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Date
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Platform Information
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Media |
| Sep 5 |
The Power of Solidarity and Song: Music in Labor History
Elise Bryant, Professor, National Labor College
Elise Bryant is Professor, National Labor College, and proud member of CWA-TNG Local 32035. Music by the DC Labor Chorus. |
MP3 |
| Aug 29 |
Ask Away
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Amanda considers and responds to questions asked previously in this unusual platform service. |
MP3 |
| Aug 22 |
From Spock to Cookie Monster: How to Use Our Understanding of Human Nature to Elicit the Best from Others
Kris Maccubbin, WES Member
Inspired by the book Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard and other recent books on human behavior, this platform explores how we tick. Why do we do the crazy things we do? How can we learn to accept it and use that understanding to elicit the best from ourselves and others? And finally, how can we use this understanding to do a better job to motivate people around the issues we value? |
MP3 |
| Aug 15 |
The Shape of a Life
Barbara Searle, WES Member
Join Barbara as she takes the advent of her 80th birthday to imagine her life both through her own lens and also through the lens of biology--the lens of scientific discovery and possibility. She will explore the importance of science in her own journey, and the ways that the incredible diversity of the natural world inspires all of us who are part of the species Homo sapiens. |
MP3 |
| Aug 8 |
What I Did On My Summer Vacation
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Returning to WES after a month of study leave and vacation, Amanda will reflect on her experience disconnecting from the virtual reality of email--and connection with the different kind of reality found in fiction and poetry. Looking at the work of anicent Greek philosophers, modern poets, and your everyday emailer, Amanda will explore the nature of reality, truth, and the interconnections we can see when we take the time to look closely. |
MP3 |
| Aug 1 |
The Jesus Fish and the Darwin Fish Kiss and Make Up
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
So often we think of religion and science as opposite ends of a line, fighting with each other for a place in our understanding of the world. As a religious person who believes in science, Amanda will explore the ways in which the two disciplines inform and challenge each other. Join us for this first Sunday in our "Science and Reason" theme. |
MP3 |
| Jul 25 |
Our Best Lives: Living into the Aspirations of Mature Humanism
Rev. Dr. Kendyl Gibbons
Both ancient and modern philosophers have engaged with the question of what it means for human beings to live well. Some have differentiated between morality as the study of right and wrong, and ethics as the examination of what kind of lives we ought to try to lead. While Humanism and its liberal religious cousins emphasize freedom as an indispensable condition for the creation of a good life, we do not mean to imply that such a life consists merely in getting whatever we happen to decide that we want. We understand what it means to come to physical maturity, and our culture has at least a few expectations around the meaning of emotional maturity, even though we may not ever achieve them all. Part of the point of religious community is to help us grow into the less obvious qualities of spiritual maturity, for this is what enables us to conduct our lives with dignity, grace, and meaning. The concept of spiritual maturity implies that some ways of living are qualitatively better than others; is this so? If it is, what are those qualities, how do we assess them, and what does it look like when we are in the process of acquiring them? |
MP3 |
| Jul 18 |
Miss Manners' Guide to an Ethical Society
Mary Herman, Community Leader
Much has been made in recent years of the decline of civility. As Miss Manners says, we “follow a common language of behavior in order to avoid making communal life abrasive, unpleasant and explosive.” Join Mary in this lighthearted but thought-provoking call for a revival of civility and how it applies to our community life. |
MP3 |
| Jul 11 |
The Harmony of the Ethical Movement
Tony Hileman, Ethical Culture Leader
One of the most distinguishing characteristics of the Ethical Movement is its ability to progress, to change without losing its essential character. In transitioning from the historic roots of Ethical Culture to the modern understandings of Ethical Humanism we have remained earnestly dedicated to a single direction and in substantial agreement on foundational points. The struggle to stay in accord remains a process of refinement, but there is harmony within our movement. |
MP3 |
| Jul 4 |
O Say Can You See?
