Friday, November 7, 2008

Let's Talk Bread- Chicago Dec 2

NOTICE FOR 2ND MEETING

Let’s Talk Bread

Extreme poverty. Microfinance. Foreign aid. Charity vs. self-help. Public vs. private.

These are just some of the subjects likely to be pursued at the next meeting of the Let’s Talk Bread discussion group on Dec. 2 in Oak Park. “The Bottom Billion,” a book by Paul Collier (under $10 on Amazon.com or free at your library) and a series of articles in the Christian Science Monitor by Mark Lange (www.csmonitor.com/2008/0310/p09s01-coop.html?page=1) will be the catalyst for this session’s conversation.

Join the conversation at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at United Lutheran Church in Oak Park, 409 Greenfield Street (Greenfield and North Ridgeland, two blocks south of the Ridgeland-North Avenue intersection).

Let’s Talk Bread is a Chicago-area group that, guided by Christian convictions, hopes regular conversations—whether centered on a topical book, article or current event—can help illuminate the problems of poverty and hunger and shed light on just which possible solutions hold promise and which do not.

For more information contact John Stumme (johnrichst@comcast.net or 773-777-3907) or Rich Liefer (rl.liefer@sbcglobal.net).

Thursday, November 6, 2008

America Serves

Hey all you idealistic, Hopefans out there. Where are you going to put all that Obama-fied energy now that all the canvassing and phonebanking has come to a screeching halt?

President Elect Obama has put forward this statement on his transition website www.change.gov So, go ahead and take a break, but don't let all that good energy atrophy for the next 4 years. Volunteer, advocate, do whatever, but stay engaged!!!!

"America Serves

"When you choose to serve -- whether it's your nation, your community or simply your neighborhood -- you are connected to that fundamental American ideal that we want life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness not just for ourselves, but for all Americans. That's why it's called the American dream."

The Obama Administration will call on Americans to serve in order to meet the nation’s challenges. President-Elect Obama will expand national service programs like AmeriCorps and Peace Corps and will create a new Classroom Corps to help teachers in underserved schools, as well as a new Health Corps, Clean Energy Corps, and Veterans Corps. Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by developing a plan to require 50 hours of community service in middle school and high school and 100 hours of community service in college every year. Obama will encourage retiring Americans to serve by improving programs available for individuals over age 55, while at the same time promoting youth programs such as Youth Build and Head Start."

Monday, November 3, 2008