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of the Ethical Humanist Society of Greater Chicago
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Welcome
to Our January Annual Living Ethics Series
•
JEROME
MCDONNELL, host of WBEZ radio’s popular Worldview,
opens our Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 7th.
His topic is “Global Activists: People Who Make
the World a Better Place.” McDonnell will discuss
how the many individuals he has interviewed have made a huge
difference in people’s lives through small-scale efforts
and with minimal resources.
•
GEOFFREY
STONE, Professor of Law at the University of Chicago,
continues our Living Ethics series on Sunday, January
14th. His topic is “Perilous Times: Civil
Liberties in Wartime.” Stone will place the current
debate over preserving free speech in a long-term historical
context, ranging from the infamous Sedition Act of 1798 to the
current war on terrorism.
•
RAYMOND
PIERREHUMBERT, Professor in Geophysical Sciences at
the University of Chicago, continues our Living Ethics series
on Sunday, January 21st. His topic is “Global
Warming and the Climate Bottleneck.” Pierrehumbert
will discuss how global warming due to human activities has
created an unprecedented environmental crisis. Today’s
decisions, he warns, will determine the kind of planet our descendants
will live on.
•
PHILIP
HOCKBERGER,
Professor of Physiology and Neuroscience at Northwestern University,
concludes our Living Ethics series on Sunday, January
28th. His topic is “Science Vs. Religion:
The Search for Truth.” Hockberger will discuss
the possibility of developing a world view and belief system
that combines the best of both approaches.
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Coming
Activities and Events
•
Our
SUNDAY MORNING COLLOQUIES, led by Ken Novak,
meet in the library from 9:20 to 10 a.m. This
month’s themes are Letting Go on Jan.
7, Truth on Jan. 14,
Pity on Jan. 21, and Humor on
Jan. 28. These small gatherings are designed
to create a safe time and place to examine how we live our lives.
At these sessions, we wait our turn, avoid advice, and avoid
repeating what we hear to others.
•
Our
READERS THEATER GROUP, led by Susan Burck,
starts off the New Year on Monday, January 1st,
at 7 p.m. We read aloud from a variety of plays or
other writings in an informal, friendly setting. Everyone is
welcome. For information, contact Susan at burck@earthlink.net.
•
Our
FIRST FRIDAY WINTER MOVIE SERIES, hosted by
Dick Carney, opens on January 5th.
We’ll see an acclaimed satirical masterwork from the late
director Robert Altman—hint: it rhymes with “dash.”
The curtain rises precisely at 7:17 p.m. Afterward
we’ll enjoy refreshments. Before leaving, we’ll
fill in the roster for the rest of the season from several attractive
options. (Suggestions that aren’t too esoteric or downbeat
are welcome.)
•
Our
next FICTION CIRCLE, led by Ken Novak,
is on Sunday, January 7th, at 12:20 p.m.
We’ll discuss Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk’s novel
Snow, about secular and religious conflict in a remote
Turkish town in the 1990s, as seen through the eyes of an expatriate
poet.
•
Our KNITTING & CONVERSATION evening with
Vicki, Teri, and Marla is on Tuesday, January 9th,
at 7:30 p.m., at the home of Vicki Elberfeld in
Park Ridge. As always, bring any already begun projects—yarn,
needles, and instructions will be available. Needlepointers
and crocheters also are welcome. To tell Vicki you’re
coming and for directions, contact her at velberf@hotmail.com.
•
Our
Second Saturday Coffeehouse, hosted by Vicki
Elberfeld, is on January 13th, at
8 p.m. The program features a dynamic duo: our own Rachel
Baiman, on violin and mandolin, and Tim Coan, with vocals and
on guitar. Their performance, spanning a spectrum from Duke
Ellington to Jethro Tull, includes bluegrass, jazz, folk, and
rock. As usual, signup for our open mike (any genre, all acoustic)
begins at 7:30 p.m. There are a $5 cover charge and moderately
priced refreshments.
