Response to Ongoing Violence in Chicago | July 2020
Our city and our nation are at a tipping point. COVID-19 is not the only pandemic we face. We, the people who live, work, raise our families, and worship in this city must also acknowledge the pandemics of racism, violence, and fear that have separated us from each other. We, the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago, see the anguish and pain of our friends and neighbors whose communities have been torn apart by violence of all kinds for far too many years.
Every week our community adds to the tally of loss. By mid-July, the City of Chicago had recorded in 2020 the highest total of annual homicides in nearly a decade. The majority of those killed are young African American men. The collateral damage of murdered children, grieving families, and shattered neighborhoods extends far beyond.
Every faith tradition on the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago teaches that human life is sacred and that we are responsible for one another. Yet we, too, have failed to instill the truth that when we look into the faces of other people, we are seeing our brothers and our sisters.
We can no longer look away and distance ourselves from the tragedy unfolding around us. Each of us has the responsibility to address the root causes of the problem. Without dignity, safety, and hope, all of us are lost.
We must renew our responsibilities to one another. We must rededicate ourselves to sustained, long-term efforts to invest in all our neighborhoods and support all of our neighbors. And we must rebuild the spaces for hope in our city. In the days, weeks, months, and years ahead, we commit ourselves to work with all those of good will to build the beloved community.
Every week our community adds to the tally of loss. By mid-July, the City of Chicago had recorded in 2020 the highest total of annual homicides in nearly a decade. The majority of those killed are young African American men. The collateral damage of murdered children, grieving families, and shattered neighborhoods extends far beyond.
Every faith tradition on the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago teaches that human life is sacred and that we are responsible for one another. Yet we, too, have failed to instill the truth that when we look into the faces of other people, we are seeing our brothers and our sisters.
We can no longer look away and distance ourselves from the tragedy unfolding around us. Each of us has the responsibility to address the root causes of the problem. Without dignity, safety, and hope, all of us are lost.
We must renew our responsibilities to one another. We must rededicate ourselves to sustained, long-term efforts to invest in all our neighborhoods and support all of our neighbors. And we must rebuild the spaces for hope in our city. In the days, weeks, months, and years ahead, we commit ourselves to work with all those of good will to build the beloved community.
Reopening Illinois Places of Worship
COVID-19 IMPACT SURVEY FOR CHICAGO-AREA CONGREGATIONS
In July 2020, the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago is conducting an on-line survey of local religious leaders about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their congregations. Stephen Baker, PhD, a researcher and evaluator at the University of Chicago, is conducting this survey on behalf of the Council.
The COVID-19 Impact Survey survey addresses how the pandemic has affected worship, education, and service activities. It asks leaders about the impact of the pandemic on the administrative procedures and financial security of their congregations. And it asks local leaders what resources they need to weather the crisis. Individual responses are confidential and anonymous.
The Council will share the aggregate findings from the COVID-19 Impact Survey with public policymakers and private funders to help identify ways to support religious institutions. The deadline for participating in the survey is July 20.
The COVID-19 Impact Survey survey addresses how the pandemic has affected worship, education, and service activities. It asks leaders about the impact of the pandemic on the administrative procedures and financial security of their congregations. And it asks local leaders what resources they need to weather the crisis. Individual responses are confidential and anonymous.
The Council will share the aggregate findings from the COVID-19 Impact Survey with public policymakers and private funders to help identify ways to support religious institutions. The deadline for participating in the survey is July 20.
FRAMEWORK FOR REOPENING ILLINOIS PLACES OF WORSHIP
Reopening a place of worship is the fullest expression of hope. Illinoisans of every faith are anxious to return to their congregations and to renew themselves and their work on behalf of the common good. Yet reopening without careful planning can prove literally disastrous.
The Council has prepared this Framework for Reopening Illinois Places of Worship which reflects the experience and wisdom of our interfaith community. It offers general guidelines for that process in two parts: (1) Preparation, which outlines basic issues each congregation must consider before reopening a facility for members and the general community; and (2) Reopening, which offers a checklist of practices that congregations should follow upon reopening to protect the health of their members and the general public.
The pandemic has highlighted that our actions have consequences for other people beside ourselves. The Framework for Reopening Illinois Places of Worship illustrates how working together can aid each of us and provide benefits for us all.
NOTE: Many member institutions of the Council have already prepared specific guidelines/plans for reopening their places of worship. Congregations are urged to consult with leaders in their own traditions and denominations for specific instructions.
The Council has prepared this Framework for Reopening Illinois Places of Worship which reflects the experience and wisdom of our interfaith community. It offers general guidelines for that process in two parts: (1) Preparation, which outlines basic issues each congregation must consider before reopening a facility for members and the general community; and (2) Reopening, which offers a checklist of practices that congregations should follow upon reopening to protect the health of their members and the general public.
The pandemic has highlighted that our actions have consequences for other people beside ourselves. The Framework for Reopening Illinois Places of Worship illustrates how working together can aid each of us and provide benefits for us all.
