GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA, NFP ForestParkReview.com Vol. 104, No. 37
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F O R E S T PA R K
REVIEW SEPTEMBER 15, 2021
Forest Park Baptist draws pastor rooted in diversity
Gold again for Brian Bell Page 3
Kribi Coffee expands to Oak Park Page 5
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GETTING SAUCY
By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter
The 20 people sitting in the pews at the Forest Park Baptist Church two Sundays ago erupted into applause when Elder Sean Blaylock introduced them and the members attending online to their brand new pastor, the Rev. Dr. Timothy Hein. Part of the reason for the enthusiasm was because the congregation that worships in the white stucco building on Harlem Avenue had been without a pastor for two years. Blaylock elicited smiles when he recalled that the congregation during that time had been earnestly praying, “Oh Lord, please bring us a pastor!” If the congregation was excited to receive Hein, his wife Manju and their four children, their new pastor was equally enthusiastic about starting his new ministry with them. Because the relationship between pastors and their congregations has similarities to marriage, Hein recalled that the committed relationship which officially began on Sep. 5 started out a bit like online dating. Hein laughed when he said that when he and the search committee met for the first time via Zoom, he could sense right away that he and the congregation were “kindred spirits.” They were a good match, he said, because of diversity. He grew up as a white boy in a white family which lived in California, Colorado and finally in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. His wife Manju is from an Indian family but was born in Zambia where her parents were serving as missionaries. “Manju,” Hein said, “calls herself an Indian-African.” Manju became a U.S. citizen in 2006, so you might say that she is an Indian African American. Because See FIRST BAPTIST on page 8
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Chris Brown, left, and Mark Nathan, of 3SP BBQ, serve rib samplings during the annual Ribfest at The Grove. More photos on page 7.
Village plans for $1.86 Million in fed funds First payment from Rescue Plan arrives within 30 days
By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter
Forest Park is getting $1,862,979 from the American Rescue Plan Act federal stimulus funding package – but the village isn’t expected to have a clear plan on how to spend it until the end of the
IN Big Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 THIS Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 ISSUE Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
year. The village government will receive the funding in two allotments, with the first half arriving within the next 30 days and the second half arriving six months later. Those funds can be spent in a number of ways, including addressing economic fallout from the
Jill Wagner: A weekend to remember PAGE 14
pandemic, increasing pay for essential workers, make up for government revenue declines and to improve infrastructure. Forest Park has until Dec. 31, 2024 to commit those funds and until Dec. 31, 2026 to actually spend them. In order to get the funds, the village See RESCUE PLAN on page 11
Rec board gets a new focus PAGE 4
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