Chicago Sidewalk Chalk Outreach Encourages Commuters
A Chicago sidewalk chalk outreach is bringing positive, thought-provoking messages to commuters near the city’s “L” stations. Led by a small team from Community Christian Church’s Edgewater campus, the effort grew from pastor Rich Gorman’s desire to share the love of Christ with people in the neighborhood.
- The team writes thought-provoking messages on sidewalks near Chicago “L” stations.
- The outreach began after Rich Gorman noticed commuters looking down as they walked.
- Neighborhood residents have shared photos of the positive messages on Instagram.
By Jennifer Taylor
Rich Gorman, pastor at the Edgewater campus of Community Christian Church (Naperville, IL), was praying for the area and wondering how to share the love of Christ with such a large population. As he watched people walk to and from the “L” trains one day, he hit on an idea: everyone is looking down, so put the message there!
Sharing Positive Messages Along the “L”
Rich, his wife, Dori, and a small team from CCC Edgewater now meet every other Tuesday evening to pray and then divide into teams to write the messages on sidewalks leading to and from the L stations. Team members opt for phrases that will be noticed or provoke thought, but aren’t overtly “churchy”: “What you do matters. Live with purpose.” “Love is stronger than fear.” “Yesterday does not define your today.”
The neighborhood has welcomed the “fleeting graffiti.”
A Neighborhood Takes Notice
“The movement has sparked people to share Instagram photos of the positive messages they stumbled upon while walking through their neighborhoods,” says the Red Eye, a popular newspaper affiliate of the Chicago Tribune.
Follow the team and learn more at www.twitter.com/chalktheblockch.
—Jennifer Taylor
