NSP Maryland - January 2008

See the American Friends Service Committee YouTube video on the cost of the war - less than 2 minutes and well worth your time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wnq6cD5jk1Q

Welcome to the New NSP Staff Person headquartered in Bethesda MD David A. Hart, Director of Advocacy and Outreach - email: david AT spiritualprogressives DOTorg ,

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

NSP MD Meetings:

Sat, Jan 19 at 10 AM in a private home in Baltimore
email Jerry R. for info. jraitzyk at hotmail . com

Wed, Jan 23 at 7:30 pm NSP Meeting at Paint Branch Unitarian Church in Adelphi MD 3215 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, Maryland
www.pbuuc.org/info/directions/index.html
Join us to discuss upcoming area peace events and plans for local NSP involvement

PEACE AND JUSTICE ACTIVISM

Thurs, Jan 10, "Occupied Minds", sponsored by Baltimore Tikkun
Mission Helpers, 1001 W. Joppa Rd. (at Chestnut Ave.), Towson MD
The film is the story of two journalists, a Palestinian-American, and an Israeli citizen, who journey to Jerusalem, their mutual birthplace, to explore new solutions and offer unique insights into the divisive Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Admission is free. Discussion follows the film. NOTE: The Baltimore Tikkun Community is a multi-faith organization devoted to a just a durable peace in the Middle East and other social justice issues. Their Middle East Peace Film Series is 2nd Thursday of each month at the Mission Helpers, through March 2008.

Fri, Jan 11 Witness Against Torture's Campaign to Shut Down Guantanamo!
10:00 am - Gather at the DC National Mall for Orientation to Prisoner March (National Mall @ 12th street NW between Madison Dr NW & Jefferson Drive SW - near the Smithsonian Metro Stop) - see details at www.witnesstorture.org/ and a info on a Thurs night dinner/training/program here. NSP is an endorser - on Fri look for NSP tee-shirts and signs... See pictures here and here.

Fri Jan 11 7:30 pm - Hidden Dimension of American Racism, talk by James Loewen author of "Sundown Towns" and "Lies My Teacher Told Me" At Paint Branch UU Church in Adelphi MD Directions here. See author website www.uvm.edu/~jloewen/

Sat, Jan 12, 1 pm - Citizens/Partners for Global Change conference call - Info here.


Fri, Jan 18 and every 3rd Friday - Join the Iraq Moritorium - www.iraqmoratorium.org/

• Wear an anti-war button, armband, or t-shirt -- something visible expressing your opposition to the war. Encourage others to do so as well.
• Put an anti-war sign in your house or apartment window, on your lawn, or in your car window.
• Call into radio talk shows. Talk about why you oppose the war in Iraq, why you want to stop a new war in Iran, and why you want all of the troops to be brought home now.
• See more ideas here.
  

Wed., Jan. 23 at 7:30 PM, Pax Christi Montgomery Meeting
Resurrection Church, 3315 Greencastle Road, Burtonsville, MD 20866
Megeen White Testa will lead a first session of an abbreviated presentation of ENGAGE, Pace E Bene’s nonviolence training and action program for learning, practicing, and experimenting with the power of nonviolence to transform ourselves and our world to envision nonviolent alternatives; learn nonviolent alternatives; connect with others for nonviolent alternatives, and create nonviolent alternatives.

Sat Jan 26 2-7pm DC contingent of US/World Social Forum
2-5pm Building the Movement Working Meeting; 5 -7 pm - Celebration & Pot Luck Dinner
Plymouth Congregational Church, 5301 North Capitol St, NE (@Riggs Rd), Wash,DC www.plymouth-ucc.org/ All individuals and organizations committed to social justice are welcome. The goal is to continue the work of movement building coming out of the World Social Forum, the US Social Forum and the DC Social Forum and identify activities, a structure and a timeline of action to facilitate greater solidarity and collective power in our region.