Mary Herman, Community Leader, and Peggy Goetz, Sunday School Director
The American flag is a potent symbol of our nation. Join Mary and Peggy to explore the flag’s history and our legacy of patriotism, and begin to create our own flag—our symbol of what America could be. This will be an interactive and creative experience for all ages. Music will include patriotic singalongs led by Johnnie and Susan Buzek. |
Sorry Not Avail |
| Jun 27 |
Building Ethical Democracy
Hugh Taft-Morales, Ethical Culture Leader
American democracy is confronted by many external threats: terrorism, economic chaos, and environmental degradation. To address these threats effectively, we must also solve problems internal to democracy: paralyzing partisan hostility, ugly culture wars, sound-bite media coverage, and a selfish individualism corrosive of the common good. The tradition of Ethical Humanism can help by reminding us that democracy is not merely a form of government, but is an approach to human relationships. Pragmatic engagement, personal relationships, and realistic idealism can reinvigorate our civil discourse and help us build an ethical democracy. |
MP3 |
| Jun 20 |
Perspectives on Fatherhood
John Daken, WES member
Fatherhood is a timeless role that is nevertheless re-invented by every new father. On this Father's Day, John will reflect on his experiences parenting Eleanor and James, in the context of his own childhood and the many theories of parenting he has encountered as a practicing psychiatrist and consumer of popular literature. |
MP3 |
| Jun 13 |
And the Beat Goes on
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader, & Mary Herman, Community Leader
We will celebrate the installation of the new Board of Trustees and think about the passage of leadership and the caretaking of this community -- which belongs, in the end, to us all. |
MP3 |
| Jun 6 |
Celebrating our Coming of Age Graduates
Hugh Taft-Morales, Jeanine Cogan & Amanda Poppei
Join us for this special celebration of graduates from our Coming of Age program, COA-MATT. We will hear from the teens themselves, enjoy music they chose, and celebrate the transitions they are making on their ethical and spiritual journeys. |
MP3 |
| May 30 |
The Grass is Always Greener
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Join Amanda on this Memorial Day Weekend for a platform filled with poetry and reflections on gardening, summer and the eternal human quest for something different. |
MP3 |
| May 23 |
Lighten Up!
Joshua Searle-White, Ph.D.
Given the environmental, political, and financial messes around us, it's not surprising that many of us feel worried, depressed, and beaten down these days. Yet lightening up, or learning to relate to the world in a more playful way, can provide us with the energy and freedom to live our lives more fully. Join visiting storyteller Joshua Searle-White as we explore the spiritual practice of lightening up – and maybe we’ll even have some fun in the process! Join WES favorite (and son of our own Barbara Searle) as he explores the world of storytelling. |
MP3 |
| May 16 |
Alain Locke: Muse of the Harlem Ranaissance, Philosopher of Cultural Pluralism, and Friend of Ethical Culture
Dr. Robert Berson, Ethical Culture Leader
We are delighted to welcome Bob Berson to our platform to share a special address about a historical figure who is not as well known as he should be. |
MP3 |
| May 9 |
Is Your Mama a Llama?
