Newsletter

Newsletter of the Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago

May 2008

Welcome to Our Sunday Morning Programs in April

• LORI LIPMAN BROWN, a lawyer, former Nevada state senator, and director of the Secular Coalition for America, speaks on Sunday, May 4th. Her topic is “A Lobbyist for Non-Theists Finds Her Place in Washington.” Brown will report on the successes, growth, and reception she has experienced after two years on the job. She will describe how her work allows her to live her humanist values every day.

• GILBERT FELDMAN, noted Chicago labor attorney, speaks on Sunday, May 11th. His topic is “Where Are Labor Unions Headed?” Feldman will discuss the current status and future prospects of the U.S. labor movement, pending Congressional labor legislation, and the views and positions of the presidential candidates on issues and policies affecting working people.

• Our annual MEMBERSHIP RECOGNITION and Sunday School graduation program is on Sunday, May 18th. We’ll salute our staff and hard-working volunteers for the programs and activities of the past year and welcome our many new members. We’ll honor the children, parents, and teachers of our Golden Rule Sunday School. To remind us of those who deserve special recognition at the program, please contact Tom Hoeppner or Sharon Appelquist.

• Our LAKE GENEVA WEEKEND features a platform program on Sunday, May 25th, at 10:30 a.m. Those who won’t be there the whole weekend can come Sunday morning and stay for lunch. The drive from the Chicago area is little more than an hour. There will be no regular Sunday morning program at the Greiner Center in Skokie.

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Coming Activities and Events

• Our SUNDAY MORNING COLLOQUIES, led by Ken Novak, are from 9:20–10:00 a.m. In a small, nonjudgmental group, we meet to examine how we live our lives. The topics this month are Discovery on May 4, Hunger on May 11, Conduct on May 18, and Foolishness on May 25 (at Lake Geneva). The topics are coordinated with the Sunday platforms.

• A HOW-TO-LOBBY WORKSHOP, with Lori Lipman Brown, is planned for Friday, May 2nd, at 7p.m. Our platform speaker on Sunday morning, Brown will describe how lobbying is used to influence the decisions of public officials, how to choose the right person to talk to, and how to set up the visit. We’ll practice actual lobbying techniques and how to overcome “stage fright.” For information, contact Adult Education chair Ken Novak at kennovak@gmail.com.

• Our next FICTION CIRCLE is on Sunday, May 4th, at 12:15 p.m. Ken Novak will lead a discussion of Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Recommended by Sue Sherman, this much-praised thriller about a Pakistani man living in New York after 9/11 is short-listed for the Booker Prize. Contact Ken at kennovak@gmail.com for the audio version if you’re vision-impaired.

• Our new MUSICAL JAM GROUP gets together again on Sunday, May 4th, at 12:15 p.m. The first session last month was a rousing success, with guitar, mandolin, drum, tambourine, and bass joining in with singers on familiar songs. Join us for a fun time.

• Our READERS THEATRE GROUP, led by Susan Burck, meets on the first Monday of the month, May 5th, at 7 p.m. Come and have fun. All are welcome to read a play with us. For information, call the office at 847-677-3334.

• Our SECOND SATURDAY COFFEE HOUSE, hosted by Vicki Elberfeld, is on Saturday, May 10th, at 8 p.m. The program features Emily Rose, a “playful, vibrant, witty, youthful, flat-out-funny” performance poet who is well known at poetry slams around Chicago and nationally. Open-mike sign-up (all acoustic, all genres) begins at 7:30. There is a $5 minimum charge, and moderately priced refreshments will be available.

• Our next DOCUMENTARY FILM night is on the third Friday of the month, May 16th, at 7:30 p.m. We’ll see The Future of Food, an in-depth look into the disturbing controversy over the unlabeled genetically engineered foods that have been filling U.S. grocery shelves. This documentary is by Deborah Koons Garcia and Lily films. Childcare will be provided. As always, there will be a concurrent children’s film and refreshments.

• Our next ETHNIC DINNER OUT is on Saturday, May 17th, at the Tokyo Marina, 5058 N. Clark St., in Chicago. We’ll enjoy wonderful, unpretentious Japanese food that is ultra-fresh and well-prepared. There is free parking behind the building and metered street parking. We’ll order at 5:30 p.m. Please contact Richard Curren at richard_curren@yahoo.com to say you’re coming.

• Our CREATIVE WRITERS GROUP, led by Milt Zerkin, meets on the third Sunday of the month, May 18th, at 12:15 p.m. Come and share your short original works with us. Newcomers are welcome.