Sun, Jan 27, 2008 2:00 PM STOP THE GAZA BLOCKADE! END THE VIOLENCE!
St. Alban's Episcopal Church Interfaith Prayer Service Followed by a Vigil at the Israeli Embassy - Gather at 2:00 PM for a prayer service led by a rabbi, a minister and an imam. All are welcome. At the conclusion of the prayer service, we will caravan by car to the Israeli Embassy where we will deliver a water filter, symbolic of the basic necessities (water supplies in Gaza are polluted) which are severely limited for Gazans due to the blockade imposed by Israel. We will call for an end to the siege and an immediate end to all violence More info see: www.sharingjerusalem.org/

Sun, Jan 27. 3:30 p.m- Film "Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land" - Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD. Free of charge In a critique of U.S. mainstream media coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, this film offers less dominant views of U.S. foreign policy responsibility & on-the-ground Palestinian experience.

Sat, Feb 2, 7:30 pm Hootenanny for Peace in Columbia MD
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. Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia (behind McDonalds and Sunoco) Directions here. See flyer here.

Tues Feb 12 - Maryland Presidential Primary Day! VOTE!

Fri, Mar 7, 9-11 AM - Interfaith Mini-Conference on U.S.-Sponsored Torture
Church of the Reformation, 212 E Capitol St Ne, Wash, DC 20003 - Info here. This is one of many workshop and options Thurs night and Fri morning preceding the National Interfaith Peace Witness at noon.

National Interfaith Peace Witness in DC Fri March 7, 2008 noon to 5 pm - for preliminary info see here and here.

Fri Mar 7 7pm and Sat Mar 8 9-5, Deep Shift with Brian McLaren
Vienna Presbyterian Church, 124 Park Street, NE Vienna, VA 22180
The "Everything Must Change" Tour, a Christian response to the premise that the world’s in deep trouble and that sincere people of faith need to find some way to make a constructive, creative difference. Learn about the suicide machine: crises in prosperity, equity, security and spirituality and about the revolution of hope. Brian McLaren is an and a regular blogger on the Sojourners (Jim Wallis) website, www.sojo.net/ See the Deep Shift website at http://deepshift.org/ Online registration & payment link is here. Co-sponsored by the Sierra Club and Sojourners.

Wed, March 16 - 5th Anniversary of the War UFPJ action in DC
United for Peace and Justice also supports the Iraq Veterans Against the War and its Winter Soldier activities in Washington, DC, on March 13th-16th. Re: Wed March 16, UFPJ will participate in the planning and organizing for what we hope will be the largest nonviolent civil disobedience action yet against the war in Iraq. See info here and check back to the UFPJ home page www.unitedforpeace.org

NSP supports the Global Marshall Plan - see new video on this plan to send poverty on YouTube posted by David Hart - http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=NSPdavid
And support this video in the DAVOS contest on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/davos
You should see a box with three tabs “Home” “Submit” and “View / Vote”
Click on “View / Vote”
Enter “NSPdavid” in the search box, click “Go”
Select the video by clicking on it just below the search box
Watch the video
Give it a thumbs up

Check out singer songwriter Susan Werner whose new CD is "The Gospel Truth" was inspired by her reading of Rabbi Lerner's "The Left Hand of God". Many NSP members are quite excited by her work! See her on www.Youtube.com here and search on her name for other videos.
Sat Jan 25 7:30 pm Susan Werner appears with John Gorka at the Birchmere in Alexandria VA
Fri Apr 18 8pm Susan Werner is at Cellar Stage/Uptown Concerts in Baltimore

CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVISM

Sun, Jan 13, 6:30 pm - "The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil" - Film showing and discussion at SMEI Second Sunday Forum in Bethesda MD. Info at http://simplicity-matters.org/ for more on the film also see this link.

Thurs, Jan 17 11 AM - Flood Annapolis
Imagine more than 500 citizens filling the streets of Annapolis around the Maryland State House and Lawyer's Mall. Join the Alliance for Global Warming Solutions to demand that the MD General Assembly make Global Warming Solutions a priority!
More info and register for carpools at www.chesapeakeclimate.org/flood.
POSTER MAKING PARTIES - for the "Flood" Jan 17th -
In Greenbelt - Wed Jan 9 - 7:30 pm at the Greenbelt Community Center
In Columbia - Mon Jan 14 7:30 pm - for directions email: actiononclimatechange@gmail.com
and elsewhere around the state. Info - www.chesapeakeclimate.org

