Category: Social Justice

Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education (30 August 2026)

Please join us on Sunday (30 August 2026) at 9:00 AM for our adult religious education class.

Our adult religious education class is now a dual-platform class — meeting in person at the Highland Center and also on Zoom.

On this Sunday, we will continue our discussion of the book Erasing History:  How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future by Jason Stanley.

Our discussion for this Sunday will cover chapter 4 (“From Supremacism to Fascism”).  This chapter explores the insidious role of a supremacist education system in the rise of the fascist state throughout history and in the modern world.

One paper copy of the book is still available to pick up this Sunday and e-book editions are also available.

Bear in mind that although the book was published before the 2024 election, a paperback edition has come out since then.

The Preface in the 2026 paperback edition is different from the Preface to the 2024 e-book edition.

We will be meeting in the small conference room of the Highland Center.  Park in the back parking lot on Topeka Street and come in through the ramp-accessible entrance.  Take the first hallway to the right and enter first room on the right.  And you can join us via Zoom.

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Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education (23 August 2026)

Please join us on Sunday (23 August 2026) at 9:00 AM for our adult religious education class.

Our adult religious education class is now a dual-platform class — meeting in person at the Highland Center and also on Zoom.

On this Sunday, we will continue our discussion of the book Erasing History:  How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future by Jason Stanley.

Our discussion for this Sunday will cover chapter 3 (“The Nationalist Project”).

This chapter explores the destructive effects of supremacist nationalism that we have seen throughout history and around the world along with the ramifications of this nationalism.

Paper copies of the book will also be available to pick up this Sunday and e-book editions are also available.

Bear in mind that although the book was published before the 2024 election, a paperback edition has come out since then.

The Preface in the 2026 paperback edition is different from the Preface to the 2024 e-book edition.

We will be meeting in the small conference room of the Highland Center.  Park in the back parking lot on Topeka Street and come in through the ramp-accessible entrance.  Take the first hallway to the right and enter first room on the right.  And you can join us via Zoom.

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Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education (16 August 2026)

Please join us on Sunday (16 August 2026) at 9:00 AM for our adult religious education class.

Our adult religious education class is now a dual-platform class — meeting in person at the Highland Center and also on Zoom.

On this Sunday, we will continue our discussion of the book Erasing History:  How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future by Jason Stanley.

Our discussion will cover Chapter 2 (“Colonizing the Mind”):

“When a group of people is represented as having no history, they are being denied a valid claim to the present.  Colonialism is an ideal case, perhaps the clearest, for understanding how and why the erasure of history is central to the exercise of power and domination.”

Paper copies of the book will also be available to pick up this Sunday and e-book editions are also available.

Bear in mind that although the book was published before the 2024 election, a paperback edition has come out since then.

The Preface in the 2026 paperback edition is different from the Preface to the 2024 e-book edition.

We will be meeting in the small conference room of the Highland Center.  Park in the back parking lot on Topeka Street and come in through the ramp-accessible entrance.  Take the first hallway to the right and enter first room on the right.  And you can join us via Zoom.

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Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education (9 August 2026)

Please join us on Sunday (9 August 2026) at 9:00 AM for our adult religious education class.

Our adult religious education class is now a dual-platform class — meeting in person at the Highland Center and also on Zoom.

On this Sunday, we will begin our discussion of the book Erasing History:  How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future by Jason Stanley.

Our discussion will cover the Preface and Chapter 1.

Paper copies of the book will also be available to pick up this Sunday and you can always get a jump on the Preface and Chapter 1 here.

Bear in mind that although the book was published before the 2024 election, a paperback edition has come out since then.

The Preface in the 2026 paperback edition is different from the Preface to the 2024 ebook edition.

We will be meeting in the small conference room of the Highland Center.  Park in the back parking lot on Topeka Street and come in through the ramp-accessible entrance.  Take the first hallway to the right and enter first room on the right.  And you can join us via Zoom.

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Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education (2 August 2026)

Please join us on Sunday (2 August 2026) at 9:00 AM for our adult religious education class.

Our adult religious education class is now a dual-platform class — meeting in person at the Highland Center and also on Zoom.

For this Sunday, we will watch an interview with Jason Stanley (Author of Erasing History:  How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future).

As we begin our reading and discussion of Erasing History by Jason Stanley, we will first view and discuss an interview with the author on Amanpour and Company (PBS).

In this interview, he talks openly about a huge decision he has made for himself and his family in response to recent changes in the academic climate of the United States.

Paper copies of the book will also be available to pick up this Sunday and you can always get a jump on the Preface and Chapter 1 here.

Bear in mind that although the book was published before the 2024 election, a paperback edition has come out since then.

The Preface in the 2026 paperback edition is different from the Preface to the 2024 ebook edition.

We will be meeting in the small conference room of the Highland Center.  Park in the back parking lot on Topeka Street and come in through the ramp-accessible entrance.  Take the first hallway to the right and enter first room on the right.  And you can join us via Zoom.

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Shreveport-Bossier Animal Rescue — August 2026 Give-Away-The-Plate Recipient

Each month we dedicate all of our non-pledge income to a community organization doing the work that best embodies our Unitarian Universalist values.

For the month of August 2026, we choose Shreveport-Bossier Animal Rescue.

On the recommendation of Eva Peck (Shreveport-Bossier Animal Rescue volunteer and All Souls member), the Board has chosen the Shreveport-Bossier Animal Rescue for the important work that they do in our community.

