Fwd: New This Week at Paths to Understanding

• Inspiring Stories
• Nurturing Relationships
• Acting Together

Dear Friends,

Every community across the nation is grappling with the murder of George Floyd and what it teaches us about our current reality.

At a recent Board meeting, we all decided that it was important, as far as we are able, to engage with this important conversation in our own communities. Our mission of bridging bias and building unity includes working on issues of racism. The way we do it is through multifaith peacemaking – that is we help gather wisdom communities to work on these important issues together.

A few weeks ago I met with Lutheran and Episcopal pastors to discuss how they could begin to lead on the issues of race in the Skagit Valley. That same week, I spoke on a  Zoom conference to local congregations here in Anacortes.

I am also a facilitator of the IDEA group in Anacortres: the Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Group in Anacortes. A part of that work has been to participate in public demonstrations led by some young adults in Anacortes. We participated in a demonstration on Saturday, July 4th. As you can see from the picture, there was another group there for part of the day. These folks chanted, among other things, “All lives matter.”

In a moment of national recognition that black lives have not mattered, chanting “all lives matter” is a way to minimize the need for change. Black lives matter because all lives matter – but now is a moment when more Americans are realizing that black lives have not been valued the same as white lives. When one daughter asks, “Do you love me?” I don’t say, “No, Iove all my children.”

You can also see from the picture that several of the other group were carrying military style weapons. It was a strange sight to see such weapons on the streets of Anacortes. It felt threatening. There had been rumors of the Proud Boys showing up to Anacortes – a right wing extremist group that offers praise for members who inflict violence on others.

The Anacortes Police were there to protect both groups and they did a great job of mixing in, talking with people and sharing their support for expression of our First Amendment rights.

It is important to do our work across Washington State. A part of that work also needs to be at home – else we won’t have the right to encourage it in other’s homes.

Thomas Friedman wrote: Optimists are usually wrong. But all the great change in history, positive change, was done by optimists.

I am not sure if I am an optimist, but I am hopeful. When enough of us act in hope, our past will no longer determine our future.

Of course, much other work continues at Paths to Understanding. You will see in this week a link to Holden Interfaith Week. You can register for the classes and you can also watch the Pre-Week videos or listen to the podcasts on every major podcasting services. You can find out more about Holden Interfaith Week here: https://pathstounderstanding.org/holden-interfaith-week/

Peace,

Terry Kyllo
 

There are two parts of the program:

1. Pre-Week videos and podcasts
2. Live Zoom webinars.

Theme: Us, Them and All: Weaving our Identities and Common Humanity within the Unity of Life

July 19 -24, 2020

Description: What do Abrahamic traditions teach about recognizing the humanity of people in other cultures or religions? Children are in still in cages, the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and institutional/structural racism are revealing even more starkly racial inequity, and vulnerable people are encouraged to risk themselves for the economy. We are having difficulty recognizing others as human. What do Abrahamic traditions have to offer to help us weave our identities, common humanity within the unity of life?

Holden Village and Paths to Understanding invite you to live webinars, recorded webinars and podcasts and art exploration with a Jewish and Muslim artist.

To register and learn more: https://pathstounderstanding.org/holden-interfaith-week/
 

Sunday, July 21, 2020
7:30 AM

Host: Jeff Renner

Essential but Unprotected-Part One
The initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was most severe in and near major cities. That’s changing. COVID infections among farm workers are exploding. They are considered essential workers…but often are unable to obtain needed protection and health care. That’s the subject of this edition of Challenge 2.0; Essential, but Unprotected-Farm Workers and the Pandemic.

You can watch Challenge in many ways:

• Sunday Mornings at 7:30 AM on MeTV
• YouTube
• Paths to Understanding Website
• Thursday Night Watch Party on Facebook

Singers Wanted!

“Search for Common Ground Choir” Shining Our Light On Mother Earth! Dedicated to gathering for the common good: Interfaith/Interspiritual/Intergenerational

Rehearsals via zoom 

Performance date and place TBD when it is safe to gather and/or via online composite recording

People of all spiritual paths welcome!

7:00 PM July 16, 2020

You can watch here: https://www.facebook.com/PathsToUnderstandingWA/

(Near the time of the watch party, go to our Facebook page. Scroll down just a bit and you will see a video with a play button on it. Click or press on that button and you will be able to watch the show with us.)

We will watch:  Paper Promises

The Keystone XL Pipeline has been ‘fast-tracked for construction’ by the White House. It would cross Native American reservations in both Montana and South Dakota; tribes in those states argue it would violate their most basic treaty rights. Tribal leaders throughout North America contend this is only the latest of a series of violations of their treaty rights throughout the United States and Canada. That’s the focus of this edition of Challenge 2.0-Paper Promises.

Host: Jeff Renner

Our mailing address is:
Paths to Understanding
PO Box 2010
Lynnwood, WA 98036

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