Sunday Jan 27, 4:30- 6:30 PM Baltimore Green Forum
Maryland Presbyterian Church, 1105 Providence Road, Towson
Video and Discussion: 'Environmental Justice for All'. Two nationally recognized activists, Majora Carter and Van Jones, spoke at the Fall Bioneers Conference on issues of eco-justice, describing strategies for including marginalized and underserved groups in environmental action campaigns. We will watch their recorded speeches; Carter's theme of greening the ghetto and Jones' theme of a green economy that lifts people out of poverty both provide inspiring visions of an all inclusive response to eco-racism. Both are also extremely entertaining and energizing speakers. Ted Rouse, a Baltimore Bioneers organizer and founder of the Chesapeake Sustainable Business Alliance, will talk about the goals for both organizations and upcoming events. Flyer here.

Tues Jan. 29 6:30-8:30 pm Green Path of Abraham: Understanding the Environment and Action from an Interfaith Prospective
Location: RUMI Forum at 1150 17th Street NW, Suite 408; Washington, DC 20036.
The closest Metro stations are Farragut North and Farragut West
Join us and explore the connections and similarities between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in how they view the environment. Hear from representatives from various communities about what they are doing to become better stewards of God’s creation and learn how to apply these ethics and actions in your own community. This event is co-sponsored by the Rumi Forum and GWIPL. RSVP: Please RSVP by sending an email to Allison

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 green jobs pioneer Van Jones, actor and clean energy advocate Edward Norton, 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. NSP Endorses FOCUS THE NATION!
Howard County locations :
UUCC at Owen Brown Interfaith Center- Directions here.


Thurs Jan 31 Focus the Nation TeachIns at Campuses & other locations nationwide Check www.focusthenation.org for info on a non-partisan, reasoned, campus-lead discussion of this defining 21st century issue. Maryland locations here.

Sun, Feb 10, 6:30-8:30 PM. 2nd Sun Green Forum in Bethesda
The Great Turning presentation and discussion led by Janet Kane, writer and environmental activist - flier here. What would a Life-Sustaining society look like? What tools do we need to successfully achieve this transformation? Some of the answers are already springing up around us, such as the Locavore and slow food movements, the expansion of green building research, and worldwide efforts to reverse global warming. Join us for an exciting look at the ongoing revolution first identified by authors Joanna Macy and David Korten. More info on websites: www.joannamacy.net/ & www.davidkorten.org/ & www.thegreatturning.net/
Where: in a private home in Bethesda, within walking distance of the Medical Center metro (Red Line), close to I-495 and Wisconsin Avenue. To RSVP (required): Call Marney at (301) 652-0492 or e-mail forum@simplicity-matters.org

Tues, March 25 at 4 p.m. "Climate Change and Energy Policy" talk by Chris Flavin, President of The Worldwatch Institute, www.worldwatch.org/
UMBC, Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery www.umbc.edu/socsforum/

Tues, May 20, 7:30 pm One Sky: Creating Our Green Future Together
Majora Carter, K.C. Golden and Betsy Taylor wth host Eugene Sutton
Washington National Cathedral - directions here Info and registration here.
Come hear Majora Carter, Sustainable South Bronx founder and MacArthur genius grant recipient's powerful vision of "green for all" along with the visionary voices and pragmatic activism of K.C. Golden, a Seattle-based climate policy expert, and Betsy Taylor, chair of the 1 Sky Campaign, hosted by the Cathedral's canon pastor the Rev. Eugene Sutton. Proceeds will benefit Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light and the GreenCathedral initiatives.


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!

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/
Peace Action Montgomery County Md - www.peaceactionmc.org/
Nonviolent Communication Training (NVC) in the DC area - www.capitolnvc.org/

CLIMATE ACTION RESOURCES

The Alliance for Global Warming in Maryland - www.alliancemd.org/
See list of partners here. NSP Maryland has signed up and should be reflected soon.

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

Local Climate Action/Climate Change groups:
Baltimore - www.baltimoreclimate.org
Greenbelt - www.greenbeltclimateaction.com/
Howard County - www.hococlimatechange.org

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

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/
9pm ON TV - "The Green" on Sundance - Info: http://www.sundancechannel.com/thegreen#/homePage