May 2012

• CHRIS MOONEY, senior correspondent for The American Prospect and host of Center for Inquiry’s podcast, “Point of Inquiry,” speaks Sunday, May 6th, on “The Republican Brain: Denial of Science—and Reality.” Mooney will review research suggesting that liberals and conservatives generally have different personalities, psychological needs, and even brain structures. He contends that understanding why Republicans tend to reject mainstream science is essential to building a civil society grounded in reality and reason.

 

 

 

• ROBERT SLIWINSKI, wildlife biologist and environmental resources specialist, speaks Sunday, May 13th, on “Managing Wildlife Hazards to Aircraft.” Sliwinski will discuss the frightening history of bird-aircraft collisions and review the assessment and mitigation techniques being used to reduce the number of these threats to safe air travel.

 

 

• Our annual MEMBERSHIP RECOGNITION and Sunday School graduation program is on Sunday, May 20th. We’ll again salute our hard-working staff and many volunteers, honor our Sunday School children, parents, and teachers, and warmly welcome our new members. Our Sunday School graduates will present the results of their final social service projects.

 

Note: There is no regular Sunday morning program at the Greiner Center on May 27th, when we’ll be at our Memorial Day weekend at the George Williams Conference Center.

 

 

 

 

April 2012 

 

 

 

• JERRY MARKBREIT, retired National Football League referee, continues our World of Work series on Sunday, April 1st. Speaking on “My Career as an NFL Referee,” Markbreit looks back at his 23 seasons in professional football, where he became one of its most recognizable officials. He will reflect on how those tough calls on the field need to be fair and honest.

 

 

 

 

• DAVID KOLATA, Executive Director of the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), speaks Sunday, April 8th, on “Meeting Our Future Energy Needs.” Kolata will point to recent technological advances and current political conflicts, and discuss what consumers should know and can do to get reliable, reasonably priced utility services.

 

 

 

• JENNIFER VENTRELLE, Lifestyle Program Director at Rush University Prevention Center, speaks Sunday, April 15th, on “Behavioral Strategies in Obesity Management and Prevention.” A dietician and nutritionist, Ventrelle will review current obesity statistics and popular diets, and make recommendations for overall healthy living.

 

 

 

 

 

• Our annual SPRING FESTIVAL is on Sunday, April 22nd. Led by Tom Hoeppner and Sharon Appelquist, we’ll celebrate Earth Day and the seasonal renewal of life. Our Sunday School children will display their remarkable musical talents, present a short dramatic salute to spring, and give us colorful spring flowers in hand-painted pots for planting in our home gardens.

 

 

 

 

• STEVEN DAVIS, professor of International Business and Economics at the University of Chicago, speaks Sunday, April 29th, on “Has Policy Uncertainty Held Back Our Economic Recovery?” Davis will discuss the causes of uncertainty in government policies and the possible impact of the uncertainty on job growth and our living standards.

March 2012 

 

• PAMELA CYTRYNBAUM, a lecturer at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, speaks Sunday, March 4th, on “Take Back the Mothering of Our Kids from the Media.” In this International Women’s Day commemoration, Cytrynbaum will explore both the positive and negative impacts of social media on family life and give advice on responsible parenting in the Facebook era.

 

 

• JOAN CHIAO, a professor of psychology at Northwestern University, speaks Sunday, March 11th, on “The Cultural Brain: Interaction of Genes and Culture.” Chiao will discuss how both genes and culture may drive evolutionary and developmental outcomes. She will share her findings on how “collectivist” Eastern cultures buffer individuals against their genetic predisposition for depression and anxiety.

 

 

• NEAL BLAIR, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern University, speaks on Sunday, March 18th. His topic is “Lessons from the Deep-Water Gulf Oil Spill.” Blair will describe recently developed deep-water oil recovery methods, how prepared we are for future off shore oil spills, and the long-term impact of oil spills on the environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• BARRY SIEGEL, prominent local poet and founder of HeARTwords, speaks Sunday, March 25th, on “HeARTwords Workshop: Self-Expression by Adults with Special Needs.” Siegel will discuss this creative sanctuary for using both the written and spoken word. He will also share selections from his work Yellow Sun, Blue Moon, “a passionate, poetic journey of hope, connection, and love.”