NOTE: Many member institutions of the Council have already prepared specific guidelines/plans for reopening their places of worship. Congregations are urged to consult with leaders in their own traditions and denominations for specific instructions.
Faith Communities and COVID-19
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As Chicago confronts the global COVID-19 pandemic, everyday activities have been fundamentally altered. The religious communities of Metropolitan Chicago, like communities across the nation, have made dramatic changes.
This interview features Dr. Allison Arwady, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, and The Rev. Vance T. Henry, Chief of Faith Engagement, Office of the Mayor for the City of Chicago, as they discuss what steps faith communities have made to slow the spread of the disease, how these changes have affected faith institutions and the people they serve, and what can people of faith do to help their neighbors during this crisis. |
COVID-19 | Resources for Faith Leaders and Faith Communities
DIVERSE TRADITIONS UNITED TO SERVE IN TIME OF CRISIS
The Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago joins with religious leaders across the nation and around the world in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our faith communities support and practice the recommendations of local, state, and national health officials to help flatten the curve of the pandemic so it does not overwhelm our health care professionals and facilities. We have suspended worship services, in-person study and devotional opportunities, and even life cycle events in order to slow the spread of the disease.
We pray for the welfare of those who serve our communities in health care, public safety, emergency response, and public office. We also remind everyone that COVID-19 strikes regardless of religious viewpoint, race, or social class, and that it does not distinguish between immigrant and native-born. We must respond to this pandemic through science and not scapegoating. We are all neighbors and allies for the common good.
The Council asks each of us to do our part by respecting social distance and taking care of each other wherever we shelter. We pray that you remain healthy and safe and that we all return speedily and in good health to normal life.
We pray for the welfare of those who serve our communities in health care, public safety, emergency response, and public office. We also remind everyone that COVID-19 strikes regardless of religious viewpoint, race, or social class, and that it does not distinguish between immigrant and native-born. We must respond to this pandemic through science and not scapegoating. We are all neighbors and allies for the common good.
The Council asks each of us to do our part by respecting social distance and taking care of each other wherever we shelter. We pray that you remain healthy and safe and that we all return speedily and in good health to normal life.
Words of Hope & Comfort | Responses to COVID-19 by
The Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago
As all of us shelter in place during this time of COVID-19, there is still much that we can do to support each other. We believe in the wisdom of our sacred teachings and in the power that they offer to all persons in moments of crisis. In that spirit, members of the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago share these words of hope and comfort drawn from our faith traditions. We will continue to update this listing with additional selections.
We offer these brief prayers and sacred writings as a reminder that we have overcome great trials in the past and that together we have the strength to sustain and restore our community in days to come.
We offer these brief prayers and sacred writings as a reminder that we have overcome great trials in the past and that together we have the strength to sustain and restore our community in days to come.
Celebrate Religious Diversity Every Day with the 2020 InterFaith Calendar!
Now Available for $10 | A Discount of 50%!
The 2020 InterFaith Calendar is a spectacular 14" x 22" full-color, twelve-month, wall calendar produced with the cooperative effort of 17 religious communities.
The 2020 InterFaith Calendar features a listing and explanation of religious observances for 17 different faith communities. It also includes summaries of the basic beliefs, practices, religious writings, art, and demographics for each faith community.
The 2020 InterFaith Calendar is an an invaluable tool for businesses and corporations, schools, government facilities, and civic and religious organizations in today’s diverse society.
The 2020 InterFaith Calendar features a listing and explanation of religious observances for 17 different faith communities. It also includes summaries of the basic beliefs, practices, religious writings, art, and demographics for each faith community.
The 2020 InterFaith Calendar is an an invaluable tool for businesses and corporations, schools, government facilities, and civic and religious organizations in today’s diverse society.
2019 Interreligious Leadership Awards Reception
The Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago was proud to recognize Purpose Over Pain and AT&T as
the 2019 recipients of the Interreligious Leadership Award on September 12 at the Hilton Chicago.
Congratulations 2019 Honorees!
the 2019 recipients of the Interreligious Leadership Award on September 12 at the Hilton Chicago.
Congratulations 2019 Honorees!
Purpose Over Pain is an organization of parents whose children were taken by senseless gun violence and mission is to provide positive development activities for youths, advocate for and promote safe communities, and strengthen families by providing crisis support to parents/guardians whose children have been victims of gun violence.
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AT&T is a modern media company whose mission is to inspire human progress through the power of communication and entertainment. Believe Chicago is an AT&T employee initiative informed by grassroots efforts to improve lives and lift 19 Chicago neighborhoods most affected by gun violence and high unemployment.
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About the Council
Welcome to the official site for the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago. Our office is located in Hyde Park, across from Catholic Theological Union. But our presence extends far beyond that residence. As a council, we work to promote peace and unity among all of the respective faith traditions on a local, national, and international scale. Here on this site, you can find important information from past events and for upcoming events, learn more about the members of the Council and the different faith traditions that they represent, and discover ways to get involved with the mission and service of the Council.
Click here for more information.
Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago
We Represent a kaleidoscope of diversity!
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We Represent a kaleidoscope of diversity!
For More photos, Click here
