The Annual Chicago Leadership Prayer Breakfast Witnessed Thanksgiving by Sikh
Chicago Sunday Evening Club sponsored the annual Chicago Leadership Prayer Breakfast on December 4, 2015. The event took place at the Grand Ball Room of Chicago Hilton. The event is organized for the past 51 years. This was the first time that the event included Sikh prayer.
The breakfast event took place for 90 minutes. News report suggested that Bruce Rauner, the Governor of Illinois, Diana Rauner, Toni Preckwinkle, the President of Cook County Board and around 600 leaders from religious, civic, interfaith, non-profit and business organizations attend the breakfast event.
The Sikh prayer was meant for peace, thanksgiving and harmony. The event was organized to bring the situation in Chicago under control. Few days ago, the situation went worse after Garry McCarthy, the Police Chief was fired. The minority communities demonstrated on street in order to demand the resignation of Rahm Emmanuel, the Chicago Mayor and Anita Alvarez, the Attorney of Cook County State, who allegedly covered up the police brutality where many black youths were shot to death.
Rajinder Singh Mago performed the Sikh prayer. At the breakfast event, he prayed to the universal god for the welfare of humanity. Mago is the coordinator of Sikh Religious Society located in Palatine, Illinois. He is one of the board of governors of Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago.
The CEO and President of BMO Harris Bank David Casper was the master of ceremonies at the breakfast event.
Toni Preckwinkle, the President of Cook County Board said that profound racism is affecting the society. The issue of racism can be found in persons who get detained. Racism is reflected on those who are shot by police.
Toni has spent 50 years in Chicago. According to him, crisis has surfaced in Chicago and organizing a prayer breakfast is the right tool for demanding call to action.
The Pastor at the Fourth Presbyterian Church Rev. Shannon Kershner said that public and political discourses are getting polarized at local, national and state levels. Kershner requested the community leaders for transforming their speech and stop using the language that might demonize others.
According to Kershner, words that degrade a person on the basis of religion, race, ethnicity, economic status, neighborhood and physical abilities cannot be tolerated. People should not follow the language that speaks of dislike for others in secret. Kershner explained that situation affects children.
The event was underwritten by Henry Crown and Company, BMO Harris Bank N.A., Northwestern Medicine and PNC Bank and many others.
