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A weekly newsletter to keep you informed.
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What's in this week's news?
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Grab your sleeping bag and meet us at the lake! The annual WES Camping Trip sign-ups are now online. For all of the details, be sure to check out the Camping Trip page on our website:
http://ethicalsociety.org/connection/camping-trip/.
Don't forget! The Camping Trip is open to everyone. Grab your Young@WES friends, Still Thirsty cohort, or reading group and join us this upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Online sign-ups are preferred.
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 For white people interested in learning and engaging in conversations about the experience of race in our lives in a safe space, WES is forming a learning group in collaboration with SURJ-DC. SURJ is a national network of groups and individuals organizing white people for racial justice. SURJ-DC has developed a seven-month curriculum that is being used by learning groups all over the city. The SURJ-DC curriculum of articles, videos, and discussion questions looks at how racism affects both People of Color and White folks. It is designed to inspire and encourage us into meaningful conversation, without requiring extensive reading and preparation. The WES-SURJ learning group is open to everyone at every stage of racial awareness and study. Once formed, the study group will meet monthly at WES after platform. We hope you will bring your diverse perspectives, insights and points of view and join us in creating a safe space for going deep and discussing racial justice and equity over an extended period of time.
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 We will carry the WES banner as we walk with hundreds of thousands of others who care about climate and justice. Some WES members will host out-of-towners in our homes. This march is supported by a long list of environmental and other organizations. Read more about it at http://PeoplesClimate.org. The WES Earth Ethics Team will provide details as we learn them. You can also ask Terry Smith, Sue Jacobsen, Rich Reis, Ann Baker, Carol Rawie, or other team members.
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This Sunday's Platform
9:30 & 11:30am.
"Risking Connection, Risking Failure: All Music Platform." WES Chorus, Bailey Whiteman, Music Director. As has become a tradition, the WES Chorus will again fill the platform with words and song, this year exploring how we risk, and what we gain. From the first moments to the closing words, we will risk together, and see where the music takes us.
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This Sunday at WES
 Humanist Clergy Talk, 10:50am, Main Hall.
Chris Stedman, author of Faitheist and outgoing Executive Director of the Yale Humanist Chaplaincy, will speak about his work as a young, queer atheist in interfaith circles--and share about his new project, The Humanist Center.
Ethical Living Laboratory, 11am, Social Hall. Join the Community Relations Committee to explore the principles of ethical culture and how we live them in our daily lives. This will offer an opportunity to connect with others in a small group setting.
**RESCHEDULED**Working For Racial Equity. This Talk and Teach has been rescheduled so that all can attend the Resistance Fair.
Resistance Fair, 1pm, Main Hall.
America is going through some tough times--so what are we going to do about it? Join fellow WESies and members of the Resistance Team Steering Group to both learn about efforts already underway and to brainstorm how we can leverage our own power to work for justice in the world. This effort will continue the conversation that happened in late January, and begin to bring together the many people at WES working to respond to the world around us.
Aging with Intention Discussion Group, 3-5pm, Loretta Neumann & Dan Smith's Home. We hope the "second-half-of-life" folks will join us at our next gathering of Aging with Intention. This month we're pleased to be meeting at the home of Loretta Neumann and Dan Smith, who live just 3 blocks from the Takoma Metro stop. There is also street parking. We're finalizing this month's topic, but as always it will give participants a way to strategize and explore issues of special importance to us as we grow older. See you Sunday, March 26, from 3-5pm. For further details on the topic and the address- and to RSVP - please contact [email protected].
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The Upcoming Weeks at WES
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Wednesday, March 22
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WES Chorus rehearsal, 7:15 to 9pm, Social or Main Hall.
WES Chorus meets weekly to rehearse, under the direction of
Bailey Whiteman, Music Director
. All music abilities welcome!
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Jam Session, 6pm, Library.
At the WES Jam Sessions, interested musicians gather to practice music (possibly with the intention of playing during platform or other events) or just to develop musical skills in a group context. Attendees bring the music they want to play, and play what is brought. All instruments, musical genres, and skill levels welcome! To be added to the email list, email Tom Bishop ([email protected]).
Wednesday, March 29
- WES Chorus rehearsal, 7:15 to 9pm, Social or Main Hall. WES Chorus meets weekly to rehearse, under the direction of Bailey Whiteman, Music Director. All music abilities welcome!
Sunday, April 2
- Platform Service, 9:30 & 11:30am. "Tearing It All Down," Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader. We live in a capitalist society, and there's nothing we can do about that. Or is there? In this auction platform, Amanda examines what would happen if we radically reimagined the way our society works. What would we envision for a world that was just for all? Come hear about capitalism, socialism, and anarchy! Music from Josh Blinder.
- Teen Waffle Bar, 10:45 am, Lobby. Every first Sunday of the month the Teens will offer waffles and an assortment of toppings for WES members and friends. Waffle ingredients and toppings are purchased through waffle bar proceeds. Remaining funds go to the Teen group for service trips. Free will donation. #WESteens
- Newcomers' Q and A, 11am & 1pm, Adler Study. New to WES? Join us for this informal gathering to learn a little about who we are and what we do here, and to get your questions answered!
- Jam Session, 1pm, Library. At the WES Jam Sessions, interested musicians gather to practice music (possibly with the intention of playing during platform or other events) or just to develop musical skills in a group context. Attendees bring the music they want to play, and play what is brought. All instruments, musical genres, and skill levels welcome. To be added to the email list, email Tom Bishop ([email protected]).
