United States of ALEC Film Screening

This blog post was written by Roosevelt University student Nicole Thorpe.

Have you ever seen the show Millionaire Matchmaker? The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has a similar mission but less style than Bravo’s Stanger. ALEC acts as a corporate dating service matching lonely legislators with corporate special interests.

On February 19, 2013, Overflow Coffee Bar will host a screening of the documentary film, The United States of ALEC.

If you attended Overflow’s January screening of The Economics of Happiness, you will notice that the two documentaries both discuss major corporations. The last film compared shopping at local, independently owned business to shopping at large corporations. The difference between these businesses lays not just their ability to offer a personalized, localized experience but also what they do with their profits. Small businesses will pump the money back into the local community. Where do you think the profits of national businesses end up?

The American Legislative Exchange Council works like a political actions committee. They are a group of powerful corporations and politicians who presents itself as a “nonpartisan public-private partnership”. However, the documentary helps uncover the truth behind all of the hype, unveiling that the most influential corporate funded political force is only focused on increasing profits at the public’s expense.

Representatives from the Illinois Chapter of  Common Cause, a non-profit organization, will facilitate a post-film discussion. The mission of Common Cause is to make citizens’ voices heard in the political process and to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest.

Don’t wait, spread the word, bring a friend and RSVP today at www.overflowusofalec.eventbrite.com. You’re never too young or old to learn something new. Who knows, the next person to change the world could be you!

Even if you cannot attend this screening, Overflow is the place for you. Film screenings are help each month and they even host open mic nights too!  A full calendar is located at www.overflowcoffeebar.org.

The Story Behind the 1st Annual South Loop Women's Tea

If you haven't heard about the tea, the information is here: http://southloopwomenstea.eventbrite.com.

The month of March is Women's History Month.  In communities around the United States, National Women’s History Month provides an opportunity to share the significant role of women in American history and contemporary society, and to recognize women who have been instrumental in their local communities. 

Plus, March 8th is International Women's Day.  International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present, and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday.

Amanda's Mom!

Over 10 years ago, my mom (Mary) started an annual Women's Tea in her rural area in Ohio.  She did this to celebrate women and their contributions to her area.  My mom spent over 30 years of her life as a librarian at a local community college.  During that time she helped many woman stick with their education, especially non-traditional students like moms returning to school after a long break.  My mom retired but the Women's Teas have continued.

Last year, my mom was selected to be honored as Woman of the Year at the Women's Tea in March.  In February, however, my mom suffered a severe stroke.  She was still in the hospital during the Tea honoring her so I went in her place to accept her award.  While at the Tea, I heard many women speak about my mom's contributions to their lives.  They also talked about how much they looked forward to coming to the Tea each year.

Then and there, I decided to continue and expand my mom's legacy by starting an annual Women's Tea here in Chicago.  I want to achieve three things with these teas:

1. To celebrate women, especially those who are making contributions to our city.
2. To encourage women, especially those who doubt their achievements.
3. To inspire girls to dream big dreams and continue the advancement of women around the world.

As women, we've come so far.  We still have more to do.  

Film Screening: Father of Lights

Thursday, November 29, 2012 @ 7pm

Watch the trailer.

Suggested Donation: $7 (really a suggestion, give what you can)

Reserve your ticket now.

If God could be filmed, what would He look like? In this explosive documentary, filmmaker Darren Wilson attempts to do the impossible: film God and understand His character. Along the way, Darren and his team encounter powerful witch doctors, violent gang leaders, Hindu holy men, and everyday people with extraordinary experiences to tell. 

Through filming incredible (and often historic) spiritual encounters around the world, Chicagoland resident Darren Wilson cuts through religious misconceptions in an effort to find the true nature and character of God.  This will be a great film for the beginning of the holiday season.  Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannakah, Kwanza, family and friends, or some combination of these things, this film is for you!

The film will begin at 7pm and is 98 minutes long.  We'll have some discussion after the film and be finished by 9pm.

Discussion will be led by Randy Fisk. After starting out with a career in scientific research, Randy has pastored with the Association of Vineyard Churches and taught at Valparaiso University. He has written two books The Presence, Power and Heart of God – Partnering in His Ministry  and  The Amazing Word of God. Randy has spoken, ministered, and taught in various settings, always with an emphasis of having the participants experience the ministry, not just hear about it. He stresses intimacy with God, the character of Jesus, and flowing with the Holy Spirit as God brings His Kingdom in our midst.  Randy and his wife, Mary, are part of the Aurora Vineyard and live in North Aurora, Illinois. They have three daughters, Holly, Becky, and Mandy, a son-in-law, Keith, and grandchildren, Judah and Rayah, all of whom are their delights.

