NSP Maryland - December 2007

The Network of Spiritual Progressives - Looking Forward - Save these Dates!!

National Interfaith Peace Witness in DC

March 7, 2008 Noon- 5

Generosity Weekend - April 11-13, 2008

NSP Workshop at the Maryland United for Peace and Justice Conference Sat April 24 in in Stony Run Friends in Baltimore

National NSP Training being planned for Chevy Chase area May 23-25, 2008 (Memorial Day weekend)

National NSP Conference tentatively in Denver starting August 21, 2008 - details pending

Monday, December 17, 7:30 pm - NSP meeting in Adelphi Maryland
Sharing continues from the Tents of Abraham interfaith gathering in October, and celebrating our various seasonal traditions. Paint Branch UU Church, 3215 Powder Mill Road,
Adelphi, Maryland 20783 - Directions: http://www.pbuuc.org/info/directions/index.html
info 443-803-8546 or nspmaryland@gmail.com

PEACE AND JUSTICE ACTIVISM

Movie - Starting Fri, Dec 7 - See "What would Jesus Buy?" - "Save Christmas from the Shopocalypse"! A light hearted film about a serious topic, excessive consumption/materialism in the US.
MC Loews Dupont Circle 5
1350 19th St. NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 872-9556
And
The Charles
1711 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201
410-727-FILM
See also Rev. Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping website - www.revbilly.com/
with links to sinless gifts here and Stop the Shopocalypse resources here.

Dec 8 - 10, 2007 - DC Drumbeat for Darfur
Participate in D.C. Days of Action – will get the latest policy updates, learn new advocacy skills, and have the opportunity to take creative action. See event flyer here.

Sat, Dec 8, 2-4pm - Executive Power and Human Rights: Torture, Secrecy, and the Rule of Law - Kelly Hall Goucher College 1021 Dulaney Valley Rd. Towson, Maryland
Free Parking available. FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC -http://www.unamd.org/

Tent of Nations - Protecting Our Land - Events in DC area - http://tentofnations.com/
The Nassar family is one of the last Christian Palestinian families living and working in the fertile hill country south of Bethlehem. Daoud Nassar and his wife Jihan will be in Washington, D.C. from November 26 - December 9, 2007 talking about their life in Palestine, their educational work with their community, and their determination to preserve the family's 100-acre farm.
See schedule of talks in this area - http://tentofnations.com/calendar.aspx -
Note especially:
Sat - Dec 8 7:30pm - 9:30pm: Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church
3215 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783, 301.937.3666

Dec 8 - 10, 2007 - DC Drumbeat for Darfur
Participate in D.C. Days of Action – will get the latest policy updates, learn new advocacy skills, and have the opportunity to take creative action. See event flyer here.

Thurs, Dec. 13 5-8pm - US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation Holiday Party
: 1736 Columbia Rd NW, Apt 107, Washington, DC 20009
Gather round with US Campaign friends from 5-8pm on Thursday, December 13th and join us for a happy hour! Meet local activists and do some shopping for your loved ones! We have Palestinian fair trade, organic olive oil, books, music, videos, and t-shirts that would make the perfect holiday gift! We will be serving light fare and some drinks
RSVP - office@endtheoccupation.org or call 202-332-0994

Fri - Dec 14, 2007. 7-10p.m. Washington Peace Center Awards Dinner
Foundry United Methodist Church 1500 16th Street N.W., Washington D.C.
Keynote speakers and lifetime achievement honorees:
**Colman McCarthy, Writer, Peace Teacher and Pacifist
**Nadine Bloch, Artist-Activist, Organizer with No War! No Warming!
Musical groups: Yikes! McGee, Cletus Kennelly, and more
$10-20 sliding scale and Bring a Dish to Share!

Sun Dec16, 3-5 pm - 23rd Annual Maryland Peace Conference Organizing Meeting
Maryland United for Peace and Justice/Institute for Positive Action
Stony Run Friends Meeting House, 5116 N. Charles Street, Baltimore MD 21218
Planning for Peace Conference 4/26/08 and Party! Bring food!

Sun Dec 16, 5-6pm Christian Peace Witness - Lafayette Park near the White House
A liturgy of peacemaking including the laying of stones at the gates to the White House representing the Iraq War dead. Their voices have been silenced; the stones themselves will speak. And peace witnesses will sing carols of the season! Info here.

Tues., Dec. 18 at 7 PM - Baltimore Coalition Against the Death Penalty
American Friends Service Committee, 4806 York Road. The key agenda item will be to strategize ways to convince the Maryland legislature to repeal the state’s death penalty. REPEAL THE DEATH PENALTY lawn signs are now available. Call 410-488-6767 or 443-838-3221.

