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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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WES at the DC Pride Parade & Festival
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Join WES and other DC Area UU's FOR CAPITAL PRIDE
Saturday & Sunday, June 10-11, 2017
Shelby French will have the banner and will be building the list of folks who are coming and marching. Line up for the parade starts at 4:30pm. Contact Shelby if you plan on joining WES for this event - shelbyfrench2@yahoo.com or 773-456-0849.
This year's theme for Capital Pride is: Unapologetically Proud! ALL UU parade fans - es
pecially anyone wanting to show your support for the LGBTQ Community - are wanted for walking in the Pride Parade on Saturday afternoon. We will meet up at 3 p.m. (meet-up location still TBD) for a 4:30 p.m. kick-off of the 1.5 mile parade (Ending around 7:30 p.m.). The parade route runs from 22nd & P Streets, NW, through Dupont Circle and 17th Street to the revitalized 14th Street corridor at S Street. More specifics will be provided when line-up is disclosed. It's been a ton of fun in the past - please come out and support!
Outgoing folks are also needed to help run the UU/WES booth, with other local UU church members, at the Pride Festival on Sunday, where they will hand out information, answer questions about UU/WES beliefs, and greet people visiting the booth.
· Booth Setup: Volunteers are needed to set up booth 11 - 12 p.m.
· Booth Manning: Energetic people are needed for 1-hour increments between 12 and 6 p.m.
· Booth Breakdown: Volunteers are needed to take down the booth and clean up the booth area 6 - 7 p.m.
Interested parade attendees/volunteers can RSVP by visiting the following link:
https://goo.gl/forms/eb6jWLj63CTU8wJg2
or get addition information by contacting Jenny McAtee at (240) 595-2680 or jenny@mcatee.com.
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 On June 1, 200 people rallied at the White House to speak out against new deportations that are destroying the families of non-criminal immigrants. The crowd consisted of members and supporters of CASA, the leading advocate for immigrants in the D.C. area, members of Sanctuary DMV, an organization representing over 90 congregations that WES is a part of, and a strong contingent of UU and other clergy leaders. Twenty protesters were arrested, including WES member Ross Wells. Patti Absher of WES also attended the rally.
To read the full story, please see the WES website at: http://ethicalsociety.org/wes-members-support-sanctuary-rally-white-house/ |
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This Sunday's Platform
9:30 & 11:30am.
"Proud to be Queer," James Croft.
Throughout history queerness - membership of a sexual or gender minority group - has been denigrated and demeaned. Queer people have been and continue to be subjected to social stigma and legal discrimination all around the world. Today in America, queer people increasingly enjoy legal equality and increased safety, but rarely are we celebrated for the positive contributions we have brought society. In this platform, James Croft (who is gay himself) will explore how LGBTQIA+ people have, in enthusiastically embracing their own identities, thrown open the floodgates of sexual and gender experimentation for everyone.
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This Sunday at WES.
WEStalks, 11am, Social Hall.
Biology Reading Group, 1pm, Library. This meeting will close the discussion of Nick Lane's "The Vital Question." Unfortunately, it is also our time to say farewell to Barbara Searle, who founded and led the group with her unique talents and experience. So we plan to celebrate in a low key way with a few extra treats in addition to the lunch we usually bring with us. The Biology Reading Group meets the second Sunday of every month in the Library. 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.
Red Blue Communication Workshop, 1pm, Social Hall. Wondering how to put your ethical beliefs into action? Want to help change our divisive political climate? Join us this Sunday afternoon for an introductory workshop on communicating across the red-blue divide. Participants will have the opportunity to: take stock of the challenging times we are living in, understand differences between conservatives and liberals, and learn proven methods to find common ground. For more information, contact john@daken.name or gmcdowellowen@gmail.com.
Capital Pride Festival, 12-7pm, Pennsylvania Ave., NW, between 3rd and 7th Sts. Join us on DC's historic Pennsylvania Avenue at the 42nd annual Capital Pride Festival in the Nation's Capital! Come for a family friendly day full of entertainment, music, food, drink, education, and celebration! The festival is open to everyone.
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The Upcoming Weeks at WES
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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!
Saturday, June 10
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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
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Capital Pride Parade, 4:30-7:30pm, 15th St. & P St.
Thursday, June 8-Sunday, June 11
Tuesday, June 13
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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! For more information, contact Tom Bishop (tom.c.bishop@gmail.com).
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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.
Friday, June 16
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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 (nancy.k.mcguire@gmail.com) or Shan Evans (sevans4406@yahoo.com for more details.
Sunday, June 18
- Platform Service, 9:30am & 11:30am. "The Art of Parenting (Without Losing Your Love of Children)" Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader. Parenting can be...tedious. So can almost every aspect of "adulting." Getting up and going to work, sleeping for a bit and doing it all over again. Feeding and bathing the kids, on repeat. Cooking meals for yourself and doing the dishes...endlessly. Where's the FUN in it all? With an eye toward the "fun dad" model, Amanda explores how we can bring zest into daily life. Spoiler alert: being in the moment helps. Music from the WES Chorus.