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Celebrate Mother's Day with us as we look at the many ways women and mothers have been perceived over the ages. Amanda will consider children's literature, the original Mother's Day Proclamation (an anti-war call to action!), and gender and sexuality issues as she explores this topic. |
MP3 |
| May 2 |
Gandhi's Seven Deadly Sins
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
What was that list of seven sins, again? And what does it matter for us? Join Amanda for an exploration of the original septet, the version articulated by Gandhi, and her take on what they mean for us today. |
MP3 |
| Apr 25 |
The Creative Impulse: It's Not Just Art
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Or, alternatively, it's all just art! Join Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader, as we kick off our Creativity theme with a multigenerational story. After the children go on to their classes, Amanda will explore the philosophical side of creativity, looking particularly at the work of Henry Nelson Wieman and his concept of "creative interchange" as the spark that occurs when we truly connect. |
MP3 |
| Apr 18 |
Spring Festival and Earth Day Celebration
Mary Herman and Amanda Poppei
A platform which recognizes that as nature is renewed each year with fresh blooms, we must reawaken our own human nature by planting fresh dreams as seeds for our own better future. This platform celebration highlights the responsibility we share towards our planet and all its inhabitants, and what we can do to preserve our beautiful earth for future generations. |
Sorry not avail |
| Apr 11 |
Changing Hearts and Minds
Amanda Poppei
Many Americans have been horrified to learn about the bill currently before the Ugandan legislature, which would make homosexual acts punishable by death. But what is the appropriate American response to this international legislation? Is the response different because of the probability that the bill was inspired by conservative American evangelical ministers? In the larger context, how do we interact with cultures that are different from our own—and what is the line between imposing our own values and standing up for what is right? |
MP3 |
| Apr 4 |
Finding Meaning in Jesus
Michael S. Franch
Easter is not my holiday, but I find something satisfying and useful about it. Like Felix Adler, I reject the “magic” part of the Jesus story but find meaning in the teaching associated with his name. It’s always useful to remind ourselves that no Great Leader will save us but that we can benefit from spiritual heroes if we pick them wisely. However you define it, we are responsible for our own salvation. |
MP3 |
| Mar 28 |
Your Wild and Precious Life
Rachel Hartig, Annetta Sawyer, and Jonathan Tomer
Join three WES members as they explore their own answers to the question that Mary Oliver poses in her beautiful poem: what will you do with your one wild and precious life? Their own stories will begin to answer the broader questions of what in life we love, what we take risks for, and what it's all about. |
MP3 |
| Mar 21 |
Set My People Free: Liberation and the Humanistic Impulse
Amanda Poppei
As we begin our theme on liberation, join Amanda to explore some of the world's great liberation stories--and examine the humanistic impulse that is behind them. Amanda will begin to identify humanist philosophy as it travels through the world's great religions, an idea she'll pick up on in an Adult Education class offered later this month. |
MP3 |
| Mar 14 |
Call Waiting
Amanda Poppei & Mary Herman
Join Mary and Amanda as they engage in conversation about their own vocations and the call that Ethical Culture hears in the world today.
This platform also includes the ceremony which made the long-time marriage of Ellen Kahn and Julie Drizin legally recognized in DC and other jurisdictions where committed love is legally sanctified. |
MP3 |
| Mar 7 |
I Should Be Committed!
Amanda Poppei
What does it mean to be committed to a religious tradition? Are people who take their religion seriously, who really live their lives by religious values, just crazy? And if so…how can we be a little more crazy ourselves? Join Amanda for this exploration of what it means to be committed to our own tradition. |
MP3 |
| Feb 28 |
Beyond Disbelief
Jone Johnson Lewis
Ethical Culturists and Unitarian Universalists are often accused of "believing in nothing" or, perhaps worse, "believing in anything." Both religious groups have a commitment to creedlessness as a community. And disbelief is gaining in visibility today, with more vocal presence of atheists and even a mention in the 2009 inaugural address. Yet most of us have quite strong beliefs. Jone Johnson Lewis, Leader of the No. Virginia Ethical Society since 1997, will explore the landscape "beyond disbelief." |
MP3 |
| Feb 21 |
Silence and Voice
Mary Herman
Join Mary as she explores silence and speech as spiritual practices, as healing powers, and as damaging norms. |
MP3 |
| Feb 14 |
Pay Attention to Love Day
Amanda Poppei
Amanda shares her thoughts on the idea of covenant--promises that we make to each other, whether in our marriage, our family, or our religious community-- and how love runs through the promises we make. |
MP3 |
| Jan 31 |
Ethical Culture Identify: Back to Basics
Mary Herman
Once every year or so, we take a Sunday to review some of the foundational principles of an Ethical Culture perspective on life, truth, and the world around us. What makes Ethical Culture unique? How might the world be better if our values were more widely shared? What are we called to do and to be? If someone you know doesn’t quite understand how Ethical Culture can work as a spiritual path, consider inviting them to explore it with you. |
MP3 |
| Jan 24 |
Ethical Eating
Maya Kosok
Join Maya Kosok, an environmental educator, Ethical Culturist, and occasional farmer, as she explores the intersection of Ethical Culture and the wonderful world of eating. She will take a close look at her own evolving opinions about food and invite you to to make conscious choices about eating. |
MP3 |
| Jan 17 |
Racism, Hope, and What I've Learned
Amanda Poppei, Susan Runner & Sean Taft-Morales
Join our Senior Leader and two WES members, Susan Runner and Sean Taft-Morales, all of whom have participated in the same anti-racism training, and hear about their journeys in understanding race and racism. We will celebrate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on this Sunday, and talk about how far we still have to go—and what we celebrate with hope and joy. |
PDF |
| Jan 10 |
Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime?
