The Church Hopper #4: The Salvation Army
This Church Hopper is going to be a bit different than the others. In previous installments, I simply shared what I had experienced at the worship services of various local churches. And I guess that’s …
Your Humble Heretic
C-U Grows Up
The concept of “up” is a strange thing to ponder. For the ancients, “up” was a positive place where the Gods dwelled either someplace in the sky (heaven) or perhaps up on a mountain (e.g. …
The Green Menace
Saturday, June 14, is the grand opening of the new Legends Golf Course located at 4551 Nicklaus Dr. (off Staley Road between Windsor and Curtis) in Champaign. I don’t know about you — maybe you’re …
Your Soul on Cubs
To be honest, I’m really not that interested in watching sports. They all have pretty much the same narrative: a bunch of big, sweaty guys run around chasing a ball. Sure, the shape and size …
The Magic of Names
I am intrigued by the concepts of saints and martyrs many of whom, when they were alive, had the alleged power to heal people. But what is even more interesting (or disgusting) is the concept …
A Brief Interview with God
I swear this really happened. Monday evening I was at Pekara, the cozy little bistro on Neil St., because that’s where we Smile Politely editors have our weekly meeting. The meeting was canceled, but nobody …
Does This Offend You?
Last night I walked into the County Market on Glenn Park to pick up a few groceries. The County Market bigwigs have been remodeling this store for a while, expanding their space, adding a coffeehouse …
The Church Hopper #3: St. Luke CME
This past Sunday, April 27, my family and I attended St. Luke Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Champaign. I had never attended a CME church before and so I really did not know what to …
Middle-Class Begging
I love the musical My Fair Lady (which was based on the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw). There is a scene in which Eliza Doolittle’s father gives a wonderful speech about poverty: If I …
The Church Hopper #2: Wesley United Methodist Church
Sometimes, when I visit a church for the first time, I feel like Dorothy when she says: “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” And other times when I visit a new …