Transit/Parking - While we encourage the use of public transit (Red Line, #29, #62 and other buses are close), limited parking is available in the rear of the building on a first come first served basis. Bring $3 for your spot. No one will be in the lot to take it. You can pay at the ticket check-in table.

Christians and Coffee

So, I'm hanging out at Caribou today working on a teaching for our first Sunday gathering of "Vineyard South Loop" this Sunday.  I'm surprised... there are at least 2, 1on1 Bible studies going on here.  This got me to thinking... are "Christians" the biggest consumers of coffee???

Then, I'm reminded of part of Brandon's story.  Here's a copy of what he's written before... just for your thoughts.  ;)

When I first came to the Vineyard, I remember coming to church not knowing what to expect.  Much to my surprise, I was asked that day by the pastor if we could meet over coffee. Later that week, we met at Caribou Coffee [a different one than the one I'm at now], the typical hangout place nearby my house.   I remember thinking, “This pastor has a cool job.  He gets paid to have coffee and hang out with me.”  Over the course of the next few years, we met over coffee at Starbucks (a.k.a. St. Arbucks) or Caribou and I came to realize that his job was much more than just having coffee with me. 

As I looked around these coffee shops, I saw Bible studies happen all the time and also people building community. It was during these time of connecting with my pastor and later studying for VLI [Vineyard Leadership Institute] while sipping coffee that I realized God’s call for me to church plant. 

Fast forward a couple years later and you can find me as part of a team planting in the city.  We would try and get people to come to church but would not have much success but I saw that the coffee shops were always full. I started investigating and learned… 

Coffee shops are known as third places in their communities.  The third place used to be the church.  I began to think, “Why it is so much easier to get people (co-workers, neighbors, friends) to go to coffee with me than to get them to go to church?” Then, I began to think of all the money, we as leaders in the church spend on coffee.  Drinking it at church or drinking it out as we meet with people.  I thought, “What would it look like if we owned the coffee shop?  If it wasn’t a ‘religious place’ but a place everyone felt comfortable in and a place where ‘spiritual conversations’ could happen?” 

 That’s when I took God’s whispers and began to dig deeper.  As I researched I discovered the injustices that take place in the coffee industry - from the farmer to the barista.  If I was real about my faith, I had to do something.  I couldn’t release spiritual captives over coffee while enslaving the people who grew my coffee beans or knowing my favorite barista is receiving very little pay.  This was the collision.  Could I fight spiritual battles for individual souls and seek justice for those impacted by the coffee industry at the same time?  Was I even allowed to do both?

 

The Journey Recently...

It's been a long journey already. Here are the most recent developments.

1. We went to Seattle to get away and do the planning for the church plant and non-profit coffee bar that we know we're supposed to start.

2. While we were there a few people gathered at our home to pray for us. They wrote down things that they felt like God was speaking to them to share with us. When we first got back and read them, we didn't really understand them. For one thing, they were all about me (Amanda) and none of them were about Brandon.

3. A few weeks later, I was at a women's retreat and felt like God told me to leave my job. Immediately, I started crying. "This isn't possible,” was all I could think. I retreated into a corner and "pretended" to read my Bible. While doing so, I remembered the words people had written while they were in Seattle and they all made sense.

4. No sooner had I closed my Bible than a woman I had never met before in my life came over with a cup of tea for me and a cup for her. We proceeded to talk for awhile. Before she got up to leave she said, "I don't know what God is doing in your like but I feel like He's already confirmed it." Now I had the confirmation from while we were in Seattle, hearing God speak to me, and a third confirmation from a stranger. I knew something was going on.

5. I talked over the idea with a trusted adviser and Brandon. We decided that this was probably a word from God and I should leave my job. BUT God did not say when so I could wait awhile until it felt like the right time.

6. What else would happen than a few weeks later my company announcing layoffs by the end of May?!? The whole weekend afterward I couldn't stop thinking, "If they lay people off and then I resign a few months later, I'm going to be a horrible person. There are people who need this job to feed their families and I would let them be laid off while I planned to resign a short while later."

7. After some talking with human resources and my boss' boss, we've come to the conclusion that I will resign effective June 30. I submitted my letter of resignation today. They say I did the right thing. I think so too.