 

 

February 2012

 

•  DAVID SUTTON continues our World of Work series on Sunday, February 5th, when he speaks to us on “My Job as a Pet Photographer.” Sutton will describe his intriguing work as a nationally known photographer of pets and how his success has helped him to develop his self-confidence and open up his life.

 

 

• MELISSA PERRIN, a licensed clinical psychologist, speaks Sunday, February 12th, on “Sociopaths, Narcissists, and Human Nature.” Perrin will discuss how to recognize when a psychological tendency in a person has become a trait or a disorder. She will tell how we can protect ourselves from pathological behavior and how our responses can help to effect a positive outcome.

 

 

•  TRACY BAIM, co-founder and publisher of Windy City Times, speaks Sunday, February 19th, on “Windy City Times: Impact on Chicago and Its LGBT Community.” Baim will discuss how the LGBT media has been a powerful force in culture, sports, and business, and how it has been an active political participant in the wider community, especially in response to the issues of AIDS and civil rights.

 

 

•  RYAN FREEMAN, local balloon, juggling, and yo-yo artist, presents an entertaining intergenerational program, “RC Juggles: A Morning of Magic and Wizardry,” on Sunday, February 26th. Freeman will talk about his professional career and amaze us with magical tricks, yo-yo expertise, and elaborate balloon creations.

January 2012


• JIM KENNEY, co-founder and director of Common Ground, returns to open our annual Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 8th. His topic is “An Evolutionary Change in Religion?” Kenney will reflect on whether we are in a second “axial age,” which, following the one that gave birth to the world’s major religions thousands of years ago, is producing a profound transformation in our religious and spiritual lives.





• LAURIE ZOLOTH, Director of the Center for Bioethics at Northwestern University, continues our Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 15th. Her topic is “Ethical Issues in Synthetic Biology Research.” Zoloth will discuss the possible benefits and harms of new medical and science research, focusing on how the creation of new organisms needs to be governed and regulated.




• LARRY SUFFREDIN, a Cook County Commissioner, continues our Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 22nd. His topic is “Are Election Promises Real or Just Hyperbole?” Distinguishing between campaign promises that are serious and those that are just “advertising hype,” Suffredin asks if candidates have a moral duty to be truthful and reviews the current presidential and previous Illinois election campaigns.





• ELLI KRANDEL volunteer coordinator for the Lincoln Park Community Shelter, ends our Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 29th. She presents a program, “Metamorphosis—Hope and Change for Chicago’s Homeless.” Krandel describes the work of the LPCS. One of its “graduates” tells the story of his own homelessness. Our Sunday School children then tell how they help support the shelter.




December 2011

• PANGRATIOS PAPACOSTA, professor of physics at Columbia College and longtime public lecturer on science, speaks Sunday, December 4th, on “Astrobiology—Life Beyond Earth.” Claiming that “the imminent discovery of extraterrestrial life” would be “the most exciting moment in human history,” Papacosta will discuss the latest planet-hunting techniques and review the historic discoveries that have advanced our understanding of life.

• RICHARD GRAEF, a principal flutist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and a professor at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, resumes our World of Work series on Sunday, December 11th. Graef will speak on “My Job as a Concert Musician.” He will tell how he became a musician and give an inside view of how the CSO functions, revealing what it’s like to be with this world famous orchestra.

• Our ANNUAL WINTER FESTIVAL is on Sunday, December 18th. Tom Hoeppner and Sharon Appelquist will lead us in our traditional celebration of the winter solstice, with a candle-lighting ceremony and decoration of a “mitten tree.” There will be group singing, a short play and musical performances by the children, and refreshments. Your donations of new winter clothing and non-perishable food items will adorn the tree and be passed on to those in need.

November 2011

• CARL ADRIANOPOLI, a field supervisor for the U. S. Office of Preparedness and Emergency Operations, speaks Sunday, November 6th, on “Natural and Induced Disasters in Our Future.” Adrianopoli, a disaster specialist, will discuss the threat of improvised nuclear devices and the effects of global climate change. He will touch on measures being taken to forestall and deal with these and other possible future disasters, whether natural or brought about by human activity.

