An example of a "press query," offering be available for a press story
    (journalists will write their own story using your interviewees and materials)


TO:    Features
FROM:    Mike Murschel, Public Relations Consultant
    Chicago Area Unitarian Universalist Council
    CONTACT INFO FOR MEDIA ONLY:   (telephone number)
                        mike@mjmwriter.com
DATE:    January 15, 2007
RE:    No Sunshine Patriots Here


So long as there is conflict between nations and peoples, there will also be peace movements. While many of the activists of today are new to these causes, some have been continuously working for peace through literally three to four decades of frontline involvement and offer a comprehensive vantage point on the differences and similarities of these activities over the years.

I’d like to propose a feature on two such people in the Chicago area. For the convenience of your writers, I have included contact information for these two activists, and photos and interviews may be arranged directly through them, or by contacting me per the information above.

For the Rev. Dr. Roger A. Brewin, Minister of First Unitarian Church of Hobart, 497 Main Street, Hobart, Indiana, and Berrien Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4340 Lincoln Avenue, St. Joseph, Michigan, his involvement as a peace activist dates back to high-profile roles in Viet Nam era Cincinnati. Most recently, his congregation participated in a vigil that included their “peace in nine languages” banner. Roger was also part of the New Year’s Day North Loop candlelight vigil during which the names of the 3,000 U.S. dead were read.

Oak Park resident Jerry Parker has also been continuously active in peace work from the Viet Nam era to the present. In addition to recent participation in the September 17 Darfur Day protests, he will also be traveling to Washington, D.C. for the rally slated there at the end of this month. Jerry serves as Envoy from Third Unitarian Church, 301 North Mayfield, Chicago, to the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, an entity established by Adelaide Stevenson, who himself was a Unitarian Universalist.

Both bring a unique perspective to the peace movement through their ongoing participation over a three decade period. Their viewpoint is highly flavored by their active leadership and membership in the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations and its partner organization, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.

Unitarian Universalism is rooted in 16th century Central European Christian Humanist movements. It established itself in 17th century North America. Today, the Boston, Massachusetts-headquartered denomination is a liberal religious movement, allowing people to seek their own understanding of faith and encompassing a wide variety of world’s religions, along with personal faith drawn from nature, intuition, other cultures, science, civil liberation movements, to name but a few.

Its 1,000 member congregations in the U.S. and Canada, along with others around the globe, are autonomous and promote and affirm certain specific principles, among which are the goal of a world community with peace, liberty and justice for all, and a profound respect for the interdependent web of all existence.

To contact the Rev. Dr. Roger A. Brewin, please call 219-942-1611. Jerry Parker may be reached at 708-524-8251. Or contact me, Mike Murschel, at 224-577-8338 or via mike@mjmwriter.com. Thank you.

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