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Al Benson

Al Benson | April 19, 2016

Singing Sermon–Aurora resident Rev. Deborah Tinsley Taylor, second from left, celebrated a Southern gospel song by Dan Keeton of GloryWay Quartet during worship services Sunday, May 22, at Fourth Street United Methodist Church in Aurora.

Shoveling Mulch–Montgomery resident Cameron Garza shoveled mulch for an Aurora community garden Sunday, May 15. Garza was among 40 volunteers from Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora who participated in a ninth annual Change the World effort. Other volunteers sewed school bags, stocked shelves at Marie Wilkinson food pantry in Aurora and picked litter at Greene Field and May Street parks in Aurora. (Al Benson photo)

Stocking Shelves–Aurorans Isabella Regaud, left, and Len Waid stocked shelves at Marie Wilkinson food pantry in Aurora on Sunday, May 16. They were among 40 volunteers from Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora who participated in a ninth annual Change the World effort. Volunteers also helped spruce up a community garden in Aurora, sewed school bags and picked litter at Greene Field and May Street parks in Aurora. (Al Benson photo)

Celebrating 125 Years–Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner, second from right, posed with a proclamation declaring Sunday, May 1, as “Fourth Street United Methodist Church Day” in Aurora. From left are Ralph Brian, church lay leader; Rev. Deborah Tinsley Taylor, church pastor; Weisner, who offered remarks; and Bill Donnell, Fourth Ward alderman, who read and presented the proclamation during a worship service that opened a daylong 125th anniversary celebration. (Al Benson photo)

Presenting Proclamation–Fourth Ward Aurora Alderman Bill Donnell, right, presented a proclamation declaring Sunday, May 1, as “Fourth Street United Methodist Church Day” in Aurora. From left are Ralph Brian, church lay leader; Rev. Deborah Tinsley Taylor, church pastor; and Donnell. Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner later praised the church for its community contributions during a daylong 125th anniversary celebration. (Al Benson photo)

Celebrating Passover–Naperville resident Terry Shapiro, center, played his guitar and led group singing during a Passover Seder dinner at Aurora University Monday, April 25. From left are Ellen Goldberg, AU assistant provost; Shapiro, assistant professor of psychology; Marc Sperling, mathematics instructor; and Alicia Cosky, dean of faculty. AU’s Wackerlin Center for Faith and Action sponsored the Jewish ritual dinner that marks the start of Passover 2016, which began Friday, April 22 and ends Saturday, April 30. The Seder features a retelling of the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. (Al Benson photo)

Singing Couple–Aurora residents Roger Spurgin, left, and Linda Spurgin will be among Fox Valley Festival Chorus members performing at the 125th anniversary celebration of Fourth Street United Methodist Church in Aurora on Sunday, May 1. Members of the church, the couple sings in the church choir. The 60-voice Festival Chorus will present a concert of American songs at 1:30 p.m. The public is invited. Admission is $12 in advance, $15 at the door and includes a lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call (630) 897-5257. (Al Benson photo)

On May 1 at 1:30 p.m., the Fox Valley Festival Chorus will perform a variety of American music at Fourth Street United Methodist Church, 551 S. Fourth St. in Aurora. The concert will highlight the church’s 125th anniversary celebration, a fundraiser. Photo courtesy of Fox Valley Festival Chorus

Planning Celebration–Rev. Deborah Tinsley Taylor, left, and Sue Gilla of Aurora pose with a banner announcing the 125th anniversary celebration at Fourth Street United Methodist Church in Aurora May 1. Rev. Taylor is church pastor; Gilla is anniversary general chairman. A worship service, luncheon and concert by the Fox Valley Festival Chorus are planned. (Al Benson photo)

Spotlighting Health–Yorkville chiropractor Nathan Thompson, DC, explored healthy eating and lifestyles at Fourth Street United Methodist Church in Aurora Sunday, April 10. During a church luncheon, Thompson explored five essential lifestyles: maximized mind, nerve supply, quality nutrients, oxygen and lean muscle and minimized toxins. He owns Thompson Chiropractic Clinic and with his wife Barbara jointly owns CrossFit Exemplify. (Photo submitted by Al Benson)

Oswego resident Carol Austin, left, serves Chuck Maass of Oswego at Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist in Oswego during the church’s weekly Grace Meal. Austin and Maass are Good Shepherd members. The Grace Meal, a free Tuesday lunch, is for area residents who are homeless or lonely. About 50 guests are served weekly. (Al Benson photo)

Oswego residents Lorraine Beasley, left, and Janet McCarthy dish homemade lasagna at Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist in Oswego. Beasley coordinates and is head chef at the church’s Grace Meal, a free Tuesday lunch for community residents who are homeless or lonely. About 50 guests are served weekly. (Al Benson photo)

Happy Homecoming–Aurora residents Latricia Stone, from left, Yvonne Visor and Jazmine Visor, 11, celebrated the Visor family’s new Habitat for Humanity home on Saturday, April 9. Stone was Habitat homeowner No. 53. The Visor family home is Habitat’s 54th since the volunteer group’s inception in 1989. (Al Benson photo)

Presenting Keys–Aurora resident Yvonne Visor, center, accepted keys to her new Habitat for Humanity home at dedication ceremonies in Aurora on Saturday, April 9. From left are Jazmine and Jeremiah Visor, both 11; Yvonne Visor; Chris Visor and Ron Kelso, Yorkville, vice chair, Habitat board of directors. The event at 512 S. Webster St. in Aurora was Montgomery-based Fox Valley Habitat’s 54th dedication since the volunteer group’s inception in 1989. (Al Benson photo)

Lauding Clinic–on Saturday, April 2, Aurora resident Claudia Smith, left, reflected on being the first client of the Aurora Justice For Our Neighbors free immigration clinic. Right is clinic coordinator Roger Curless of Aurora and member, Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora. After assistance by a clinic attorney, Smith became a volunteer at the monthly outreach. Remarks by Smith and other clinic clients and volunteers highlighted a luncheon to celebrate the clinic’s fifth anniversary at Fourth Street UMC in Aurora. The event opened with youth and adults penning 38 letters on pillow cases bound for Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner. The fabric letters urged Rauner to welcome refugees to Illinois regardless of their point of origin. Success of the Aurora clinic led to founding of clinics at UMC churches in Rockford and Chicago. (Al Benson photo)

Writing Rauner–Volunteers and clients of the Aurora Justice For Our Neighbors free immigration clinic pose with pillow-case letters to Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner on Saturday, April 2. A luncheon at Fourth Street United Methodist Church in Aurora celebrated the clinic’s fifth anniversary. The event opened with youth and adults penning 38 letters on pillow cases bound for Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner. The fabric letters urged Rauner to welcome refugees to Illinois regardless of their point of origin. Success of the Aurora clinic led to founding of clinics at UMC churches in Rockford and Chicago. (Al Benson photo)

Al Benson

Freelance Photo-Journalist

Al Benson is an Aurora-based freelance photo-journalist. He is currently an archives research specialist at Aurora University. His work has appeared in The Voice, The Daily Herald, The Beacon-News, and the Chicago Tribune.

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