Artist Creates Reproduction of Church for Anniversary

SILVERHILL, AL (September 14, 2012) – Creighton C. “Peco” Forsman worked eight to 10 hours a day, six days a week for two months to complete his “labor of love” – a scale reproduction of his church’s building.

The Silverhill Covenant Church commissioned the craftsman to create the sculpture for the congregation’s upcoming 110th anniversary.

“Working on it brought back so many memories from my childhood and raising my own family in the church, and it is my hope that when people look at it, those memories will be there for them also,” he told the local newspaper.

Forsman modeled the reproduction – both inside and out – on the building as it appeared in 1910. He even used the same kind of wood – heart pine for most of the building and split cypress for the roof. He estimates the model includes about 5,000 miniature shingles.

The one difference from the original is the work of another artist. Forsman included a replica of a painting for which the congregation commissioned Warner Sallman in the 1940s. The artwork still hangs in the church.

The reproduction is scaled three-eighths of an inch to one foot. Click here to see a photo of the reproduction.

‘Rooftop Pastor’ to Speak at North Park Conference

CHICAGO, IL (September 14, 2012) – Pastor Corey Brooks Sr. will be the featured speaker for the fourth annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference at North Park University.

Brooks may be best known as the “rooftop pastor” for spending 94 days living on the rooftop of a vacant Chicago motel to bring attention to the violence on the streets of his South Side neighborhood. He has begun a walk across America to bring attention to this problem across the nation.

He also hopes the walk will bring attention to other efforts of his Project H.O.O.D., which seeks to raise $15 million to build a community and economic development center in his South Side Chicago neighborhood.

Brooks recently was honored as the “Best Community Leader” by comedian and radio personality Steve Harvey’s 10th Annual Hoodie Awards for his efforts in Chicago and across the country.

Walk to Benefit Program for Teen Moms

CHICAGO, IL (September 14, 2012) – Ravenswood Community Child Care Center is hosting Walk for Kids at 9 a.m. September 29 at Winnemac Park.

The nonprofit ministry partner of Ravenswood Covenant Church provides resources and models for teen parents that might enable them to receive their high school diploma and move forward with further education in mind. The center has classrooms for infants, toddlers and preschoolers so that teen parents do not need to change facilities when their children outgrow the infant/toddler program.

The church supports a parallel program for the teens – Parenting ProGRESS (Promoting Growth, Responsibility, and Education with Spiritual Support). It holds weekly life skills courses and occasional special events. A one-to-one mentor relationship with an experienced and trained volunteer is offered to interested parents, but is not required.

For more information, email Barbara Nordlund or call 773-271-4495.

Space Available at Golf for Kids Fundraiser

LAKE GENEVA, WI (September 14, 2012) – Space is still available for golfers and sponsors to participate in the Antwan Williams Memorial Golf for Kids event September 28. It will be held at the Hawk’s View Golf Club in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

The event raises scholarship funds to enable at-risk kids to attend camp at Covenant Harbor. More than $48,000 in scholarships were granted to 159 kids in need this summer.

The event is named for Antwan Williams, whose own life-changing experience as a camper was made possible by a Golf for Kids scholarship. Antwan went on to attend Covenant Bible College and serve as a summer camp counselor. He died in a car accident in 2006, and the Golf for Kids event was renamed to honor him and the difference he made in many lives.

The registration fee for this year’s event is $199 per golfer, or $750 for a foursome.  Sponsorships are available starting at $650.  For more information or to register online, visit the camp’s website at or call 262-248-3600.