Social Justice
“This is what the Lord requires from you: to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
The mission of our Social Justice Team is to increase awareness of justice issues impacting our brothers and sisters in our local community, Chicago and the state. We provide opportunities for Southminster members and friends to participate in actions that influence public policy toward a more just world.
In 2024 and early 2025, we focused our education and advocacy efforts in several key areas: immigration, affordable housing, gun violence prevention, mental health and prison reform. We invite you to read about some of our recent events, click on the available resources for more information and consider lending your heart and voice to upcoming opportunities.
Upcoming Events
Our Speak Up program is dedicated to helping people make their voices heard. During times of change, you may wish to contact federal, state and local officials to let them know how you feel. The Social Justice team can facilitate that process by helping you find out the names and contact info of your elected officials – May 4, 11 and 18 after service in the Welcome Area. The time is now to Speak Up about the issues that are important to you!
The team is dedicated to staying informed of the ever-changing legal landscape and ways we can work towards a more just world. Stay tuned for more events and opportunities!
Recent Events
Immigration
Dinner for local Chalice House residents. We hosted dinner at the church to welcome a family from Ukraine, who are currently residing at Chalice House in Palatine, which houses and supports asylum-seeking immigrants. Our dinner was complete with Ukrainian entertainment and comments by ICDI (Illinois Community for Displaced Immigrants) and SelfReliance Association.
Book study: “The Book of Rosy: A Mother’s Story of Separation at the Border.” Small groups met to discuss this impactful true story, and we also hosted a live interview with the book’s co-author Julie Schwietert Collazo. In another gathering, we heard Katherine Del Rosario, executive and co-founder of the Alliance for Immigrant Neighbors, talk about important efforts to help local immigrants.
Affordable Housing
Throughout the year we encouraged church members to send emails and to attend Arlington Heights village meetings in support of Grace Terrace, a proposed supportive housing facility for people with disabilities. The vote taken in February was favorable, and ground-breaking will begin in the fall!
Gun Violence Prevention
Working with Moms Demand Action, we installed 8-ft. letters spelling ENOUGH, and smaller signage detailing the lives lost and injuries incurred in recent major school shootings. We hosted several meetings of Moms Demand Action, shared information on gun violence prevention from the Presbyterian Church and educational materials on the safe storage of guns from the Mom’s SMART program.
Mental Health
- We maintain a library of resources for church members on various mental health topics.
- Past speakers have focused on mental health and youth, providing parents with supportive resources for managing their children’s mental wellbeing.
- Team members and others from our congregation attend meetings of the Wheeling Township Mental Health Board and Wheeling Township Board.
Prison/Justice Reform
We continue our relationship with Restore Justice, a local organization that advocates for criminal legal system reform. This includes meeting with local lawmakers as well as participating in a local court watch program, bearing witness to the implementation of the Pre-Trial Fairness Act.
Books
- The Good Immigrant edited by Nikesh Shukla and Chimene Suleyman
- The Book of Rosy: A Mother’s Story of Separation at the Border by Rosayra Pablo Cruz and Julie Schwietert Collazo
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
- Solito by Javier Zamora
- Troubled Minds: Mental Illness and the Church’s Mission by Amy Simpson
- Whispers in the Pews: Voices on Mental Illness in the Church edited by Chris Morris
Connect with Us
Oasis Journal
Keep up with what's going on in the life of Southminster. Our weekly email includes the upcoming worship info, events, and news.
If you have a passion for justice:
- We invite you to join our Social Justice Ministry Team. For more information, contact Sandy Bourseau or Linda Waycie.
“Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people.”