Chicago Named a Top City for Hispanics April 9, 2008
Posted by Steve in : Chicago, Chicago Fact, DifferenceMakers , add a commentHispanic Magazine, came out last year out with their annual Top 10 Cities for Hispanics, and Chicago ranked in the top 10 among all US cities. The magazine looked at several factors in coming up with their top 10, such as cost of living, average home cost, Hispanic population, violent crime, pollution, health insurance costs, unemployment rates, and measures of school success. Chicago was given poor marks for cost of living, but high marks for wages and for a large and active Hispanic population. The Windy City also received high marks for “diverse culture” and “wealth of arts”.
The Top 10 Cities for Hispanics: (in alphabetical order)
01. Albuquerque
02. Austin
03. Chicago
04. Dallas
05. Denver
06. Houston
07. Miami
08. Phoenix
09. San Antonio
10. Tucson
The article goes on to say that Hispanics comprise 29% percent of the overall city’s population. The City of Chicago also has an active Puerto Rican community complete with its own street (Paseo Boricua), about 3 or 4 Puerto Rican specific restaurants, and an annual parade attended by many.
Park Community Church on Comcast March 4, 2008
Posted by Steve in : The City, Chicago, Breaking News, Inside Park, The Cultural Conversation, The Arts in the City, Culture and Faith , add a commentCheck out FAITH TODAY’s preview of a 10 minutes piece on Park Community Church its growing impact on the city that is playing on Comcast On Demand.
Vision Sunday January 9, 2008
Posted by Steve in : Chicago, Sunday Services, Church, Inside Park, Methods & Strategies, Missional , add a commentWow –what a great vision for a city center church!
On Sunday, Jackson Crum, lead pastor at our church, Park Community Church, gave an incredible message of what God has called us to and where Park is going as it marshalls its resources and people to effect change and renewal in the city of Chicago. Check out the excellent vision video created by our own Mark Walczak below:
Chicago is the Most…… January 6, 2008
Posted by Steve in : Chicago, Chicago Fact , add a commentAs many of you know, I LOVE CHICAGO and all things about ti and believe that is ti the most livable, and best global city to live in around the world. As we begin 2008, I thought I would give you some of the titles Chicago holds as I Googled around the web.
Chicago is the most………
1. Caffeinated city in the US (Healthsaver survey)
2. Chocolate consuming city in the nation (Healthsaver survey)
3. Colas consuming city in the nation(Healthsaver survey)
4. Expensive place to buy cigarettes (retirementliving.com)
5. Studied American city— thanks to the birth of American sociology at the University of Chicago.
6. Accessible city in the country. The transportation hub of the Midwest, Chicago boasts the world’s busiest airport and is located at the intersection of the busiest interstate highway system. Approximately, 180,000 travelers pass through O’Hare International Airport daily. Chicago is the only U.S. city with three airline hubs, plus 50 commercial, commuter, and cargo airlines at O’Hare alone. When combined, O’Hare, Midway, and several small local airfields serve nearly 70 commercial, commuter, and cargo airlines with more than 300 daily flights to approximately 200 cities. All told, the Chicago area offers more nonstop flights than any other city. And, in an increasingly important global economy, airline carriers offer direct service from O’Hare to 60 cities around the world.
7. Important railroad center in North America. More lines of track radiate in more directions from Chicago than from any other city. Chicago has long been the most important interchange point for freight traffic between the nation’s major railroads and it is the hub of Amtrak, the intercity rail passenger system.
8. Visited U.S. destination for business travelers for several years running, according to a survey of business travelers fielded by Accenture, a global management and technology services company. This city is always adapting and improving to better meet the needs of convention organizers and their attendees.
9. Important Great Lakes port.
10. Searched City’ for Holiday Cards - CardsDirect.com
11. Ethnically diverse city in North America per capita. On the north side of the city, one out of three people is foreign-born.
12. Chicago is the most popular destination for Labor Day 2007 (priceline.com).
13. Important architectural city in America.
14. Bike friendly city in the country. Mayor Richard Daley is solidly behind initiatives to create a 500 mile network of bike paths and bicycle-friendly streets in Chicago. He wants Chicago to be the most bicycle friendly city in the United States. The Bike 2015 Plan is the City of Chicago’s vision to make bicycling an integral part of daily life in Chicago. The plan recommends projects, programs and policies for the next ten years to encourage use of this practical, non-polluting and affordable mode of transportation.