•
Our
FILM DISCUSSION GROUP, led by Alan Kimmel,
meets on Monday, January 15th, at 7:15
p.m. We’ve again chosen two exciting currently playing
films. The Painted Veil is a romantic drama based on
a Somerset Maugham story. It stars Naomi Watts and Ed Norton
and is directed by Jim Curran. Notes on a Scandal is
a dramatic portrayal of the relations between two women. It
stars Kate Blanchett and Judi Dench and is directed by Richard
Eyre.
•
Our
DOCUMENTARY FILM NIGHT, hosted by Marne
Glaser and Paul Ozarowski, is on Friday,
January 19th, at 7:30 p.m. We’ll see
Peace One Day, a documentary charting
British filmmaker Jeremy Gilley’s journey around the world
that persuaded the UN to establish September 21st as an International
Day of Peace. There will also be a concurrent showing of a children’s
film. Refreshments and a discussion will follow.
•
Our
ETHNIC DINNER OUT resumes on January
20th, the third Saturday of the month.
We’ll enjoy authentic Colombian dishes in the intimate
setting of the Sabor A Café,
2435
W. Peterson Ave., in Chicago. The menu includes meat, seafood,
and vegetarian dishes—and delicious desserts. There is
street parking. We order at 5:30 p.m. To say you’re coming,
contact Richard Curren at richard_curren@yahoo.com.
•
Our
CREATIVE WRITERS GROUP, led by Milt Zerkin,
meets on the fourth Sunday this month, January
28th, at 12:30 p.m. We’ll again share
our original short works. As always, newcomers are welcome.
•
Our
ETHICAL HUMANITIES non-fiction group, led by
Ken Novak, meets again on Sunday, February
4th, at 12:20 p.m. We’ll discuss Introducing
Kafka, a graphic biography of Franz Kafka written by David
Zane Mairowitz and illustrated by Robert Crumb.
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Recent
Sunday Programs
•
CHRIS
FASCIONE, storyteller and actor, presented an intergenerational
program called “Juggling Funny Stories”
on November 19th. He was introduced by Lisa
Crowe.
Helped
by children from our Sunday School, Fascione used both his voice
and pantomime in a lively and delightful execution of several
stories, folk tales, and poems, each with an uplifting moral
lesson for both children and adults: “Watch Out for the
Chicken Feet in Your Soup,” “Too Much Noise,”
“Casey at the Bat,” and “Sick.” After
each piece, he pointedly urged our children, “Go to the
library—and check it out!” Fascione concluded his
performance by declaring, “Keep reading—and use
your imagination!”
•
ABE
DOLGOFF, a member of the Society, reviewed and commented
on Spencer Klaw’s Without Sin: the Life and Death of the
Oneida Community on November 26th. He was introduced
by John Ungashick.
Abe
described the utopian Oneida Community, founded in 1848 in upstate
New York by biblical fundamentalist John H. Noyes, as a “major
social experiment of its time.” He said that Noyes and
his wife, Harriet Holman, preaching that pleasure was the purpose
of life, established a model Christian community based on the
unusual sexual practice of “complex marriage” and
the “super family.” In what Abe called “a
benevolent despotism,” Noyes strictly controlled the private
lives of the inhabitants.
The
Oneida community, Abe noted, glorified work, established profitable
manufacturing enterprises, and built a rich cultural life. It
eventually broke up, he added, because of property disputes,
sexual rivalries, and a fight over the succession to Noyes,
who had left for Canada. “It’s the same old story,”
Abe observed, “over how much privacy individuals are willing
to give up.” Such utopian colonies are “a form of
escapism,” he concluded, because “We can’t
run away from problems.
•
NADER
HASHEMI, post-doctoral fellow in political science
at Northwestern University, spoke on December 3rd.
His topic was “Religion, Democracy, and Radical
Politics in the Muslim World.” The meeting was
chaired by Ed Drower.