• JOHN BASILE, director of Big Run Wolf Ranch, an educational facility specializing in North American wildlife, returns Sunday, November 13th, to present another interactive, intergenerational program, “Skunks and Woodchucks and Wolves! Oh My!” To let us know our animal neighbors better, several four-legged residents of the ranch will accompany him.

• ROY SPECKHARDT, Executive Director of the American Humanist Association, speaks Sunday, November 20th, on “Growing Humanism in Our Faith-Based Society.” Speckhardt will ask whether humanists, both secular and religious, can unite to spread and be clear about their humanist message without ruffling faithful feathers.

• AARON FREEMAN, acclaimed standup comedian, writer, and radio and TV personality, presents a program, “Confessions of an Evangelical Atheist,” on Sunday, November 27th. Freeman, an observant Jew and professional Jewish educator, will walk us through the hilarious byzantine reasoning that allows him to make that claim.

• DON WALTON, father of Society member Scott Walton, speaks Sunday, October 2nd, on “My Friend Norman Rockwell—Secrets of His Paintings.” Author of A Rockwell Portrait, best-selling biography of the famous American painter, Walton will share his personal experiences with Rockwell and show never-before-seen photos and memorabilia.

• RANDY BEST Leader of the Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle (NC), speaks Sunday, October 9th, on “Forgiveness—Letting Go of Anger and Hurt.” Best will discuss the need to lift the burden of resentment toward someone who has wronged us—that while acknowledging our pain and not necessarily renewing our trust, it can lead to a new level of understanding about something you cannot change in another.

• STEPHANIE LEVI, molecular geneticist and cell biologist, speaks Sunday, October 16th, on “The Science of Love and Attraction.” The creator of Night Lab, which brings educational science programming to adults, Levi will unravel the molecular mysteries behind one of our most primal urges and discuss the differences between the brains of women and men during sexual encounters.

• KIM BOBO, Executive Director of Interfaith Worker Justice, speaks Sunday, October 23rd, on “Wage Theft and the Battle for Workers Rights.” Bobo will contend that many billions of dollars are being stolen from American workers by paying below minimum wage, denying overtime pay, and classifying employees as independent contractors. She will discuss her efforts to cultivate support for workers from the religious community.

• ALAKA WALI, a curator at the Field Museum, speaks Sunday, October 30th, on “A Relevant Anthropology: Crafting Solutions to Urgent Social Problems.” Wali will discuss her experiences with using anthropological research to craft strategies for environmental conservation and to promote respect for cultural diversity, both in the Amazon regions of South America and in the Chicago area.

September 2011

• S. JAY OLSHANSKY, a professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois in Chicago, speaks Sunday, September 11th, on “The Quest for Immortality: Science at the Frontiers of Aging.” A sociologist and researcher in the field of aging, Olshansky suggests that a modest but scientifically attainable extension of human life may be possible. He will discuss what a world in which we all live significantly longer would look like.

 • MASSIMO PIGLIUCCI, professor of philosophy at the City University of New York, speaks Sunday, September 18th, on “The Intelligent Person’s Guide to the Meaning of Life.” A genetic biologist and advocate of science education, Pigliucci will discuss the concept of “sci-phi,” which combines science’s empiricism with philosophy’s rationalism to form a unified, inclusive search for knowledge and the meaning and value of human life.

• ROHINA MALIK, a Goodman Theater playwright of South Asian heritage who was born and grew up in London, presents her acclaimed one-woman play, Unveiled, on Sunday, September 25th. Malik portrays five veiled Muslim women whose vivid personal stories after the attacks of 9/11 reveal what lies beneath their veils.

August  2011

• ROSA JULSTROM, a Society member and a retired pianist and teacher, presents a program, “Piano Pieces from the Americas,” on Sunday, August 7th. She will include pieces by lesser-known African American and Latin American composers and provide some commentary on each. Joining Rosa will be her son, Society president Steve Julstrom, playing his father’s violin solos.

