CRS believes that the significance of accountability cannot be overstated. As people of faith advocating for racial, economic and social justice, it is critical that we always hold our leaders accountable.

The decisions made by the United States Supreme Court this past year that directly impact marginalized communities is a call to action to vote. By casting your ballot, you are using your voice to demand that our society is fair and equitable for all.

We had Chicago Community Conversations in January and March, but the discussions don’t end there. Watch as our staff continues the conversation in our second part of this series.

Chicago's mayoral runoff election coincides with Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination and “Beyond Vietnam” speech anniversary, highlighting the city's struggle with race and inequality. The outcome will shape the city's future direction on critical issues.

We had Chicago Community Conversations in January and March, but the discussions don’t end there. Watch as our staff continues the conversation.

The My Congregation Votes Campaign will continue to engage local congregations and their members in civic engagement. If your congregation is not yet a part of My Congregation Votes, please join us by taking this pledge. Learn more here.

The forum brought together a diverse group of community members, congregations, moderators, panelists and candidates to discuss issues that are important to our city, and our community's engagement during the event helped to create a lively and informative discussion.

Read our response to the danger of treating Chicago clergy as a monolith.

The vision of Beloved Community is a society where people can thrive and reach their full potential regardless of their identity or status. We can build Beloved Community by voting for local elected officials who share this vision.

Click here to learn about the moderator and panelists for our Chicago Community Conversation.

The Illinois Primary Election is on March 19, 2024. Want to learn more? Check out our resource page for voting in Chicago here.

Arguments against voting rights restoration have no merit. I hear all the time that incarcerated Americans don’t deserve to have a voice in their community. As a mother, you always deserve a voice to advocate for your children and the community they call home.

This year’s theme is Together, We Win! These questions can be used to guide conversation with your congregation after viewing the 2022 Annual Membership Assembly video. We would love to hear from you the thoughts and plans that came out of your discussion.

Make a plan to vote in Illinois! View this page to learn more about voter registration and ways to vote, see a sample ballot and review election deadlines.

Community Renewal Society presents My Congregation Votes, a campaign to encourage voter engagement and civic participation in the upcoming mid-term and municipal elections.

After 35 years of exercising my right to vote, this year, I supported voting by serving as an election worker.

Through this primary election, we have the opportunity to lay the foundation for the upcoming political landscape that will determine core issues affecting economic justice, criminal justice reform, and rights and protections for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Politics from the pulpit, encourage voter registration, promote important election dates, host a public education or voter registration event, and share social media posts or email newsletters from organizations like Community Renewal Society.

Voting sets the tone for political engagement and strong voter engagement strengthens our work at CRS. We must have candidates who will create change in our communities and elected officials who we can hold accountable for this change.

Community Renewal Society believes voting rights are intrinsically connected to our work to eliminate barriers due to racism, poverty, and LGBTQIA+ rights and reparations, two of our most recent platforms issues. Meaningful legislation that compensates the descendants of enslaved Africans and allows all LGBTQIA+ people to fully enjoy the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness can not pass without supportive lawmakers.