Amanda Poppei
At this past summer’s “Ask Away” platform, one of the questions posed by the WES community was how to respond to panhandlers…and indeed, we struggle daily with how best to respond to those in need. This Sunday, as we begin our Vision and Ideals theme, Amanda will share some of her own learning about homelessness and poverty, as well as consider how we best respond to a world so much in need. |
MP3 |
| Jan 3 |
Ring in the New Year
Amanda Poppei
During this special ceremonial platform participants reflect on their life and imagine what changes they might make to make their life more meaningful and joyful. |
MP3 |
| Dec 27 |
Winter Reflection
Laura Buzek
Join Laura as she shares what she has learned during her semester “break” before starting college at the University of Maryland next month. |
MP3 |
| Dec 13 |
When Church and State Collide
Amanda Poppei
Religion and politics make strange bedfellows--but common ones. We often think of the danger possible when the church creeps into government decisions, and that danger certainly exists. At the same time, though, do we have a responsibility to make our voice heard? With "Ethical" as our middle name, what message should we be bringing to the political world? |
MP3 |
| Dec 6 |
This Little Light of Adler's
Amanda Poppei
We begin our theme of the Divine Within. What does that idea mean for Ethical Culturists? Adler had a strong sense of a person's soul, their undeniable humanity. Does that idea still resonate for us today? |
MP3 |
| Nov 29 |
Who Is My Neighbor?
Amanda Poppei
We often talk about the importance of neighborliness, of connecting with our community. But in these times of extended families flung across the country, of email and videoconferencing, of apartment buildings and suburban sprawl, who are our neighbors? Help Amanda to answer this Thanksgiving question. |
MP3 |
| Nov 22 |
Stone Soup Celebration
Mary Herman
A Thanksgiving platform celebration to reflect on the abundance in our lives and prepare ourselves to make the most of our own Thanksgiving with family and friends. After the platform, we enjoy a “stone” soup lunch together. |
MP3 |
| Nov 16 |
Swimming Up the Sun: The Gifts of Adoption Reunion
Nicole Burton
When playwright Nicole Burton, an adopted person, set out to find her original family, she couldn't have known of the odyssey and gifts that were in store for her. Her search and reunion unfolded in places as far apart as England, Italy, and Louisiana. Nicole will describe how reunion has helped her build courage, acceptance, and a greater capacity for love. |
MP3 |
| Nov 8 |
Sustain Me
Amanda Poppei
How do we live truly sustainable lives--in our personal choices and in the world at large? What does it mean to have enough, to have lives of plenty? And how can we seek to live sustainably in our religious community? Join Amanda as she explores these questions, part of our congregation-wide theme of Abundance and Sufficiency. |
MP3 |
| Nov 1 |
We Are Broken, We Are Whole: Remembrance Day
Amanda Poppei
Join us for our annual Remembrance Day service, when we honor those we have lost over the last year and throughout our lives. This year, we will consider more deeply the ways that we, and those we love, are both broken and whole, both flawed and somehow perfectly, uniquely ourselves. |
MP3 |
| Oct 25 |
All in the Neighborhood
Rev. Louise Green
Social justice work in the city can bring us into new relationships and a different way of seeing. This platform will explore a model of three dimensional love that calls us to greater giving, and helps us to receive more abundantly. Louise Green is the Minister of Social Justice at All Souls Unitarian DC. |
MP3 |
| Oct 18 |
This I Believe
John Mulligan, Perry Saidman & Jen Watson
Many of us have heard them; the insightful, honest, fascinating essays on National Public Radio’s This I Believe, by people from around the nation telling us what they accept as true. Join new members and long-time members as they briefly tell us what they believe, how they came to believe it and why it is so important to them. |
MP3 |
| Oct 11 |
Inherent Worth of All: National Equality March
Amanda Poppei, Chris Matias
Amanda will lead a brief gathering service after which we will put our values into action and join the National Equality March. For those who will not be marching, Chris Matias will continue the platform service at WES with a colloquy on this important topic. |
Sorry Not Avail |
| Oct 4 |
