April 26
NEWS & NOTES
A weekly newsletter to keep you informed.
 
What's in this week's news?
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April's Thoughts from the WES Board of Trustees
Ethical aspiration alert!! WES's new focus goal #3 calls for WES to "become an increasingly multi-cultural, anti-racist, anti-oppressive, inclusive congregation." It has particular resonance for Board member Kristin Hunter, who writes about the remarkable though daunting aspiration WES has set itself, how the Board is wrestling internally to embody its spirit, and the hard truths WES as a whole may face. To see the full article, head over to the WES website:  http://ethicalsociety.org/board-column-focus-goal-3/

daywithoutwomen
The People's Climate March: This Saturday!
This Saturday, a WES contingent organized by the Earth Ethics Team will be marching in the People's Climate March. As timing and locations develop throughout the week, we will keep the article on the WES website updated with the most recent information. Check the website often as the march approaches. If you will be attending the march, we recommend you sign up for the text messaging system. This will allow the WES contingent organizers to send out notifications throughout the day. All the details can be found on the website at: 
http://ethicalsociety.org/climate-march/

When you post your photos from the march, we encourage you to use #climatemarch and #WESmarching.
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Spring Festival Is Sunday
Things to remember to bring:
~ A dish for the potluck lunch, specifically we need entrees and seasonal desserts.
~ Flowers for the community flower arch.

Join us for this joyful celebration of transformation, metamorphosis, and hope. The multigenerational platform of story and song will include baby namings, and the two platforms are followed by a potluck brunch at 1pm. Don't forget to bring some blossoms for our community flower arch! We are looking for actors and for decorators to help create a truly beautiful space--please contact Amanda Poppei at  [email protected]  if you'd like to be involved. 

We will also be naming five babies/toddlers in our communities. They are: Oliver Melgosa, Livvy Smith, Cade and Nolan Colin, and Lillian Key. A reception of cake and drinks will be offered by the families between platforms in the Main Hall. 

The schedule of the day will go as follows:
9:30am -- Platform with Spring Festival & Baby Naming ceremony (Main Hall)
10:45pm -- Cake and Baby Naming Reception (Social Hall)
11:30am -- Platform with Spring Festival & Baby Naming ceremony (Main Hall)
1pm -- Potluck Lunch (Main Hall)
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This Sunday's Platform
9:30 & 11:30am. 

"Spring Festival - Be the Change!" Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader; Melissa McCall Sinclair, Director of Lifelong Learning; and friends.
Join us for our annual celebration of spring, hope, and change. This year we will reflect on the metamorphosis that happens in our own lives, and how we can be part of the change we wish for the world. Bring a flower to contribute to our community flower arch, and plan to stay for our 1pm Spring Potluck Brunch! We will also welcome several babies into the community with a baby naming ceremony! Music from the WES Chorus, led by Music Director Bailey Whiteman.










Don't forget -- Camping trip registration is now available on the WES website!
This Sunday at WES.

Camping Trip Info Meeting, 11am, Classroom 1A/1B. Learn all about the camping trip for Memorial weekend! It's fun! It's great community building and this year we are opening it up to the other ethical societies for all age groups! This is a 15-minute info session.

Meet WES's Sunday School 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 dive in with both feet, we have a place you'll fit.

Baby Naming Celebration, 10:45am, Social Hall.

Spring Festival Potluck, 1pm, Main Hall.

Young@WES Goes Geocaching, 1pm, Library. Join Young@WES along with Michelle Newman-Logan & Ceci De Robertis as we learn about GeoCaching.  This family friendly event will explain the hobby of GeoCaching. Then we will take you out into the world and find 1-3 Geocaches. Participants should bring their iPhone or Android phone. You can also bring your laptop in addition to your smart phone.