Sat, Feb 2, 2008 7:30pm - Hootenanny for Peace
Benefit sponsored by Maryland Chapter Grandmothers for Peace
Celebrate peace, and network with likeminded others while groovin to the Columbia Psychedelic Hoot Band. Dress may include: Tie- Dyes, Love Beads, Headbands, '60s Clothes, etc. Do you have a '60s picture for the "guess who" board?
Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia (behind McDonalds and Sunoco) Suggested donations $10, students$5 See flyer here.

SAVE THIS DATE - National Interfaith Peace Witness - March 7, 2008 - Noon DC
See National Peace witness info here and more to follow.

Sat April 24 - NSP Workshop at the MD United for Peace and Justice Conference
Stony Run Friends in Baltimore - Save the date! Generally about 9:30 to 4pm
5116 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21210

CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVISM

See the amazing short video - "The Story of Stuff" at www.storyofstuff.com.
This fast-paced 20 min video shows how the "materials economy" is killing the climate and what we can do to change. The story of stuff is about finding new values that support life on this planet! Watch online, download and/or order CD. And share the message!

Sat, Dec 8, 2007 11 AM - Third Annual Polar Bear Plunge
Chesapeake Bay Foundation - Philip Merrill Environmental Center, 6 Herndon Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403
Join the largest global warming action and event in Maryland history! Roughly 500 people will take a quick dip in the Chesapeake Bay to “Keep Winter Cold - Fight Global Warming!” Come and support plungers collecting pledges for a quick walk into the Bay. There will be plenty of hot cocoa, doughnuts and warm friendship to go around, and a bonfire on the beach following the Plunge. Join CCAN Director Mike Tidwell, Chesapeake Bay Foundation President Will Baker, members of the MD General Assembly, a troupe of rapping polar bears(!), and hundreds of MD and DC climate champions for the best time you’re ever likely to have on a beach in winter. Sign up directly here or contact Plunge Coordinator Gordon Clark at gordon@chesapeakeclimate.org , or 240-396-1983. Directions here. Kudos to Ray D. from NSP in Columbia MD who took the plunge - and to all who supported him and others!

Thurs, Jan 17 11 AM - Flood Annapolis
Join hundreds of activists and the Alliance for Global Warming Solutions in Annapolis demanding that the MD General Assembly make Global Warming Solutions a priority! Maryland is one of the most vulnerable states in the nation when it comes to sea level rise. Fortunately, we're also poised to become a nation-wide leader in the fight against global warming with the upcoming Global Warming Solutions Act.
More info and register for carpools at www.chesapeakeclimate.org/flood.

Wed, Jan 30, 2008, 8pm Webcast of "The 2% Solution"
Focus the Nation will stream a free, live, interactive webcast called The 2% SOLUTION. Join Stanford University climate scientist, Stephen Schneider, sustainability expert Hunter Lovins and green jobs pioneer Van Jones and youth climate leaders, for a discussion of global warming solutions. Audiences can weigh in with cell phone voting. The goal is 10,000 screenings-and a change in the course of history. To sponsor a webcast, sign up here. And check back for a webcast in your area. On Jan 31, schools nationwide are having Global Warming Solutions TeachIns. Check www.focusthenation.org for info on a non-partisan, reasoned, campus-lead discussion of this defining 21st century issue.

LOCAL PEACE INFO
Washington Peace Center - http://www.washingtonpeacecenter.net/
Women in Black - Baltimore - www.peacepath911.com/
Women in Black - Frederick - www.wibfrederick.org/
American Friends Service Committee Mid-Atlantic - www.afsc.org/midatlantic/baltimore/
Maryland United for Peace and Justice - www.mupj.org
Peace Action Montgomery County Md - www.peaceactionmc.org/

CLIMATE ACTION RESOURCES:

EVERY TUES - Radio and TV on Climate Change 10 to 11 AM - Earthbeat with Mike Tidewell & Daphne Wisham WFMW 89.3 FM DC www.earthbeatradio.org - listen online at www.wpfw.org/

Chesapeake Climate Action Network site -see this site for cutting edge local climate activism and climate activism news at www.chesapeakeclimate.org/blog/.

Simplicity Matters Earth Institute (SMEI) calendar is here . SMEI offers discussion and action circles in the MD from Balti to Frederick to Annapolis and DC on voluntary simplicity, globalization, etc, and a new popular 4 week discussion circle on global warming. Info at: SimplicityGrpsMD@aol.com . Also Bethesda and Baltimore Sunday night Forums

Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light - www.gwipl.org/ has many great climate change resources and a local calendar here.