Music and Justice
Matt Meyer
Visiting Musician Matt Meyer leads us in an exploration of music and justice. Music can help create communities where those who love justice and peace find the strength and courage to act on their beliefs. Join us for an energetic service of rhythm, music and reflection. |
Sorry Not Avail |
| Sep 27 |
Why Grow Old?
Beth Baker, WES Member
In his book, What are Old People For?, maverick geriatrician Bill Thomas makes the case for “elderhood” – an important and valuable life stage that has special meaning for the human community. In this platform, Beth Baker explores the emerging movement of “conscious aging.” |
MP3 |
| Sep 20 |
Begin Again and Again
Mary Herman, Community Leader
We live our lives by coming into, and then occasionally falling out of, right relationships with ourselves, with others, and with life itself. As our community begins a new year, the opportunity arises to prepare ourselves for a fresh start. Join Mary as we consider new paths to achieve greater wholeness. |
MP3 |
| Sep 13 |
A Secular Age
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Celebrate the beginning of the congregational year with us as Amanda considers whether we live in a secular age or a religious age—and how Ethical Culture can span the divide. |
MP3 |
| Sep 6 |
Blessings of Animals
Carol Clayton, WES Member
Join our now annual tradition where we talk about the blessings that animals bring to our lives. This is a multigenerational and multi-species platform. |
MP3 |
| Aug 30 |
Embracing Contradictions
Fritz Williams, AEU Leader
I believe in cultivating opposite, but complementary views of life, and I believe in meeting life's challenges with contradictory strategies. I believe in reckoning with the ultimate meaninglessness of our existence, even as we fall in love with the miracle of being alive. I believe in working passionately to make our lives count while never losing sight of our insignificance. I believe in caring deeply and being beyond caring. It is by encompassing these opposites, by being involved and vulnerable, but simultaneously transcendent and detached, that our lives are graced by resilience and joy. |
MP3 |
| Aug 23 |
Painting Sunlight
Mary Herman, Community Leader
In one of Lawrence Ferlinghetti's poems he "asked a hundred painters and a hundred poets how to paint sunlight on the face of life." The novelist David Grossman compares the act of creativity to breathing. Join Mary in an exploration of the creative response and its connection to our perceptual, emotional and ethical lives. |
MP3 |
| Aug 16 |
Ask Away
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Amanda considers and responds to questions submitted previously in this unusual platform service. |
MP3 |
| Aug 9 |
Empathy: Gateway to Goodness
Rev. Scott Alexander
Reflecting on the important altruism studies of Dr. Samuel Oliner and others, Rev. Alexander will reflect on the all important human phenomenon of Altruism. Rev. Scott Alexander is the Senior Minister of the River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Bethesda, MD. |
MP3 |
| Aug 2 |
Love Knows No Bounds
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Amanda talks about her work for marriage equality in the District of Columbia, and examines why this issue speaks to our own religious values...and the values of the interfaith group of pastors supporting this work. |
MP3 |
| Jul 26 |
Self-Regard
Bart Worden, Leader Ethical Society of Westchester
Bart Worden examines the interplay of how people see themselves and their efforts to live ethically. He writes, "the idea for this address came to me after hearing a long time member of my society describe the very self-critical internal commentary she lives with. Later that day I came across an article by a teacher about the prevalence of undeserved self-approval on the part of students. In the address I will explore how each self-perception style affects the individual and the people the individual encounters." |
MP3 |
| Jul 19 |
Harmony
Mairi Rothman and her family
This platform explores harmony as a metaphor, weaving music in with the platform address. |
Sorry Not Avail |
| Jul 12 |
Grandeur in This View: The Significance of Darwin for Liberal Religion
Rev. Dr. William Murry
Rev. Dr. William Murry, is Minister Emeritus, River Road Unitarian Church; Past President, Meadville Lombard Theological School; and Editor, Journal of Liberal Religion. |
MP3 |
| Jul 5 |
Freedom!
