May 10
NEWS & NOTES
A weekly newsletter to keep you informed.
 
What's in this week's news?
theme
Memorial Day Weekend Platform Schedule
In just a few weeks Memorial Day weekend will be upon us. If you haven't registered for the camping trip, now is the time to do that. You can read all of the information on the WES website at http://ethicalsociety.org/connection/camping-trip/. You can sign up for the camping trip now through May 15.

Please note the unique platform schedule for Memorial Day weekend. The 9:30am platform will at the campsite. 
"Into the Woods!" Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader, and friends. Join Amanda at the WES Camping Trip for a special platform around the picnic tables. The woods often call to us as a place of escape and mystery. What does it means to get lost in the woods? How do we embody the journey of the woods in our own lives?

The 11:30am platform will be at WES.
"Immigration: Embodying Our Values" Forum Theatre actors and WES Sanctuary Task Force members. Join us for this very special platform as actors from Silver Spring's Forum Theatre share scenes from their new play, "Building the Wall," join members of WES who have been working on issues around immigration and deportation. This will be a challenging and inspiring platform--one not to miss. Music from the WES Chorus led by Bailey Whiteman.
daywithoutwomen
Thanks to leadership of the Movement for Black Lives, and the struggles for immigrant and indigenous justice, more and more white people are coming to understand that our silence holds structural racism in place, and that our liberation is bound up in ending the white supremacy that formed and is embedded in American culture. How to begin?

This free SURJ DC training is for white people who want to practice engaging in meaningful conversations about racism and other racialized discrimination with family members and friends. (If you are a person of color interested in this event, please contact us and we will follow up with you about a people of color cohort.)

When: Saturday, May 20, 3-5pm
Where: Washington Ethical Society, 7750 16th NW, Washington DC
Questions Contact: Laura Bradshaw 240-408-622 ( laurabradshaw5@gmail.com
Danna Pope 301-807-4305 ( dannapope@gmail.com)

Registration is limited for logistics. Please use the ticket option on the Facebook event ( https://www.facebook.com/events/2119273768298913/) to register.
article2
Mindfulness Workshop Scheduled
Join us on Monday, May 22 at 7:15pm in the Library at WES. This workshop will offer experiences of various ways of cultivating mindfulness. Mindfulness and "being present" are buzz words nowadays, but the practices are simple and at least as ancient as the Buddha. An understanding and practice of mindfulness can offer great benefits. These include greater awareness of the mind and inner self, more calm and less emotional reactivity, ability to let go of mental preoccupations and to relax body and mind, more compassion for self and others, and an understanding that our internal and external experience is in constant change. Intention and practice are key concepts at the heart of living mindfully. We will offer a few guided meditations of various types as well as some discussion of the underlying principles. Additionally, we will share about our practices and how they have affected our lives. We are very excited to share this time with you, and hope you will join us for an evening exploring these beautiful practices. Facilitators: Ann Baker, JT Halbert.

thissundayschedule


This Sunday's Platform
9:30 & 11:30am.

This Sunday, as we celebrate Mother's Day, we are excited to hear from Monique Miles. She is the Director of the Opportunity Youth Incentive Fund and the Deputy Director of the Aspen Forum for Community Solutions at the Aspen Institute. Prior to joining the Aspen Institute, Monique was the Director, Postsecondary Achievement, at the National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC).  

"Parenting to Transcend: Teaching, Protecting & Loving Black Bodies," Monique Miles. We will continue to explore the theme of Embodiment with an emphasis on the black body. What does it mean to have a black body in current society? In particular, what does it mean to mother a black child? We will explore the lessons and tools that are critical to nurture, protect, love and transcend the structural and individual threats to the black body.



This Sunday at WES.

WEStalks, 10:50am, Main Hall.   "Embodying Change in DC" Ryane Nickens, a member of Brighter Day UMC and a leader with the Washington Interfaith Network (and a very recent graduate of Howard Divinity School!), will speak about her own experiences with gun violence growing up in Ward 8...and how people across the city can come together to address gun violence, police accountability, and community safety. Learn how YOU can make a difference in the months to come.

Auction Team Meet-and-Greet, 11am, Social Hall. Join us in the Social Hall for snacks and a chance to talk with the Auction Team. We're interested in hearing your thoughts about the auction and your ideas for Auction 2017! We want to know what you think has been working and what needs improvement. The Auction Team needs new members and we have volunteer opportunities that fit your availability and your interests. Do you have a few hours to spare for behind-the-scenes tasks that can be done at home? Do you want to get out into your community and ask local businesses for donations? Do you want to help plan Auction Night 2017? Come by and chat with us!

