Ben Linder film viewing -- Wednesday June 23, United Methodist Church

First Parish member James Hayes-Bohanan will be showing the film American/Sandinista on Wednesday, June 23rd, at Bridgewater United Methodist Church (35 School Street, in the side building behind Boyden Hall). The documentary chronicles the life and death of Ben Linder, a young civil engineer who was the only U.S. citizen killed in the Contra War. His death is widely credited with bringing about an end to that war, and his life has inspired a number of humanitarian and development projects in Nicaragua and elsewhere. James and his students have proposed, in fact, that a fair-trade cafe be operated in the new science building at Bridgewater State College, and that it be named in his honor.

The film will run from 7:30 to 8:10, with a discussion of Ben Linder and the proposed Ben Linder Cafe to follow. Members of the United Methodist church will also be discussing their on-going work in Nicaragua, including a recent visit to various church-related projects (and one coffee farm).

A Modest Proposal (from ThinkChristian.net by way of Rev. Ed)

Dear friends,

As a minister for years I have read and studied about church growth. For a long time I thought there are no definitive answers until today…see below.

Maybe we could get the Facilities committee to clear out the first four or five rows and everyone could bring in their own color coordinated, fashion statement chaise lounge.

See you in church,
Rev. Ed

Prayer for the Earth -- June 21 7pm First Parish

The Peace Vigil Committee recently received the following message from Chief Avrol Looking Horse, and decided to act on his request. A brief service of meditation, poetry and music in pursuit of healing the earth will be held at First Parish Church -- 50 School Street in Bridgewater -- on Monday evening, June 21 at 7 pm. 

A letter from Chief Arvol Looking  Horse - A great Urgency To All World Religious and Spiritual Leaders

My Relatives,

 Time has come to speak to the hearts of our Nations and their Leaders. I ask you this from the bottom of my heart, to come together from the Spirit of your Nations in prayer.

We, from the heart of Turtle Island, have a great message for the World; we are guided to speak from all the White Animals showing their sacred color, which have been signs for us to pray for the sacred life of all things. As I am sending this message to you, many Animal Nations are being threatened, those that swim, those that crawl, those that fly, and the plant Nations, eventually all will be affect from the oil disaster in the Gulf.

The dangers we are faced with at this time are not of spirit. The catastrophe that has happened with the oil spill which looks like the bleeding of Grandmother Earth, is made by human mistakes, mistakes that we cannot afford to continue to make.

I asked, as Spiritual Leaders, that we join together, united in prayer with the whole of our Global Communities. My concern is these serious issues will continue to worsen, as a domino effect that our Ancestors have warned us of in their Prophecies.

I know in my heart there are millions of people that feel our united prayers for the sake of our Grandmother Earth are long overdue. I believe we as Spiritual people must gather ourselves and focus our thoughts and prayers to allow the healing of the many wounds that have been inflicted on the Earth.

As we honor the Cycle of Life, let us call for Prayer circles globally to assist in healing Grandmother Earth (our Unc'I Maka). We ask for prayers that the oil spill, this bleeding, will stop. That the winds stay calm to assist in the work. Pray for the people to be guided in repairing this mistake, and that we may also seek to live in harmony, as we make the choice to change the destructive path we are on.

As we pray, we will fully understand that we are all connected. And that what we create can have lasting effects on all life.

So let us unite spiritually, All Nations, All Faiths, One Prayer. Along with this immediate effort, I also ask to please remember June 21st, World Peace and Prayer Day/Honoring Sacred Sites day. Whether it is a natural site, a temple, a church, a synagogue or just your own sacred space, let us make a prayer for all life, for good decision making by our Nations, for our children's future and well-being, and the generations to come.

Onipikte (that we shall live),

 Chief Arvol Looking Horse

19th generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe

Peace One Day -- September 18-19 and September 21

In this video, Jeremy Gilley explains how he got every country in the world to adopt his idea of World Peace Day, which First Parish has been celebrating with 24-hour Peace Vigils since 2004. The official World Peace Day is always September 21, but we celebrate the weekend before, to enable more people to participate.