Red Blue Communication Class & Discussion, 2pm, Classroom 1A/1B.  Wondering how to put your ethical beliefs into action? Want to help change our divisive political climate? Join us this Sunday afternoon for an  int roductory  workshop on communicating across the red-blue divide.   P articipants will have the opportunity to:
-Take stock of the challenging times we are living in.
-Understand differences between conservatives and liberals.
-Learn proven methods to find common ground.
For more information, contact  [email protected] or 


 

upcomingweeks The Upcoming Weeks at WES
Wednesday, April 26
  • 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 27
  • Resistance School, 7-8:30pm, Library. Join us at the Washington Ethical Society for the live, online learning sessions on Sustaining the resistance long-term, featuring Michael Blake.
Saturday, April 29
  • People's Climate March . We will carry the WES banner as we walk with hundreds of thousands of others who care about climate and justice. For the latest on the WES contingent, see the WES website at: http://ethicalsociety.org/climate-march/
Monday, May 1
  • Immigration and Workers March: May Day Action, 2pm, Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C. H Street and 17th Street, NW Washington, DC 20006. We are a nation of immigrants. We work, we build, we raise families, we vote. As attacks on immigrants and refugees continue to come under the Trump administration, it's important that we unite together and show the President that we will not be intimidated and we demand respect and fairness. On May 1 (May Day), let's come together in Washington and show the world we will not be intimidated by the attacks on immigrants in our country and those seeking opportunity in the United States. For more information, contact Jessica at [email protected].
  • 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, May 3
  • WES Chorus rehearsal, 7:15 to 9pm, Main Hall. WES Chorus meets weekly to rehearse, under the direction of Bailey Whiteman, Music Director . All music abilities welcome!
Thursday, May 4
  • Path to Membership, 7pm, Library. The Washington Ethical Society welcomes folks into membership a few times a year, using a "cohort" model so that people can get to know a small group and become members--if they decide they're ready to join--together. The first step is to attend a Path to Membership class. It doesn't commit you to anything; it's just an opportunity to learn more about WES and Ethical Culture, and to discuss what membership means. Please let us know if you'd like to join either this class or the one scheduled for May 6! (The classes are identical so you would only need to attend one) And of course, if you have any questions about the class, or about membership or WES more generally, please don't hesitate to be in touch with Amanda Poppei, WES's Senior Leader at [email protected] .
Friday, May 5
  • WES People of Color Meeting, 7pm, John Bushman's Home. A chance to meet, discuss WES and our mutual values and our diverse experiences as people of color, the POC group meets monthly on the first Friday. We rotate meetings at various homes. WES POC members and visitors are welcome to join. Please email Trang Duong at [email protected] if you have any questions. The event will be held at John Bushman's home - 10207 Menlo Avenue, Silver Spring, MD. 20910.
Saturday, May 6
  • Welcome and Growth Summit, 10am, Social Hall. Join Ushers, Welcome Team members, and more as we talk about how we create a welcoming space at WES for visitors... and how we turn those visitors into members. We'll also talk about our goal to be an anti-racist community, and what that means in terms of our welcome and our growth. Please join us!
  • Path to Membership, 1pm, Library. The Washington Ethical Society welcomes folks into membership a few times a year, using a "cohort" model so that people can get to know a small group and become members--if they decide they're ready to join--together. The first step is to attend a Path to Membership class. It doesn't commit you to anything; it's just an opportunity to learn more about WES and Ethical Culture, and to discuss what membership means. Please let us know if you'd like to join either this class or the one scheduled for May 4! (The classes are identical so you would only need to attend one) And of course, if you have any questions about the class, or about membership or WES more generally, please don't hesitate to be in touch with Amanda Poppei, WES's Senior Leader at [email protected] .
  • Health Care is a Human Right Discussion, 2pm, Social Hall. Join WES member Julie Joseph as she leads a discussion on HR 676 Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act. For more details check out the full event at: http://ethicalsociety.org/events/health-care-human-right-discussion/
Sunday, May 7
  • Platform Service, 9:30 & 11:30am. "Bodies: The Good, The Bad, and the Gross" Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader. Join Amanda as we begin our monthly theme of Embodiment , and she explores the idea of having a body...and the way our bodies exist within society. Are our bodies beautiful? Disgusting? A little of both? Music from singer/songwriter Lea.
  • 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 throuh 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!  For more information, contact Tom Bishop ([email protected]).
  • Teach-In About White Supremacy, 1pm, Main Hall. You may have been following the news of the Unitarian Universalist Association, where people are working hard to confront the white supremacy built into the system. But what IS white supremacy? Is it really all around us? And how can we recognize it in our own and other systems? Join Amanda for an exploration that is in line with the request of Black Lives of UU (the Black organizing collective within Unitarian Universalism) that all congregations affiliated with the UUA offer a teach-in like this one. Let's learn together.
  • Walk in the Park, 1pm, Rock Creek Park. The Earth Ethics Team is hosting a post-platform "Walk in the Park." Everyone interested in going is invited to meet at the picnic table by the WES playground at 1pm and have a brief picnic lunch. Everyone is encouraged to bring their own lunch. Then we'd do a circuit hike in the part of Rock Creek Park that is west of WES. The hike should take about an hour. Our rain date will be May 21. Walkers are invited to bring field guides and binoculars.
Tuesday, May 9
  • 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!  For more information, contact Tom Bishop ([email protected]).
  • Adult Education Council Meeting, 7-9pm Adler Study. This group meets monthly on the second Tuesdays of the month for people interested in creating classes, trips, events for our adult community at WES. If you would like attend, please do. You can also contact Melissa Sinclair for more information.
You can see the full calendar here. ( http://ethicalsociety.org/blog/events/)
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SEEK Spotlight
Last Sunday after second platform, the WES Teens went to the Adventure Park at Sandy Spring Friends School! The ropes course there offers tons of trails of varying difficulty, where our teens were able to climb, swing, and zip their way around physically and mentally challenging obstacles, some of which reached as high as 50 feet into the tree canopy. Six teens were able to make it out, and they had a blast.  This was definitely a highlight of this year's Teen Group, and we hope to do it again soon! For more information on the Teen Group, contact Teen Group Coordinator Mike Kravitz at [email protected].
annoucementsAnnouncements
WES Auction Event With Open Seats
Grill Your Own Quesadilla Dinner
Grilling veggies and other ingredients for your quesadillas, tossing a salad, and blending a smoothie (fresh fruit, coffee, other) make a perfect dinner for a spring evening. All thumbs around a grill or a blender? No worries...  Emily and Karl will make quesadillas and smoothies to order.
 
$20 for adults, $10 for kids
Home of  Emily Glazer and Karl Kosok (Silver Spring).

AEU Assembly
Be Part of #Bmorethical2017:
Communities Confronting Systemic Racism!
102nd AEU Assembly, June 8-11
Holiday Inn Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland
Details & registration at  aeu.org/event/aeu-102nd-assembly
Early-bird discounts end  May 8
 
Bmorethical2017 will explore:
·What assumptions and behavior patterns prevent us (as individuals and communities) from growing more inclusive and open in rethinking approaches to racial justice?
·How can humanist communities, such as Ethical Societies, collaborate with grassroots  and interfaith groups to build coalitions that advance common objectives while respecting different perspectives?
·How can we incorporate the wisdom of those most oppressed by white supremacy while not creating frames that distort their voices?
·How do we become aware of and respond to the multiple, overlapping forms of oppression that people experience?
 
Bmorethical2017 will include:
- Keynote Speakers Congressman Jamie Raskin & Adam Jackson, CEO of Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle
-"This is Lea" concert with Lea Morris and a sing-a-long with EthicalNYC's Maggie Determann and AEU's Larissa Perez
- 2017 Elliott-Black Award winners Free Your Voice
-Workshops led by leaders and members of the AEU, researchers, United Coalition of Reason, Secular Student Alliance, and Showing Up for Racial Justice
 
Deepening Circle Openings
One of the Thursday night Deepening Circles has a few openings. If you're interested in joining, please contact Amanda ( [email protected]). It is a commitment to meet monthly for at least the remainder of this year. However, if you are interested in a Deepening Circle at another time, feel free to contact Amanda so that she can support the creation of a new circle. 

Camping Trip Sign-ups
Time's ticking! Sign up for the camping trip soon! EVERYONE is welcome and it's a great, great way to get to know people within the society and to get to know people from other societies (especially Northern Virginia Ethical Society as they are bringing more than half of their membership)!

Attend a camping trip meeting to learn more about it - Between platforms in the double classrooms on  April 30. Check it out and register  here. Remember, if you have some camping gear needs, there are some to borrow and if you want to go, but the expense is too high, contact  Melissa who can find you help so that you can participate. If you want to join for the day times but skip sleeping in a tent, there are hotel options!

Lastly,  9:30 Platform that day will be held at the camp (not at WES)! Fun!!!!

Tooth Paste Donations
The Global Connections organization sends a delegation, with many WES members, to El Rodeo, El Salvador every summer.  While there they run a fully operational Dental Clinic, including helping parents teach proper dental care to their children.  For this year's delegation we are asking the WES community to donate FULL SIZE TUBES OF TOOTHPASTE with fluoride for the trip in June.  The toothpaste donation box can be found in the lobby for all of May.
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