- Tai Chi, 11am, front lawn.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).
- New Member Nuts & Bolts, 1pm, Adler Study. Recently joined WES? Swing by to snag a New Member binder and make sure you're connected to any groups that you're interested in. For more information contact Lori Betsock at ljb96@verizon.net.
- WES Resistance Open Mic, 7pm, Main Hall.Come join the WES community for our second WES Resistance Open Mic Night! All are welcome to use the stage to express hopes, desires, and active resistance to the challenges faced in the current political and social climate. Singers, dancers, improvisers, skits, and readings all welcome. A potluck sign up will go out the week before the event. Please feel free to bring appetizers and easy to eat fixings as well as non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. All ages welcome! For more information, please contact Shelby French at shelbyfrench2@yahoo.com.
Friday, June 23
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Bunco, 7pm, Classroom 1A/B. Love Bunco!? Join us! Never played Bunco!? Join us for this super fun and easy to learn game night! Bring a dish or drink to share and join us for a fun evening of Bunco! A suggested $5 buy-in to cover the prizes is requested.
Sunday, June 25
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Platform Service, 9:30 & 11:30am, Main Hall. "Lithium and Laughter Go Great Together" Rachel Kallem Whitman. Rachel is a freshly minted doctor, educator, advocate, and writer who has been shacking up with bipolar disorder since 2000. Rachel has worked in hospitals, in public school settings, and at universities to cultivate safe spaces where people can talk about the experience of mental illness and challenge stigma. With the support of her loving husband (whom she met at Youth of Ethical Societies! Awww!), family and friends, four pets, cheese, and an unconquerable sense of humor, Rachel lives with bipolar disorder but it is not her life.
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Ethical Living Laboratory, 11am, Social Hall.
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New Member Nuts & Bolts, 11am, Adler Study. Recently joined WES? Swing by to snag a New Member binder and make sure you're connected to any groups that you're interested in. For more information contact Lori Betsock at ljb96@verizon.net.
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Earth Ethics Team Meeting, 1pm, Classroom 2. All are welcome at our Earth Ethics Team meetings. We usually begin our meetings with a go-round so everyone can catch up on events in our lives. We will plan outdoor activities and plan advocacy toward fulfilling our responsibility for the earth.
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Working For Racial Equity, 1pm, Main Hall. Drop in to our WRE Talk & Teach Topics to learn with and from each other. The session will include a brief learning opportunity, video and/or exercise with facilitated discussion on the following topic: Prison Industrial Complex: 13th screening - from slave to criminal with one amendment.
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Announcements
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Board Election Update from the LLDC
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The three candidates with the largest number of votes (in alphabetical order) are:
- Rachel Alexander
- Lauren Strange
- Sheila Waters
The LLDC greatly appreciates each candidate who stood for election for our Board, and also those at the Membership Meeting who carefully considered our voting and tallying procedures and offered thoughtful feedback.
For those who would like details about the vote counting process, read on...
There were 125 ballots in the ballot box
- There was 1 duplicate--acknowledged by the voter, whose first ballot did not have their name on it, but the second ballot did. We set aside the first ballot and counted the second.
- 7 ballots were not identifiable by their envelopes and not counted
- We counted 117 ballots
So, to say it another way--we had to set aside 7 of 124 ballots (5.6%) [remember 1 of the 125 ballots was an acknowledged duplicate].
And, to answer one of the requests made during the Membership Meeting--there were zero votes not counted if we could identify the voter/member from the envelope.
With any questions about the process, or about the Lay Leadership Development Committee and Board work, please be in touch with Donna Taylor at
donnatay94@gmail.com
. Thank you to all!
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Family Friendly Service Opportunity at Luther Place!
WES serves at Luther Place the second Saturday of each month. Our volunteers prepare a meal at home to serve to the women of Luther Place Night Shelter, a transitional facility providing food, shelter and supportive case management for up to 30 women. Volunteers arrive at Luther Place by 6:45pm to serve the meal at 7:00pm. Once the meal is served, the volunteers clean up, pack up any extra food, and depart between 8:15pm and 8:30pm. This is a very safe experience with the homeless community, fulfilling a clear and vital need, and often children accompany their parents.
WHO CAN HELP? WES members and friends.
WHERE? Luther Place Memorial Lutheran Church, just north of Thomas Circle in Washington, D.C., at N & 14th Streets.
WHEN? We are looking for volunteers for the following dates:
August 12
September 9
October 14
November 11
December 9
HOW? Contact the WES Luther Place Coordinator, Naomi Goldstein, at 240-305-9849 or
ncg1@aol.com
to sign up for a date!
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Sing with us at AEU Assembly!
If you are interested in joining WES Chorus at the
June 11 Assembly Platform (all are invited), please join our rehearsals:
- Rehearsal Wednesday, TONIGHT, from 7-9pm at WES
- Rehearsal and platform, THIS SUNDAY, 10am - 12:30pm at the Holiday Inn Inner Harbor
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