• Our FILM DISCUSSION GROUP, led by John Ungashick, meets on Monday, May 19th, at 7:15 p.m. Two current films have been chosen. Snow Angels, a drama about family relationships, was directed by David Gordon Green and stars Kate Beckindale and Sam Rockwell. The Visitor, a drama about a man who finds squatters in his apartment, was directed by Tom McCarthy and stars Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman, and Danai Gurira. A backup film, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, was also chosen.

• A Mega-ETHICAL HUMANITIES discussion, on “Stewardship in an Organization,” is our summer-opening morning program on Sunday, June 8th. We’ll use the book Stewardship by management consultant Peter Block, who urges organizational leaders to switch from strong-leader to service-oriented models. We’ll discuss how this fits in with our modern conception of Ethical Culture.

Recent Sunday Programs

• GREG PRITCHETT, director of distribution for StreetWise magazine, spoke to us March 23rd on “My Life at StreetWise.” The meeting was moderated by Holly James.

Pritchett declared that the mission of StreetWise is to help the homeless and near-homeless “develop self confidence and become self-sufficient.” To that end, he said, it sets them up in business as StreetWise vendors and sponsors programs to help develop their job-seeking skills. He went on to praise the magazine for printing “cutting edge stories” not covered by others.

Pritchett told his own remarkable personal story, which included the selling of drugs, a long jail sentence, and futile attempts to find a job. “I hit rock bottom,” he said. But then he landed a job selling StreetWise. “It saved my life,” he said. Elected to the magazine’s board of directors, he eventually took a paid staff position. “I use my life experience to help others,” Pritchett said. He concluded by reciting his own upbeat poem, “The Future.”

• SAMUEL EPSTEIN, licensed physician and professor emeritus of public health at the University of Illinois, spoke to us on March 30th. His topic was “Losing the War on Cancer: How to Reduce Our Own Risks.” The meeting was moderated by Marne Glaser.

Epstein accused “the cancer establishment” of “blaming the victim.” While pointing to the need for eating better foods and not smoking in order to reduce our risks of cancer, he noted that cancer continues to spread despite huge increases in federal spending on detection and treatment.

Epstein said the American Cancer Society is “knee deep in conflict.” He charged that it is funded by “a rogue’s gallery” of industries and trivializes the risks of cancer stemming from industrial products and environmental pollution. With “the emphasis on screening, diagnosis, and treatment,” he complained that very little ACS money goes to research into the actual causes of cancer. He called for more public awareness of avoidable risks, such as over-reliance on sunscreen lotion. He concluded with a demand for our “fundamental right to know.”

• CHRIS PLUMMER spoke to us April 6th on “Looking at Looking: the Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park.” The meeting was moderated by Nina Weiss.

Director of the miles-long landscaped strip of sculptures along McCormick Blvd., Plummer shared with us the history and makeup of the park, now 20 years old. He said the park is not for profit and is funded by private contributions. He expressed pride in it’s community involvement and educational programs, which include guided tours and sculpture classes for schoolchildren.

Plummer, a ceramicist himself, described how the sculptors “explore space” and use “volume, texture, line, and weight” to bring out a variety of social, political, and personal ideas and issues. He lauded their “breaking the rules” and, using color slides of many of the sculptures, showed how they aim to grab the viewers’ attention. He also explained how the sculptures are selected and noted that they are periodically replaced.

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Our People

• Graham Rae and Ellen Marshall, with their infant daughter Fiona, have joined the Society. Graham is a medical secretary, Ellen a marketing production manager. They live in Morton Grove and were attracted to the Society for its “sense of community” and as “a place where we feel comfortable.” Welcome—we’re glad you found us!

• Roz Lund, longtime member of the Society, celebrated her 95th birthday with husband Van and sons Mark and George on April 8th. Roz and Van came out to enjoy the Humanist Seder with us on April 19th. Good to see you, Roz—and congratulations!

• Keke Kimmel, longtime Society member who died on March 9th, will be honored at a special memorial at the Society on Saturday, May 3rd, at 4 p.m. Tom Hoeppner will officiate. Keke’s many friends will celebrate her life as they recall what she meant to them. There will be a slide show and live music. Refreshments will follow. Tributes in Keke’s name may be sent to the Society, the Howard Area Community Center, and the Lymphoma Research Foundation.

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Sunday School Scoop

As we approach the end of another great year in our Sunday School, I’m reminded again of what an amazing group of children and families we have.

We still have a few projects and events coming up this month. We’ll be joining the YES group on the 4th to spread new wood chips on the paths at Emily Oaks and on the 11th for our end-of-the-year picnic. On the 18th we’ll take part in Membership Recognition Day, recognizing all the children who have been with us through the year. On the last weekend of May we’ll be having fun at Lake Geneva—I hope to see many of our friends and families there.

