July 28 Painting Party

On Saturday, July 28, Advent and Nuestra Señora were abuzz with activity. The Rite 13 group of St. Christopher’s Journey to Adulthood program (J2A) spent the day painting the choir room and hallway with Nuestra Señora’s children and teenagers along with their respective adult chaperones, Barbara Kohnhurst, Rich Nied and Kelly Clissold (St. Christopher’s) and Charles Hayes (Advent), Johanna Castro, Miguel Gonzalez, José Salgado, Ángela Salgado and Sonia Andrade(Nuestra Señora). Nuestra Señora contributed the meals, prepared by Abigail Contreras and NSA member Ivan Medina donated the supplies and equipment. World Vision, a non-profit located on the West Side of Chicago, donated the paint.

The youth got to know each other during lunch, talking about where they went to school, their grades and favorite things to do. Barbara Kohnhurst described the Journey to Adulthood Program and, in particular, the Rite 13 group, in which the visiting teens participated. Ángela Salgado, Jr., talked about the After School Study Center and how most of the teens volunteering that day had grown up together through the program.

At the end of the work day, Kevin Palmer, a member of Advent, led the St. Christopher group on a tour of Logan Boulevard ending at the Eagle, a World War I monument at the west end of the Boulevard. Following dinner, José and Ángela Salgado hosted the J2A group at their home where the adults showered and the young people played board games and watched television.

The following day began with the group being hosted by Advent member, Idida Perez and the Salgado family for showers and a hearty breakfast prepared by Mrs. Contreras. Afterwards, the J2A group helped set up chairs for the annual “Mass on the Grass” - a bilingual, English and Spanish service that takes place on the boulevard in front of the church. The teenagers enjoyed the potluck parish picnic that followed with its wide range of American and Hispanic food.

The Church of the Advent and Nuestra Señora de las Americas thanks the teenagers and adults from St. Christopher and our own congregations who worked so hard during the July 28 Painting Party to make our church home attractive, welcoming and hospitable.