Here's the BHC June Schedule, thus far:
Sunday, June 14th, 2:30 PM: Come hear America's leading expert on voter participation and elections speak on, "American Democracy: Problems Beneath the Surface." Curtis Gans will speak to the BHC and friends at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Brooklyn, 50 Monroe Place in Brooklyn Heights. Please invite your friends!
June Reflection: Date and Place TBA
Tuesday, June 16th, 7:30 PM: BHC Board Meeting, at Tony & Melanie's. All are welcome. Our main working topic will be the budget.
Tuesday, June 23rd, 7 PM: BHC Program Committee meeting, at Tony & Melanie's. Please RSVP. We'll be making summer and fall plans.
Sunday, June 28th: BHC Book Club will take a field trip to see, "My Sister's Keeper," a new film based on Jodi Picoult's book by the same name. The Book Club discussed this book some months ago. Time and movie theater TBA.
Looking Ahead: July 4th Potluck BBQ: Time and Place TBA
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Nature and Spring Babies
On Saturday, May 30th, the Brooklyn Humanist Community held an afternoon Colloquy on Nature followed by a party for our Spring Babies.
The Nature discussion took place outside, and we basked in the warm breezes as we spoke about nature, humanity's role in it, and nature's good and bad side. Thanks to Constance for organizing this.
The party was fun and there was plenty to eat: turkey burgers, hot dogs, baby back ribs, chicken, pasta, deviled eggs, potato salad, curried cauliflower, and a shrimp cocktail. We had apple pie and pound cake for dessert.
The grab bag meant gifts for everybody. That's how we celebrate: everyone gets a small gift.
On to our next event!
The Nature discussion took place outside, and we basked in the warm breezes as we spoke about nature, humanity's role in it, and nature's good and bad side. Thanks to Constance for organizing this.
The party was fun and there was plenty to eat: turkey burgers, hot dogs, baby back ribs, chicken, pasta, deviled eggs, potato salad, curried cauliflower, and a shrimp cocktail. We had apple pie and pound cake for dessert.
The grab bag meant gifts for everybody. That's how we celebrate: everyone gets a small gift.
On to our next event!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Brooklyn Humanist Community, Inc.
That is our new, official name! We are now incorporated as a nonprofit organization in the state of New York, thanks to hours of hard work on the part of the Board. Kudos to Tony, Bruce, Celeste, Adriana and Michael for getting this done, and many thanks to Malene Duncan of Wilmer Hale for her pro bono legal assistance.
Our next step will be to draw up bylaws and a conflict of interest policy. Ms. Duncan has provided templates and is working closely with Celeste on the questions and suggestions of the Bylaws Task Force, Tony, Celeste, Ruth S., Antoinette and Remi. Then we'll be able to fill out the IRS forms and get our 501(c)(3) federal tax exempt status.
Thanks to the Board and the Bylaws Task Force for all their hard and ongoing work!
Our next step will be to draw up bylaws and a conflict of interest policy. Ms. Duncan has provided templates and is working closely with Celeste on the questions and suggestions of the Bylaws Task Force, Tony, Celeste, Ruth S., Antoinette and Remi. Then we'll be able to fill out the IRS forms and get our 501(c)(3) federal tax exempt status.
Thanks to the Board and the Bylaws Task Force for all their hard and ongoing work!
Cool Beans
We've been collecting nonperishables for several months now, as suggested by Sheila. Last week, Tony and Melanie delivered the items collected over to CHIPS, a food pantry in Park Slope, where our contribution was gratefully accepted. People are going hungry in the summer as well as during the winter holiday season when everyone thinks about giving to the soup kitchens. In fact, people are going hungry at a much higher rate now. Last year food insecurity hit 56% of NYC families with children, a large jump from the previous year, as reported by the New York City Food Bank.
So keep those nonperishables coming! We're doing a great job!
So keep those nonperishables coming! We're doing a great job!
May Reflection
This past Saturday night, Maureen hosted a Reflection by Dr. Kurt Johnson on "The Wisdom of Joseph Campbell." We enjoyed a delicious potluck meal with turkey meatballs and couscous, bean and pasta dishes, a remarkable tuna and pasta salad, and of course lots of desserts.
I had always heard the saying, "Follow your bliss," but hadn't connected it to Joseph Campbell. As we went through his writings, many touched us as relevant today, others seemed mired in the sixties anti-establishment consciousness. Several people objected to his statement that the person who takes a job for the money has made himself a slave. Particularly in this teetering economy, that just did not ring true!
I enjoyed Campbell's longer quote about following one's bliss, where he says that doors will open where before we saw only walls, and that people will appear in our lives to help us achieve that bliss. I do believe in that kind of synchronicity.
Sheila contributed a cake in honor of Jason's completing his first year of college, and even supplied us with party hats to celebrate! This was a touching and proud moment for Jason, Bruce and me.
Thanks to Kurt, Constance, Maureen and Sheila!
I had always heard the saying, "Follow your bliss," but hadn't connected it to Joseph Campbell. As we went through his writings, many touched us as relevant today, others seemed mired in the sixties anti-establishment consciousness. Several people objected to his statement that the person who takes a job for the money has made himself a slave. Particularly in this teetering economy, that just did not ring true!
I enjoyed Campbell's longer quote about following one's bliss, where he says that doors will open where before we saw only walls, and that people will appear in our lives to help us achieve that bliss. I do believe in that kind of synchronicity.
Sheila contributed a cake in honor of Jason's completing his first year of college, and even supplied us with party hats to celebrate! This was a touching and proud moment for Jason, Bruce and me.
Thanks to Kurt, Constance, Maureen and Sheila!
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