Julia Esquivel cancels May visit, bishops plan fall panel on ecumenism today
Four regional church bishops have agreed to participate in a panel discussion on “25 Years of Ecumenism in the Inland Northwest,” including the impact of The Fig Tree, beginning at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 6, at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John, 127 E. 12th Ave.
The event will be part of the 25th year celebrations of The Fig Tree and part of its annual dialogue events.
Bishop Walton Mize of Christ Holy Sanctified Church, Bishop William Skylstad of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Bishop Jim Waggoner of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane and Bishop Martin Wells of the Eastern Washington Idaho Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will be the panelists.
There will be gathering time for fellowship, the panel and discussion, followed by a worship service led by the bishops and other area church and faith leaders.
Julia Esquivel, Guatemalan poet-theologian, who had been scheduled in the fall and canceled because of health concerns, again has had to cancel plans to be in Spokane May 8 to 18 because of health.
For information, call 535-1813.
Groups plan Equal Voices Town Hall Meeting
Five Spokane organizations are collaborating with the Equal Voices Campaign to sponsor the Spokane Town Hall Meeting from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, May 17, at the East Central Community Center, 500 S. Stone.
Co-sponsors of the event in Spokane with VOICES include KYRS Thin-Air Radio, the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane, Odyssey Youth Center and the Spokane Alliance.
The nationwide effort seeks to hear from thousands of low-income individuals and families as experts on their own lives and what they believe would work to increase opportunities so they can prosper.
They hope to reach thousands of individuals and families to bring their ideas and solutions to build a national platform that addresses their concerns. The plan is for 10,000 to participate in a multi-city—Los Angeles, Chicago and Birmingham, Ala.—convention on Sept. 6.
“We know families are at risk with more and more finding it difficult to provide for their basic needs,” said Cathy Mann, director of VOICES (Voices for Opportunities, Income, Child Care, Education and Support). “Too many of us struggle on incomes below the poverty line. The working poor can’t make ends meet on the wages they are paid.”
The campaign is building a movement to bring about policy changes to create a more equitable society.
For information, call 326-4135.
Center plans series on "In Jesus' Footsteps"
Immaculate Heart Retreat Center and Catholic Charities are co-sponsoring a three-part weekend retreat series “In the Footsteps of Jesus: A Pilgrimage of the Heart,” from Friday to Sunday, June 6 to 8, at the retreat center, 6910 S. Ben Burr Rd.
Participants will explore an overview of the Catholic perspective on social justice, living the Gospel as Jesus taught and reflecting on how better to serve the poor.
Featured speakers include Msgr. Frank Bach, Father Michael Maher, Sister Mary Garvin, Father Tom Caswell, Scott Cooper and Rob McCann.
For information, call 448-1224.
Birth Mothers' Mass is planned for May 9
Bishop William Skylstad will celebrate the annual Birth Mothers’ Mass, sponsored by Catholic Charities’ Childbirth and Parenting Alone Program, at noon, Friday, May 9, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 1503 W. Dean.
It is for women and families of any faith, anyone touched by adoption.
Following the service, there will be a lunch for birth mothers of adopted children at the parish center, said organizer. Sandy Maher.
For information, call 358-4258. Or email smaher@ccspokane.org.
Directory will be published in early June
The deadline for ads has been extended to May 8 for the 2008-09 Directory of Congregations and Community Resources.
The directory will be printed in early June.
Volunteers are needed in April to assist with verification phone calls, said Malcolm Haworth, community outreach coordinator through AmeriCorps with The Fig Tree.
Food and clothing banks, low-income and senior housing and some other resources will be listed in charts for ease of finding resources, he said.
Pastors and nonprofit leaders keep the directory handy for resource reference and referral.
“Now those listed and advertising need to assist us to assure that listings are current and accurate, and to assure that our costs are covered,” Malcolm said.
For information, call 323-4037.
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Alliance for Responsible Media sets film
The Northwest Alliance for Responsible Media will hold its second educational film in a series on media literacy.
“Tough Guise: Violence, Media and the Crisis in Masculinity” will be shown at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 6, at the Magic Lantern Theatre, 25 W. Main, followed by a discussion at 35 W. Main.
The film reviews the relationship between media and masculine identities. Its thesis is that widespread violence in the society is part of an ongoing crisis in masculinity.
The Northwest alliance monitors the impact of media on society, educates the community and works with professionals to influence media to act responsibly, said John Caputo, director. It is part of Gonzaga University’s master’s degree in communication and leadership.
For information, call 323-3578.
Habitat Blitz Build runs May 30 to June 17
The area’s faith community is putting faith into action by supporting Habitat for Humanity’s annual Blitz Build, May 30 to June 17, with more than 35 clergy from the region scheduled to lead volunteers in prayer as they begin each work day.
