January’s Theme: Intention

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#WESintention

January’s Theme is Intention. The theme packet can be found here.

 

January’s Sunday Platform Addresses

Sunday, January 7 — 9:30 & 11:30am, Main Hall. “Intention to Act: How We Show Up for Anti-Oppression Work” Rev. Archene Turner and Zeb Green. Join Rev. Archene, Affiliated Minister at Cedar Lane UU Church, as she reflects on her own experience as a person of color, woman, and lesbian–and how that influences the way she works for justice and against oppression. Rev. Archene has invited our own Clergy Intern, Zeb, to join her in reflecting on his experience as a white man in this work. Music from percussionist Tom Teasley and Charles Williams.

Sunday, January 14 — 9:30 & 11:30am, Main Hall. “Don’t Just Dream, Organize” Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader. This MLK weekend, join Amanda in a reflection on the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.–not his legacy of beautiful words and inspiring vision, but his legacy of long-term, community-based organizing. How do we take our intentions to build a better world…and transform those into the actual work of that building? Music from the WES Chorus.

Sunday, January 21 — 9:30 & 11:30am, Main Hall. “Our Life Together, Intentionally” Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader. What does it mean to be intentional about our shared community life? How do we show up in this space in a way that welcomes all, that makes space for different identities and experiences, and that honors our diversity while also celebrating our shared values? And is that all just too much work?! Music from singer/songwriter Lilo Gonzalez.

Sunday, January 28 — 9:30 & 11:30am, Main Hall. “From Knowing to Understanding: Intention Becomes Reality in El Rodeo,” Russell Corbin & Jason Weinfeld. Join two WES teens and Global Connections members, Jason & Russell, in an exciting and emotional platform as they share messages from our sister community of El Rodeo and personal experiences of the recent annual delegation trip. Special media productions (i.e. videos), providing a direct line of communication between our communities, will be prevalent!

 

Artist Statement

I named this quilt “I am a Rock, I am an Island” after the Simon and Garfunkel song. It represents a period when I was trying to recover from my husband’s death and I felt very alone and in pain at times, but it shows my intention to survive the pain and go on.
Quotes from Soul Matters for January :
“Intention is different from setting goals or resolutions in that it “pulls us into” who we truly are. Goals and resolutions “push us out” into future possibilities. To set intentions, we listen to our inner voice which tells us who we truly are . . . “ Katie Covey
“May we make space for listening before we leap into the striving. And as we do that, maybe we will discover that this isn’t the year of “finally becoming a better me.” Maybe we’ll decide it’s enough to simply “finally be me.”

-Donna Radner, WES’ 2017-2018 Theme Artist

Song of the Month

January’s Spotify Playlist

Click here.

January’s Tip from the Earth Ethics Team

The WES #EarthEthics team challenges you to make an intentional choice this month. Tag a friend to challenge them as well!

Please practice saying “no straws please”. Plastic straws cannot be recycled and do not decay in landfills. If incinerated, they add to air pollution.