UPDATE:
In recognition of the sacredness
of St. Johannes Cemetery, and the ongoing
struggle with the City of Chicago to prevent its
desecration, a "March to St. Johannes" and
Reconsecration Service of Worship was held on
21 September 2003. For all of you who
could not participate in that time of worship
together (and for all of you who could), several
pictures of the event may be found at the
following URL:
http://home.netcom.com/~mkirchhoff/id3.html
UPDATE:
Church
sues to save cemetery
By Dan
Rozek
Chicago Sun-Times
November 13, 2002
UPDATE:
O'Hare,
cemeteries clash
By Robert C. Herguth
Chicago Sun-Times
January 28, 2002
Updated 28 January, 2002
St. Johannes Cemetery, a
cemetery established in 1849 and managed by St. John's United Church of
Christ, Bensenville, Illinois, is threatened by the proposed expansion
and reconfiguration of runways at O'Hare Airport. Recently, the St.
John's Church Council and the St. Johannes Cemetery Committee votes
unanimously to oppose airport expansion that would result in movement or
desecration of the cemetery or that would interfere with access to the
cemetery.
The Church address is:
ST. JOHN'S CHURCH PARISH HALL
601 North Route 83
Bensenville, Illinois 60106
(The Corner of Foster & Highway 83)
For additional information or to be included in in email updates and
mailings, contact:
Michael Kirchhoff
mkirchhoff@ix.netcom.com
St. Johannes Cemetery Alliance
St. John's United Church of Christ
601 Illinois Route 83
Bensenville, Illinois 60106-1349
SJCA NEWSLETTERS
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
Many of you are not in the Chicagoland
area. In fact, many of you are supporters
from as far away as Washington, California, Nevada, Texas and
Florida, and even from up in the northeastern states. And many have asked, "What can I do to help, being
so far away?" The truth is
that there is a lot that you can do:
First, continue to keep St. John's UCC,
and it's cemetery, St. Johannes, in
your thoughts and prayers.
Secondly, if you have not already
completed and returned a copy of the petition
which has been included below, then please do so AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE. We need all that we can get, as there are plans to compile
copies of them and include them in a very special mailing to governmental
leaders who play a critical role in determing the future of
our cemeteries.
Thirdly, and just as important, if you
have relatives whom you can name who
are buried in either St. Johannes or rest Haven cemeteries, then we are still looking for a list of your
relatives along with short bios on them.
Together with petitions and other written materials, they will be used to "put faces and names" to
the issue, when presented to leading governmental
authorities. WE REALLY DO NEED THESE BIOs AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THEM ALL TOGETHER BY 23 AUGUST, IF POSSIBLE.
If you plan on sharing those stories of your early relatives within
St. Johannes, please do so soon.
Additionally, with the issue of the
expansion of O'Hare becoming quite a
topic in Washington, DC, recently, we are asking that you write your own congressperson expressing your
dissatisfaction with the possible removal
of all whom are buried at St. Johannes and Rest Haven. This is a
national issue now, with congress pledging to become involved soon if agreements cannot be worked out on all
fronts at the local level. There would
probably be less regard and concern for our cemeteries the farther
up the political ladder we move. So, your word to YOUR representatives
is very, very important and crucial. WRITE THEM TODAY, sharing
the destructiveness that the proposed plans for expansion would have
upon these hallowed grounds that have served our communities for over
150 years. If you are unsure of whom your representatives are, or how to contact them, then use this link to
find the contact info you need.
http://congress.org/
LETTERS and calls to the
officials listed below are very much needed, so that your voice will be
heard. All are supportive of our cemeteries at the moment and should
also be commended for their stand for St. Johannes and Rest Haven. Regardless of where you live - or
how O'Hare impacts you directly or not - we need these letters in order
to preserve St. Johannes Cemetery, and those lying at rest there.
Please, WRITE TODAY!!!
Write today, and tell them of your
support of St. Johannes Cemetery remaining, as is, where it is. And,
one last suggestion for all the local area folk - Consider
contacting your local historical societies / genealogical societies
/ and/or groups requesting they write a feature article for the
their local paper on the early pioneers of their community whom are buried at St. Johannes. What lies before
us our efforts to preserve not only
St. Johannes and Rest Haven Cemeteries, but also a fight to preserve
our past history from being lost forever. Let's make those connections
with these important groups today.
THE PETITION
If you have not already received a copy of the
recent petition to save St. Johannes, or have not completed and returned
the petition as of yet, then we need to hear from you. We have included
a short email copy of the petition below. Simply
"cut-and-paste" into your word processor program; format if
necessary; complete and sign; and return it to St. John's UCC - ASAP. We
have collected many petitions already and need all that we can get.
PLEASE, COMPLETE AND SIGN ONLY ONE PETITION.
Petition
As you may have heard from recent news reports,
St. Johannes Cemetery, a cemetery established in 1849 and managed by St.
John's United Church of Christ, Bensenville, Illinois, is threatened by
the proposed expansion and reconfiguration of runways at O'Hare Airport.
Recently, the St. John's Church Council and the St. Johannes Cemetery
Committee votes unanimously to oppose airport expansion that would
result in movement or desecration of the cemetery or that would
interfere with access to the cemetery.
The undersigned Church members, family members
and other concerned citizens publicly declare their support for the
Church's efforts to maintain its history and values, and to protect the
sacredness of the Cemetery's hallowed ground.
Name: Address or Community
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
Please mail to:
St. Johannes Cemetery Alliance
St. John's United Church of Christ
601 Illinois Route 83
Bensenville, Illinois 60106-1349
Additional links:
