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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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Friday night, WES hosted a Resistance Un-Ball. And then on Saturday, many WES members joined in the Women's March. We are attempting to collect photos from the WES community to create a collage and some tangible memories from this past weekend. If you have photos you'd like to share, please email them to Robyn at [email protected].
 
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Did you know that WES has partnered with Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) DC to host workshops aimed at helping folks engage in the sometimes difficult discussions about racism, xenophobia, hatred and oppression? Since WES is a majority white congregation, we feel it's especially important for white people to practice because many of us have been socialized to not talk about race, racism, or white supremacy. It is challenging to respond effectively to racism, especially in the moment.
WES members Laura Bradshaw, Danna Pope and Rachel Alexander, along with others, have been leading this small initiative in the greater DMV area (and beyond!) to hone people's skills and build confidence to engage in meaningful conversations about racism and other racialized discrimination. WES has hosted three workshops to date (click
here for the workshop description) and both have quickly filled, averaging 40 - 60 people in attendance, approximately 10% of whom are WES members. The cohort of highly trained social justice educators who facilitated the January workshop is pictured here. Don't they look like a fun bunch to smash racism with? The plan is to offer another session in the Spring. If you are interested in learning more, feel free to reach out to Danna, Laura or Rachel.
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 A special thank-you goes out to all the kids in SEEK for their heartfelt contribution of $1,000 dedicated to feeding hungry children. Since our family will arrive with little more than their clothes and hopes for a better future, providing them with nourishing food will be very important. This donation will allow us to stock a pantry with foods appropriate to the family's culture, and will help fund their trips to the grocery store until they are able to fully support themselves. This is a truly wonderful gift.
Thank you also to everyone who signed up to donate used furniture and household items. An arrangement has been made with A Wider Circle, who will accept all these items now, and then just before our family arrives, give our Housing & Furnishings team priority to select whatever we need to furnish the apartment. We have Trang Duong to thank for this arrangement, which will let the donors drop off items at their convenience, avoid the cost of storage, assure that we will have everything needed when the time comes, and all while supporting the mission of A Wider Circle in making basic home goods available to families in need. Great idea, Amanda and Trang!
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 SEEK Weekly Spotlight
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For the month of January and the theme of Vision, the Theme Exploration classes have been learning about children with vision. The spotlight this week was with the children of the 1st-5th grade class at
9:30
and the 1st-3rd grade class at
11:30in which they learned about the Children's March of 1963 where 2,000 children were arrested in Birmingham, Alabama while fighting for their civil rights. It highlighted how successful a march can be and how big a role children can play. It was an especially poignant lesson as it came just one day after the Women's March where 3.5 million people marched world-wide, including more than half the children in these classes. (The timing of this lesson was completely coincidental.)
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This Sunday's Platform
9:30 & 11:30am.
"Heroes Every Day," Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader. Who are the people who have been our heroes in this past year? Who has restored YOUR faith in human goodness? And how can we be heroes ourselves? Join us for this heart-full platform. Music from the DC Labor Chorus.
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Meet WES's Volunteer Teams, 10:45am, Social Hall and Lobby.
Swing by the tables highlighting our different volunteer teams. Whether you can only volunteer occasionally or you are ready to jump in with both feet, we have a place you'll fit.
Expanded WEStalks, 1pm, Main Hall.
In
September, our
WES
talks
speaker was Chris Chafe, and the topic, a week after Labor Day, was The Future of Labor. This will be an expansion of that talk giving more time for in-depth conversation. Chris is president of Growth2 LLC, a company he founded with labor leader Andy Stern in 2011 to encourage sustainable good job creation. Chris is a 20-year veteran of the international labor movement, serving as an organizer, political and legislative director and Chief of Staff at ACTWU, UNITE, and UNITE HERE.
WES
talks
, offered once a month on second Sundays between the first and second platforms, feature a speaker talking about a topic of contemporary interest, with the goals of increasing our knowledge and providing a way to connect to both the topic and to others.
Aging with Intention, 1pm, Double Classroom.
Possible topics to discuss include fighting ageism and exploring end-of-life concerns, including introducing a Death Café (see deathcafe.com to learn more). We also hope to add some new topics, such as sexuality and older adults and perhaps a relevant film and discussion session. We also hope to have an opportunity for a discussion with younger adults on a related topic.
Neighborhood Potlucks, 5pm.
Be on the lookout for more information from your neighborhood coordinator. These potlucks are held at WES members' homes. If you have questions you can contact your neighborhood coordinator or Laura DiSciullio at [email protected].
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The Upcoming Weeks at WES
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- Platform, 9:30 & 11:30am. "Examining Identity to Embrace a More Inclusive Humanism" Sincere Kirabo, Social Justice Coordinator, American Humanist Association. Join our guest Sincere as he examines how we evolve our humanist lens to regard the nexus of difference that makes up our identities, experiences, and worldviews. To do that, we must first better understand identity: what it entails, the ways it impacts each individual's social position, and how it relates to intersectionality. A deep and thoughtful beginning to our monthlong exploration of Identity. Music from the WES Chorus.
- Teen Waffle Bar, 10:45am, 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, 10:45am & 12:45pm, 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!
Monday Feb 6
- 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].
Thursday, February 9
- Board of Trustees Meeting, 7pm, Library. All are welcome to attend meetings of the Board of Trustees! Agenda and materials are available in the Members' Access section of our website.
Sunday, February 12
- Platform Service, 9:30am & 11:30am. "To Thine Own Self Be True: Pay Attention to Love Day" Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader. As we mark our annual celebration of love, we focus on loving...ourselves! What does it look like, feel like, sound like when we truly love ourselves, just as we might hope to love someone else, or to be loved? Join us for this joyful honoring of self (and once we love ourselves, imagine what can happen for each other!). Music from singer/songwriter LEA.
- WEStalks, 11am, Social Hall.
Tuesday, February 14
- Adult Education Council Meeting, 7:30-9pm Library. This group meets monthly on the second Tuesdays of the month for people interested in creating classes, trips, and events for our adult community at WES. If you would like attend, please do. You can also contact Melissa Sinclair for more information.
Friday, February 17
- Still Thirsty After All These Years, Scion Restaurant, 1200 East-West Highway. 5:30pm or whenever you arrive to 7:30. This group is for WES adults beyond the demographics of the "Young and Thirsty" group, but still thirsty for connections, entertainment, and new experiences. We will meet for Happy Hour on the third Friday of every month. Contact Nancy McGuire ([email protected]) or Shan Evans ([email protected] for more details.
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