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Trouble the Water:

Weekend Workshop at CPC

Community Presbyterian Church is hosting a powerful weekend workshop,

Trouble the Water - Conversations to Disrupt Racism and Dominance. 

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These soul-searching sessions provide participants the opportunity to step away from the distractions of daily life and engage in deep, meaningful reflection on the generational systems and forces that shape our world, and our place within them. 

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Through powerful storytelling, guided discussions, and immersive experiences, participants will explore resilience, justice, and the responsibility we all share in creating a more equitable future. These sessions are not about quick fixes or surface-level conversations; it is a space for real soul-work, where personal reflection meets collective action. 

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Whether you come seeking greater understanding, healing, or a renewed sense of purpose, you will leave with a deeper awareness of yourself, your community, and the soul-work that we are called to do.  

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  • There are four key sessions:

    • Session One: Fri March 7: 7:00pm - 9:00pm

    • Session Two: Sat March 8: 9:00am - 11:30am

    • Session Three: Sat March 8: 12:30pm - 3:00pm

    • Session Four: Sun March 9: 10:45am - noon

 

  • Food provided:

    • Fri night snacks 

    • Sat morning continental breakfast (8:30am)

    • Sat lunch 11:30am - 12:30pm (please order by 3/3 to guarantee your selection)

 

  • Cost:

    • $20 - Adult Registration

    • $5 - Discounted Registration for students and those desiring scholarship support

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  • NEW: Virtual and Hybrid participation is available. Please register to receive the Zoom link. Please register to receive the Zoom link. If hybrid and will be joining us in person Saturday and would like lunch, please select your meal choice during registration.

 

 

  • Funds are available to any family / person needing childcare in their home. Form is available as part of your registration

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  • Location:

    • Community Presbyterian Church of Clarendon Hills

    • 39 N Prospect, Clarendon Hills, IL 60514

    • 630-323-6522

Workshop Leaders

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Jessica Vazquez Torres

National Program Director of Crossroads Training

​Jessica is a proven leader with over 20 years of experience in antiracism, anti-oppression, and cultural competency workshop development and facilitation. Jessica is deeply committed to addressing social structures and cultural dynamics that marginalize and minoritize communities, limiting their access to the resources needed to thrive not just survive. A 1.5-generation ESL Queer Latina of Puerto Rican descent, Jessica holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University of Central Florida, a Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary, and a Master of Theological Studies from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.  She lives with her spouse Laura and their 80-lb dog Magpie.

Alicia Reese

National Organizer and Facilitator

Alicia Reese joined Crossroad's organizing and facilitation team in November and also serves as an on-call hospital chaplain. She received her Master of Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary and is ordained PCUSA. Alicia lives in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago with her spouse and three fur babies. 

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FAQ's for Trouble the Water

Weekend Workshop

Where will this be held?  Community Presbyterian Church of Clarendon Hills, 39 N Prospect Ave, Clarendon Hills 60514. 

 

Can I take Public Transportation there? Yes! Take the BNSF commuter train to to the Clarendon Hills station.  CPC is one block north of train station. Please enter door 1A(front) or 5C (back) looking for signs with directions to the meeting room.  â€‹

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Do you have parking available? Yes, plenty of free parking! Please visit our parking section our Sundays page for details. Please enter door 1A(front) or 5C (back) looking for signs with directions to the meeting room.  

 

I can’t make all the sessions, can I still attend? While we encourage participation in all four sessions and believe this will give each participant the benefit of the entire program, we understand this may not be possible. If you must miss a session, please register and attend to the fullest extend as you are able.

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I'm not able to make it in person, is there a virtual options? YES! while we wish you could be there in person, we understand it's not always possible. We hope you join us on Zoom and be part of this amazing opportunity. Just register as a Virtual attendee and we will send you the link by email.  

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Can I attend in a hybrid version? some in person, some virtual? YES! while we wish you could be there in person for all sessions, we understand it's not always possible. Please register as a Virtual attendee and we will send you the link by email. If you will be in person on Saturday and would like lunch, please specify your choice by 3/3 during registration. If registering after 3/3, we will have a selection of lunches to choose from. 

 

Will babysitting be provided? No, but funds are available to any family / person needing childcare or family member care in their home. Please submit the reimbursement request form linked HERE.

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Do I need proof of being a student or needing a scholarship to pay the reduced fee? No, we want all to attend and don’t want cost to be a barrier. 

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I missed the registration for lunch. Do I need to bring my own? No, we will have a selection of Roti lunch boxes but you won’t be able to specify ahead of time your choice(s). If you register by 3/3, you can select your own Roti lunch box during registration.

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Are others in the community invited or is this a CPC event? This is open the entire community!​​

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I missed the deadline, can I still attend? Yes! If your plans change and you are able to make the sessions after all, we are happy to have you! 

 

Can I bring a friend? Absolutely! But, please add them to your registration or share the registration link with them.

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I'd like to come to worship with you before the Sunday session. What time is worship? Great idea and Jessica Vazquez Torres, one of the workshop leaders, will be our guest preacher! Worship is at 9:30 and you can find out more details on our Worship page and Plan Your First Visit page.​

 

What can I expect from this workshop/Why should I come? We will explore how to acknowledge that racism exists and to honor differences in how we perceive it. We will honor our individual need for solace and lean into the value of conversation as we support one another in building beloved community and belonging. We hope that our time together may inspire movement from uncomfortable acquiescence, to more active engagement in building the beloved community for which God longs. This weekend will not eliminate any uncomfortable feelings around racism; we hope it will reform our response to the racism of the world.   

Thank you for your courage and commitment to join us in the faithful and soulful work of noticing and responding and dismantling racism.

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