Thursday, November 15, 2018
Need a place to celebrate Thanksgiving? Rev. Rebecca Parker is matching people up who would like to join another All Souls family for Thanksgiving dinner. If you would like to be matched up with an All Souls family, please email Rev. Rebecca ( rparker@allsouls.ws ) by the end of the day on Sunday, November 18. If you have a place at your table and would welcome an All Souls guest or two, let her know.
The Coming Week
Saturday, November 17

Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training , sponsored jointly by Safe Shores and All Souls Religious Education Committee. $15/per person, but scholarships are available from Safe Shores, and All Souls will cover the fee for RE teachers, committee, and regular volunteers. Childcare and light fare provided. Donations to Safe Shores accepted. RSVP to Dolores ( dmiller@allsouls.ws ) by Sat., Nov. 10. Sat., Nov. 17, 2-4 pm, Eaton Room.

Sunday, November 18

Neighbors-in-Need Food Drive. See above.

Rainbow Souls monthly meeting . 1:00 pm, Tupper Room.

The ASC Haiti Committee will share its key accomplishments. With financing from ASC Beckner Fund and technical support of UMD MIS faculty and students, CEN is currently creating a community needs and resources inventory for the Municipality of Petion-Ville (in collaboration with the mayor’s office and local leaders). The inventory, an online searchable database, is meant to educate donors, primarily Haitians living abroad, about priorities and facilitate direct fundraising around the world, as well as facilitating information sharing, and network building. RSVP to Arvilceus@gmail.com or Board.cenhaiti@gmail.com . Visit ASC website for more info about the ASC Haiti committee and CENHaiti.org. Sundays, Nov. 18, Dec. 16, and Jan. 20, after second service.

Mindful Souls provides an opportunity to meet in community regularly at the church for meditation, followed by discussion led by congregants or others from our broader DC community. We welcome all who wish to attend. Every Sunday, 11:00 am, Longfellow; 1:00 pm, classroom 2.

Tuesday, November 20

The Evolution of Inequity Since the Great Recession, with Policy Solutions . Marcus Casey, PhD , a David M. Rubenstein Fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, will discuss the consequences of growing income and wealth inequality on the economic prospects of middle-class and poor households. He will trace the evolution of inequality since the Great Recession, explain how uneven economic growth and the housing crisis exacerbate inequality, and present potential policy solutions. Contact info@uusj.org for additional information. Register here . Tue., Nov. 20, 8:00 - 9:00 pm, UUSJ Zoom (video conference) webinar.
All Souls BorderLinks Witness Trip
This week, a delegation of eight ministers and members of All Souls are in Arizona to gain first-hand experience of what’s happening at the US-Mexico border. The participants are Brian Barger, Megan Calvert, Carmen Carrera, Rev. Rob Hardies, Rev. Rob Keithan, Serena Lowe, Marleise Pastore, and Carl Proper. Led by the Tucson-based organization BorderLinks in partnership with the UU College of Social Justice , the group is witnessing Operation Streamline (the US government’s no-tolerance program for rapid deportation), walking through the desert to see exactly where people are crossing—and dying, and meeting with local organizations and activists. Each day ends with theological reflection on the experience and what can be learned from it.

The group engaged in a process of education and self-reflection before the trip. They invite everyone in the All Souls community to join in the education process. Below are some of the recommended resources. Rev. Rob Keithan will reflect on the journey in his November 18 sermon, “The Empire Has No Clothes.” There will be a longer debriefing workshop with trip participants in early 2019.

Videos
  • This video provides background about the action Faith Floods the Desert, which took place in Ajo, AZ, this summer, in conjunction with the organization No More Deaths.
  • Peter Getzels and Eduardo Lopez’s hour-and-a-half-long film, Harvest of Empire, is a crash-course on the impact, both here and there, of the US government’s interventions in Latin American nations. Not surprisingly, people from the countries we harmed the most—including Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador—still represent the largest groups coming to the United States.

Articles/Reports
Commentary
The Politics of Inherent Worth & Dignity — Our Continuing Journey by Alicia Sanchez Gill Freemyn, All Souls Church Unitarian, Washington, DC

I have spent the last 24 months, not unlike many of you, protesting almost daily, working in overdrive and drinking too much coffee. And I know I am not alone. For many of us, the constant threats to our communities and the communities we stand in solidarity with are too great not to fight.

As a queer, Afrolatinx woman, a survivor of sexual violence, a social worker, a Unitarian Universalist and a person working to make safer communities free from gendered harassment and assault, I know that these threats are not theoretical. We have historical precedents for the horrors we are witnessing today. We can trace a straight line from families being separated at the border to the prison industrial complex to boarding schools that ripped Native families apart, internment camps, and slavery. For those of us living at multiple glorious intersections of identities, this work is not part-time, temporary, new or ad hoc. — it is permanent and constant.

