March for Marriage Equality – Saturday, Oct. 17
September 28, 2009
Come out and MARCH to the State House for Marriage Equality on October 17th. Every town in Rhode Island will be represented. March with your neighbors, or local organization. Our New England sister states will all join us in our call to action. The time is NOW to send a clear message to our state legislators that MARRIAGE EQUALITY must be the law in Rhode Island. Don’t miss this great day of solidarity and action….and fun. We will gather at Burnside Park (opposite Kennedy Plaza) at 10:00 AM. The march to the State House will begin at 11:00 AM, followed by Rally for Marriage Equality on the south steps of the RI State House at 1:00 PM.After the rally, at 4:00 PM, there will be a Marriage Equality Reception at Downcity Diner, 50 Weybosset Street, followed by other fun events. For more information, visit:
Share the Plate Benefits Trees 2020
July 28, 2009
Each month, Bell Street Chapel shares a portion of our offertory with a charitable organization in Rhode Island through our “Share the Plate” program. We donate half of the unallocated (non-pledge) donations) received to an organization chosen by the Peace and Social Justice Committee. Nominations for Share the Plate are located in Eddy Hall.
Due to the smaller church attendance in the summer months of July and August, a single organization has been selected to get a portion of the offertory for those two months. The organization selected is “Trees 2020″ a non-profit environmental project funded by the Helen Walker Raleigh Tree Care Trust Fund to increase the tree canopy in South Providence which will decrease summer temperatures, lower rates of childhood asthma, and increase bird habitat.
Sharing the Plate
May 23, 2009
Each month, Bell Street Chapel shares a portion of our offertory with a charitable organization in Rhode Island through our “Share the Plate” program. We donate half of the unallocated (non-pledge) donations) received to an organization chosen by the Peace and Social Justice Committee. Donations for May will benefit Marriage Equality RI, which works for equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian individuals, and donations in June will benefits Community Music Works.Thank you to everyone for you generosity, which allows us to share our gifts with the community.
Movie Night – Friday, May 8, 6:30 p.m.
April 27, 2009
In an effort to live out our commitment as a Unitarian Universalist Association Welcoming Congregation, Bell Street Chapel sponsors a monthly movie night featuring films that examine gender identity issues. Over the past several years, we have seen dramas and documentaries, comedies and heart breakers – all acclaimed and artistically significant films. Genevieve Peri seems to have an endless number of ideas for films in this category.
May Movie Night, our final one for the 2008-2009 season, will be on Friday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m. The film is a classic 1959 film regarded by the American Film Institute as the “greatest American comedy film of all time.” It won many awards and honors. Our licensing agreement does not allow us to identify the film by name in public communications, but anyone who hasn’t guessed the title and wants to know more may contact Carol Crowley at ccrowley8@cox.net.
As always, we will share a potluck dinner before the showing of the movie. We always follow up with a short discussion led by Genevieve Peri. So do join us on Friday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m. in Eddy Hall for a memorable end to our Movie Night season – and give us your ideas for films to be shown next season!
What Is Marriage For? Book Discussion Group May 4 and 11
April 10, 2009
Bell Street Chapel and Marriage Equality Rhode Island will host a two-week discussion group based on the book “What is Marriage for?: The Strange Social History of our Most Intimate Institution,” by E.J. Graff. In this book, Graff describes marriage as “a kind of Jerusalem, an archaeological site on which the present is constantly building over the past, letting history’s many layers twist and tilt into today’s walls and floors.” Indeed, the institution of marriage has changed dramatically over the centuries to reflect evolving understandings of family, money, sex, love and power. Graff traces Western marriage customs and rules of law from their emergence in ancient times to the present.
This program will allow participants to share ideas about evolving notions of marriage. The objectives of this program are:
To investigate historical beliefs and practices with regard to marriage;
To explore modern marriage customs and laws, and the belief system inherent in them;
To examine attitudes toward marriage of same-sex couples against current beliefs about the purpose of marriage; and
To develop a personal definition of marriage (both what it is and why we do it).
