Upcoming Events - Register Today!
Come Join Us . . . . Fall Friendraiser and BBQ
Mark your calendars and join us on Saturday, September 9th anytime between 1-4PM for an open house that continues our celebration of 75 years of Chaplaincy, Community, and Caring.

Meet with staff, board members, and friends at Bishop Anderson House offices, enjoy some barbecue & fixin's along with a cold beverage, and learn more about our ministry.

RSVP today and bring a friend!! All registered attendees will be automatically entered into a drawing for a $250 gift card. We'll see you in September!

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Racial Diversity and Spiritual Care
An Unconscious Bias Workshop

Please join us on Saturday, September 16, 2023 at Bishop Anderson House in Chicago from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. as The Rev. Dr. Ebony D. Only, Community Chaplain, presents "Racial Diversity and Spiritual Care." Register today as space is limited to 20 participants. Contact The Rev. Rose Cicero via email with any questions. 

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Looking for More?
by The Rev. Thomas S. Rogers, III
The other day I was reflecting back on being out of seminary for 19 years and being ordained for 18. In some ways it feels like just yesterday and in others it feels like a whole lifetime ago. After graduating seminary, I did a clinical pastoral education residency at Methodist Dallas Medical Center and it was truly a year that changed my life. It helped me develop interpersonal skills – being aware of how I was perceived by others, times I take up leadership and times when I don’t, and gave me skills to manage myself when I worry too much.

The only way I have been able to remain effective as a faith leader is through continuing education and continuing to work on myself personally and professionally. I wonder if anyone else relates to what I am saying?

If you have found it challenging these last few years, leading during a worldwide pandemic, managing a faith community either as a layperson or faith community leader in the midst of much uncertainty about the future, or you find your leadership skills a bit rusty, I invite you to consider joining the upcoming cohort of the Community-Based Clinical Pastoral Education that I will be leading at Bishop Anderson House in partnership with Rush University Medical Center. 

This is a great opportunity to increase your skills at thinking systems, managing conflict, and increasing your capacity to support congregants spiritually and emotionally.

You can find out more on our website here or I’d be happy to schedule a time to talk via e-mail at Thomas_Rogers@rush.edu or 312-563-4824.

Who Is Going To Do Something About That
by The Rev. Dr. Ebony D. Only
The fear of the unknown is probably the biggest fear we all face. It’s the quiet lurking in the back of our psyche preventing us from moving forward with dreams and plans. The fear of the unknown is vague and nameless and formless. The fear of the unknown is us questioning ourselves. It’s us doubting our abilities. It’s the thing that stops us when we think of a new idea or project and realize we don’t know the steps to carry it out.

The fear of the unknown is the “I’ll do that later," but we never do. It is the illusion that we have more time or that circumstances will change and make the thing we’re putting off easier down the road. The fear of the unknown is the reason we stop ourselves, why we delay the dream, why we get busy with less-important things, why we say we can’t afford it or don’t have time for it. The fear of the unknown is why we blame other people, why we get tired and weary and why we get sick and tired. It’s sometimes even the reason we can’t sleep at night.

We ask all the questions that intensify our fears. What if something comes up that we don’t know how to handle? What if that person breaks our heart? What if people don’t show up? What if too many people show up? What if we lose our money? What if we lose friends? What if family stops talking to us?

The fear of the unknown….it robs us. It steals tomorrow from us today! The fear of the unknown is why we don’t pursue our passions, the person we’re attracted to, moving to the new city, or pursuing a better life. 

It was the Rev. Dr. Renita Weems, over 20 years ago, who I first heard say, “Faith is not the absence of fear, but what we do in spite of our fear.” And what I see in the eyes of migrants sleeping at police stations across Chicago is a combination of fear and hope. I can relate to these migrants because I know what it means to step out on faith. I understand what it means to not know what is going to happen next or how I will make it. I also know that, though I may not know what or how, I do know “who”. Not everyone has a higher power that they trust to be the “who.” But even for those of us who only believe in that which is tangible, we as spiritual care providers have the capacity to show up as the “who”. Bishop Anderson House has been showing up at several police stations around the city delivering Samaritan Backpacks with clothing and non-perishable items for families and Teddy Bears for children.

Because of your generosity, we are able to be the manifestation of the “who” and we thank you. Thank you for pledges and cash donations. Thank you for donating your time to prepare those backpacks. We welcome your support as we continue to provide spiritual care in the community.
Spiritual Care Visitor Training Retreats

We have two retreat sessions left in 2023 on Saturday, September 23 at Grace Lutheran Church, LaGrange and Saturday, September 30 at Bishop Anderson House office, Chicago. Both sessions are scheduled from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Click here to apply today! If you have any questions, please contact registrar, Kim Lessner, at 312-563-4825 or via email.

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Programa de Capacitación para Visitantes de Cuidado Espiritual en español inicia el sábado, 21 de octubre
Únase al Rev. Edward Peñate y a Daniela Barrios Morello durante el lanzamiento de nuestra primera promoción de estudiantes en el Programa de Capacitación para Visitantes de Cuidado Espiritual en español con un retiro en vivo, el sábado 21 de octubre, en las oficinas de Bishop Anderson House, Chicago. El retiro está programado de 9:00 a. m. a 3:00 p. m. ¡Haga clic aquí para aplicar hoy! Si tiene preguntas, comuníquese por favor con la registradora, Kim Lessner, al 312-563-4825 o por correo electrónico. Si prefiere hacer sus consultas en español, por favor contacte a Daniela Barrios por mensaje de texto al (847) 238-2171 o por correo electrónico.
Spanish Language Spiritual Care Visitor Training
Launches Saturday, October 21
Please join The Rev. Edward Penate and Daniela Barrios-Morello as we launch our inaugural class of students in the Spanish language Spiritual Care Visitor Training program with a live retreat on Saturday, October 21 at Bishop Anderson House offices, Chicago. The retreat is scheduled from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Click here to apply today! If you have any questions, please contact registrar, Kim Lessner, at 312-563-4825 or via email. If you prefer to do it in Spanish, please reach out to Daniela Barrios via text message at (847) 238-2171 or through email. 
Resources & Thanks
August Affirmation Calendars

The Rev. Dr. Ebony D. Only is providing a monthly calendar with positive affirmations meant to help build you up and improve your buoyancy when things get difficult. Please go to the Spirituality & Wellness / Affirmations page on our website to get the current calendar.
Did you read . . . .

how much the Bishop Anderson House staff has appreciated being able to gather again in person? This was sent to our donors via US Mail in early June. If you didn't receive a copy and would like to be added to the mailing list, please click here to provide your information.

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Time, Talent and Treasure
We are incredibly grateful for the recent support of our ministries, including:

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Downers Grove for prayer squares; St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Barrington Hills for prayer shawls, scarves and hats; and Melissa, Marilyn, Donna, Pat, Lisa, Maggie, Julie, Kate, Cathy, Nicki and Debbie from St. David's Episcopal Church, Glenview for helping us tag our 600 teddy bears received from the Build-A-Bear Foundation.

Click on image to see a collage of the work in process!
Chaplaincy // Social Responsibility & Racial Justice
Spirituality & Wellness // Education
Bishop Anderson House is an interfaith agency rooted in the tradition of the Episcopal Church,
providing pastoral services and education programs for faith and health care communities.