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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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There is still room in the Volunteer Training, being provided by our partner, Lutheran Social Services, on Thursday January 12 at 7pm. This is an opportunity to clarify what volunteers can expect and what is expected of us and to prepare to receive, interact effectively, mentor, and be supportive to our family. While attendance is not mandatory for volunteers, it should be informative and helpful. If you are not able to attend, please inform Sue Smith (
suzhome2@verizon.net) who will brief you on the content shortly afterwards. Anyone who expects to work directly with our family will be required to submit to a background check. Names, email addresses and a $30 check for the background check will be collected at the training session. Those who can't attend are asked to provide your payment, in advance if possible, to Trang Duong (
trangd@gmail.com). Watch for her email for particulars. After background checks are completed, the process of matching WES to a family will begin, so thank you for your cooperation. It will help expedite that process and bring our family here sooner.
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 Join
WES
friends and the wider community in an evening of love, support, and resistance. The Resistance Un-Ball is the launch for the social justice efforts that WES will be organizing in the coming years. The Un-Ball is open to WES members and non-members alike and will include:
- Music & dancing for all ages
- Potluck food and BYO wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages.
- Protest art-making (possibly for the Women's March on the next day) & letter writing
- Open mic for comedy, improvisation, poetry, music, or spontaneous performance art
- Kids' Social Justice corner with activities, art, and dance
- Inauguration Bingo and updates on the absurd events of the day
- "Thank You" gestures/art/letters to the Obamas (with a specific invite to WES!)
- General laughter, camaraderie, and joy!
Fancy attire not required; dress however makes you feel comfortable but we invite you to come as your favorite rebel, rogue, or resister!
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 The back of the Main Hall is where the sound booth lives. Through that board, our amazing WES Sound Team is able to project sound into the speakers, into the hearing assistance devices, and into the platform livestream. For the past few years, WES Board Member Kristin Hunter has been running the team. The team's countless hours of effort have really helped create a sound program where WES is able to be heard all over the world! (No, seriously- check out the podcast: https://soundcloud.com/ethicalsociety.) However, as of the first of this year, Kristin has stepped down as the team's coordinator. She has passed the baton to John Pfeifer. John will be taking over the oversight and scheduling of the team. We are so thankful to both Kristin and John (and the rest of the sound team!) for their work to make WES's voice heard!
If you are interested in joining the sound team or any of the other Sunday morning teams, we invite you to contact Robyn (robynk@ethicalsociety.org). She will get you into contact with the team's coordinator. |
 SEEK Weekly Spotlight
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Second Saturdays Are for Service Outside of WES
Volunteering at Wider Circle,
January 14,
10 am to noon
followed by lunch. This volunteering opportunity is for anyone - children and adults. RSVPs to
Melissa (
melissas@ethicalsociety.org) are required by
Thursday evening, January 12, because Wider Circle needs this information.
Park at the school next to AWC Warehouse. You will also need to fill out a
waiver when you get there. See the linked website for more information about
Wider Circle.
This is especially great for our SEEK Students. We can make it Second
Saturday for Service outside of WES, and then Second Sundays for Service in SEEK classrooms the following day, K-5.
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Second Sundays Are for Service at WES, January 15
Toiletry drive: sample sized shampoo, shower gel, lotions, toothpaste, Xl Overnight pads, sensitive skin face wash, detergent
N Street Village empowers homeless and low-income women to claim their highest quality of life by offering a broad spectrum of services and advocacy in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. Through the efforts of over 300 volunteers and the contribution of hundreds of community members and organizations, our staff serves almost 900 homeless and low-income women a year.
Students 1st through 5th grades will gather and count and make notes to accompany donations.
SEEK Spotlight for This Past Sunday!
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WES teen Russell Corbin with some of his fellow Teen Group members.
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Last Sunday's Global Connections platform featured WES's own Russell Corbin, a 10th grader, speaking about his experiences with WES's sister community in El Salvador, El Rodeo. Russell, a long-time Spanish student and Global Connections participant, began a correspondence with another child in El Rodeo at the age of 8, and felt he had a good understanding of what life in rural El Salvador was like... until he actually went there for the first time. He discussed his experiences learning about the local people and the history of the country, which has been plagued with violence and corruption for decades. WES and #WESteens are so proud of Russell for his (and his parents') continuing commitment to global justice in the past and into the future. Thank you, Russell, for so eloquently sharing your story with us! To hear the full platform, we invite you over to our brand new podcast at https://soundcloud.com/ethicalsociety/january-8-2017-11-30-vision-for-the-future
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This Sunday's Platform
9:30 & 11:30am.
"A Tale of Two Stories," The Rev. Leon Dunkley. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness. . . ." Charles Dickens wrote these words in 1859-the same year that Charles Darwin put forward his theory of evolution, and the same year that John Brown famously or infamously raided Harper's Ferry. The shape of American history depends on how we tell the story. Fifty years ago, in 1967, Martin Luther King told a story of war in an address that he delivered in New York City. Beyond Vietnam, the address that he delivered on April 4th of 1967 is regarded as King's highest achievement as well as his most costly mistake. Have we gained in these five decades the perspective that we need to determine which one of these is true? Come find out!! Music from the WES Chorus.
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Tai Chi, 11am, Social Hall. We invite you to join us out on the front lawn (or in the Main Hall if weather doesn't cooperate) for a 30-minute session of Tai Chi. No experience necessary and perfect for all ages and abilities.
