Announcements

Online Adult Religious Education — 4 October 2020

Please join us on Sunday (4 October 2020) at 9:00 AM for our adult religious education class via Zoom.

We will continue the next series of Faith Forward — UU Theology.

UU Theology is a planned as a six-session series exploring various theological concepts through a Unitarian Universalist lens.

Each session addresses the question “What does our Unitarian Universalist tradition teach about this concept, and how does that help me clarify and act on my own beliefs?”

This week in UU Theology, we will explore Session 6 — “What Saves Us?”

We look again, more closely, at the roof of our theological house or soteriology (the study of salvation).

If that’s a loaded word for you (or even if it isn’t), take a calming breath and join us to explore this concept in a Unitarian Universalist context.

We’ll talk about how community offers us the opportunity for healing and wholeness along with how each of us is part of that process.

New UU Class Begins This Sunday (4 October 2020)

The “New UU” class will start this Sunday (4 October 2020) with facilitator Bennett Upton at 1:00 PM via Zoom.

Bennett has started a new session of this course that offers insight into Unitarian Universalist history, theology, and practice as well as a deeper dive into our own congregation.

This is a great way to learn more about our faith and our church and to spend some time with other members in a small group setting.

It’s not just for newcomers and not just for those who’ve never taken it before — a refresher is always good.

Citizen Education Launch on Amendment 5 (Monday, 5 October 2020)

Citizen Education Launch on Amendment 5 will happen on Monday (5 October 2020) at 6:30 PM via Zoom.

A Message from retired Lieutenant General Russel Honoré:

I’m writing to invite you to the launch of an education campaign to oppose Constitutional Amendment 5 which is on the ballot this November.

I think it’s one of the worst things to hit Louisiana since Katrina.

We’re launching a citizen education campaign to fight Amendment 5 this Monday, October 5th, at 6:30 PM on Zoom.

I’d like to invite you to attend.

We can have up to 1,000 people on the Zoom call.

You can register for the call here.

What Amendment 5 Would Do

Amendment 5 would allow industrial corporations to negotiate what they pay in property taxes, while the rest of us pay what the law requires.

It would defund public education, pull money away from roads, bridges, healthcare and hurricane recovery and shift the tax burden to working families and small businesses.

The ballot language was “engineered to intentionally confuse the average American voter,” as one reporter put it.
That’s why the community education campaign we’re starting is so important.

Attendees to the event on Monday will receive:

  • Clear, concise information about where Constitutional Amendment 5 came from and the impact it would have
  • A packet of educational material and social media posts to share with your congregation, organizational members, clients, customers, neighbors and local media
  • Information about how to get involved in the campaign to defeat Amendment 5

So please join us on Monday (5 October 2020) at 6:30 PM.

Tell your friends.  Organize your neighbors.

Use this link to register.

Increase Voter Turnout in November 2020

Together Louisiana is building a statewide network of block captains to increase voter turnout.

Thanks to All the Souls who have already signed up to help with this.

Together Louisiana now have over 1,100 block captains signed up across our state.

The 2020 election goals are:

  • 1,000 block captains statewide by September
  • 3,000 block captains statewide by October

Being a Block Captain means:

  1. You care a lot about voter participation
  2. You’ll attend a 1-hour training (by Zoom or phone)
  3. You’re willing to help organize 10 households in your immediate neighborhood to make sure they vote.

Together Louisiana will provide you with a list of voters and the materials and training you need to be effective.

This is a purely grassroots effort and is not supporting any candidate or party.

If you are interested or just want to learn more, sign up here.

First Sunday Food Pantry Day (4 October 2020)

This Sunday (4 October 2020), JoDel Adkins will be at All Souls from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM to collect monthly contributions for the Noel United Methodist Church Food Pantry.

Requested donations for this month:

  • Canned pumpkin (15 oz.)
  • Spaghetti noodles
  • Jiffy Cornbread Mix.

Of course, any and all non-expired non-perishable food is accepted but these are the items they are specifically requesting this month.

Look for JoDel’s green Kia Soul and put your food contributions in the rear cargo area.

There are lots of hungry people in our area right now and both Noel and Highland Center Ministries are two organizations that we support are working to feed them.

Great Decisions Group Meets Saturday Night (3 October 2020)

The Great Decisions Group is meeting online on Saturday night  (3 October 2020) at 6:00 PM.

Great Decisions is America’s largest discussion program on world affairs, sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association.

If you are interested in being a part of the group, email Melodie here and she will send you the link for the meeting.

Meditation with Larry Androes (3 October 2020)

Please join us on Saturday (3 October 2020) at 10:30 AM for our weekly meditation group with Larry Androes.

This is a sitting Buddhist meditation including a brief introduction to mindfulness meditation, 20 minutes of sitting, and followed by a weekly teaching.

The group is free and open to all.

For more information, contact Larry via email or phone using (318) 272-0014.

If you wish to join the group, please email Larry Androes for Zoom meeting link, meeting ID, and password.

Online All-Ages Worship (27 September 2020)

Please join us on Sunday (27 September 2020) at 11:00 AM for “Gather the Spirit” by Rev. Barbara Jarrell.

We will be considering some Unitarian trinities (wait – what!?).  We will also be featuring music from an All Souls choral ensemble.

Our service will be livestreamed on Facebook Live here.

Join us on next Sunday (4 October 2020) for our annual  Blessing of the Animals worship service.  We will have a virtual blessing this year.  We would love to have you and your pets join us on Zoom for the service.

We will have a  virtual coffee hour after the service on Zoom.

While we are remaining physically distant, we want to know how you are doing, what you need, and what you are interested in.  You can let us know using these online surveys.

And you can contribute to All Souls using this online resource.

Online Religious Education for Children (27 September 2020)

Please join us for our online religious education for children and youth this Sunday (27 September 2020) — we will start this online Zoom classroom at 1:00 PM after the virtual coffee hour is over.

This week we will explore “Asking Questions.”

Our fourth principle is the free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

One way that we embark on our free and responsible search is to keep asking questions.

We’ll hear a story of someone whose questioning led him to discover a planet

We will also play some games involving questions.

We can still use your art work illustrating our principles and sources.

You can post it on the All Souls Religious Education Group on Facebook or send it to Susan at dre@allsoulsshreveport.org.

We can use more illustrations of the third and fourth principles and — of course — the eighth principle too:

  • How people act when they support each other and learn together
  • How people act when they are free to search for truth in their own lives?
  • How people act when they are working to dismantle racism and create beloved community?

Join us using the religious education Zoom link about 5 minutes after the worship service.

If you have any questions, send Susan Caldwell an email or text her at 318-465-3427 for help joining this online religious education class.

Online Adult Religious Education — 27 September 2020

Please join us on Sunday (27 September 2020) at 9:00 AM for our adult religious education class via Zoom.

We will continue the next series of Faith Forward — UU Theology.

UU Theology is a planned as a six-session series exploring various theological concepts through a Unitarian Universalist lens.

Each session addresses the question “What does our Unitarian Universalist tradition teach about this concept, and how does that help me clarify and act on my own beliefs?”

This week — Session 5 — “What Are Our Sources?” — We will continue to look at the diverse sources from which UUs draw wisdom and inspiration and consider which ones inform and enrich our individual paths and that of our congregation.

We’ll take some more time this week to look at the different UU perspectives of Jesus.