Our sympathy to Patty and Bill Crowl (1962) on two losses in their family in a short span of days. Their youngest grandson, five-month old Nathan Gray Rode, died in his sleep on July 23, 2009. Patty's mother, Mrs. Vivienne Hammell, died July 26 at the age of 93.

Yvonne Gilmore (2001), pastor of New Song Community Church in Columbus, Ohio, offered a spoken word meditation at General Assembly.

In July, Westminster John Knox Press published Doing Justice in Our Cities: Lessons in Public Policy from America’s Heartland by Warren Copeland (1968). Copeland, who is Professor of Religion and Director of the Center for Civic and Urban Engagement at Wittenberg University, has also served in city government for two decades, including 15 years as mayor of Springfield, Ohio. He argues that "the nature of American cities is itself an ethical problem." He asks, how do we create mixed income communities again?

On July 18, 2009, Adam Frieberg (2006) was ordained at the Norwalk (Iowa) Christian Church. Rev. Michael Davison preached; Dean Kris Culp was among the participants. Adam is pursuing opportunities in the greater Chicago area; his spouse, Heidi Havercamp, is vicar of the Church of St. Benedict in Bolingbrook.

Tabitha Knerr (2005) was ordained June 14 at Iglesia del Pueblo/Hope Center in Hammond, Indiana. She graduated with the M.Div. and Master of Public Policy degrees two days before. Former trustee Juan Rodriguez, who is senior minister of Iglesia del Pueblo, preached; his sermon, "Baptination or Ordinaptism?," called all Christians to the service implied in their baptisms and affirmed in ordination.

Bonnie Carenen (2005) was ordained on July 11, 2009, in the Greater Kansas City region. Her home congregation is Budd Park Christian Church in Kansas City, Missouri. She will begin work in Indonesia with Church World Service in September.

Congratulations to Shane Isaac and Tabitha Knerr (2005), who were married on June 26, 2009, in Chicago. They also joined their names to become the Isners.

On June 11, a group of 33 religious leaders, including Ken Brooker Langston (1985) and Michael Kinnamon (1973), met with officials of the Obama administration to urge the establishment of an independent, non-partisan "Commission of Inquiry on Torture." For more and to read the letter they presented, click here.

Jordan Berry (2005) graduated from the Urban Teacher Program (UTEP) at the University of Chicago in June. Next year she’ll teach kindergarten at the Legacy Charter School in Chicago.

April Lewton (2004) has been appointed Director of Annual Giving and Community Engagement at Chicago Theological Seminary, effective June 1. Previously she served as a community organizer with the Asian American Institute. In May, she was featured in an ABC7 Chicago special, Asian Influences: Dream America, about Asian immigrants to the U.S. and work by Lewton and others for immigration reform. Also, read Lewton's essay on Asians and the immigration debate from the Chicago Tribune online.