Welcome to Quad Cities Interfaith Newsletter

October 2013

Register now for .... "Fire of Faith!"

QC Interfaith's 5th Annual Individual Donor Fundraising Breakfast
Thursday, November 7th, 2013, 7:30 am - 8:30 am

(Registration begins at 7:00am)
Rogalski Center at Saint Ambrose University
518 W. Locust Street, Davenport, Iowa

Reservations are required. RSVP : 563-322-4910

This one hour event will showcase our work as people of faith who
are transforming our community and establishing justice. There is no cost to attend the breakfast. Guests will be asked to make a charitable gift to support Quad Cities Interfaith's mission. It is through community support that QCI is able to build local leadership and create systemic change.

There are other ways to support QCI- place an ad in our Ad Book for our Breakfast
Breakfast Sponsor

(Includes Ad, Sponsor Sign at event)              $500.00

Full Page Ad (Includes 2 tickets)                     $350.00
Half page Ad (Includes 2 tickets)                     $200.00
Business Card Ad (Includes 1 ticket)              $100.00

Leadership Actions and Events

Transportation and Jobs Equity

QCI leaders joined Gamaliel of Illinois to meet with Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider in September. Our leaders successfully achieved the placement of the Highway Construction Careers Training Program (HCCTP)  at Black Hawk  College. HCCTP is a training program designed to place more minorities and women in the construction trades. The HCCTP class begins in 2014.  

The next meeting of the Transportation Equity/100 Ready Workers Project will be Wednesday, October 23rd at 10:00 am at Martin Luther King Center - 630 7th Avenue Rock Island, IL  61201.

We continue to develop the 100 Ready Workers project, and have developed a survey tool to assess what skills potential participants may have an may need to work on. We are working with community groups and congregations to create a pipeline of workers who want to prepare themselves for jobs in construction and other fields.

Reverend Michael Swartz, Ann Schneider, Illinois Secretary of Transportation, QCI Director Leslie Kilgannon and Jobs Equity Task Force Leader George Barajas.

Immigration

Gamaliel leaders gathered October 8th in Washington, DC as part of a Day of Action of community activists and faith leaders to call on Congress to move the House Immigration reform bill to a vote. QCI is organizing local meetings with our Congressional delegation this fall to discuss their support for the House Immigration bill and call on our Members to keep immigration reform moving forward.

Health Equity

The Task Force continues to work with the local health systems to ensure equitable access to medical translation services for those whose first language is not English. Task Force members is in dialogue with Genesis and Trinity Health Systems. By working together, our community is removing barriers to access to professional medical translations services for those in our community.

Rekindling Our Congregations (ROC) Listening Campaigns Have Begun

This Fall, four local congregations - Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Anthony's Church, All Saints Lutheran and St. Mary's Church, Davenport, are engaging in the Rekindling Our Congregations (ROC) Listening Campaign within their congregations. A listening campaign is a campaign of intentional, deep listening to the members of a congregation, to develop relationships and to strengthen congregations.

That deep listening is being done by a team of congregation members who conduct one to ones with their fellow members. A one to one is a natural, but uncommon conversation with someone you want to know better, to learn about their values, life and motivations. It's a relationship building tool for congregations . When we are relationship with one another, that is when we can see our values exercised in the world.

When the ROC listening campaigns are finished, the congregations will debrief about what they have learned, and then work on a plan to engage leaders in ministries and to reach out to deepen their engagement in the community. Rekindling the Fire of Faith!!!!!

For more information about the ROC campaign, call Leslie at 563.322.4910.

QCI Director training leaders at St. Mary's Church, Davenport in the One to One as part of the ROC Listening Cmapaign.

QCI holds Trivia Nite Fundraiser

The competition was fierce, but friendly, at September's trivia night fundraiser. Watch this space for our next trivia night fundraisers in January and March 2014. Thanks to all who came out and supported QCI!!!!

Community Events

Saturday, October 12th . Poverty Simulation Experience. 9:30am-12:30pm. Just Faith, MLK Center, Churches United and U of I Extension. At the St. Pius X Catholic Church - Farrell Hall - 2502 29th Avenue, Rock Island, IL. For registration 309-738-0002.

Sundays - October 27, November 24, 2013 & January 5, January 26, February 23, March 30, April 27, and May 25,2014. Music Session at 4:30 p.m. Vespers at 5:00 p.m.

Celtic Music Session And Celtic Vespers
at Gloria Dei Presbyterian Church, 4200 -12th St., Rock Island
309-788-8986

Music sessions is a time for musicians of all instruments and styles to come together for sharing and learning Celtic tunes. Musicians are invited to share some of the tunes during the vespers. Music for the vespers will be available in advance.

Saturday, November 2 Dia De Los Muertos - Free Family Fiesta Day 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Casa Quad Cities and Figge Museum.

Celebrate El Dia de los Muertos at the Figge! Families will enjoy making a variety of projects including skeleton masks, clay figures, and learn to make and decorate traditional sugar skulls. Special snacks, music, story time and a film will also be on the schedule along with gallery activities. Ballet Folklorico will cap off the scheduled activities with their performance of traditional dance in the Grand Lobby.

