Sept 4 Clarification Mtg: The Death Penalty - An Eye for an Eye?

Please attend Clarification Meetings at Cherith Brook on the first Friday of each month, from 7 to 8:30pm, at our storefront next door to the house. Enjoy coffee, conversation, fellowship and deep thinking; a chance to get clear on important issues.

For our September 4th gathering, we have chosen the topic of the Death Penalty. Our guest speaker, Darryl Burton, will lead a discussion on this issue. In September 2008, Darryl was released from 24 years of captivity after a judge ruled that his 1984 murder trial was constitutionally flawed. He hopes his case will convince the public that this country is jailing innocent people. Please come and hear Darryl's compelling story.

We encourage you to come prepared with references, your questions, and personal stories on any of the topics of discussion during our Clarification Meetings. We hope to deepen our understanding of each issue, based on Biblical teachings as well as facts presented by those in attendance at each gathering.

"We must find an alternative to violence. The eye-for-an-eye philosophy leaves everyone blind."--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Dates & Topics for future Clarification Meetings at Cherith Brook include:

October 2nd – Health Care
November 6th – Non-Violence Training
December 4th – Alternative Holiday Celebrations

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Cherith Brook NEEDS volunteers to help offer Showers & Meals from 8am to Noon on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays. Please let us know when YOU are available!

Apocalypse Kansas City! Clarification: Friday August 7 @ 7pm

On the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we will give attention to the continued arrogance of Nuclear proliferation as experienced locally with the efforts to relocate and rebuilt the Honeywell Complex in Grandview, MO. Honeywell is responsible for building 85% of non-nuclear components for Nuclear weapons. Without the triggers and navigational devises, the massive US arsenal could not deploy.

Eric Garbison will begin with a study on the apocalyptic text of Mark 13:14-23, as it speaks to the times in which we live with the continued proliferation and threat of nuclear war against God's reign on earth through Jesus the Christ.

Ann Sullentrop, with Greater Kansas City Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, will speak to us of the recent efforts to rebuild the Honeywell plant in Kansas City and ways people can speak out and resist.

STEP UP2date

Friends of the STEP Alliance: Thought you should know about an upcoming event, 2 recent news stories, and 2 opportunities for email-advocacy. Please take action! And check out the new research links and discussion board stuff on our facebook page . . .

UPCOMING EVENT:

Veronica's Voice is leading a Street Outreach training THIS SATURDAY, July 18th from 10am-noon at Cherith Brook. (3226 E 12th Street, KC MO 64127) All are welcome! Email safecenter@veronicasvoice.org to RSVP, or just come Saturday.

NEWS STORIES:

The County passed a resolution about drug and prostitution activity in the Northeast (6/29) that excluded mention of SOAP/SODA, and adding "restorative solutions" (see news article here: http://northeastnews.net/countysupport.html )

The KC Star had an article Saturday about SOAP/SODA, which was pretty in favor of it and neglected to mention the STEP Alliance or our alternatives. (see here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/1318816.html )

EMAIL ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES:

Write to Lynn Horsley, the author of the KC Star article (lhorsley@kcstar.com). Let her know that there are people in KC who are opposed to SOAP/SODA! There's an example of what you could write in the email here: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhtmjn6d_51f8rqstc5. Feel free to CUT and PASTE, but it's better if you personalize it some. Let us know if you write her!

Write to the City Prosecutor's office (Beth_Murano@kcmo.org, Megan_Pfannenstiel@kcmo.org) if you can't make it to tomorrow's meeting. Let them know that you are in support of the KC STEP Alliance, and hope that our alternatives will be considered. There's an example of what you could write here: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhtmjn6d_52fmf4f3ct. Again feel free to cut and paste. Let us know if you write them!

Thanks for your support. . .we'll keep you posted!

CB Statement on SOAP/SODA initiative in the Historic Northeast neighborhoods of KCMO

We request postponement of voting on resolution 090304, nicknamed SOAP/SODA (Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution and Stay Out of Drug Areas), which would allow municipal judges to impose geographical boundaries on any drug or prostitution offender, thereby making it illegal for many to be seen on certain streets or in certain neighborhoods in the Historic Northeast. I moved to the Historic Northeast neighborhood to befriend and serve those struggling with joblessness, homelessness, and inadequate wages.

We live at Cherith Brook Catholic Worker House, a house of hospitality that welcomes these persons. We, along with Veronica's Voice and other organizations who serve persons affected by this resolution, would like the opportunity to sit down and dialogue with other concerned community stakeholders, in hopes of revising the current resolution.

We are deeply concerned about this resolution for these reasons:

• It promotes neighborhood vigilantism, which tears communities apart by pitting neighbor against neighbor, therefore weakening our community.

• It further criminalizes victims, while still leaving our community open to the real criminals, which include pimps, traffickers, drug dealers and certainly the customers whose demand for sex fuels the sex industry and perpetually creates more victims.

• It further isolates victims, keeping them out of their own communities, places they've grown up in, and places where they currently live.

• It will only displace any drug and prostitution issues, forcing them underground (creating more violence) or simply move them to another area--all without addressing root causes.

• It attempts to control the whereabouts of already-victimized American citizens, and as such, its constitutionality may even be questionable.

We urge the City Council to postpone approving these strong measures that drive the true victims from the Historic Northeast, where many have grown up, have families, homes, jobs and church activities. Rather than wasting time and energy on compounding the problems of our fellow citizens, we urge folks to get involved with neighborhood faith and community based agencies such as what is offered at Cherith Brook, Veronica’s Voice, and many area churches. We are stakeholders that want to be involved with other community members who are interested in working together to explore ways that address these issues, instead of simply relocating them.

Photos, photos, and more photos!

Follow these links for photos from this past weekend we spent in Stockton & Mt. Carroll, Illinois and Dubuque, Iowa.

Midwest Catholic Worker Faith & Resistance Retreat

New Hope Catholic Worker Farm

The Action at Blackwater

4/28 @ 5:30pm - vigil for CB death row friend, Mark Mize

It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we invite you to vigil with us at Cherith Brook as we pray for the life of our friend, Mark Mize, who has spent more than 14 years on death row in Jackson, GA. Beginning at 5:30pm we will hold a candle light vigil, offer prayers, and meditate silently through the time of his scheduled execution: April 28 at 6pm (central time zone).

If you are unable to attend, due to time or distance constraints, please hold your own vigil wherever you may be. The photos here are of Mark, his sister and mother. Jodi describes him as a gentle soul. She has visited and corresponded with him over the past several years. She will be with him and his mother in Georgia for a couple of days this weekend.

May Day Event @ Holy Family House

HFH Friends and Family,

Holy Family is Proud to Present the 1st Annual

MAY DAY ART & TALENT EVENING!

Friday, May 1, 2009

7-9 p.m.

@ Holy Family House (912 E. 31st)

PLEASE JOIN US ON THE 76TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CATHOLIC WORKER FOR A NIGHT OF ART, PERFORMANCE, MUSIC AND MORE! EVERYONE IS INVITED TO ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE!

*IF YOU SING, ACT, DRAW, BAKE, DANCE, SEW, PLAY MUSIC, SCULPT, WRITE POEMS, OR ...... PLEASE CONSIDER SHOWING YOUR ART OR PERFORMING!

*submissions due to Holy Family by 7:30 p.m. April 30, call 816-753-2677 with Qs