Congregational Trustee and Officer Nominees
The Leadership Development and Nominating Committee (LDNC) is pleased to introduce the nominees for congregational trustee and officer positions for 2019:
  • Libbie Buchele, nominee for trustee
  • Tehani Collazo, nominee for trustee
  • Nadine Ramos, nominee for trustee
  • Mike Hill, nominee for co-moderator
  • Mark Regulinski, nominee for treasurer
  • Carrie Davidson, nominee for secretary
Visit www.all-souls.org/ldnc to read about the nominees and come by our table during coffee hour on November 11 and November 18 to meet them. And mark your calendar to attend the December 2 Congregational Annual Meeting, where we’ll vote to fill these positions.
Adult Spiritual Development
Deepen Your Grounding in Unitarian Universalist Heritage and Hope

Classic Readings in Liberal Religion

  • Hosea Ballou “A Treatise on Atonement.” Next in the series, Classic Readings in Liberal Religion, this class will be convened by Rev. Rebecca Parker. These short, two-session courses are an opportunity to learn more about the development of our religious traditions by reading and discussing a selection from a significant religious writer. The first class sets the context; the text is then discussed at the second class. Register at www.all-souls.org/asd. Nov. 7 and 28, 7:00-9:00 pm, library.

  • Theodore Parker “The Transient and Permanent in Christianity”, Dec 5 & 19, 7-9 pm

2019 Pilgrimage Alert!
Finesterre, on the northwest Spanish coast, was once believed to be the end of the known world. The name derives from the Latin finis terrae, or “end of the earth.” As we face the reality of global climate change, we, too, must confront the end of the world as we know it. In the fall of 2019, Rev. Hardies will lead a group of All Souls pilgrims on a journey from Santiago, Spain, to Finesterre and nearby Muxia on the coast.
The pilgrims will depart Washington on Sun., Sep. 22, 2019, for Santiago. We’ll spend a night there before beginning our walk to the coast. We plan to return to Santiago to fly home on October 1 or 2 (minor modifications may be made to the ending date as more details of the trip are confirmed).
We anticipate the trip to cost roughly $1,600-$1,800/person (does not include airfare or single supplement).
To proceed with planning, we need a rough estimate of the number of people who may be interested in walking with us. Tentative interest now does not obligate you in any way—it just gives us an idea how many people may be interested. Please send an email to Judy Leaver (judy@jleaver.com) to indicate interest in joining your fellow souls on this spiritual opportunity in 2019. Also, let her know if you’d like to help with planning and coordination of the trip.

Register for all classes at www.all-souls.org/asd
Covenant Groups
NEW GROUP: The Rock Creek Covenant Group will be a welcoming space for all who want to take time to connect with others and explore spirituality and community. We will explore the monthly themes provided by the church to guide our discussions. This group will focus on how our spirituality can guide us through these challenging times and how we can build community to support each other in our development. We’ll meet twice a month on Tuesday evenings; first meeting on Nov. 27 at 7:00 in the organizer’s home near Rock Creek Park. Contact Kristina Solum ( kristinasolum@gmail.com ) for address or details.

NEW GROUP: Being the Change will focus on the rewards and frustrations of justice-seeking work for social change. Whether social change is part of your job, personal life, or future aspirations, and whether your focus is the international, national, local, or individual level, attention to social justice inevitably affects our outlook on the world. This group provides the opportunity to explore the themes in the church’s monthly discussion guides with other people sharing a commitment to making this world a better place through any number of different paths and areas of concern. The group will meet one Monday evening per month, initially at the organizer’s home near Union Station and then possibly rotating among the homes of members that would like to host. Contact David Super ( newfsman@outlook.com ) to connect with this group.

OPEN MEETING 1st Tuesday. TNG has had a hard time coming up with a name. Our common thread is that we don’t have a common thread. Some are in our 30s, some in our 60s, and others everything in-between; some identify as female and some as male; some work full-time office jobs, some work outside the box, and some are retired. We’re people of color, and we’re white. The list goes on. Actually, we do have a lot in common. We all value connection, fellowship, and friendship. We like learning new things, or even just seeing new sides of what we thought were old issues. We all strive to be good listeners, and at some point, we’ve all taken risks as we’ve opened up to the group about ourselves and our ups and downs. We are all committed to keeping a covenant with one another so that we can support, encourage, and love each other through the coming days, weeks, and months. Oh, and we get together every first and third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm in Adams Morgan. That’s something you can say about all of us, too. Contact Anne Hopewell ( annemrh@aol.com ).