• MATT COLE, a member and former president of the Society, speaks Sunday, August 14th, on “The Ultimate Ethical Dilemma—Bombing of Hiroshima.” Matt will discuss the human, ethical, and political consequences of President Truman’s often-debated decision to drop a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima in August 1945.

• KEN NOVAK leads an expanded Ethical Humanities discussion program, “Dueling Autobiographies,” on Sunday, August 21st. We will listen to and contrast, for style and coverage, excerpts from The Autobiography of Mark Twain and Vladimir Nabokov’s Speak, Memory. Both authors wrote famously banned works, Huckleberry Finn for using the “n-word” and Lolita for depicting under-age sex.

• Our CREATIVE WRITERS group, led by John Taylor, ends the summer season with their annual showcase program on Sunday, August 28th. We’ll again be entertained by a stirring medley of original stories, essays, memoirs, and poems by several of our talented members and friends. A rehearsed program, there will be no open mike. Printed copies of the presentations will be available for sale.

July 2011

Dan Kaplan, a Society member, speaks July 10th at 10:30 a.m. His topic is “Journeys with Kurt Vonnegut.” Dan will share his favorite passages from Palm Sunday, an autobiographical collage by Vonnegut, which he first read on a flight from Kathmandu to Chicago in 1985 after a 3-week trek in Nepal. He will describe why that trip made him so receptive to the words of this and other books by Vonnegut.


Ken Novak, Adult Education co-chair, leads a Fiction Circle Grande on July 17th at 10:30 a.m. He will moderate a discussion of Jane Austen’s first novel, Sense and Sensibility, on the 200th anniversary of its publication. The book is about the contrasting lives and loves of two English sisters and is available at libraries or for free at http://bit.ly/jqNmil. A DVD of the 1995 film version, starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslett, can be borrowed from Ken or Sue Sherman.


John Ungashick, a Society member and history buff, speaks July 24th at 10:30 a.m. His topic is “The Myths of World War II.” John will discuss alternative scenarios from the war that some experts say could have led to an Axis victory. He will argue that absent a very implausible set of circumstances, the Germans and Japanese ”never had a chance."


Susan and Joe Burck, members of the Society, present a program, "Making Tough Choices: Life’s Ethical Dilemmas" on July 31st at 10:30 a.m. Like in previous ethical dilemmas programs led by Joe and Susan, we’ll have an interactive group discussion that challenges us to come up with ethical solutions to some puzzling real-life situations.

June 2011

Our teenage YES PROGRAM is on Sunday, June 12th. The topic to be discussed by several members of our Youth of Ethical Societies group is “Education Policy: The View from the Lockers.” Our youngsters will candidly reflect on the effect that such issues as a moment of silence, competitive admission policies, dress codes, and standardized testing have on their day-to-day lives in high school.


YOLANDA ADLER opens our summer season of member-led programs on Sunday, June 19th, with a talk on “Faith and Mortality.” A retired physician, Yolanda will discuss how we humans have historically dealt with the inevitability of death by searching for consolation in the appealing idea of an after-life and through our religious faiths and associated practices. She will ask us: “Can we be happy if we just accept our mortality?”


The AEU ASSEMBLY, held the weekend before in Columbus, Ohio, is the topic of a special report-back program on Sunday, June 26th. Steve Julstrom, Aimee Neumann, Ken Novak, Scott Walton, and Sue Walton will give their personal accounts of the American Ethical Union’s annual meeting. They will describe the several sessions and workshops they led and attended, with particular attention to decisions on dual affiliation and the AEU strategic plan.


• Note: There is no Sunday morning program on June 5th, when the Society holds its Annual Membership Meeting.

May 2011 

• TED JACKANICZ, a docent for the Chicago Architecture Foundation, speaks Sunday, May 1st, on “Rise of the Skyscraper: A Brief History of Chicago.” Jackanicz will discuss Chicago’s early development and the work of its great architects—from William LeBaron Jenney, Burnham and Root, and Adler and Sullivan, to Mies van der Rohe, Helmut Jahn, and Frank Lloyd Wright. Among the structures he describes will be the Rookery, Marquette and Reliance buildings, Federal Center, and Trump Tower.

