Upcoming Events Please contact the Chicago office at 630.573.2900 for more information about upcoming events.
From Compassion to Action - May 7 & May 15, 2008 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." - Colossians 3:12 You are invited to a From Compassion to Action luncheon! These fundraiser luncheons will introduce you to the Joni and Friends ministry and the great services we offer to families and individuals affected by disability. The luncheons begin promptly at noon and will end by 1:00 PM. Our From Compassion to Action luncheons will be on May 7 & May 15, 2008. They will be held at separate locations in Chicago and the western suburbs. For information or to RSVP, call 630.573.2900 or email us at chicago@joniandfriends.org. Wednesday, May 7, 2008 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Union League Club of Chicago 65 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604 Thursday, May 15, 2008 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Todd S. Beamer Center, *Wheaton College Wheaton, IL 60187 *Not a Wheaton College event FREE; you will be asked to consider making a contribution
Family Retreat - June 9-13 & 16-20, 2008 “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” - Philippians 4:13 Let's Do It! That is the theme for this year's two weeks of Family Retreats. Our site in northwest Indiana, Oakwood Inn, will turn into a Hero's Training Academy as we learn godly characteristics from biblical heroes. To find out more about Family Retreat or to register, click here. Oakwood Christian Retreat & Conference Center 702 East Lake View Road Syracuse, IN 46567 (574) 457-5600 FAX: (574) 457-5917
Chicago Church Network Meeting - July 17, 2008 Join us at the next Chicago Church Network meeting! Mark Your Calender! Thursday, July 17 at 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Joni and Friends Chicago Office Building, Oak Brook, IL Sharing information and ideas Training and education Collaborating on ministry with other churches Who should come: Pastors and church ministry staff Disability ministry leaders and volunteers, and Sunday school teachers Professionals and workers in disability fields Persons and families affected by disability To join the Network or RSVP for the meeting, contact Paul Von Tobel at 630.573.2900 or email pvontobel@joniandfriends.org.
True Woman Conference - October 9-11, 2008 This year Joni Eareckson Tada will speak at Nancy Lee DeMoss' "True Woman Conference" at the Renaissance Hotel & Conference Center in the northwest Chicago suburb of Schaumburg. The conference is designed to return women to God’s purpose for their lives, and express the beauty and wonder of true womanhood. There will be designated seating areas for wheelchairs as well as interpreters for the deaf and hearing impaired. Click here for more information or registration for the event.
Wheels for the World Peru Outreach - November 6-15, 2008 "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." - Matthew 9:37 We are asking God to send out workers into his field for a plentiful harvest in 2008. We need seating specialists, wheelchair mechanics and Spanish translators for three teams. The Wheels for the World teams will be going to Lima, Trujillo and Arequipa. For more information, call the Chicago Office at 630.573.2900 or email chicago@joniandfriends.org.
Previous Events Joni and Friends Chicago Upcoming Events
Midwest Disability Ministry Summit - September 28-29, 2007 The Midwest Disability Ministry Summit was held on the campus of Trinity Christian in Palos Heights, IL. The event gathered together 450 laborers in the field of disability ministry, providing two two full days of inspiration, encouragement and equipping. Listen to what people are saying about the Summit... "It was a priviledge to be part of this life-changing, spirit-filled conference. The speakers had such a profound impact on my heart. Words can not express how this conference has changed my life." "I loved the workshops. They helped me think from a new perspective and realize a lot of things that I hadn't. I am looking forward to coming again!" "With a wide variety of exhibits, the conference was very beneficial for churches and schools. It raised awareness about disabilities maybe not thought of." Praise God for the fruit of the Summit! All over the Midwest, a harvest of new disability ministry is being reaped by laborers who attended the Summit. Pray for this movement to continue to grow. We would like to thank everyone who attended. A special thanks goes our to our keynote speakers, Joni Eareckson Tada and Nick Vujicic (right), and the many workshop presenters, exhibitors and volunteers who helped to make the Summit possible. Finally, we greatly appreciate Trinity Christian College for co-hosting the Summit on their campus in Palos Heights, IL. Thank you!