15. Popular site for national conventions of both major political parties; since 1860, when Abraham Lincoln was nominated by the Republican Party, 26 national Republican or Democratic conventions have been held in the city. (MSN Encarta)
16. Known world-wide center of Polish immigration. Poles in Chicago are more visible and spectacular group than the Poles in NYC. Even on the airport O’Hare in Chicago one can hear announcements in Polish quite often. Many custom officers are caring the badges with the information “Mowimy po Polsku” (We are speaking Polish).
17. Livable major city there is, major being places that are home to several million people or more.What makes Chicago so great is that it looks and acts like a big city, but it doesn’t feel like one. Unlike so many cities its size, its cultural and recreational charms come with some big benefits. You won’t break the bank to live there; rents and home prices remain relatively reasonable. It’s accessible by public transportation and car. And it’s looking spiffier than ever thanks to major beautification and redevelopment efforts. (Best Places to Live)
18. Ethnically and culturally diverse city in the United States, and probably in the world.
19. Expensive city to fill up your car’s gas tank, thanks to city and county taxes.
20. Dog friendly city in the US.
Reminder Time: God’s Continuing Faithfulness August 26, 2007
Posted by Steve in : The City, Chicago, Inside Park, Urban Church, Powerful Passages, Church Construction , add a commentWow! I am continually reminded that God has a plan for the redemption of Chicago and Park is going to be a part of that. As we have moved through this summer, there has been a lot of uncertainty about where we would have our offices come September and where we would hold our services. As the project manager for the new Crosby campus building among my responsibilities, I have been frustrated by the massive rise in the price for steel and copper (causing us to exceed our budget), construction delays, unforeseen expenditures (we have to replace the entire outside brick skin of the building), the rainy weather, the lack of progress on getting more parking at our new building, and the likelihood that we would not be able to get into our offices at the Crosby campus in September and that we would need to find short-term solution for our offices.
But there was no uncertainty or frustration in God’s eyes.
Having orchestrated the creation of the world, I am reminded that God can do ANYTHING He wants, 
and getting us office space for starters is no big deal. Through a great friend of the church, God provided space for us at minimal cost in the John Hancock Tower for 4-6 months. We moved out of Germania Thursday night after an 11 year run (in the 13-hour rain-and- massive-wind, hurricane-plagued ordeal that ended at 1:00 am) and now find ourselves getting settled into great office space in the midst of the bustling Michigan Avenue avenue with offices and stores. (Many thanks to two of our awesome staff, Emily Luikart and Meghan Kosar, who organized the move and made it go so well! — you are the best!)
As I have sat at home and whined to my wife about all my frustrations, I am reminded and can now see that God is moving in Chicago, and He will not be thwarted. He has all the tools of the world at His disposal and in this case, He chose to use someone from another great church to help us because He is going to use Park as he continues His plan of redemption here in Chicago. Each person in Chicago matters to God, and he will use churches like Park and Christians like Park people to reach those people.
This situation has caused me to look back and see God’s hand of faithfulness since the beginning of our church almost 20 years ago. Even without a building for 20 years, God has grown Park, transforming thousands of people with His Gospel and the elders, staff and leaders have continued to build a Biblical community where the Gospel of Jesus Christ transforms lives, renews the city and impacts the world.
As I read the Bible, I am reminded by the verses below about God’s unswerving faithfulness:
Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,
Psalm 105:8 He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
Isaiah 46:8-11 “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors,
9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ 11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.
As an exercise, look back on the last two years in your life. Where were you 2 years ago and what was your life like. Can you see God’s hand growing you and changing you? What Has God reminded you about lately?
Cool Globes This Summer May 7, 2007
Posted by Steve in : The City, Chicago, The Cultural Conversation, The Arts in the City , add a comment
It almost time for the new Chicago summer art installation — this time it is “Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet”, which is a public art project designed to increase awareness of and promote solutions to global warming. Artists are finishing preparations on 122 five-foot fiberglass globe sculptures, which are all ready to be mounted along the Chicago streets and lakefront from June to September 2007. I am not a big global warming guy but the artistry on these globes is fantastic! We’re hoping to get one that our artists at Park Community Church can decorate.