Thanks to all our young people who participated in the Spring Festival last month and to the adults who helped out. Thanks also to Renee Sullivan for sitting in with the Preschool class to talk about Earth Day.

—Sharon Appelquist, Director

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Notices and Announcements

• Our annual Memorial Day Weekend getaway on the beautiful, wooded shore of Lake Geneva is May 24–26. The price, for two nights and six meals (Saturday lunch to Monday breakfast), is $135 for members, $170 for nonmembers. Children ages 5–16 are half price, younger ones are free. Enjoy delicious, ample food, comfortable rooms, and a relaxing time with your Ethical friends. For reservations, contact Tom Hoeppner through the office. To lead an adult activity, contact Ken Novak; for children, call Sharon Appelquist, also through the office at 847-677-3334. Clilck here to download a pdf of the registration form.

• Our Annual Membership Meeting is on Sunday, June 1st, at 10:30 a.m. We’ll review the past year’s programs and activities, adopt the annual budget, and hold elections to the Board of Trustees.

• Our Ethical Action group threw a splendidly successful appreciation luncheon on April 14th for the teachers and staff of Rice Education Center, a therapeutic day school for children in Evanston. In a flower-decked spring setting, we served hot and cold delights, including an incredible array of desserts by pastry chef Mary Kaplan. Other members of our team were Marilee Cole, Shirlee Rubenstein, Roz Trapp, Cynthia Diaz, Svetlana Bekman, and Marne Glaser.

• Our Youth for Ethical Societies (YES) had a busy year, including bagel and plant sales, helping change the sign, and writing and directing the Winter Festival skit. Plans include a volunteer day at the Lincoln Park Community Shelter. We’d like to thank our graduating seniors for their contributions and wish them the best of luck.

• Our Library has two new acquisitions. Emma Lazarus is a new biography by Esther Schorr of the poet whose welcoming lines grace the Statue of Liberty. The Life and Times of Japanese Print Makers is by Society member Donald Kahn, who is a collector of Japanese art.

• Our Environmental Footprint Committee reports that the transition from paper cups to reusable ceramic mugs has been going very well. You’re asked to wash your mug at the sink just outside the auditorium. For questions about waste recycling at our facility, please read the posted guidelines or contact co-chairs Lisa Crowe or David Wokosin. Our next meeting is Sunday, May 11th, at 12:30. All are welcome.

• Our Tribute Fund is a convenient, caring way to publicly honor each other—with congratulations on a birthday, anniversary, or graduation, condolences on the loss of a loved one, wishes for recovery from an illness, or hailing a good deed. Get a Tribute form on a literature table.

• Membership in the Society is open to those who share our ethical outlook and wish to join our caring community. To discuss membership, please contact Membership Chair Tom Hoeppner at Thomas_J_Hoeppner@rush.edu.

• Our Pledge Drive is near its $57,000 goal, with pledges at $53,270, or 93 percent. By the June 1st Membership Meeting we hope to hear from the 24 members who haven’t yet pledged!

• Try Public transportation to our Sunday meetings. The #290 PACE bus leaves the Howard L station at 9:30 a.m. and goes to Touhy Ave. and Cicero Ave. (Skokie Blvd.). It’s then a short walk to our building. A return #290 bus to the Howard station leaves Touhy and Cicero at 1:20 p.m.

• Our Weekly Program Update is emailed to anyone who wants to be regularly informed of the coming week’s meetings and activities. To be on the list, send an email to programinfo@ethical human.org or call the office.

• The free electronic edition of our newsletter gets to you sooner and saves postage. Email a request to the office, noting pdfnewsletter as the subject and your name and address. A subscription to the mailed newsletter is $20 per year if you’re not a member, a contributing friend, or new on our mailing list.

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Tribute Fund

• In honor of Keke Kimmel — from Yolanda Adler

• Remembering Keke Kimmel — from Elyne Handler

• A tribute to Keke Kimmel — from Fred & Una Malkinson

About Us

The Ethical Humanist Society of Greater 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.

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The Ethical Humanist Society of Greater Chicago, founded in 1882, is a member of the American Ethical Union.

Officers and Trustees: Scott Walton, President; Matt Cole &
Dick Carney, Vice Presidents; Paul Ozarowski, Secretary; John Ungashick, Treasurer; Yolanda Adler, Joe Burck, Lisa Crowe, Sheila Caplan Curren, David Hardesty, Oliver Pergams, Renee Sullivan

Sunday School Director: Sharon Appelquist
Newsletter Editor: Alan Kimmel
Ethical Officiants: Marne Glaser, Jo-Ann Hoeppner, Tom Hoeppner, Ken Novak
AEU Representative: Tom Hoeppner