Hashemi
said there is a ”volatile and complex crisis of religion
and politics” in the Muslim world. He disputed as “emotionally
charged” and “inadequate” the charges in the
West
that Muslims are “different” and “violent,”
and the apologies by Muslims who wish to separate themselves
from extremists. Citing the centuries of religious and political
violence in Europe, he said “there is enough to go around.”
Nevertheless,
Hashemi called the recent emergence of Islamic fundamentalism
a “baffling development.” He noted the religious
revivals in both Christian and Muslim societies as “a
quest for identity.” He stressed the “importance
of the political and economic context” in history and
noted our own record of Puritanism, slavery, and the denial
of women’s rights. He declared that political change “comes
not from documents but from peoples’ struggles.”
Muslim societies, he concluded, are in the early stages of “a
historical development in the fight for human rights.”
•
EDWARD
LAUMANN, Professor of Sociology at the University of
Chicago, spoke on December 10th. His topic
was “Sexual Well-Being: Global Attitudes and Beliefs.”
The meeting was chaired by Katie Merrell.
Laumann
described a “deep and far-reaching” global research
study he led on sexual attitudes and behaviors. The study concentrated
on men and women in the 40–to 80–age group and reached
some 27,000 respondents in almost 30 countries. He cited problems
in selecting interviewees and conceded a possible bias in any
self-reporting survey. But he reported that despite varied religious,
cultural, and ethnic differences among the interviewees, there
were marked similarities in sexual satisfaction.
Laumann
stressed the importance of the “relational and caring
aspects” of sex and noted a high correlation between sexual
wellbeing and overall happiness. Although “sexuality is
a leading indicator of general health,” he noted that
there is “a silence with doctors.” Sexual health
suffers from “a conspiracy of silence,” he added,
with the U.S. among the most conservative nations in matters
of sex education.
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Our
People
•
Katie
and
David Wokosin have joined the Society. They
live in Skokie. David is a research professor of physiology
at Northwestern University. Katie is a home-schooling mom. They
especially value “the ethical awareness of the Society”
and the Sunday School, in which their sons Kevin and Andrew
are enrolled. Welcome to you all!
•
Jerry
Dincin is also a new member. Jerry lives in Highland
Park. He is a retired psychologist and former executive director
of the social service agency Thresholds. Once a member of the
Brooklyn Ethical Society, he was attracted by our mix of cultures
and religions and wanting to be “with like-minded people.”
Welcome, Jerry!
•
Rachel
Baiman, daughter of Ron and Shelly
Baiman, is one of our youngsters who went to the Youth
of Ethical Societies (YES) Conference in Virginia in November.
Her name was inadvertently omitted from the article in the December
newsletter. Rachel will be a featured performer at the Second
Saturday Coffeehouse on January 13th.
•
Param
Sritantia and Jessica Heineman-Pieper
were married on Saturday, December 16th, at the Fairmont Hotel
in Chicago. Officiating at the ceremony was Ken Novak.
We wish the couple a long and happy married life!
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Sunday
School Scoop
In
December Marilee Cole led the Coming-of-Age group in an art
project to age photos of themselves. The kids got a rare opportunity
to peek at their future selves. Thanks, Marilee! We ended the
month and the year with our annual Winter Festival. We had a
solstice play, many skilled musical performances, a gingerbread
house raffle, and the traditional mitten tree and candle-lighting
ceremony. Tom Hoeppner again led the festivities with his usual
grace and style. Thanks to everyone who participated in this
warm community event.
Last
month we sent a check for $139.38 to Pennies for Peace, an ongoing
project to help educate the world’s children. Keep that
spare change coming—it really adds up! Also, with your
help, we provided holiday gifts for six needy children through
Skokie’s Assist-a-Family program. Thanks to all whose
generous contributions made it possible.
The
Sunday School resumes on January 7th, following our winter break.
This month we’ll explore the topics of homelessness, civil
rights, Native American culture, and renewable energy. Our next
Sunday School Committee meeting is on January 21st. The YES
group will have a bagel sale after the program on January 28th.
