Category Archives: Religion
Free Thanksgiving Meal
A Church 4 Me MCC will be hosting a free community Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving day, November 24. located in Rogers Park at 7366 N. Clark St.
Shirtless Chicago Guy Spreads Prayer
A couple weeks ago Ethan Renoe, a hot shirtless jogger crashed a TV weather forecast in Chicago. During the rainy broadcast Renoe said, “It’s a great day for a run. Too wet to wear a shirt, you know?” He added, “I love running in the rain, and I’m also single!” – the video went Viral!
Renoe, an evangelical Christian, also made sure to get in a shout out to Jesus during the impromptu interview he did with WGN.
Now, NBC Chicago reports that Renoe, who attended a Christian Bible college and says he is a virgin who is saving himself for marriage, founded a ministry that has been offering “free prayers” outside gay bars in the city’s Boystown gayborhood for the last four years! – Damn, I keep missing him!
“My primary purpose of going there is to show this community love that has been severely damaged by those who claim to be Christians. That area has been hurt by people who claim Christ’s name.” – – Is it good? or bad? how do you feel about this?
One student member remarked that he understood the backlash the group sometimes receives while in the gay community:
“Some people come at us angrily, but I can understand that because that community is their stronghold and that’s where their identity lies and they feel like we’re attacking it, but that’s before they talk to us,” said student Andy Wood. “Regardless of lifestyle decisions we have the same opportunity to share the gospel and love people.”
A Musical Celebration of Marriage Equality in Illinois May 30th
“AT LAST … A Musical Celebration of Marriage Equality in Illinois”
A Church 4 Me MCC is proud to present “At Last..A Musical Celebration of Marriage Equality in Illinois.” The show was created by our own music director Michael McBride and features some of the best cabaret and theater performing artists in Chicago.
“At Last…” will perform on Friday, May 30th from 6:30 – 9:30 pm at Atmosphere in Andersonville – 5355 N. Clark St. Chicago. Tickets are $15 pre-sale and $20 at the door and can be purchased online at www.achurch4me.org. Proceeds will benefit the programs of A Church 4 Me including our HIV/AIDS Prevention Ministry, Senior Support Group, and our ongoing support of the Lakeview Pantry. Ten percent of all proceeds will go directly to “The Crib” an overnight youth shelter in Lakeview run by The Night Ministry.
Performers
Michael McBride – Music Director
Michael has been the Music Director at A Church 4 Me MCC for the last 3 years. He is currently the Music Director of The Cabaret Project in Chicago and has placed in the top 3 in the Windy City Gay Idol contest. He holds a Doctor of Music degree from Northwestern University and is on the music faculty of North Park University and Loyola University where he has served as musical director for their productions of Hot Mikado, Urinetown, and Into the Woods.
Danielle Kastner
Danielle has performed extensively throughout Chicago including We Three Lizas at About Face Theatre, Rent at American Theatre Company/About Face Theatre, A Chorus Line and Hairspray at Marriott Lincolnshire, Sugar and Mame at Drury Lane Oakbrook and Hello, Dolly! and Kiss Me Kate at Light Opera Works.
Mark Ortega
Mark has performed on more than 15 mainstage gay pride festivals nationwide and once opened for The Voice Finalist Beverly McClellan. Mark recently released a single on iTunes called “Boystown” which was recently featured on an LGBT podcast in Hong Kong.
Meredith Freyre
Meredith is one of the founding members of the Cabaret Project and had been performing with the group for over 5 years at venues such as Hydrate, Circuit, Green Dolphin Street, The Back Room, and Twisted Vine. Meredith has also been featured in National Commercials (T- Mobile) to The Chicago Symphony Chorus, the final Chicago cast of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding and with many Chicago theater companies.
Auction
A Church 4 Me MCC will be auctioning off a painting by renowned artist Doyle Chappell at the event.
Artist Bio – DOYLE CHAPPELL is a portrait artist who paints in a distinctively contemporary style, creating colorful works that are the antithesis of dull, ancestral-type portraits. From the beginning of his art studies at the University of Texas, Chappell preferred painting people to other subjects. His sensitive depictions reflect those intangible qualities that motivate and define each individual. Admirers of Chappell’s portraits have observed that his paintings seem to reflect a kind of inner spirit that expresses much more than the surface appearance. He finds all ages to have special beauty. Although he has created numerous oil portraits, he presently works mostly in acrylic on canvas as that medium most suits the spontaneous and painterly brushwork and heavy buildup of layers of colors, on top of colors. His works are valued by serious art collectors, and his portraits are included in many private collections. Some of his favorite paintings are of “just plain folks”. Among the well known subjects Chappell has painted are Lynda Johnson Robb, daughter of President Lyndon Johnson and wife of Virginia Senator Charles Robb, with her children; Senator and Mrs. Warren Magnuson; and actress Daryl Hannah.
We will also be auctioning off tickets to more than 25 theatres in Chicago including Chicago Shakespeare, The Harris Theatre, Timeline, Black Ensemble, Marriotts Lincolnshire, Victory Gardens, Northlight, Metropolis, and Theatre at the Center.
About A Church 4 Me and Metropolitan Community Churches
Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) have been leading the national fight for marriage equality for 46 years. MCC is a global denomination which prides itself on inclusion. People of all races, socio-economic status, and sexual orientations are welcome into our churches. We currently have 172 member churches from 37 countries around the world.
A Church 4 Me MCC was founded here in Chicago in 2007 and we are creating a radically organic community where love is a blessing, diversity a gift, worship a celebration, and life a journey.
Event: At Last…A Musical Celebration of Marriage Equality in Illinois
Style: Musical Cabaret
Date: Friday, May 30
Time: 6:30 – 9:30 pm
Where: Atmosphere Bar – 5355 N Clark St. Chicago
Price: $15 pre-sale and $20 at the door
Buy Tickets: Online at www.achurch4me.org
Living in Lakeview: Who is My Neighbor?
St. Peter’s is a diverse parish filled with people from all walks of life – gay, straight, married, partnered, single, young, and not-so-young. Wherever you are on your spiritual journey – doubting, full-of-faith, or in between – you are welcome at St. Peter’s. For more information about St. Peter’s, visit www.stpeterschicago.org.