Monday April 3
- Mindfulness meeting, 7:30-9pm Library. This group meets monthly on the first Monday of the month for people interested in practicing meditation and living with mindfulness - or for anyone wanting to find out more about these topics. We explore both practices and ideas. Contact Trish Weil at [email protected] or Ann Baker at [email protected].
Wednesday, April 5
- WES Chorus rehearsal, 7:15 to 9pm, Social or Main Hall. WES Chorus meets weekly to rehearse, under the direction of Bailey Whiteman, Music Director. All music abilities welcome!
Thursday, April 6
- World Religions Class, Library, 7pm. Join Amanda for an introduction to the work of scholar Karen Armstrong, who sees the world's great religions as ushering in key transformational concepts in human history. This class will offer a peek into different religious traditions, using a sociological lens--and ask what concept humanism may be offering to the world now. Book: The Great Transformation: Karen Armstrong's Theory of Religion.
Saturday, April 8
- Second Saturdays Are for Service at Wider Circle, 12-2pm, A Wider Circle. All are welcome! Noon to 2pm. Join your WES friends as we help sort, clean, and move items for a good cause. Wider Circle: 9159 Brookville Rd # C, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Sunday, April 9
- Platform Service, 9:30am & 11:30am, Main Hall."Can You Believe in Good?," Don Montagna, President, International Partners. If you don't want to be carried along by circumstances, never able to set a course toward a life and society you really want, and you don't believe in God, you need another understanding of how the world works. Felix Adler founded the Ethical Society on a concept of the Spiritual Ideal, with practical principles for achieving it, that is grounded in reason rather than the supernatural. Changing your worldview and having faith enough to use it in moments of uncertainty is the most difficult transformation a person can make.
- WEStalks, 11am, Social Hall.
- Biology Reading Group, 1pm, Library. The Biology Reading Group meets the second Sunday of every month in the Library. For more information, contact Barbara Searle ([email protected]).
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Using this month's theme of
Risk, some of the SEEK classes explored the theme using risk falls. Check out the photo below where Tony Nam and Karl Pfeifer demonstrated one of these falls in front of the 9:30 platform audience.
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Announcements
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Art Showing
Last year's theme artist Barry Galef will be hosting a showing of some of his work to include his theme art!
He will be exhibiting about 35
paintings
at the Yellow Barn Studio & Gallery
at Glen Echo
. The core of the show will be the 10
paintings
he did for WES on the monthly
themes
(Creativity, Simplicity, Desire, and so forth) from 2015 into 2016.
The
paintings
have to be for sale, but collecting money is not the central purpose, and all of the net proceeds will go to charity, including WES, and further including most of money from the theme
paintings
.
The show will be up only for the weekend of April 15 and 16 -- Saturday from noon to eight, and Sunday from noon until five -- so be sure you don't let this event slip through the cracks!
The Yellow Barn is at 7300 MacArthur Boulevard in
Glen
Echo (along the Potomac, inside the Beltway). Contact Barry Galef at
[email protected] if you have questions.
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Refugee Resettlement Team Update. Head over to the WES Website to see an update from Sue Smith and the Refugee Resettlement Team. They will be collecting items after platform in the upcoming weeks. For more information check out the full letter from Sue at:
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Building Team Update. The Building Team has been working very hard to keep our building in great shape. For an update from one of the team members, Rich Reis, check out his article on the WES website at:
http://ethicalsociety.org/wess-building-energy-saving-upgrades-done/
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Candlelight Vigil Against Hate
Friday, March 24, 6:00-6:30pm
On the steps of Tifereth Israel, 7701 16th St NW (corner of 16th and Juniper).
Let's take a moment before the start of the Jewish Sabbath to come together as one community with members from the Jewish, Indian American, Muslim and other communities to stand in solidarity against hate crimes. Please join us for a candlelight vigil in memory of Srinivas Kuchibholta who was killed in the Kansas hate crime shooting and to honor all those who have suffered from hate crime, violence, and fear in recent months.
The program will focus on sharing music and traditions. Through this exchange and community building, we resist those who would divide and attack us. In our effort to build solidarity among communities, some members of the local Jewish community have offered to host members of the Indian, Muslim, or other communities for a traditional Sabbath dinner.
If are interested in joining a family in the surrounding community for a
Friday night Sabbath meal immediately following the vigil, please use the link below to sign up and someone will then be in touch with you to match you with a host family:
https://goo.gl/forms/cdfzwXtxTONiVGcs1. Visitors are also invited to join for
Friday night prayer services at Tifereth Israel or Ohev Sholom (opposite TI).
We look forward to seeing you there. Everyone is welcome. Please share this invitation with your friends and other groups.
Standing together in solidarity,
Amy Eisner, Shruti Bhatnagar, Devora Kimelman-Block, Nicole Goldstein, Brad Brooks-Rubin, and Anand Parikh
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Music Spotlight
Black Lives Matter Bazaar and Concert
March 25 at
4:30 PM -
8:30 PM
333 Dubois Rd, Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Join UUCA and AWAKE for an evening of fun and inspiration. The bazaar is from 4:30pm - 6:00pm and features social justice displays as well as a marketplace with jewelry, CD's books, quilts, baked goods and more...
The concert begins 6:30-8:30pm showcases jazz, gospel, drama, and dance featuring the Gospel Travelers, Josh Long, The AWAKE Singers & Band, Expressions Dance Company, and more...
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