 
Biology Reading Group, 1pm, Library. T he Biology Reading Group meets the second Sunday of every month in the Library. We will be discussing  Part III of "The Vital Question."  If you'd like to be added to the mailing list for the group please follow this link   http://eepurl.com/cFxZzL For further information get in touch with Paul Baker,  plbaker@me.com .

upcomingweeks The Upcoming Weeks at WES
Wednesday, May 10
  • 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!
  • Red Blue Communication Class & Discussion has been cancelled. The next class date is scheduled for June 11.

Thursday, May 11

  • 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.
Saturday, May 13
  • Second Saturdays Are for Service at Wider Circle, 12-2pm, A Wider Circle. All are welcome! Noon to 2 pm. 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
  • QUILTBAG+ Family Social and Potluck, 5pm, Rajesh Vidyasagar's house. This is a social event for members of the QUILTBAG+ family (LGBTQ letters rearranged, with additional identities included) to get together and know each other as part of the larger WES community. Spouses/partners and children are invited. Contact Danna Pope at dannapope@gmail.com for questions or directions.
Monday, May 15
  • 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 (tom.c.bishop@gmail.com).
Wednesday, May 17
  • 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!
Friday, May 19-21
Friday, May 19
  • 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 (nkmontheroad@yahoo.com) or Shan Evans (sevans4406@yahoo.com for more details.
Saturday, May 20

Sunday, May 21
  • Founder's Day
  • Platform Service, 9:30am & 11:30am. "Founder's Day: The Way We Were" Cayo Gamber, Sera Morgan, Perry Saidman, and Amanda Poppei. Ten years ago, WES was in the midst of transition--a capital campaign, a building renovation, a Leader search. This Founder's Day, we look back at this moment in time and celebrate the leap of faith it took for WES members to embody their values and embark on a new chapter in our community's life together. Music from Nicole Rumeau, Joshua Long, Jason Lange, and Tom Bishop.
  • 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 Shmooze team and then join in the good food? Contact Julie Grimes at jwellergrimes@gmail.com to get involved).
  • Sunday Book Club, 1pm, Classroom 2. The Sunday Book Club will proudly present two of our own in artistic performance. Author Vickie Fang and artist Rose Imhoff will initiate a dialog on their thematically linked works. For more information, contact Rachel Hartig at rachel.hartig@gallaudet.edu.
  • Inclusivity in Groups: Mainstream/Margin, 1:15pm, Double Classroom. Have you ever felt as though you didn't belong or been frustrated that your ideas weren't heard? Feeling like an outsider is a common experience in groups, which is deepened by cultural differences, historical marginalization, and the often unaware advantages of some group members. This participatory workshop explores ways to bridge the gap between those who are in the mainstream of a group and those who are in the margins, in order to create more inclusive and rewarding group experiences.
  • Earth Ethics Team Meeting, 6pm. The WES Earth Ethics Team will meet in a member's home in Silver Spring, for a vegetarian potluck.  Topics include planning future activities with the WES Sunday School, how to talk about climate change across the political divide, and more.  All are welcome. For information/RSVP, contact Carol Rawie ( kenrawie@erols.com ).  
You can see the full calendar here. ( http://ethicalsociety.org/blog/events/)
seek 
SEEK Spotlight
The Theme Explorations classes (1st-5th grades) began working with the theme of Embodiment last Sunday by learning about rap and hip-hop through the story of  When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill. Guest member teacher Tom Bishop shared with us how rap began, how and why the DJs mixed their music, and then demonstrated how to rap/talk over a beat. It was such a perfect introduction to Embodiment because DJs spin the albums follow the energy of the dancers to masterfully combine music breaks to keep up the energy of the dance and rappers. For the activity, Tom had the students go outside to find some inspiration to write their own lyric to go over the beat. Several of the students created wonderful rhyming poetry which was marvelously shared with a beat during platform to everyone upstairs.

This coming Sunday is Second Sundays Are for Service and we will have another guest member talk to us about the Dental Clinic in El Rodeo, paired with the service of thanking all mother figures of our membership.

annoucementsAnnouncements
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.
~~~