A group of over 200 United Methodist ministers said they will risk their pulpits and standings in the church and bless same-sex unions. more ›

The Adalberto United Methodist Church and its leader Reverend "Slim" Coleman have returned to the forefront of the immigration debate. You might remember them as the church who gave refuge for a year to Elvira Arellano, an illegal immigrant facing deportation for falsifying documents in order to secure employment at O'Hare. Arellano left the church last August and was subsequently arrested in Los Angeles and escorted to the Mexico border. more ›

Well, we've been hearing about Looptopia for awhile. A big overnight festival held in the Loop, blah blah. We didn't think too much about it. We pretty much dismiss the Loop after 5 p.m. and give it up for lost on the weekends. Looptopia is obviously working hard to change all that. It's going on this Friday through early Saturday morning and since we're going to be down there, we decided to check out the... more ›

Several months ago, you surely heard the story of Elvira Arellano, the illegal Mexican immigrant hunkered down in a West Side church in an attempt to avoid deportation. As hers is no longer a top story on the major news networks, maybe you thought this problem had been resolved. Perhaps Arellano had unexpectedly decided to comply, or maybe the feds had decided this was one battle not worth fighting. In fact, Arellano is still holed... more ›

By now there's no doubt you've heard of Elvira Arellano, even if the name doesn't sound immediately familiar. She's the illegal Mexican immigrant that's been holed up in Adalberto United Methodist Church on the West Side since mid-August. So far she's been deported once in 1997 and arrested once in 2002; now she's hiding in sanctuary with her naturalized 7-year-old son, Saul. more ›

The Silk Road Theatre Project is truly blessed. Dedicated to showcasing Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Asian playwrights chronicling the people of the Silk Road and their descendents, the company took residence in the First United Methodist Church (a.k.a. The Chicago Temple) three years ago. Despite religious differences, church and company leadership forged a mutual respect born out of shared goals. Both groups value storytelling as a powerful tool to foster harmony in a diverse society.... more ›

Remember Ryan White? The white middle class kid from Indiana who contracted HIV in blood as part of his treatment for hemophilia? The kid who was expelled from school because he was thought to be health risk to other students? The teenager who died of AIDS in 1990 and made the entire world wake up and realize that everyone on this planet is susceptible to AIDS no matter their sexual orientation or race? more ›

After yesterday’s “curiosities” we were beginning to doubt the Tribune’s commitment to Sparkle Motion. Um, the Loop. Anyway, they get back in the groove today with an “Unusual Tour.” While it’s pretty tough to get off the beaten path while on the city’s most beaten path, the Trib gives it a good try. As promised, the recap; drum roll, please. more ›