9 a.m. Saturday, November 2 Día de los Muertos 5K Race/Walk

A partnership between Casa Quad Cities and the Figge Art Museum

Celebrate El Dia de los Muertos and Halloween by dressing up for this family-friendly run/walk on the Davenport Riverwalk (Ripley St. at Biederbeck Dr.). To register visit www.casaqc.org.

QCI is On the Move - Really! Office Relocation!!

The QCI office has relocated to the Priester Building - 601 Brady Street Suite 208 in Davenport. Just three blocks up on Brady Street from the old office - more office space and still close to downtown IL and Davenport!

We do have a few needs - we are in need of a bookcase to replace the built in we had to leave behind, and a medium sized meeting table - round or rectangular . Please call the QCI office at 563.322.4910 if you'd like to help. Also would appreciate anyone who is especially good at hanging pictures.

Drop by for visit!

QCI Leadership Assembly meets Tuesday, November 12th at 6:30 pm at St. Mary's Church at 516 Fillmore Street in Davenport.

About the Quad Cities Interfaith Newsletter

We hope you are enjoying our newsletter. QCI welcomes information about justice,and faith-based activities to post to our newsletter. We reserve the right to edit for space and content. If you like this, please forward to your friends. QCI is a 501c3 and donations to QCI are tax deductible as allowed by law.

Visit our website for more information and to donate!

601 Brady Street Suite 208 Davenport Iowa 52803 qcinterfaith@gmail.com - 563.322.4910

Quad Cities - RIA Federal Credit Union is pleased to announce it is teaming up with the Quad City Mallards to sponsor the Mallards Kid's Club for the upcoming season. This will be a first for both the Mallards and RIA Federal Credit Union. The goal of this partnership is to get kids excited about hockey as well as teach them the importance of saving money. There will be a formal press conference on Tuesday, October 15 at 11:00 a.m. at RIA's Milan branch location, 110 East 10th Avenue. This announcement will outline the new program as well as R.I.A.'s drive to end hunger during the month of October. For every new member RIA will donate 5 items of food to the River Bend Foodbank with a goal of donating over 2,500 items of food.

RIA Federal Credit Union was first established in 1935 on the Rock Island Arsenal to serve our Military members and Federal Employees working on the Island. For over 20 years RIA Federal Credit Union has been open to serve all of the Quad Cities and surrounding areas, including Wilton, Iowa, and Savanna, Illinois, while maintaining a strong presence on the Rock Island Arsenal.

A proud affiliate of the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild and the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild, the Quad City Mallards are approaching their seventeenth season and their fourth in the Central Hockey League.  One of the more successful teams in all of minor league hockey, the Mallards competed in the United Hockey League from 1995 through 2007 and in the International Hockey League in 2009-10.  The Mallards' proud history has seen them capture the UHL's Colonial Cup Championship three times (1997, 1998, 2001) and secure that league's Tarry Cup four times (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002) for the best overall regular season record.  In 2001, the Mallards made professional hockey history, recording their sixth consecutive season with 50 or more wins, a feat that has yet to be matched.  

"This...whatever it was...has now been joined by another...whatever-it-is...and they are now proceeding in company. Would you mind coming with me, Piglet, in case they turn out to be Hostile Animals?"  ~ Winnie the Pooh

A few months ago I experienced my first bear jam at Yellowstone National Park. In the midst of an afternoon thunderstorm and raindrops the size of Godzilla's tears, my husband slowed to a rolling stop, inching forward and muttered under his breath: "bear jam". Pardon me, what did you say? A what? Oh. OHHHHHH! Slow down! Slow down!

Having grown up in Southern California, the term bear jam sounds like a lollapalooza of rock musicians staged for a long weekend in bear country USA. Not this time.

As you can imagine, it was VERY difficult to contain my excitement when the cars in front of us finally sped away on our side of Yellowstone highway, apparently done viewing a bear. Wow, a BEAR! I was immediately transported to the place where I understood the profound symbolism of bear and it's meaning to those who have this great beast as a totem. First and foremost, bear is one of the most revered and worshiped animals in ancient times; however, the most interesting aspects of bear are the juxtapositions when observing this magnificent creature in its natural habitat.

On the one hand, we see tranquility, benevolence, nurturing and protection. We all know bear is a consummate mother?one of the most devoted mothers in nature. When all conditions are favorable, we will observe an amicable, relaxed, easy-going creature that seems heartily content to languish in sunny spots where it can stretch and snooze in leisure.

On the other hand, bear is a symbol of power and bravery. The Vikings used bearskins to intimidate their enemies and enhance their ferocity in battle. They invoked bear's warrior spiritand courage during the fightknowing that this powerful energy would support their efforts in standing against adversity and taking action.

In ancient times, bear was the master of its domain and carried the meanings of sovereignty and courage. Woe to those who provoked the wrath of bear by encroaching upon its territory.

