| Peace Out! Week Thirty-Six |
|
EPF Maine celebrates
in style at Grace! |
|
| On Sunday, September 15, EPF-Maine hosted us at Grace-Bath for worship, then afterwards for conversation and refreshments by the fireside in the lovely Tubbs Hall. This EPF chapter is deeply dedicated to work on the issues of our Palestine-Israel Network Action Group, in large measure by reason of the presence of Rev. Bob and Maurine Tobin -- the inaugural Cotton Fite award winners -- in their midst for so many years. The group is active in drafting legislation for their Diocesan Convention on issues other than PIN as well. These issues include gun violence prevention, denouncing "as morally and ethically objectionable, spurious arguments designed to thwart remedial action (on gun violence prevention), including contentions that... 'gun rights' under the U S Constitution are paramount even over the Common Good of our communities, and the lives of innocents." Thanks, EPF-Mainers, for making these issues a priority for your holy work!
PIN member and EPF stalwart John Heermans and his wife, Cecelia Polansky, joined us for worship and fellowship, driving over from St. James--Essex Junction, VT. If you are in Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine and wish to be an advocate for justice in the Holy Land, please contact John at heermansjg as he is coordinating efforts in New England.
Former EPF-Maine convenor Diane Paterson, who along with her husband, Jim, graciously hosted Steven and me for our several days in Bath and Georgetown, Maine, offers us this lovely reminder of what peace is supposed to be:
"Peace has come to mean the time when there aren't any wars or even when there aren't any major wars. Beggars can't be choosers; we'd most of us settle for that. But in Hebrew peace, shalom, means fullness, means having everything you need to be wholly and happily yourself.
"One of the titles by which Jesus is known is Prince of Peace, and he used the word himself in what seem at first glance to be two radically contradictory utterances. On one occasion he said to the disciples, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). And later on, the last time they ate together, he said to them, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you" (John 14:27).
"The contradiction is resolved when you realize that, for Jesus, peace seems to have meant not the absence of struggle, but the presence of love."
Frederick Buechner, from "Wishful Thinking" |
|
| After a "fireside chat" at Grace-Bath, EPF-Maine members enjoyed a hearty "lobstah" lunch at Taste of Maine in Bath. Present, from front left of table to the right front of table: Steven Atha, Rev. Dr. Ted Gaiser (rector: Grace-Bath), Judy Smart (recorder-elect EPF-Maine, Grace-Bath), Diane Paterson (convenor EPF-Maine, Grace-Bath) Cindy Widmaier, Melanie Atha, Colleen Stevens (convenor-elect EPF-Maine, Grace-Bath) and Kathleen Reed (treasurer EPF-Maine, St. Andrew's-Winthrop, ME). |
|
Finally, the Year of Action event
we've been waiting for is near! |
|
EPF
80th Anniversary Celebration!
Sunday, November 10, 2019
St. Michael’s Episcopal Church,
399 Hope Street
Bristol, R.I.
A Commemoration of Witness
4:30 PM Evensong
Preacher: Rev. Dr. Shannon MacVean Brown
Bishop-Elect of Vermont
Followed by A Celebration of Peace
5:30 PM Fundraiser
Swing Band, Wine, Beer & Soft Drinks,
Hors D’oeuvres & Silent Auction
Monday, November 11, 2019
Center for Reconciliation
271 North Main Street
Providence, RI
Pilgrimage
9:00 – 11:00 AM
Benefit Street’s Mile of History
walking tour
sponsored by Center for Reconciliation
Providence, RI
Lunch
11:30 – 12:30
Keynote & Panel Discussion
12:30 – 2:30 PM
Byron Rushing, Massachusetts House of Representatives, 1983-2019
Representatives of Racial Reconciliation Ministries,
Province I, ECUSA
Tickets:
Sunday Fundraiser: $60
Monday Events including lunch: $30
All events Sunday and Monday: $80
https://give.classy.org/reconciliation |
|
| EPF is pleased to be a sponsor of this rally to end gun violence. Join us and say, "Enough" to the plague of gun violence in our country and to the lack of political will in our elected leadership to enact change that will keep us and our children safe. We are grateful for our EPF members in the Washington, DC, area, who are dedicated to supporting this event and encouraging others to attend. We are reminded to wear black to this event in memory of lives lost to gun violence. |
|
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
congratulates EPF on 80 years of loving action and witness,
declaring that our activity is,
"Nothing less than the work of God!"
Click HERE to give to our 80 day campaign! |
|
| EPF will be striking for climate change awareness at Foley Square, 31-51 Center Street, New York, New York, noon to 5:30 pm Eastern time on Friday, September 20. This site is only steps from African Burial Ground National Monument, which we will also plan to visit. Join us and show up for our environment! Make a loud and unusual noise!
It's not too late to organize your own strike event. Check here: www.globalclimatestrike.net and plan to attend an event near you, or plan your own community event! |
|
Our upcoming schedule:
Looking forward, EPF will be in:
Sept. 20: Climate Strike, NY, NY
Sept. 22: Christ's Church, Rye, NY
Sept. 25: Rally against gun violence, Washington, DC
Sept. 27-29: Drone warfare initiative, Princeton, NJ
Oct. 13-24: Palestine
Nov. 2: St. Luke's, Altoona, PA
Nov. 11: EPF 80th Anniversary, Bristol and Providence, RI
Nov. 21-23: Borderland Ministry Summit, St. Philip's in the Hills, Tucson, AZ
Dec. 4: National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence (TBD)
Dec. 22: National Day of Reparations (FOR) TBD
Are you near any of our planned stops and want to visit? Just shout! Someone in EPF national leadership is eager to be with you during our 80 days! epfactnow
Until next time,
power to the peaceful!
Melanie
|
|
View of boats on Sheepscot River in Georgetown, Maine.
Special thanks to Diane and Jim Paterson for the warm welcome,
the generous hospitality, the new friendship and the gorgeous views!
We loved every minute of our time with you! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
