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Shanta
Premawardhana |
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Welcome |
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In these pages you will find really
interesting information and links about my interests and passions -- as
well as pictures of family and friends.
Please browse and send me an email with your
comments.
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Cornell
Baptist Church was named an Excellent Protestant Congregation in a nationwide
study conducted by Paul Wilkes of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
The study identified over 300 protestant congregations and 300 catholic
parishes. The study is published in two books Excellent
Protestant Congregations: The Guide to Best Places and Practices
and Excellent Catholic Parishes.
For more information
including criteria for selection go to www.pastoralsummit.org. |
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A rare
occasion when the entire family is together.
This was during our winter vacation. More pictures on the Family
Album page. |
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Cornell
Baptist Church which I pastor
is located in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. Check out the Cornell
page for information about Cornell, pictures and recent sermons.
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At the end of March, I participated in SCUPE's
(Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education)
Congress on Urban Ministry. Among the highlights in the program were Sister
Helen Prejean author of Dead
Man Walking, Tony Compolo and a Hip-Hop
concert with a challenge for church's to engage the youth culture.
On Thursday March 29, Congress
members held a liturgical action in front of the State of Illinois Building
while a group of leaders including Sister Helen Prejean had a meeting with
Governor Ryan's commission on the death penalty. They commended them on
Illinois' moratorium on death penalty and encouraged its abolition. |
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At
our worship service on February 25th, we dedicated this happy baby, Alexander
Eremin. Grace and Dmitry Eremin are his proud parents. |
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I am in the leadership team of a new
congregation-based community organization in the southside of Chicago -- MAC
Chicago South.
I am also the chairperson of the Metropolitan
Alliance of Congregations' Clergy
Caucus
You will be able to read in these
pages information about these organizations their issue agendas and important
calendar dates |
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I also have an interest in global
missions, particularly in Sri Lanka
and Nigeria. In the winter of 1999 I visited those countries to provide
leadership training and to encourage churches and ministers. You will see
in these pages information about people and churches in these countries. |
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A
part of the Cornell contingent at the Attacking Concentrated Poverty Congress
-- Lamarr Scruggs and Sarah Reed. Not in Picture: Maria Martin and Anna
York. More pictures and information on the
MAC Page.
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I
want to offer you an easy way to support these mission causes. |
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Your purchase of
books, CDs, videos or other merchandise purchased from
">Amazon.com
via this page will generate 15% commission for missions. |
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Here
are some books I've read recently.
Clicking on the link will take you
directly to that book page on Amazon.com
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U.S.
Congressman from Chicago, Danny Davis was one of the featured speakers
at the National Congress on Attacking Concentrated Poverty held in Chicago
on March 2nd and 3rd. The congressman committed to work with us to get
other elected officials on board to support anti-poverty legislation.
More on the Congress in the MAC
Page. |
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Dead
Man Walking |
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Sister
Helen Prejean's powerful account of a direct pastoral intervention in the
life of a death row inmate and his victims' families. This is a major motion
picture starring
Susan Sarendon as Sister Helen, directed by Tim Robbins. |
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Faithworks |
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Years
of commitment to an evangelical theology combined with social activism
has made Jim Wallis a powerfully prophetic voice. In this book he outlines
fifteen lessons of a veteran. Wallis believes that "we are on the verge
of a new movement for economic justice, led in large part by communities
of faith." The lessons are invaluable for anyone wanting to be a part of
such a movement.
Best quote: "Hope is believing in spite of the evidence,
then watching the evidence change."
Wallis is the convener of Call to Renewal and editor
in chief of Sojourners
magazine. His previous books include Who
Speaks for God?, The Soul of Politics and The Call to Conversation. |
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When
Work Disappears |
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In
this critically acclaimed work, Harvard professor William Julius Wilson
takes a hard look at reasons behind concentrated poverty in American cities.
Taking Chicago as an example, he examines its racial configurations and
points to the lack of job opportunities as one of the main reasons for
the urban ghetto. However, this is not an "expression of an organic process
of city growth, but the product of human behavior, institutional practices
and political decisions."
Best quote: "Groups ranging from inner-city poor to those
working and middle-class Americans who are struggling to make ends meet
will have to be effectively mobilized in order to change the current course
and direction taken by policymakers. Perhaps the best way to accomplish
this is through coalition politics that promote race-neutral programs such
as jobs creation, further expansion of the earned income tax credit, public
school reform, child care programs, and universal health insurance. A broad
based political coalition is needed to successfully push such programs
through the political process." |
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Amali
performed 5 times during the Performathon of the Merit School of Music.
More pictures on the Family
Albumpage.
Check out also the website of the Merit
School of Music |
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Angela's
Ashes |
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This
is Dhilanthi's most recent favorite book. Its next on my list. |
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One
of my favorite pastoral tasks is baptizing those who have made a profession
of faith in Jesus Christ. Four persons were baptized on December 17. More
pictures on the Cornell page. |
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