Dear Epiphany  - 
I'm participating in a fundraising event on Oct. 14th here in Chicago for the National Parkinson Foundation. It's a 5k walk they're calling 'Moving Day'. 
I'll bet that everyone that reads this knows somebody whose life is affected by this disease. Please consider sponsoring my participation on behalf of that person or family member in an effort to fight back and raise awareness. 
Please use the link http://www.parkinson.org/ to make a donation. Just follow the links to the page devoted to the 'Moving Day Walk for Chicago'. You can then do a search on my name or just make a general donation.  Thanks.

The next REYG (the “Ravenswood Epiphany Youth Group”) gathering will be on Friday, October 12^th. We will continue with our Hunger Games theme for the fall. Last Friday, the youth group met to learn some archery, have dinner, and discuss the ways our larger culture divides us up into different “districts,” (social groups). While looking at Galatians 3:28, they learned that in God’s eyes we are are simply seen for who we are: God’s children. The October 12^th meeting begins at 6 PM and will meet at Ravenswood UCC. Dinner will be served.

The new Confirmation class begins next month, and will be meeting twice a month, on the 2nd and 4^th Wednesdays of the month, from 7-9 PM. The October meetings will be on Wed. October 10^th and Wed. October 24^th at Epiphany UCC. The meetings in November will take place at Ravenswood UCC. This two year confirmation process will have 8-10 students, with an emphasis on understanding the Bible during the first year of the journey.

Theology on Tap will begin its new year with a reading by the philosopher and raconteur Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) on whom he believes to be the true founder of Christianity: the Apostle Paul.  Theology on Tap will meet on Monday, September 10 at 6:30 PM for beer and food at Black Rock Pub and Grill (3614 N Damen Ave), with the study beginning at 7 PM. Childcare will be provided at the church. This will be a tie-in to the study of Paul which Pastor Kevin will lead beginning on September 23rd, though one need not plan to be involved in that study in order to enjoy, question, or struggle with Nietzsche’s scathing critique of Paul and Christianity. The article is available for download at this page.

The ten-year-old "Hands of Peace" program brings together israeli and Palestinian teenagers with American youth for two-and-a-half weeks in Chicago every summer.  Founded by Gretchen Grad, a member of Glenfiew Community United Church of Christ in suburban Chicago, Hands of Peace seeks to help build bridges among young people on both sides of Iraeli-Palestinian conflict.

The inpiration for Hand of Peace came to Gretchen in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.  Destressed by the climate of hostility, fear, and misunderstanding, she came up with the idea of fringing together Iseraeli, Palestinian, and American teens.  Her pastor, Rev. Howard Roberts, "was immediately behind it," Gretchen says.  Jewish and Muslim congreations added their support and in 2003, 21 teens gathered in Chicago for the first hand of Peace summer program.

The heart of the program is dialogue. During 14 dialogue sessions, the youthful participants—who call themselves "Hands"—discuss issues related to the Mideast conflict. They choose the topics and set the ground rules. That can lead to explosive discussions, which may even provoke tears. But, in the process, participants come to see beyond the stereotypes they have inherited. After hearing a Palestinian participant recount a checkpoint confrontation with Israeli soldiers, an Israeli teen named Ilor exclaimed, "That was the moment I understood how powerful the program is. From that point on, I was not Israeli. I was Ilor."

While much of the funding for Hands of Peace comes from the Glenview UCC community, we support this program too, with our gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing and Our Church's Wider Mission.

Our Fall Youth Kick-off Event (7^th grade through 12^th grade) with Ravenswood UCC has been set for Friday evening, September 14^th. Parents and youth: please mark this date in your calendars.

We are beginning plans for a new 2-year Confirmation class starting in October 2012. If you have a young person in the 7^th or 8^th grade, or have friends who would be interested in having their youth in a confirmation program, please contact Pastor Kevin at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . An information meeting date will be announced soon.

Are you interested in becoming a member of Epiphany UCC? If so, come to a New Member Information Session on Sunday, July 15^th after worship to learn more about the church, the United Church of Christ, and the membership process. Please contact Pastor Kevin at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Here’s your chance to spend time with your Epiphany family in the woods near a private beach. Cost for 2 nights includes: Friday and Saturday nights, 5 Meals (2 breakfasts, 2 lunches & 1 dinner). Price is $143 for adults, $17-$117 for kids depending on age. There is a sign-up and information table downstairs if you have questions. The deadline to register is July 1 and the full payment for the trip is due by July 8.