They are a local cat rescue shelter dedicated to improving the lives of homeless and unwanted cats by providing shelter and medical care while finding them loving and responsible homes.

They are run by volunteers like Eva and funded by donors like us as individuals and All Souls as an organization.

If you’re feeling the need for a new feline companion, be sure to browse their CATalog.

Two ways to donate:

Online — Go to our donation site using this link.  If you are paying your pledge, select “2026 Pledges” and enter that amount for your pledge contribution.  Then select “Collection Plate” to give the amount you would like to give to Shreveport-Bossier Animal Rescue and then put “GATP Aug 2026” or “Shreveport-Bossier Animal Rescue” in the comment section.  All online collection plate contributions for the month of August 2026 will go to Shreveport-Bossier Animal Rescue.

Offline — Please send your give away the plate contribution checks to All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 520 Olive Street, Shreveport LA  71104.  Please put “Shreveport-Bossier Animal Rescue” on the memo line of the check if  you want to have 100% of your check go to Shreveport-Bossier Animal Rescue.  If you want less than 100% of your check to go to Shreveport-Bossier Animal Rescue, please put the amount you want going to Shreveport-Bossier Animal Rescue on the memo line.

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All Ages Worship (26 July 2026)

Please join us this Sunday (26 July 2026) at 11:00 AM for “What’s in a Home?  Thoughts on a Trip to Palestine” by Melissa Gibson.

For our first worship service in our new The Highland Center location, we are delighted to welcome back one of our own — Melissa Gibson.

Melissa comes to us from Omaha NE to discuss her recent trip to Palestine.

She will explore the idea of what home means — appropriate as we conduct this first service in our temporary home at The Highland Center.

Melissa is a seminarian pursuing a Masters in Divinity degree at Starr King School for the Ministry and is on the staff at First Unitarian Church of Omaha, Nebraska.  Melissa is also an Aspirant within the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Ministerial Fellowship process.

This service will also feature music from the All Souls Choir.

All Souls is now meeting for worship and religious education classes in The Highland Center (520 Olive Street, Shreveport LA  71104) after the sale of our former building located on Ellerbe Road.

Drive around to the back of The Highland Center and enter from the ramp-accessible entrance on Topeka Street, take the second hallway to the right, and our worship will be in the first room on the right.

Our service will also be livestreamed on Facebook Live here if you cannot attend in person.

We are moving our videos from Facebook to YouTube for long-term storage and viewing — you can find our worship videos on YouTube here.

State-level COVID data can be found on the Louisiana Department of Health’s respiratory virus dashboard web page.  The most sensitive metric to follow for current COVID trends is the “Laboratory Surveillance Data” link.

RSV and Flu are all showing an increase in Louisiana as of 18 July 2026.  COVID may have started an increase but it may have stalled out as of 18 July 2026.  We will be paying attention to these changes.

Masking and COVID vaccination are optional for attending in-person events at All Souls.

We encourage you to be vaccinated against COVID and to also have the most-current COVID booster shots.  This provides greater protection to the individual and the church community.

Anyone who prefers wearing a mask is welcome to do so for in-person events and attending worship through livestream video is also an option where required for medical or schedule conflict reasons.

We will still have KN95 masks available in the foyer for anyone who needs one.

We continue to recommend that you stay home if you have any symptoms and that you keep up with all available vaccinations and boosters.

If you are recovering from COVID and have no symptoms, you should mask in public until you have tested negative twice in a 48 hour period.

We also ask that you go by the previous CDC guidelines of waiting at least 5 days past the onset of symptoms rather than the current 24 hour recommendation.

If you have symptoms for COVID or other respiratory illness, please stay home and take care of yourself.

Our July 2026 give-away-the-plate recipient is the OUTNorthLA Film Festival.

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

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Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education (26 July 2026)

Please join us on Sunday (26 July 2026) at 9:00 AM for our adult religious education class.

Our adult religious education class is now a dual-platform class — meeting in person in the church social hall and also on Zoom.

For this Sunday, we welcome guest presenter Melissa Gibson.

Earlier this year, Melissa took a trip to Palestine under the auspices of Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East and Friends of Sabeel North America (Sabeel is a Palestinian Christian organization).

Although she will talk about the trip in her sermon on Sunday, this adult religious education session will give us more of a chance for a conversation and to hear more details about the trip.

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“What’s in a Home? Thoughts on a Trip to Palestine” Worship Service (26 July 2026)

Our first worship service in our new home will be “What’s in a Home?  Thoughts on a Trip to Palestine” by Melissa Gibson.

Our new home after we leave Ellerbe Road will be in The Highland Center (520 Olive Street, Shreveport LA  71104)

All Souls member Melissa Gibson drops in from Omaha, Nebraska to discuss her recent trip to Palestine.

She will explore the idea of what home means — appropriate as we conduct our first service in our temporary home at The Highland Center.

Melissa is a seminarian pursuing a Masters in Divinity degree at Starr King School for the Ministry and is on the staff at First Unitarian Church of Omaha, Nebraska.  Melissa is also an Aspirant within the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Ministerial Fellowship process.

Members of the All Souls choir will sing for this worship service.

Drive around to the back of The Highland Center and enter from the ramp-accessible entrance in the back on Topeka Street, take the second hallway to the right, and our worship will be in the first room on the right.

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