell stories from their own lives about an event that really affected or changed them. Please tell Ken Novak at kennovak@gmail.com, if you are planning to attend. back Tribute Fund • Happy Holidays to the Meetings Community and the Council of Georgist Organizations. —from Sue & Scott Walton • In memory of Dorothy Feldman —from Dr. and Mrs. Richard Evans • Thanks to my Ethical community for all your friendship, caring and support. —from Sharon Appelquist About Us The Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago is a democratic fellowship and spiritual home for those who seek a rational, compassionate philosophy of life without regard to belief or nonbelief in a supreme being. We value the importance of living an ethical, responsible, and joyful life. We promote intellectual, philosophical, and artistic freedom, avoiding dogma and rigid creed. We nurture a sense of wonder about life, nature, and the universe, and are inspired by models of human achievement. Shaped by the forces of humanism, democracy, science, and religious reform, we cherish human diversity and focus on what we have in common, not on what keeps us apart. While respectful of the faiths and traditions we may have been born to, we serve as a new religion or as an alternative to religion. We care for and support each other, sharing our joys and sorrows. Like traditional religious communities, we celebrate births, conduct wedding ceremonies, host memorial services, and provide for the caring, ethical education of our children. We believe in deed beyond creed and in working for a better world. We recognize the worth and dignity of every person, and strive to act so as to bring out the best in others and thereby in ourselves. Meetings of the Ethical Humanist Society are at our home in the Greiner Center, 7574 N. Lincoln Ave., Skokie, IL 60077. Sunday meetings start at 10:30 a.m. Refreshments and a social hour follow the program. Child care is available. Everyone is welcome. If you need transportation, please call the Society office by 1 p.m. Friday. We will try to get a ride for you. The Ethical Humanist Society of Greater Chicago was founded in 1882. The Society is a member of the American Ethical Union. back to the top The Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago, founded in 1882, is a member of the American Ethical Union. Officers and Trustees: Steve Julstrom, President; Ed McManus, Vice President; Sue Walton Secretary; Sheila Caplan Curren, Treasurer; Yolanda Adler; Lisa Crowe, Laura Drower, Steve Freedman, David Hardesty, Evan Kane, Jan Kuhn, Oliver Pergams. Sunday School Director: Sharon Appelquist Newsletter Editor: Alan Kimmel Ethical Officiants: Marne Glaser, JoAnn Hoeppner, Tom Hoeppner, Ken Novak AEU Representative: Scott Walton Copyright © Ethical Humanist Society of Greater Chicago • Link Disclaimer