“This tradition creates pause for those wrapped in the bustle of the excitement and reminds workers that they are building not just a home but a home for ‘all God’s people in need,’” said Michone Preston, director of Habit-Spokane.
The faith community usually provides meals for volunteers, serving more than 100 lunches a day. This year 13 faith groups will provide meals.
In addition, 12 to 15 volunteer groups from the faith community will help pound nails to build two new homes and finish several others in the 5500 block of East Union.
“Habitat for Humanity was created by people in the faith community,” said Michone “It began locally in the basement of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church more than 20 years ago.
“Still today, 182 homes later, we are honored to celebrate our heritage with the faith community through continued involvement and partnership,” she said.
Habitat-Spokane receives support from the faith community in several other ways, including annual funding and special partnership funding.
Since 2005, Habitat-Spokane has built 12 homes in partnership with Thrivent Financial and the area Lutheran community through the Thrivent Builds Homes program, which provides funding and volunteers. Thrivent Builds is sponsoring construction on three homes in Spokane this year.
Area churches have also served as host to out-of-town college groups and church mission groups who come to Spokane to build.
During Habitat ground breaking and key dedication ceremonies, area pastors share inspiration from scripture and lead the celebration in prayer and thanksgiving to God.
“The ecumenical tradition continues full circle as families from all faith backgrounds turn to Habitat to help build decent, affordable homes for all God’s people in need,” said Michone.
For information, call 534-2552.
'Experience AIDS' ehnibit introduces four children
“Experience AIDS” brings the lives and stories of four African children—Babirye, Mathabo, Kombo and Emmanuel—to Spokane, challenging ways people view the AIDS pandemic.
Several Spokane churches and World Vision, the Christian, humanitarian organization that created the exhibit, will provide visitors the opportunity to walk through a replica of an African village. It will run from Friday, May 16 through Monday, May 19, at First Presbyterian Church, 318 S. Cedar.
The Presbyterian church is hosting the event, working with St. Aloysius Catholic Parish, Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church and Life Center to raise awareness within the global and local community about issues behind the growing AIDS pandemic, especially its effects on children.
The Rev. Kevin Finch, associate pastor of First Presbyterian, said the exhibit presents AIDS as one of “the greatest humanitarian crises” because of its effect on so many children.
He added that the “Experience AIDS” campaign seeks to break the issue of AIDS down, so that it does not appear as daunting as people might think. He hopes the exhibit will provide ways for community members to tackle critical issues together.
After listening to one of the four children’s stories and walking through the exhibit, visitors will have the opportunity through sponsorship or congregational partnerships to help World Vision assist children and communities in the fight to end poverty and injustice around the globe.
“This event is meant to educate and provide opportunities for the Spokane community to become involved in the AIDS pandemic,” said Hannah Kimball, the exhibit’s special events coordinator.
“If people come out thinking, ‘What can I do next?’ we know we’ve accomplished something,” she said.
Open to 8:30 p.m. each day, the exhibit starts at 11 a.m., Friday, 9 a.m., Saturday and 8 a.m., Sunday.
The World Vision exhibit is visiting 33 cities from April through July.
For information, call 747-1058 or visit www.worldvisionexperience.org.
BIOAg Tour is May 28 in Palouse
A one-day BIOAg Tour on Wednesday, May 28, will highlight several Eastern Washington examples of Biologically Intensive Agriculture and Organic Farming (BIOAg).
The program is being sponsored by Washington State University’s BIOAg program in cooperation with the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Washington Sustainable Food and Farming Network.
BIOAg is designed to build sustainable agriculture for healthy farms, communities and ecosystems by fostering the development, understanding and use of biologically-intensive and organic strategies.
The tour will visit learning sites at Colfax and Benge—a small town in Adams County—introducing a pilot project on “Beefing up the Palouse,” direct-seed farming and biofuels research, said coordinator Steve Van Vleet.
BIOAg refers to organic and/or sustainable bio-intensive farming practices, including use of cover crops, management-intensive grazing, composting, and alternative pest and weed control.
Biologically intensive farming practices rely on biological processes that are renewable, non-polluting and beneficial to farmers and society.
Organizers say BIOAg practices:
• Increase farm income by reducing costs and adding value in marketing as “green”;
• Increase access to fresh nutritious foods through direct marketing and farm-to-school programs;
• Increase the nutritional value of foods;
• Improve rural social issues arising from depopulation by developing and demonstrating sustainable systems and new economic opportunities;
• Improve environmental and human health by reducing petro-chemical input and emission of greenhouse gases and pollutants, by supplying viable alternatives for pesticides and fertilizers, and
• Supply an educated workforce for growing organic foods, bio-economy and sustainable society.
For information, call 397-6290 or email svanvleet@wsu.org
NEWSLINKS
• Ecumenical News International
• World Council of Churches
• National Council of Churches
• National Assn of Evangelicals
• Religious News Service
• World Assn of Christian Communicator |
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