• FRED EDWORDS, National Director of the United Coalition of Reason and former editor of The Humanist magazine, speaks Sunday, May 8th, on “A Humanist Look at Myth, Symbol, and Art.” Edwords will discuss the appeal of symbolic art and literary narratives to our visceral feelings. He will point out that humanists, who are proud of their rationality and common sense, need to consider how a well-told story can outdo a didactic lecture or philosophical argument.

• ANNE GRAUER, professor of anthropology at Loyola University, speaks Sunday, May 15th, on “Dead Folks Do Tell Tales.” Grauer will discuss the ways in which human skeletal remains can be analyzed to provide insight into disease, trauma, and even human social interaction. She will highlight some key techniques that assist both in criminal investigations and in archaeological research about past populations.

• Our annual MEMBERSHIP RECOGNITION and Sunday School graduation program is on Sunday, May 22nd. We’ll salute our hard-working staff and many volunteers, honor our Sunday School children and their dedicated teachers, and welcome new members. Our three Sunday School graduates will present their final projects. A special feature will be the unveiling of our new Hidden Treasures booklet.

• Our MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND at Tower Hill Camp in Michigan features a 10:30 a.m. platform on Sunday, May 29th. Even if you’re not there for the whole weekend, come in the morning and stay with us for lunch. The drive from downtown Chicago is about an hour and a half. (There is no regular Sunday morning program at the Greiner Center.)

April 2011

DOUG SOHN, owner of Hot Doug’s Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium on Chicago’s Northwest Side Avondale neighborhood, speaks Sunday, April 3rd, on “The Business of Selling Hot Dogs.” In this second program of our World of Work series, Sohn will describe his experiences in creating and running one of the most well-known, celebrated hot dog stands in the country.

 HECTOR AVALOS, Professor of Religious Studies at Iowa State University in Ames, speaks Sunday, April 10th, on “Did Darwinism Lead to the Holocaust?” A biblical scholar and outspoken secularist, Avalos will refute the myth that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution was a necessary or main factor in the Nazi Holocaust.

FAITH AVNER, Director of Advanced Planning, Chicago Jewish Funerals, and daughter of long-ago Society member Ruth Cannon, speaks Sunday, April 17th, on “All About Life in the World of Funerals.” In this third program of our World of Work series, Avner will discuss and answer questions about how she serves families in planning funerals, both now and in the future.

Our annual SPRING FESTIVAL is on Sunday, April 24th. Led by Tom Hoeppner and Sharon Appelquist, we’ll again celebrate the seasonal renewal of life. Our Sunday School children will showcase their remarkable musical talents and present a short play. They’ll also offer spring flowers in hand-painted pots as gifts for our home gardens.

March 2011

PEGGY BROWNING and MAURA LALLY, teachers at the Old Town School of Folk Music, present “The History of Women in Music” on Sunday, March 6th. In honor of International Women’s Day, and to illustrate the pivotal, historical role of women, they will share stories and play and sing songs from many traditional forms of music, including gospel and bluegrass, old time and folk.

JENNIFER NEWPORT, a practicing pediatrician and a leader of the local skeptic movement, speaks Sunday, March 13th, on “Alternative Medicine: The Alternative to Real.” Newport will discuss the growing field of alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, energy healing, chiropractic, herbs, and supplements. She will offer a science-based perspective on the value of these interventions.

ALAN BERKOWSKY, retired chief of the Evanston Fire Department, speaks Sunday, March 20th, on “Paramedic to Fire Chief: My Career in Public Safety.” In this first of our new World of Work series, which continues in April, Berkowsky describes the life lessons he learned as he rose through the ranks in the Chicago, Schiller Park, and Evanston fire departments.

ORION COULING, director of Edge Youth Theater, presents an intergenerational program, “Using Stage Combat as a Path to Peace,” on Sunday, March 27th. He will describe his teaching methods, which explore the violence that is a reality for many children, ultimately helping them discover the inner strength and skills to become “peaceful warriors.” He will conclude with an impromptu playlet.