OPEN MEETING always. At the Poetry and Journaling covenant group , we love words. We use a portion of our time together to share poems or journal entries that we have written on the month’s theme. If writing is part of your spiritual practice or you would like it to be, we would love to welcome you to our meetings. Open to all comers, any time! Saturday mornings, once a month, Columbia Heights. Contact Mary Beth Hatem ( nicamarybeth@yahoo.com ).
Children and Youth Religious Education
Whaddaya Need to Know?

PK 2-3 (9:30), PK 2-4 (11:15): I Can Pretend
PK 4 (9:30 Service):Winter Brings Changes to Our Earth
Elementary:
  • K/1st - Art: Hats from the Story for All Ages
  • 2nd/3rd - Music: Singing and Rhythms
  • 4th/5th - Making Gift Bags for Homeless Children
Middle School: Chili Lunch
Youth Group: Discuss Justice Activities for the Year

Future Fetes

November 17 - Safe Shores Child Abuse Prevention Training for Teachers and Parents. $15/person, scholarships provided by Safe Shores; fees for All Souls teachers, committee members, and regular volunteers covered by All Souls. Donations to Safe Shores
Opportunities
Need a place to celebrate Thanksgiving? Rev. Rebecca Parker is matching people up who would like to join another All Souls family for Thanksgiving dinner. If you would like to be matched up with an All Souls family, please email Rev. Rebecca ( rparker@allsouls.ws ) by the end of the day on Sunday, November 18. If you have a place at your table and would welcome an All Souls guest or two, let her know.

Clinic Escort Training. Want to help promote peaceful and safe access to women’s health clinics in the DC Area? The Reproductive Justice Initiative is partnering with the Washington Area Clinic Defense Task Force to organize a clinic escort training for the All Souls Community sometime in early 2019. If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Danielle Garrett ( laurendgarrett@gmail.com ). All genders welcome!

The Refugee Support Initiative is gearing up for a very active 2019. Please stop by our table in Pierce Hall to learn more about our upcoming activities and volunteer. If you’d like to assist with ongoing projects, here are some of RSI’s current needs:
  • One of our partner organizations, the Refugee Action Network (RAN), is looking for advice related to its organizational structure, fundraising activities, recruitment, and substantive projects. If you have experience in assisting nonprofit organizations with these types of issues, RAN could use your help. Contact Beni Luzau (luzbas@gmail.com).
  • As you know, All Souls has been assisting Ronnie Huete Salgado, a human rights journalist from Honduras who recently was granted asylum in the U.S. Ronnie recently received his work authorization along with his status as an asylee. He is also receiving limited public benefits and is looking for a job. Ronnie is also enrolled in an intensive English program where he is taking classes five hours per day, Monday through Friday. If you are aware of any job openings (for a journalist or any type of work) for a person who is available in the afternoon and evening and speaks mostly Spanish, please let us know. If you can contribute funds to help cover Ronnie’s monthly tuition in his English program your help would be greatly appreciated.
Please contact Laurie Ensworth ( lensworth@verizon.net ) with any assistance.

Right Relations. The practice of building the beloved community requires us all to learn new tools for communication and conflict resolution. Join the Committee on Right Relations’ next workshop about Nonviolent Communication & Restorative Justice, led by Tarek Farouk Maassarani and Eli MacCarthy of the DC Peace Team. All are welcome! RSVP to Kyla Dixon (401-527-1280; ascu.crr@gmail.com ). Sat., Dec. 1, 11 am – 3 pm, Eaton Room. 

Believe in radical hospitality? Act on those beliefs! Worship services can be magical, but they don’t happen magically. In addition to the ministers and staff, we depend on the time, effort, and good will of volunteer congregants. Interested in helping? You have a choice of roles to play, and each is important.
  • Worship Associates speak from the pulpit five or six times a year to welcome the congregation and introduce the offering collection. Worship Buddies help setup before services. Training occurs once or twice a year. Contact Jana Owens (jana_owens@hotmail.com).
  • Ushers welcome congregants and visitors, hand out the orders of service, and help everything run smoothly and safely. The commitment is only one service each month, so it’s a great way to get involved. Contact Mark Matthews (markhowardmatthews@gmail.com).
  • Greeters welcome visitors and answer their questions, both before and after services. Really important, but easy—once a month commitment and no meetings! Great way to meet people, and you’re already qualified! Contact Gary Penn (gpenn@allsouls.ws).
  • Counters receive the offering plates, tally the numbers, and lock everything away in the safe. You’ll serve once a month after the second service and meet a nice group of folks. Contact John Crowe (babaloo913@gmail.com).
  • The Lunch Ministry nourishes the congregation with a homemade, healthy meal about once a month. Stretch your culinary skills! Visit all-souls.org/lunch or contact Jerri Husch (ascu.lunch@ gmail.com).
All Souls Church Unitarian | 1500 Harvard St NW, Washington DC 20009
202.332.5266| www.all-souls.org