Oakwood Family Retreats - June 11-15 & 18-22, 2007 "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." Psalm 126:3 What a perfect verse for "Welcome to JOYville," last year's theme for our Family Retreats at beautiful Oakwood Inn. The Lord did do "great things" as 97 families with disability received the love and joy of Christ, much needed rest, a renewed sense of hope and a lot of fun. The father of one family received Jesus as his Savior! Jon (top right) and Demarco (below right) formed a friendship at camp. Jon was away from home and the hospital for the first time in his medically fragile and tentative 22 years of life; Demarco is non-verbal and has cerebral palsy. Relating on a profoundly spiritual level, their radiant faces and the lively, fun time they had together were evidence that the two young men fully understood the meaning of JOYville. We'd like to say thank to all the families who came and to the 215 Short-Term Missionaries who made Family Retreat possible. Let us also give thanks to the Lord who greatly blessed JOYville.
Moving Beyond Our Limits - May 10, 2007 This fundraiser luncheon, which was held at the Campus of Wheaton College, was a great sucess. A great big Thank You goes out to everyone who participated, and thanks be to God for His provision for our ministry through this fundraiser.
Wheels for World Peru Outreach - November 3-10, 2007 Three teams of seating specialists, wheelchair mechanics and Spanish translators traveled to Lima, Trujillo and Arequipa. The teams custom-fit 600 wheelchairs to people with disabilities, providing the gift of mobility and sharing the gospel. Praise God for the 652 individuals who accepted Christ as their Savior! Gabi (right), a 13-year-old young lady with cerebral palsy, received a very extensive wheelchair modification. She was so pleased to have the stability in her new chair to show the team how she could write with her mouth like Joni. Her special request was for Joni's book in Spanish, as Gabi loves to read. It was a joy to give a book about dealing with the challenges of life through the power of Jesus. We thank all of the team leaders and members who made the Peru Outreach possible. A special thanks goes to our partner ministry to people with disabilities in Peru, Corazones Unidos (United Hearts).
Holiday Open House - December 8, 2007 Our annual Holiday Open House was another joyous celebration this year, full of fun and festivities. What a pleasure and delight to share food and fellowship with such good friends, both new and old! This year was extra special as many visitors saw our Oak Brook office for the very first time. Now that you know our location, come back and see us again soon! Thank you to everyone who participated in the Holiday Open House, especially those who generously gave of their time and energy to help with the event!
East Africa Disability Ministry Training & Evangelism Outreach - November 4-18, 2007 There are 60 million people with disabilities in Africa and Chicago staff member, Paul Von Tobel, and co-worker from California, James Rene, visited three countries in East Africa (Ethopia, Kenya and Uganda) to accelerate disability ministry there. They trained Christian bishops, pastors, ministry leaders, and staff with Christian ministries and Disability NGOs. The format consisted of four-day trainings in Ethiopia and Kenya as well as multiple speaking sessions and strategic planning meetings over three days in Uganda. James and Paul also had the opportunity to model Christ's mandate to evangelize and disciple people and families affected by disability. As part of the conferences, they held an evangelistic worship service and reached out to disability institutions for disability awareness and hands on training. James and Paul went door-to-door in Uganda, sharing about Christ in the alleys of the town and highways and byways of the city. Praise God that approximately 150 churches and 220 people in Africa were inspired and equipped to reach those affected by disability for God's kingdom and for Christ's glory! Hands waved in silent applause as a deaf woman (right) received her Disability Ministry Training Certificate in Ethiopia. One pastor learned that people with disabilities are not "objects of pity." Another attendee remarked, "I always thought disability was caused by curses. I didn't know it was something else. This training has been such a blessing! I want to go back and break the view of curses in my tribe!" We also thank God for rescuing a number of lost souls. One day in Uganda, Paul and James went with with Michael, their Ugandan translator, to see Patrick, a disabled man who worked on shoes in a closet size shack in an actual alley of a town. He gave his life to Christ that day. We recently found out that Patrick past away due to heart failure. Praise God that he is now with Jesus!