This year our vigil is scheduled from 1 pm Saturday September 18 to 1 pm Sunday September 19. A tentative schedule will be posted on the blog soon, and will include music, food, poetry, dance, meditation, and religious services -- all celebrating peace.

Consistent with Gilley's vision, the First Parish vigil celebrates and advocates peace, rather than protesting or dwelling on war. The Peace Vigil Committee meets periodically to update the schedule, and encourages participation in the vigil itself, extending the vigil to other parts of the community, and supporting related activities, particularly service projects that might be organized on September 21 itself. Contact Betty Gilson or James Hayes-Bohanan (jhayesboh--AT--bridgew.edu) with any questions or suggestions, and watch this blog for further developments.

Powwow in Marshfield this weekend

Lisa Rue shared with me that there's a Native American Powwow in Marshfield, MA this weekend. It sounds like a family-friendly event, if you're looking for something special to do this weekend.

Religious Education Field Trip to Wampanoag Village

A group of 38 adults and children visited the Wampanoag Village at Plimoth Plantation this morning, as part of this spring's Honoring Our Mother Earth program.

We saw our friend Bob Charlebois who explained the highlights of the site.
It was a beautiful day to experience some of our New England heritage.

LOSE THE BLUES

The Male Bonding Band will be playing the Blues -- Clapton, Cash, Armstrong -- and some comic ditties. Special guests Hearts with Ukes will open the show at 7:00.

Saturday, May 8 at First Parish Church Parish Hall -- 50 School Street in Bridgewater.

All seats only $5.00!

Invite your friends on Facebook.

Male Bonding Band at World Music Festival -- BSC

On Tuesday, April 27, First Parish's own Male Bonding Band will be performing early 20th-Century North American music ("Old Timey" music) as part of Bridgewater State College's annual World Music Festival. The festival had been scheduled in an outdoor location, but because of expected rain, it will be in the dining room of Crimson Hall (a relatively new dorm on the East Campus, near the clock tower and book store. Contact Jim Quinn or James Hayes-Bohanan  or the BSC Music Department for details.

The performances will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., ending with MBB around 4:15. The full line-up includes:


The Lindsays (Traditional Irish Duo)
Hot Tamale Brass Band (New Orleans Jazz)
Annalivia (Traditional Irish Band)
Veronica Robles and her Mariachi Band (Mexican Music)
BSC Chamber Choir (Western Classical)
Jason Roseman (Trinidadian and Caribbean Music)
The Bohemian Street Chanters (A Capella Ensemble)
The Male Bonding Band (Old Timey American Folk Music)

Later that day, the festivities will continue in Horace Mann Auditorium (in Boyden Hall, across from  the church). Starting at 7:30 p.m., performers will include:

Khakatay (BSC West African Drumming Ensemble)
Alley Cats (American Barbershop Quartet)
Marcus Santos & his Brazilian Ensemble

All performances are free of charge, and refreshments are provided.

Coffee Tasting & Just Trade Fair -- April 20

First Parish member James Hayes-Bohanan is also a professor of geography at Bridgewater State College, where he teaches two courses on the coffee trade. His students will be putting on the annual coffee tasting on Tuesday afternoon, April 20. At the same time, a Just Trade Fair, featuring ethically-traded products of many kinds, will be held.

Both events are in the Rondileau Campus Center's Grand Ballroom and are open to the public. The Just Trade Fair will run 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The coffee tasting will be 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. More information is on the geography department blog.

Public Lecture on Henry David Thoreau

 Jeffrey S. Cramer, Curator of Collections at the Thoreau Institute and editor of several editions of Thoreau’s works, will speak on “Living Deliberately: Thinking like Thoreau Today” on Tuesday, April 13^th, from 3:00-4:30 in the Heritage Room in Maxwell Library at Bridgewater State College. Please feel free to bring classes and encourage students to attend.