During the discussion sessions, participants will examine laws and customs of bygone eras to better understand underlying beliefs and assumptions. They will also explore current practices to determine the extent to which these practices reflect modern values and assumptions about marriage. Finally, they will consider how a faith community can honor each individual spirit as we “live up to the rigorous demands of love.”
The group will meet for two consecutive Mondays, May 4 and 11, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Participants are asked to read “What is Marriage For?” prior to the first session. A sign-up sheet is available in Eddy Hall. The book can be purchased for $16 from Beacon Press at www.beacon.org, or through major online book retailers such as Amazon.com.
~Donald Laliberte
Food pantry at Youth Pride, Inc.
April 10, 2009
Throughout the month of April, Bell Street Chapel will be collecting nonperishable food items to support the community food pantry at Youth Pride Inc. (YPI). YPI is a nonprofit organization committed to building a strong and vocal community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQQ) youth and their allies to ensure that they are heard and accepted as members and leaders in our community. YPI offers a variety of services to LGBTQQ youth, including a drop-in center, support groups, tutoring and other activities..
YPI’s community food pantry has been in operation for nine years, and provides food to anyone in need in the greater Providence area. The food pantry distributes more than 1,300 pounds of food per week, and serves over 1,200 individuals per year. The food pantry is typically in need of the following items:
Nonperishable food items and personal hygiene items will be collected before and after Sunday worship services from April 5 through April 26. You can leave donations in the box in the main lobby in the chapel. With your support, we can help YPI feed people in need.
Supporting marriage equality
April 10, 2009
As Unitarian Universalists, we covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of all people, as well as justice, equity and compassion in human relations. In 2005, Bell Street Chapel became one of the first religious organizations in Rhode Island to publicly support equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. We see marriage equality as an expression of our religious values. Therefore, over the years, we have advocated for marriage equality in a variety of ways.
Last month, my partner Richard Corso and I had the opportunity to put our faith into action by participating in a press conference and rally for marriage equality at the State House and were interviewed by two local radio stations. We also testified in favor of marriage equality legislation at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. The experience was energizing for both of us, and it has been a privilege for me to represent Bell Street Chapel on this very important justice issue.
As a Unitarian Universalist, I also believe in the transformative power of love. The love that Richard and I share has transformed us both individually and as a couple. For the past nine years, Richard and I have built a life together. We have supported each other through the good times and the difficult times, and shared each other’s joys and sorrows. Together, we have celebrated the birth of a several new nieces in the family and mourned the loss of loved ones. If something happens to one of us, such as illness or accident, we take care of it together. When something good happens, we celebrate it together.
Love has the power to transform not only individuals, but society as a whole. By putting our faith into action and working for justice, we can touch people’s hearts and change people’s minds. We must continue to speak out, as individuals and as a congregation, in favor of equal marriage rights for everyone. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated that “The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice.” Let us all continue to work together, acting on our values and principles to make the world a more just place for all.
~Don Laliberte, President
Gay bingo
April 10, 2009
Bell Street Chapel is a sponsor for Gay Bingo for the 2008-2009 season. Gay Bingo is bingo spiced up with drag queens, music, crazy themes, etc. When? The third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m., Sept. – May. This month, it’s April 16, and the theme is “hat parade,” so wear your favorite goofy hat. It’s also “you pick the themes” night, so if you have an idea for a theme for a Gay Bingo night next year, wear a costume demonstrating that theme and you’ll get an extra chance to win $1,000!
Admission is $15 which gets you cards for nine games with $100 cash prizes. (Sometimes they give out free special cards to those willing to prove they’re wearing green undies.) You can buy special game cards for prize packages plus there’s a blackout jackpot for up to $1,000! The $15 goes to support people living with HIV/AIDS in RI. It’s fun, and you’ll be helping people with HIV/AIDS. For questions, contact Clara Hardy of the Parish and Social Concerns Committee, at clarapvd@gmail.com.