Schmoozapalooza Lunch, 12:45pm, Social Hall. WES continues our lunch on every third Sunday for all who want to hang out after platform and gab with friends. Gather around tables in the Social Hall and keep on talking. Nosh on a great lunch, with vegetarian options always available. Requested donation $5. Schmoozing with your friends and licking your fingers--what better way to keep on talking, parse the platform, and catch up! (If you plan to attend the 9:30 platform, why not help out the Schmooze team and then join in the good food? Contact Julie Grimes at
jwellergrimes@gmail.com to get involved).
Information Meeting on the WES Tonight! (Follies), 1pm, Double Classroom. The Follies are coming to WES Saturday, March 11, bringing you an exciting, entertaining, and high energy variety show developed and performed by our beloved WES community. Want to learn more and join in on the fun? We invite you to join us at 1pm in the double classroom downstairs, when we'll explain the Follies concept and how you can be involved. If you already attended the previous meetings, we invite you to join us on the 15th where we'll go a bit deeper into people's ideas and start solidifying some acts If you have any immediate questions please email Sera Morgan (
SMorgan@hrsa.gov) or Shelby French (
shelbyfrench2@yahoo.com).
Sunday Book Club, after lunch, downstairs classroom. Kate Lang will lead a discussion of When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalinithi (completed by his wife, Lucy Kalinithi). For more information, contact Rachel Hartig,
rachel.hartig@gallaudet.edu.
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The Upcoming Weeks at WES
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- **CANCELLED** Working for Racial Equity Meeting.
- Volunteer Training for Refugee Support, 7pm, Main Hall. Lutheran Social Services will be providing training for all volunteers in WES's refugee resettlement effort. If you are on the RRT, signed up to assist in a core area of support, or just interested in knowing more about how to effectively assist families making the transition to life in the U.S., please feel free to attend.
Friday-Sunday, January 13-15
- Jubilee Workshop, All Souls Church, Unitarian. Jubilee Anti-Racism Training is endorsed by WES and the WES WRE group. Do you wish to nurture WES's multicultural future in the face of opposing cultural currents? Do you wish to deepen your understanding of how race and ethnicity play out in our institutions and our daily lives? Jubilee Anti-Racism Training helps participants understand what is involved in nurturing a multicultural community and working against racism in all of its forms. The workshop requires a weekend commitment, and it is worth every minute of that commitment. This 2 1/2 day workshop is open to members of any congregation in the Joseph Priestley District of the UUA. Lay leaders are especially encouraged to attend. Contact Paula Cole Jones for more information: pcolejones@gmail.com. Here is the link to register for this training.
Saturday, January 14
- Volunteering at Wider Circle, 10 am to Noon followed by lunch. Second Saturdays are for Service outside of WES. RSVPs to Melissa are required by Thursday evening, January 12. Wider Circle needs this information. Park at the school next to WC warehouse. You will also need to fill out a waiver when you get there. See the linked website above in the SEEK spotlight for more information.
Monday, January 16
- Bystander Intervention Training, 2pm, Main Hall. In a political and social environment that can feel hostile, we want to be ready to act as agents for good, keeping ourselves and others safe. Defend Yourself is a local non-profit working to empower the community to speak out against harassment. In this workshop, participants will learn to recognize and safely respond to aggressive behavior using bystander intervention strategies. Limited to 40 participants; please sign up at wes-bystander-training.eventbrite.com. We will also offer childcare at this time, which will include a component of anti-bullying work. You must reserve childcare with Melissa Sinclair at melissas@ethicalsociety.org.
Tuesday, January 17
- Building Team Meeting, 6:30pm, Adler Study.The WES Building Team improves our community home by lowering our electric utility costs, greening our building, improving lighting everywhere, and addressing maintenance issues. We invite you to our next meeting early in the new year to discuss these issues and as we apply our hands-on skills to these challenges. To join us, please contact Rich Reis at 301-384-0540 or rich.reis1@gmail.com.
Friday, January 20
- All WES Conversation: Who Should We Be?, 3-5pm. Small group discussions and direction-setting for WES's role in this new time. If you are interested in supporting childcare for this event (it will be a difficult time to set up our usual childcare providers) please contact Melissa.
- The Resistance Un-Ball, 5pm, Main Hall. Join WES friends and the wider community in an evening of love and resistance--an Un-Ball with music, dancing for all ages, protest art-making, and letter writing. Potluck food and BYO wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages. Fancy attire not required; dress however makes you feel comfortable and empowered! To get involved, contact Shelby French at shelby.french@rescue.org or Becky Klabunde Tomer at beckyann1110@gmail.com. See the Facebook event here.
- **Cancelled** Still Thirsty After All These Years. The Still Thirsty Group hopes to see you at the Resistance Un-Ball.
Saturday, January 21
- Women's March on Washington, 10am, 200 Independence Ave. If you are planning to attend the march, please RSVP to the Facebook event (https://www.facebook.com/events/1617863051849017/). For the purposes of day of meeting up and organizing, please join the Remind Group for WES (www.remind.com/join/ethicaldc). By joining this, the WES office will be able to send you text messages throughout the March.
Sunday, January 22
- Platform Service, 9:30am & 11:30am. "We Hold the Vision Now," Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader. As we move into a new presidential administration, whatever thought we had of being bystanders must be set aside. We are now the ones who must hold a vision for America, and who must act to make that vision come true. How are we called to be in the months ahead? What is WES's particular role in this time? Don't miss this platform that will invite each of us into visioning together. Music from the WES Chorus.
- 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.
Saturday, January 28
- Teen Group Ice Skating, 3pm, Location TBD. The #WESteens are celebrating the middle of winter with ice skating! Contact Mike Kravitz with questions, mikek@ethicalsociety.org.
Sunday, January 29
- Platform Service, 9:30am & 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.
- 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 dive in with both feet, we have a place you'll fit.
- 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.
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