2011 “Neighbors in Need” UCC Justice & Witness Ministries Collection Report from Moderator Tom, Glenda & Sarah
Starting October 2, Spirit of Peace participated in the United Church of Christ Neighbors in Need campaign. Informational material was distributed in the order of worship, and envelopes were made available for use for donations. This is an annual drive for supporting the church's social justice, compassion and witness efforts, and constitutes the third nationwide annual UCC collection. SOP collected a total of $375; we’re so happy to support this very special mission.
2009 Martin Luther King, Jr. March in San Antonio
Rita & Sam at the 2009 Martin Luther King, Jr. March in San Antonio
I wish I had a picture that could convey the sheer mass of people there. Submitted by Rita after the 2009 MLK March
Supposedly the count was only 100,000, and there have been that many at the march before. But I swear, I have NEVER seen the march packed with so many people. The spirit was unbelievable. Such joy and celebration, like the sun breaking through the clouds after a long storm. The signs and t-shirts all bearing testimony. I only took pictures of two - plus the sign I made. The back of my sign said, “Let us march on till victory is won” - which is from the black national hymn, “Lift Every Voice.” That man with the “A Black Man Can” sign - the smile on his face, the pride, the bounce in his step. It was beautiful. What a day.
2008 Martin Luther King, Jr. March
This year's march on Monday, January 21st began at 10:00 AM at the Eastside Boys & Girls Club near the MLK Freedom Bridge and ended at Pittman-Sullivan Park, where a commemorative program and job fair took place. Rev. Rita, Sam and Rich from SOP joined the huge march led by the traditional, symbolic garbage truck. About 100,000 people particpated making San Antonio's MLK march the largest in the nation.
The
Peacebubble Tour...
Please
click on the following link to view a video of the Rev. Jerry Leggit,
of Peacebubble fame, interviewing members and friends of Spirit
of Peace on Sunday, February 25, 2007: THE
VIDEO
To
learn more about Jerry and his Peacebubble tour, please check out
the following link: www.peacebubble.org.
3rd
Spirit of Peace-Sponsored
Community JUSTICE & PEACE EVENT: Prayers
for Justice & Compassion-An Evening Prayer Service
A
Scan of Our Online Invitation:
2nd
Spirit of Peace-Sponsored
Community JUSTICE & PEACE EVENT: Vege-Gathering
2005 Submitted
by Cylia
VegeGathering
2005 gets an A+!
Special guest, Dr. William Greenway from Austin Presbyterian Theological
Seminary, presented a lively keynote address entitled To Love
as God Loves: Animals and the Imago Dei. Citing the creation
account in Genesis in which humankind is given "dominion"
over the beasts of the earth, many Christian non-vegetarians proclaim
biblical support for the killing and eating of animals. Despite
ample evidence that most of our meat comes from millions of animals
regularly suffering on factory farms, at feedlots, in chicken coops
and at poorly regulated slaughterhouses, most Americans still feel
that eating meat is a God-given right. Dr. Greenway suggested that
this is proof-testing of the very worst kind. He elaborated saying
that God took pleasure in his creation. He loved ALL of it. We should
not assume that we occupy the "top" of some God-designed
hierarchy of creatures. In fact, if we arranged all creatures in
a hierarchy based on "sin" rather than intelligence, we
would probably find ourselves at the "bottom," below the
pigs, cows, chickens, even fish. Following a question and answer
period, event participants dispersed to their choice of two out
of four breakout sessions. The topics followed by the facilitators'
names in parentheses were as listed next: "Ethical Perspectives
on Vegetarianism" (John K), "What's the Real Bottom Line?
Dietary Choices and Justice" (Floyd & Carl), "Dietary
Choices and the Integrity of Creation" (Douglas), and "You
Are What You Eat: Effects of Eating Meat and Other Animal Products
on Health and Home Economics" (Linda Ibarra-Gonzales of Palo
Alto College & Eleanor). We wrapped up the event with a vegan
supper organized and prepared by Floyd, the delightful Kaz
Sephton of the San Antonio Vegetarian Society (SAVS) and
numerous volunteers from SAVS and Spirit of Peace. To
read more about how and why our study group looked at Dietary Choices
in the first place, please read the following paragraph.
We
spent the better part of a year (2004 & 2005), investigating
the issues raised in a Dietary Choices Resolution which was presented
and then referred to executive committee at the last UCC General
Synod in Minneapolis in the Summer of 2003. Each member of the small
group researched one section of the resolution, presented his or
her findings to the others and then facilitated a discussion. From
the ethics and theology to the economic and environmental results
of eating animals, we enjoyed rousing conversations and collected
some amazing information. We finished our small group meetings by
inviting the entire church to a vegan/vegetarian potluck. Our discussions
and the dinner were such smash hits that we decided to continue
investigating dietary choices and to present to the public a workshop
highlighting our findings followed by a vegetarian dinner on Saturday,
April 30th.
Please
click on the icon below to view the original invitation:
1st
Spirit of Peace-Sponsored
Community JUSTICE & PEACE EVENT:
Presentation
of the Bonhoeffer Film to the Public at Keystone School