Movie Night, Friday, April 10, 6:30 p.m.
April 3, 2009
In an effort to live out our commitment as a Unitarian Universalist Association Welcoming Congregation, Bell Street Chapel sponsors a monthly Movie Night featuring films that examine gender identity issues. Over the past several years, we have seen dramas and documentaries, comedies and heart-breakers – all acclaimed and artistically significant films. Genevieve Peri seems to have an endless number of ideas for films in this category.
In April we will view a drama concerning an Iranian woman who is a refugee in Germany and living as a man there. Our licensing agreement does not allow us to identify the film by name in public communications, but anyone who wants to know more may contact Carol Crowley at ccrowley8@cox.net.
As always, we will share a potluck dinner before the showing of the movie. We always follow up with a short discussion led by Genevieve Peri. So do join us on Friday, April 10, at 6:30 p.m. in Eddy Hall. Bring a nonalcoholic beverage or some food to share – and bring your friends to Bell Street Chapel’s Movie Night!
~Carol Crowley
Ethical Eating
April 3, 2009
In the early 1960s, along with the birth of fast food, Iowa Beef Packers (IBP) opened its first slaughterhouse, using assembly-line principles that eliminated skilled workers. Each worker stood in along the line, making the same knife cut thousands of times during each shift. Once skilled laborers, meat packers became like the cheap and powerless workforce in the fast-food industry. The new plants paid wages sometimes half of those of union workers in Chicago.
Eventually, ConAgra became the biggest meat-packer in the world. Today it is the largest food service supplier in North America, selling food under brand names including Hunts, Armour, La Choy, Peter Pan, Hebrew National and Healthy Choice. It has been found guilty of systematically cheating chicken growers, price-fixing, wire fraud, misgrading crops and adding water to grain before sale. The largest ConAgra beef plant has an annual employee turnover rate of about 400 percent. Health insurance is offered after six months, but the average worker quits or is fired after three.
The injury rate in a slaughterhouse is about three times higher than the rate in a typical American factory. Every year more than a quarter of the meatpacking workers in the United States (roughly 40,000 men and women) suffer an injury or work-related illness that requires medical attention, most commonly lacerations, since many workers make a slice every two or three seconds. About six animals a minute are carved by workers desperate not to fall behind. The pressure to keep up has encouraged widespread methamphetamine use. Women are sometimes fondled on the line, and a number of companies have lost sexual harassment suits. Workers are under tremendous pressure not to report injuries and two sets of injury logs were regularly kept at IBP: actual injuries and injuries reported to OSHA.
The most dangerous jobs are performed by cleaning crews, a workforce of largely illegal aliens who earn about one-third less than regular employees. They lose body parts in the machinery they clean, get sickened by chemical cleaning fumes and suffer headaches and vomiting on the job while climbing into bloody muck. They have been beheaded, crushed and torn apart. Some have died in blood collection tanks, overcome by hydrogen sulfide fumes. OSHA fined National Beef for its negligence in one such case. The fine was $480 for each man’s death.
But what can we do? One answer is don’t eat at fast food restaurants, the biggest purchasers of beef from these plants. Or don’t eat meat, period. Carrying wholesome food with you so you aren’t tempted to stop for a burger is a good idea. Also, buy grass-fed beef or free-range chickens. Yes, it’s more expensive, but you aren’t buying into ConAgra and the corporate proliferation of human (an animal) suffering. Or how about boycotting ConAgra foods, and letting it know why? The CEO is: Gary M. Rodkin, 1 ConAgra Drive, Omaha, NE 68102. Its Web site (www.conagrafoods.com) has a list of its products. Or better still, go to the Organic Consumer Association (www.organicconsumers.org) and click on “Take Action.” It’s a terrific Web site with lots of ideas for things you can do to make a difference.