Category: Social Justice

Brown Bag Discussion — 26 October 2011

Our October documentary theme continue with At The End of Slavery:  The Battle for Justice in Our Time.

This is a documentary from the International Justice Mission that will be screened on Wednesday, 26 October 2011, from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM

If you missed the first showing of this film, here is another chance to see it.

In the same way that this picture of the slave ship Brookes galvanized thousands of people who had never seen or owned a slave, IJM hopes this powerful 30-minute film will awaken the world to the modern practice of human trafficking.

Join us to learn more about what you can do now to begin to end slavery around the world, here in the U.S. and even right here in Shreveport.

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Sunday, 16 October 2011 at All Souls

Sunday, 16 October 2011 – 11:00 AM — “Holy Ground: A Place for Character” by Rev. Barbara Jarrell.  The All Souls Choir will sing as well at this worship service.

Join us after the worship service for a viewing of At The End of Slavery — a documentary from International Justice Mission who works to end human trafficking around the globe. Come and learn how you can help, starting right in this meeting.

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News for Week of 8 October 2011

Worship – 11:00 AM, Sunday, 9 October 2011 — “Companions for the Journey” — our quarterly series featuring reflections from three of our members on the journey that led them to All Souls, and the reasons they stay. This month, we will hear from Cherrie Groves Moussaoui, John Allen and Patrick Early.

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Pancake Breakfast – 9:30 AM-10:45 AM, Sunday, 9 October 2011 — Pancake Breakfast Fund-raiser — Come join us for a pancake breakfast with pancakes, sausage, vegetarian sausage, and more! Cost is your donation (no one is turned away) and the proceeds go to building air conditioning fund.

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We need some REcycling!  If you have some empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls, bring them to the Pre-K/K-1 class in Room 1 before the service this Sunday Only (9 October 2011). They will be making shakers.

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Northern and Central Louisiana Interfaith Candidate Accountability Meeting — 7:00 PM, Thursday, 13 October 2011 at St. Jude Catholic Church (3800 Viking Drive, Bossier City).

Invited guests include candidates for area seats in the State Senate and House, who will answer questions concerning their intentions to work with Interfaith on the issues that have come up from their member institutions particularly workforce development, enforcement of rental property habitability standards at the state level, and improvement of public education.

Turnout is vital to ensure that Interfaith has a place at the table in the ongoing effort to make our community a better place for all.

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Wednesday Brown Bag Talks Are Back

The Brown Bag series returns this Wednesday (5 October 2011) at 11:30 AM with educator Michael Phillips.

Mr. Phillips will be speaking on multiple learning styles.  Learn about the many different ways that people learn, and gain some insight into your own learning style. Bring your lunch and bring your friends.

And mark your calendars now for 12 October 2011 at 11:30 AM when we will feature the documentary Blue Gold which is about the increasing commercialization of water and its potential global effects in the years to come.

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Clay Walker Speaking on Juvenile Justice

Thursday, 29 September 2011 – 6:00 – 8:00 PM —  All Souls Board President Clay Walker will be giving a presentation on the juvenile justice system to Louisiana Women for Progress at the All Souls.

Clay will speak on the kinds of children in our juvenile system, the relationship among schools, education, community support systems, mental health and families, and what we can do to help.

All women are welcome to join Louisiana Women for Progress which is designed to educate and advocate for changes that benefit our community.

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21 August 2011 Worship

11:00 AM Sunday, 21 August 2011 — Rev. Barbara Jarrell is back in the pulpit.  Her sermon is “Unfamiliar Alliances.”

During the worship service, the children and youth will have a car wash to raise money for the playground fun.  Drop off your car before church, and have it washed by very conscientious and thorough young people supervised by very conscientious and thorough supportive adults.

Steve Caldwell and Abbas Moussaoui will be coordinating this car wash, so talk to them or contact Susan Caldwell if you can help.

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We Are a Welcoming Congregation!!

Rainbow ChaliceOn 26 July 2011, the Unitarian Universalist Association responded to our Welcoming Congregation Report:

Dear Minister, Welcoming Congregation Committee, Members and Friends,

It is with great pleasure that I inform you that your congregation has been recognized officially as a Welcoming Congregation.

Our history shows that the liberal religious tradition is affirmed every time another congregation commits itself to being a human place that affirms, welcomes and celebrates the presence of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. Though there remains a great deal of work to do in the Association before homophobia and transphobia become things of the past, it is congregations like yours that serve as an inspiration for those who have yet to begin the work of greater inclusion and understanding.

We are also sending you two posters, suitable for framing, that read:

“We are a Welcoming Congregation: This Unitarian Universalist Community welcomes and celebrates the presence and participation of bisexual, gay, lesbian and/or transgender people.”

Congratulations, and thanks for your important work!

Sincerely,
Alex Kapitan

LGBT Ministries
Multicultural Growth and Witness
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

 

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Welcoming Congregation Report

Welcoming CongregationThe Welcoming Congregation Program is a completely volunteer program for Unitarian Universalist congregations that see a need to become more inclusive towards bisexual, gay, lesbian, and/or transgender people.

The program consists of a series of workshops developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association. The goal of the workshops is to reduce prejudice by increasing understanding and acceptance among people of different sexual orientations.

On 22 May 2011 — after completing the required actions to become a Welcoming Congregation — we affirmed our desire to be a Welcoming Congregation through an overwhelming congregational vote.

Our report describing our Welcoming Congregation efforts and results can be found in an Adobe Acrobat PDF document here.

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9 June 2011 Hate Crime Public Meeting – Press Coverage

Hate Crime Forum
Matthew Johnson speaks Thursday evening during a hate crimes forum at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Shreveport. / Val Horvath Davidson/Shreveport Times

On 9 June 2011, All Souls hosted a public meeting organized by P.A.C.E (People Acting for Change and Equality) and the Forum for Equality on hate crime laws.

The Shreveport Times press coverage for this public meeting can be found here:

Additional coverage about this story on the Unitarian Universalist Association’s web site can be found here:

Zoning board denies plan for ramp, and other UUs in the media

This meeting was held in response to the 26 January 2011 attack on John Skaggs at the Sand Bar in downtown Shreveport.  Police and witnesses said William Payne attacked Mr. Skaggs with the blunt end of a pool cue, causing serious facial injury to his eye socket and jawbone area and rendering him unconscious.  Mr. Payne was charged with attempted second-degree murder and committing a hate crime (Mr. Payne was making physically threatening statements regarding attacking the victim based on his sexual orientation). Mr. Skaggs suffered at least 14 facial fractures and had metal plates mounted in his face.

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26 June 2011 Worship

“Becoming a Welcoming Congregation – What’s Next?” — In celebration of bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender pride month, members of the Welcoming Congregation Committee will present this celebration of our recent vote affirming our wish to become a Welcoming Congregation and to explore where this ministry in our congregation will take us next.

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