All Souls Church Unitarian

In The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, Michelle Alexander asserts that US crime-fighting policies, such as the “war on drugs” and the incarceration system, intentionally affect people of color disproportionately. She wants a long-overdue conversation about a racialized caste system that manipulates fear and takes advantage of indifference. Explore concrete ways to respond to Alexander’s call for the spiritual work of building a movement to dismantle a system that taints us politically, legally, economically, culturally, and morally. Engage heart and mind as we look at assumptions, intentions, and ways of doing racial justice work. Attend one, two, or all three discussions. Feel free to drop in, but help us plan ahead by registering online or RSVPing to Meagan Henry (mhenry@allsouls.ws). Three Thursdays, June 13 (facilitators: Paula Cole Jones & Jayne Nucete), June 20 (facilitators: Nadine Ramos & Gretchen Gordon), 27 (facilitators: Paula Cole Jones & Nadine Ramos), 7:00-8:30 pm, Longfellow Room.

Weekend Workshop: White Allies Working for Racial Justice (Friday-Saturday, August 2-3). As part of the broader UU effort to build an anti-racist multicultural religious community, UU Allies for Racial Equity invites white All Souls members and friends to a weekend workshop on whiteness. Participants will deepen our understanding of whiteness and the forces that have shaped our own personal racial identities. We will explore the dynamics of white identity and privilege in the age of President Obama and the changing demographics of our country. We will discuss ways to be allies to People of Color, to end racism in white controlled institutions, and to shape anti-racist identity and practice within ourselves and the young people in our lives.

Cost is $125/person; scholarships available. Register by July 21 online at http://lbt.me/whitenessworkshop or download and mail in this registration form.

Community Conversation: Exploring the Construct of Whiteness (Sunday, August 4). All Souls members and friends of all racial identities are encouraged to join in a community conversation exploring the construct and dynamics of whiteness, what it means for all of us, and how together we as UUs might shape anti-racist identity and practice. The conversation will take place following lunch. No registration required.

Contact Gretchen Gordon: gracielagordon@gmail.com or Paula Cole Jones: pcolejones@gmail.com for more information.

After a nationwide search that attracted over 110 applicants, the Director of Music & Arts Search Committee is pleased to announce that Jennifer R. Hayman has accepted our offer to become All Souls director of music and arts, effective August 15, 2013.  The permanent music director position had been unfilled since the resignation of John Strang in fall 2009; Jen succeeds both Tom Colohan and Scot Hanna-Weir as interim music director and interim All Souls Choir director, respectively.

Jen comes to us from Philadelphia, where she served as the music director at the First Unitarian Church since 2008.  She obtained her bachelor of music degree from Syracuse University, received her master of science in music education from the College of Saint Rose, and performed ongoing postgraduate work in choral conducting and Laban technique with the Westminster Choir College of Rider University.  Among Jen’s accomplishments are her service as the program coordinator for the Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra Tempesta di Mare, the founder and artistic director of the Chestnut Street Singers, and she served on the Board of Directors for the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia.  We look forward to a soulful collaboration with Jen and her artistic leadership.

Look for opportunities this summer to welcome Jen and to bid a fond adieu to Scot Hanna-Weir, who will begin a new job in September as director of choral programs at Santa Clara University in California.

Thank you for your ongoing support of All Souls music and arts program!

The Director of Music and Arts Search Committee (Steve Combs, Colin Danville, Carolyn Davies, Rev. Robert Hardies, Corey Null, Gail Perry, George Reid)