Home    Mission    Theology    History    Homilies    Newsletters    Events    12 Step Mtgs    Pictures    Staff    Contact Us    Links	Welcome! Breaking News A friend of Bethlehem, Juli Stratton, donated her time and digital camera to photograph some areas of the church for our web site and newsletter. Please click on the links "Pictures" and "Events" in the left margin of this home page to view more of Juli's work. Bethlehem thanks you Juli! Sunday, June 18th, '06: With approval from the consistory to post a visible sign of our "Open & Affirming" status, we enlisted the help of the "About Face Youth Theatre" (AFYT) troop to do the honors. AFYT has been using our Fellowship Hall to rehearse for their upcoming "Home Project" show which debuts at Victory Gardens on July 6th. Two pictures are shown since one person is posting the HRC equality symbol and another is putting the "." after the sentence "We R All Equal" driving home the point/end of discussion/period! :-) Sunday, June 11th, '06: BUCC confirmed Robbie & Skyler Hallowell and welcomed their decision to become members of BUCC! They are the sons of long time members Mr. & Mrs. Hallowell (Ray & Kris) and grandparents Mr. & Mrs. Hallowell (Clyde & Ann). We celebrate their decision to join our community of faith. {pictures are coming and may be seen in the "event" category soon.} Saturday, June 10th, '06: BUCC began hosting one of the city's largest AA groups, 100+ people! The group meets in Fellowship Hall each Saturday morning from 10-11am and is a speaker meeting. Saturday, June 3rd, '06: BUCC began hosting the "Youth Theatre Group", from "About Face Theatre Company"! The youth segment rehearses five days a week for four hours each day in Fellowship Hall in preparation for their opening at "Victory Gardens Theatre" on July 8th. Wednesday, May 24th, '06: LAC's (Lakeview Action Coalition) Convention was held with 600+ community members in attendance. Three primary issues of concern were presented: a) affordable healthcare, b) affordable housing and c) the abuse of homeless youth by Chicago police. Keven Dronen from Bethlehem was chosen to close the convention with a call to action, asking the community members to call the chief of police and voice their concern with his absence and state their wish for him to appear in a joint news conference with LAC directors later this summer. Tuesday, April 18th, '06: LAC's (Lakeview Action Coalition) "Homeless Youth & Police Relations" (HYPR) taskforce met here. Representatives from 18 different Chicagoland social service agencies, faith communities, "Youth Allies" members and homeless youths met to discuss the upcoming "LAC Convention" (slated for May 24th/7pm/Temple Anshe Emet in Lakeview) and the 13 minutes allotted to HYPR taskforce issues. BUCC was represented by Keven D. our Dir. Development Ministry & In-Care Seminarian. To read more about the upcoming convention which plans to draw 800-1,000+ community members please visit LAC's web site by clicking the following link: Lakeview Action Coalition 2006 Convention. Monday, April 3rd, '06: New national UCC ad campaign kicks off with "Ejector Seat" commercial. Rejected once again by the main television networks, as last year's award winning (Cleo award) "Bouncer" ad, it can only be seen on cable channels through Mother's day. Please click on the following link to view the ad: Ejector Seat Ad Tuesday, March 22nd, '06: LAC's "Homeless Youth & Police Task Force Relations" members met in the Parsonage meeting room this evening to discuss the upcoming Police Sergeants' training on homeless youth abuse as well as the general LAC convention May 24th at temple Anshe Emet. BUCC was represented by Keven Dronen, our Dir. of Development Ministry who was joined by 16 representatives from community churches, businesses and non-profit organizations. Sunday, March 19th, '06: BUCC's consistory voted to begin the process of BUCC becoming an "Open & Affirming" congregation in the UCC! More details will follow in our April newsletter. Monday, February 27th, '06: LAC (Lakeview Action Coalition) met here for the first of a four week, 2hrs each meeting, training session on "Organizing 101". Representatives from 14 community organizations attended to begin training on how to lead change efforts. This first session was led by Jennifer Ritter-Gonzalez, Executive Director of LAC. Sunday, February 26th, '06: "Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights", President Rev. Dr. Sid L. Mohn spoke to a group of 14 Cluster #2 UCC leaders here at BUCC. Sunday, February 19th, '06: BUCC's consistory voted to have BUCC listed as a member of the coalition entitled "Youth Allies", a group of local churches, businesses and non-profit organizations under the umbrella of LAC (Lakeview Action Coalition) in support of homeless youth in our area. The first step was a letter drafted under the pastor's and board president's signatures to the Superintendent of Chicago Police stating our support of homeless youth issues and the need for improved relations between parties. More details to follow in the newsletter and bulletin. Monday February 6th, '06: BUCC is lending the use of our industrial kitchen to the "First Slice" team from our neighboring church-Epiphany UCC while they undergo construction. The team cooks/prepares/distributes 1,400+ meals monthly for the underpriviledged. The program is self-funded by a "subscribor" base, families and individuals who sign-up to purchase restaurant quality meals at discounted prices on a weekly basis in support of First Slice. (see First Slice website for details) The venture is the brainchild of Executive Chef Mary Ellen Diaz, trained at "Le Cordon Bleu" in Paris, "L'Ecole des Arts Culinaires" in Lyon, and Madeleine Kamman's School for American Chefs at Beringer Vineyards in Napa Valley, CA. Diaz achieved three-star ratings for her cuisine at both Printer's Row in 1996 and North Pond Cafe in 1998. After three years of creating new dishes for Richard Melman of Lettuce Entertain You restaurants, Diaz reassessed her goals and discovered a better way to share her knowledge in cooking and in life. (see our "Link" section for their website URL) UCC Firsts The following UCC “firsts” will give you a snapshot of the UCC’s historical firsts but reading the history of the UCC under the “History” link will give a more complete history of our denomination. In keeping with Christ’s message of acceptance of everyone as “children of God”, our forebears and the UCC have a strong history of repeatedly standing up to prejudice and discrimination of minorities. First denomination to: Stand against slavery (1700) Ordain an African American person (1785) Establish foreign missions (1810) Ordain a woman (1853) Ordain openly gay lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons (1972) General Synod voted by 80% majority to recognize same-sex marriages (2005) In addition, founded Harvard and Yale, as well as many historically black colleges, six of which remain affiliated with the UCC to this day. Worship Times Sunday Worship, 10a.m. (1hr) (followed by refreshments and fellowship time) Sunday Scripture Study, 9:10-9:50a.m. Handicap accessible Audio amplification (for the hearing impaired) Large Print bulletins