So here I was, in very close proximity to this powerful being. Reality show and internet-induced terror of bears washed away instantly at the sight of this mass of wet hair ambling silently along the roadside while grabbing masses of vegetation in his mouth, chomping away, and giving no mind to the mayhem of tourists stopping both directions of traffic.

Despite being only a few feet away, this creature short- circuited my line of terror that starts at the frontal lobe and connects electrically to somewhere near the base of the spine. The only priority was to capture a photo of the first bear I had ever seen outside of a zoo...or a distant memory of Winnie the Pooh. I hurriedly snapped off tens of pictures unable to concentrate on f-stop, apertures or lighting. Fortunately, this bear was a cooperative model that continued to amble on without paying any attention to the fervor churning and multiplying from the epicenter of this bear jam.

Click, click, click...all the while trying to keep the rain out of my passenger-side window and off my camera. My husband finally reminded me that we were on a highway and had to move on to provide opportunity for the myriad of other gawkers. Agreed.

As our car regained speed, I sat silently thumbing through my digital archive of the speedy moment with our bear. I noticed on camera what I had not noticed with my naked eyes in the heat of the moment: our bear was quite scuffed up...scars and fur missing from various places on his face, two tags in his clipped or torn ears, and a wide leather collar with a bent piece of metal where something had apparently been torn free in some imagined hostile confrontation. Thinking back to his walk and demeanor, he just looked sore and detached from his star-struck paparazzi.

As the day progressed, I couldn't help but ponder my bear experience. I thought and thought...and thought some more about our battered bear. Our bear?

It is literally impossible to escape the majesty of Yellowstone. In a single day we experienced a showcase of wildlife: wolves, coyote, a bald eagle, several deer, moose, and herds of bison. What an opportunity. We had been invited into these animals' habitat...almost as one of them, I imagined. I tried to explain this abstract homage to my husband who looked like he was in his own pensive, solitary moment. I asked him what he thought of the strife that seems to be a part of bear's life in this park?in bear's own habitat.

His response will forever be etched in my mind...in my heart: "This park is a wonderful place where we have given sanctuary to these animals to thrive. Unfortunately, we took the land from them in the first place, and tried to give it back. We attempted to impose eminent domain against nature. Now, that bear has to carry tags in his ears, he has to have an undignified collar, and he walks among humans as if just offering a glimpse of his fleeting greatness." He further explained that once you've taken what is rightfully theirs, you can never fully give it back.

I looked out my passenger window and gazed into the screen of pouring rain that seemed to heighten my emotions. Maybe these weren't Godzilla's tears after all; maybe they were bear's...

About Noelle Meade-Izzi

Noelle Meade-Izzi is a published author and as self-proclaimed "Natu-journalist". Her passion in nature and wildlife photography stems from her research and study of the wisdom of the animal world, animal symbolism and animal totems. Her book, The Hummingbird That Answered My Heart's Calling, is a testament to the power of nature and its ability to teach and re-connect humans to their true human nature. You can learn more about Noelle at bee-nevolent.com and connect with her on Facebook and Google+.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack delivered stories of Iowans who have been affected by the shutdown directly to President Obama during a meeting at the White House yesterday. More than 1,100 Iowans from the Second District have written or called Loebsack since the shutdown began to express their concern and share their personal stories. Excerpts from some of the letters are below. Included with the letters from Iowans, Loebsack also wrote the President to highlight how the shutdown is having an impact on families in the state. A copy of that letter can be found here.

"Many Iowans are needlessly hurting due to the government shutdown. It is at the height of irresponsibility that Iowans are being hurt by reckless Washington dysfunction. All of this could be solved immediately by taking the simple step of passing a clean funding resolution to reopen the government," said Congressman Dave Loebsack.

"I just got an e-mail from our Crisis Center co-ordinator, informing all of the hotline volunteers, that this shutdown by the Govt means that services from HHS, specifically SAMSHA, are doubtful. This means that the National Suicide Prevention Hotline business offices are furloughed. How do you think that your colleagues would feel if one of their own were in trouble and tried to call Lifeline and be told that Congress has furloughed workers? 'Try to find another way to find help if you're feeling suicidal?' ... this hotline shutdown is just plain rotten."

-Bobbie, Iowa City

"I am a counselor working ... on a small military base.... I am furloughed, so it's obviously impacting me, but it's also impacting my clients, many of whom are active duty service members who have been deployed.

I feel like we government employees are caught in the middle of this very childish drama - through no fault of our own.

Please do your best to end this - I am fed up!!"

- Pella

"I work with WIC families and learned early Monday that the offices would not be printing WIC vouchers for families as a result of the shutdown. This means that women who come in every three months for vouchers for milk, infant formula, cereal, bread, and fresh produce will not be receiving them.

Many of these women time their shopping trips to coincide with receiving WIC. They will be out of milk and out of formula, and look forward to getting some bananas and apples for their families. This is terrible news for them."

-Gale, Davenport