“‘Cool Globes’ is public art with a purpose. We are hoping to inspire with a call to action to bring solutions to global warming,” said Wendy Abrams, President and Founder of “Cool Globes”. Just as the 1999 Cows on Parade art installation brought visitors to Chicago, the promoters of “Cool Globes” hope that Chicagoans and tourists stroll the (more…)
Sunday Chicago Photo of the Week May 6, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Chicago, Photos , add a commentI love Chicago…plain and simple. This is the best place to live, work, play and minister. As I roll through life, I often seek out photobloggers who capture the essence of what Chicago is and when I find those photos, I love to just take them in and see how they are able to see Chicago…and express the clarity of Chicago through the lense. Now I am going to periodically share their excellent work on my blog. The first photo to be featured comes from Araceli Arroyo of Chicago, who has captured the luminescence of the Merchandise Mart in a way I have never seen before. Wow — she is good! What do you think? Leave a comment below.
Cool Easter Eggs! April 9, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Breaking News, The Cultural Conversation, The Arts in the City , add a comment
All my life, I wonder at people who are given gifts and abilities from God to paint, photograph, to create, to visualize and to express the wonderment of life in various forms of media. When Sue and I took a year off and travelled the world in 1996-97 (25 countries) before kids and a mortgage, I marvelled at all of the art and the expression through canvas, steel, clay, music, drama, photos, etc. I loved to sit and ponder the artists’ life while reflecting on their work in galleries rround the world. So even now, I love to see people use their God-given artistic talent in all forms of media. Here are some unique canvasses upon which to create — Easter eggs — these are traditional Sorbian style Easter Eggs at the Sorbian Easter Egg Market in Bautzen, eastern Germany.
In eastern Germany near the border with Poland, the Sorbs, a Slavic minority that has lived for generations in this area, celebrate Easter with a parade called the “Kreuztritt” (Cross Walk) and the decorating of Easter Eggs. A batik-like decorating process known as pysanka produces these intricate, brilliantly-colored eggs.
The men of the village dressed in traditional costumes of black jackets and top hats, ride horses in a circle form from town to town announcing the resurrection of Christ. The Sorb’s Easter celebration can be seen in every town in this area of Germany called Lusatia. For more info on these intricately decorated Easter eggs, and some more great pics, check out our awesome military’s daily newpaper, Stars & Stripes.
The Word is Out: Chicago Attracts the Young and Educated March 24, 2007
Posted by Steve in : The City, Chicago, Breaking News , add a comment
The Chicago Trib ran an article this month looking at the changing demographics of Chicago and the surge of post-college 20Somethings who are flocking to this great city of Chicago. People are finally beginning to see what an awesome place Chicago is to live and be missional!
The article starts off, “ As thousands of Chicagoans leave the city each year, a countervailing force is moving in: twentysomethings, whose growing presence in and near the city’s center is attracting companies to start or expand operations downtown. Kenneth Johnson, a demographer and sociology professor at Loyola University Chicago who has studied the trend, estimates Chicago’s twentysomething population at 450,000, surpassed only by New York and Los Angeles, which also are experiencing influxes of new college grads. The young newcomers, Johnson said, hail from the suburbs as well as cities such as Philadelphia, Detroit and Cleveland.
“Companies are finding that the key asset is no longer the highway interchange, coal vein or port,” said Richard Florida, a professor of urban policy at George Mason University. “Now, it’s this educated, skilled, innovative talent. Companies are moving to be near the kind of people that Chicago is attracting in droves.” (more…)
Olympic Flame January 16, 2007
Posted by Steve in : The City, Chicago, The Arts in the City, Olympics , add a comment(Crain’s) — Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid has a new visual component, 
as officials unveiled a logo that features a torch with a flame representing the city’s skyline. The orange flame, with a Sears Tower-like look, is meant to represent the city’s style of architecture while evoking “a city that rose from the ashes” in the wake of the Great Fire of 1871, according to a statement from the Chicago 2016 Committee, the local group leading the bid. The torch’s body is colored blue, in a nod to Lake Michigan, and green, to represent the city’s park system.
Even if the games don’t wind up here, the city hopes to reap a little cash from its Olympic bid. Merchandise featuring the logo will go on sale “soon,” the statement said.
The logo was created by VSA Partners Inc., a Chicago-based design studio.
