June’s Theme: Luck

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June’s Platforms

6/3 – “Coming of Age…Together” COA Teens and Parents. Join the six teens–and their parents–who completed WES’ unique Coming of Age program this year, which focuses not just on the teen but also the teen-parent relationship. We’ll hear from the participants, and commit ourselves as a community to supporting the teens’ continued growth and independence as they move into young adulthood. Music from vocalist Nicole Rumeau and guitarist David Cole.

 

6/10 – “Feeling Lucky, Being a Blessing?” Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader. This month we explore the theme of luck–which many with more traditional religious frameworks might call blessing. What is the humanist response to the concept of blessing? How do we experience our own luckiness (or unluckiness)? And how can we change someone else’s luck? Join Amanda as she contemplates these questions…and invites some of those attending to participate in the answer! We will also welcome new members on this Sunday. Music from the WES Chorus. 

 

6/17 – “All In the Family” Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader. We might feel very lucky about the family we were born into, or the family we created, or we might feel acutely a sense of struggle with our family roots. How do we–as children, as parents, as siblings–reconcile the complicated feelings we often have about our families? What does it really mean to be lucky in (all kinds of) love? This Sunday we will also celebrate a very special child dedication, as we honor children 

recently adopted into the Bishop family. 

 

6/24 –  “Is This Our Lucky Day? Ethical Culture Then and Now” Bart Worden, Executive Director, American Ethical Union. A convergence of significant cultural trends contributed to the success of the founders of Ethical Culture as they worked to create organizations and institutions to promote a more caring and just society. Over 140 years after the first Ethical Society was formed we face a very different landscape. Bart Worden will speak about the Ethical Movement’s early years and how some changes since those times may affect our efforts going forward. Music from the WES Chorus.

Song of the Month:
Artist’s Statement:

In designing my quilts, I am aware of the role that luck and chance play in determining the success of the final outcome.
Luck in having a huge inventory of fabrics from which to choose the right fabric that inspires me or helps to carry out an idea. Chance in finding and using the right pieces to go with it, including leftover pieces from earlier projects which add an unexpected element or color accent which adds to the success of the design.
Part of this is what we mean by following our intuition, working intuitively to create a piece, allowing the flow of creating to help us to design a more successful work. The artist also has to have the eye and experience to recognize what will work and to put the elements together in a way which carries out or enhances the theme or composition of the piece.
So luck, chance, experience, and talent all play a role in the success of an artwork and in other successes in life.
–Donna Radner, 2017-2018 Themes Artist