Many wishes for peace and joy in the new year!
—Sharon
Appelquist, Director
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Notices
and Announcements
•
Our
Annual Pledge Drive is into its final stage.
By mid-December, pledges had reached $43,694, or 78 percent
of our $55,000 goal. So far, 87 members—including 41 of
those remarkable folks, our Sustaining Members—have sent
in their pledges. We’re awed by their commitment and generosity!
(Now let’s hear from the dwindling number of members who
haven’t yet pledged.) If you have questions, contact Treasurer
John Ungashick at jungasick@aol.com.
John
asks those who must make a minimum IRA distribution because
they are 701/2 or older to consider a tax-free charitable
IRA rollover of part of their pledge to the Society.
It
may be too late for this year, but you can check with your IRA
administrator (bank, mutual fund company, etc.) for 2007.
•
Our
Sunday Collection is a substantial source of
income for the Society. With the 10 percent earmarked for charity
accumulating to more than $400 in the last few months, Ethical
Action chair Brian Barnes is asking for recommendations on who
the recipients should be. Contact Brian at bbarnes2325@comcast.net.
•
Our
Society library has some new books: What
Is Secular Humanism? by prominent secular humanist Paul
Kurtz, and A Trout in the Sea of Cortez, a novel by
John Salter, son of member Hunter Gray. Library supervisor Fred
Malkinson reminds us that the books are shelved alphabetically
by author. Come in and browse, then check out a book.
•
Our
Board of Trustees meets on Wednesday, January
10th, at 7:15 p.m., in the library. Any member is welcome to
attend. Anyone interested in running for election to the Board
at our June 7th Annual Membership Meeting can contact a member
of the Board Nominating Committee—John Ungashick, Sue
Walton, Peter Less, Sharon Appel-quist, and Renee Sullivan.
Four slots will be open—those of Peter Less and Ed Drower,
who are retiring, and Matt Cole and John Ungashick, who are
up for reelection.
•
Membership
in the Society is open to all. For information about
the Society or the Ethical movement, Either see membership Chair
Tom Hoeppner or contact him at Thomas_J_Hoeppner@rush.edu.This
month’s Membership Orientation is on Sunday, January 14th,
at 12:00 p.m. The Membership Committee meets on Sunday, January
28th, at 12:15 p.m. Society members are invited to share their
ideas for increasing our membership.
•
Our
Tribute Fund (see below)
is a convenient 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 from a literature
table.
•
Newsletter
subscriptions are $20 per year—if you’re
not a member, a contributing friend, or new on our mailing list.
Get the free pdf edition by e-mailing
the office (include pdfnewsletter as the subject and your
name and address). Pick up a free printed newsletter at our
building.
•
Take
public transportation to our Sunday morning
meetings. The #290 PACE bus leaves the Howard L station at 9:30
a.m. and goes along Touhy Ave. to Cicero Ave. (Skokie Blvd.).
From there it’s a short walk to our building. A return
#290 bus to the Howard station leaves Touhy and Cicero at 1:20
p.m.
•
For
the February newsletter deadline, reports of
Society activities must be received by Saturday, January 20th.
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| Tribute
Fund
•
“Get-well
wishes to Sheila Caplan Curren”
—from Matt & Marilee Cole
•
“Thanks
to the Society for support of the Sunday School in honor
of Jessica Kramer’s graduation”
—from Janet Kuhn
•
“In
memory of Ruth Miller”
—from Yolanda Adler
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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, Sheila Caplan Curren, Ed Drower, Peter
Less, Oliver Pergams, Claude Williams
Sunday
School Director: Sharon
Appelquist
Office Administrator: Alison
Martin
Newsletter Editor: Alan Kimmel
Ethical Officiants: Marne Glaser,
Jo-Ann Hoeppner, Tom Hoeppner, Ken Novak
AEU Representative: Tom Hoeppner
Webmaster:
Simeon
Carson
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