February 2011

Sunday, February 6th:

 SALLY BLOUNT, Dean of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, speaks Sunday, February 6th, on “The Business Model for a Sustainable Economy.” She will explore how corporations can reconcile their drive for short-term profits with the long-term objectives of society as a whole.

Sunday, February 13th:

ADAM CHALOM, Rabbi of Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation in Lincolnshire, speaks Sunday, February 13th, on “The Humanistic Approach to Religious Traditions.” Noting that many humanists are attached to family and cultural traditions, from Seders to “holiday” trees, he will ask what Humanistic Judaism can teach about the possibilities of open yet rooted cultural identities and communities.

Sunday, February 20th:

PAUL GREEN, Director of the Institute for Politics and Professor of Policy Studies at Roosevelt University, speaks Sunday, February 20th, on “Reflections on Chicago’s Mayoral Race.” A noted expert on Chicago politics, he will review the campaign to succeed Mayor Richard M. Daley— just two days before election day. He will offer his thoughts on the meaning of the election for the future of the city.

Sunday, February 27th:

JOHN DEWAN, owner  of Baseball Info Solutions and author of The Fielding Bible, speaks Sunday, February 27th, on “Baseball: It’s All in the Data.” He will discuss the increasing use of statistical analysis to improve performance in baseball, particularly on revealing the strengths and weaknesses in defense.

January 2011

Sunday, January 9th:

ERIC ZORN, popular columnist for the Chicago Tribune, opens our annual Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 9th. He will speak on “The Importance of Dialogue in a Monologue World.” Zorn will discuss the increasing importance of civilized public dialogue and informed debate in a polarized, shouty world. He will describe the benefits of our having constructive conversations on delicate, vital, and controversial topics.

Sunday, January 16th:

RON MILLER, co-founder of Common Ground and chair of the Department of Religion at Lake Forest College, continues our Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 16th. He will speak on “Living Without God.” More Americans than ever are living without God, Miller says, but they are neither atheists who deny God nor agnostics who are uncertain about God. He will explore this lifestyle and the challenge it presents for both humanists and religious believers.

Sunday, January 23rd:

FRITZ WILLIAMS, Leader Emeritus of the Baltimore Ethical Society, continues our Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 23rd. He will speak on “An Ethical Journey.” A favorite storyteller among humanists and ethical culturists, Williams will reveal the deeply personal nature of ethics by examining the experiences and insights that shaped his own ethical development—a process of growth and discovery and a struggle to achieve ownership of his own life.

Sunday, January 30th:

MAUDESSIE JOINTER, a Chicago police officer who runs the Safer Foundation’s “Keepin’ It Real” rehabilitation program, concludes our Living Ethics series on Sunday, January 30th. She will speak on “Rehabilitation: Lessons from the Experience of Convicted Burglars.” Accompanying her will be three prison inmates who will describe the burglary risks we all face and tell how they are preparing to reenter society.

December 2010

Sunday, December 5th:

DIANE SCHANZENBACH, an economist and associate professor at Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy, speaks on “Policy Debates on Success in School for Our Children.” Schanzenbach will discuss which educational policies do and do not improve students’ classroom success. She will review research findings on current hot button issues, such as vouchers, nutrition, school competition, and the importance of early education.

Sunday, December 12th

SHEILA WEINBERG, founder and CEO of the Institute for Truth in Accounting, speaks on “The True Size of the Fiscal Mess in Illinois.” Weinberg will review the pervasive problems in the way state and local budget information is reported. She will expose the problems with government accounting conventions and provide a more accurate description of government finances.

Sunday, December 19th:

Our ANNUAL WINTER FESTIVAL is on Sunday, December 19th. Tom Hoeppner and Sharon Appelquist will lead us in our traditional celebration of the winter solstice, with a candle-lighting ceremony and decoration of a “mitten tree.” There will be group singing, a short play and musical performances by the children, and refreshments. Your donations of new winter clothing and non-perishable food items will adorn the tree and be passed on to those in need.

NOTE: There are no regular Sunday morning programs on December 26th or January 2nd. Programs will resume with our annual Living Ethics series, beginning January 9th.