What’s the latest with our Before We Get to Mars project?
The quick answer is, a lot! We’ve “landed” in Summit, IL. Following study and through strong initial connections, we have chosen to partner with the community of Summit, a largely Latino/a community about 20 minutes from Hinsdale.
Relationship Building – We have begun to establish relationships with Summit’s mayor, the preschool coordinator for School District 104, the Summit Public Library, restaurants, and business owners. Several more connections are coming up!
Tell me again, what is the mission of this project? – We are called to love our neighbors. Our faith and our action are incomplete and inauthentic if we limit our thinking of ‘neighbors’ as those within our bubble. When planning for a meaningful long term and broader community project, our congregation looked inward to our strengths. With our decades long history with a successful preschool under our roof, it fell naturally that our passion for education, particularly early childhood education, would emerge as an entry point for building a larger community. Initial conversations indicate that the Summit community desires additional opportunities for children from birth through preschool and at a cost their families can afford. Quality education at this extremely important time in development has a life-long positive impact on children.
Sounds great, but how can I participate? – The possibility of establishing an opportunity for quality early childhood education in this community is a way to open the door to building relationships with our Summit neighbors. So much more can evolve. There will be social opportunities with great food! There will be fun and fundraising events. Look for more information about books for the community’s young children and even the possibility of an antique car show right here at Union Church to fund our early childhood work in Summit. As relationships with our neighbors grow, we will learn many ways that we can
enrich each others’ lives. What exciting opportunities await as we widen our
community and open our hearts!
For more information contact our BWGTM team Chair, Mary Sue Honigschmidt at marysue at red-works dot com.
