READER ADVISORY

Pastor Jenkins' Faith Tested

The last few weeks has seen one of Chicago's emerging pastoral leaders face an embarrassing ordeal. The Internet and smart-phones everywhere have seen the photo snapped, which has traveled globally at the speed of light. The Chicago community has mixed feelings about this uncompromising situation. But for the most part, the majority of people have expressed utmost sadness in their heart for a man who's proven to be a true servant of God, and the people.

Pastor Charles Jenkins' heart has always been in the right place. And it's times like this that shows not only how his congregation and family will support him, but how will the Grammy Award singer rebound from such unexplained circumstances to continue doing God's will.

Jenkins is a faithful man who believes all his blessings thus far have been anointed by God. I'm sure Jenkins is terribly embarrassed, remorseful and completely apologetic to his church family, his wife, his children and most of all, to his God. People who want to judge when their life is in chaos should really meet in a 'dark room' and release their demonic spirits. They should stop watching reality T.V. shows; feeling connected to "Olivia Pope" and connect to a real problem solver, GOD.

SNEAK PEEK at Robin Kelly

"Dear friends, Friday marked one year since I was given the honor of representing Illinois’ 2nd District in Congress. And in the past year, we’ve made much progress in addressing the complex challenges facing our district.

My casework teams in Chicago, Matteson and Kankakee have provided thousands of hours of assistance to constituents. We’ve helped veterans get the benefits they deserve, assisted homeowners with mortgage modification efforts, and helped our seniors with their Medicare and Social Security claims. This is just a snapshot of some of the things we’ve accomplished together in one short year. There is still more important and exciting work ahead, and I look forward to continuing to work for you and with you.

Again, it’s been an honor to serve the 2nd District, and I look forward to continuing our work together. Thank you for staying engaged and involved. Getting the 2nd District back to work is my top priority and I’m committed to helping spur job growth to accomplish this goal. Last May, I led a “Make it in America,” meeting with manufacturers and innovators to discuss what we can do to help businesses grow and create jobs.

In October, I held the 2nd Congressional District Job Fair in South Holland, where I connected over 1,400 residents looking for work with employers looking to hire. To help entrepreneurs, I hosted a Small Business Workshop in Riverdale, where I helped over 100 local business owners get information on accessing capital, effective marketing strategies, and programs at the Small Business Administration. Also, to help local municipalities, churches, and non-profits, I hosted a Grants Workshop.

Far too many homeowners in the 2nd District are struggling to maintain their mortgages. To address this, I held the 2nd Congressional District Housing Expo in Matteson, where I assisted hundreds of district residents who’d fallen behind on their mortgages, or who were looking to buy a home for the first time.

I recently hosted the 2nd Congressional District Health & Wellness Resource Fair at Corliss Early College STEM High School in Chicago. The fair offered participants health-related resources and screenings, access to social service program information, as well as fitness, nutrition, and stress management sessions.

To assist servicemen and servicewomen who’ve returned home and are looking for work, I introduced H.R. 3327: The Veterans Opportunity Act. This bill puts veterans back to work by giving employers a tax incentive to hire them. I also introduced H.R. 3955, the Skilled Seniors Promotion Act, a bill that helps break down barriers to employment for older unemployed Americans.

As part of my efforts to increase educational opportunities for our young people, I started a book donation program in my office. Through the Library of Congress Surplus Books Program, I’ve given over 1,000 books to schools in the 2nd District."

Rep. Robin, as a Member of Congress, marks her one-year anniversary by giving an update of her time in office before a group of constituents, officials and business leaders on Monday, April 21, at 6:30 p.m., South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association Office, 1904 W. 174th St., East Hazel Crest. If you have questions, concerns, or recommendations, please contact Robin's office at www.robinkelly.house.gov or 202.225.0773.