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Join Amanda for a multigenerational platform service celebrating our nation’s—and our movement’s—tradition of freedom. |
Sorry Not Avail |
| Jun 21 |
Restless and Resting
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Many of us feel that our work is never done, never enough--in our professional lives, in our push for social justice, in our families. As we enter the summertime months, how will we use our time to rest our bodies and our spirits--and how do we prepare for the year ahead? On this Father's Day, join us as we examine restlessness, resting, and the importance of play. |
MP3 |
| Jun 14 |
From Generation to Generation
Rev. Archene Turner
From generation to generation is this year's theme for pride. So what is next for the lgbt movement? |
MP3 |
| Jun 7 |
Sales Pitches and Dialogues
Nancy McGuire, WES Member
WES members feel that we have something important to offer to the larger society in which we live, yet we are often hesitant to speak about our beliefs outside of our own community. Part of this hesitancy stems from our past experiences with the attempts of others to proselytize us or to "sell" us on their beliefs. We are reluctant to emulate those who assume a position of moral certainty and impose their way of life on others without regard for the other person’s beliefs and values. How can we share our ethical approach to life in a way that engages other people and demonstrates respect for their points of view? |
MP3 |
| May 31 |
Saving our Souls Alive
Mary Herman, Community Leader
Mary will share portions of the platform she gave at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. |
MP3 |
| May 24 |
Future of Ethical Societies
FES Young Adults
WES will welcome members of the Future of Ethical Societies (FES) during their annual conference. The group will present a platform on "Ethical Culture in the ADD Generation." Young people today have short attention spans, brought on my an era of texting, sound bytes, the internet, and arguably, apathy. |
Sorry Not Avail |
| May 17 |
Founder's Day
Amanda Poppei
On May 15, 1876, the first address of the Ethical Movement was given in New York by Dr. Felix Adler. We join Ethical Societies across the country in celebrating the founding
of Ethical Culture. |
Sorry Not Avail |
| May 10 |
Mothering Each Other's Children
Amanda Poppei
Amanda will consider the joys and challenges inherent in our charge to care for each other's children. What happens if we take seriously the idea that "it takes a village to raise a child?" |
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Not Avail |
| May 3 |
Honoring Our Graduates
Susan Buzek, WES member, and graduating seniors
Religious communities are traditionally places where we celebrate transitions in life. In our culture, graduation from high school is one such transition. Join Susan and our graduating seniors as WES honors our graduates with a special platform where they have an opportunity to share how being a part of the Ethical Culture movement has influenced their lives.
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MP3 |
| Apr 26 |
My Wake-Up Call
Randy Best, Senior Leader, North Carolina Society for Ethical Culture
In the aftermath of a serious traffic accident I began to re-examine my life’s priorities. In “My Wake Up Call” I share this exploration and identify resources available to humanists to recover from a life crisis. I present a Five step model for recovering from a life crisis. |
MP3 |
| Apr 19 |
Earth Day Celebration
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
This platform celebration highlights the responsibility we share towards our planet and all its inhabitants, and encourages us to learn what we can do to preserve our beautiful Earth for future generations. |
MP3 |
| Apr 12 |
Spring Festival: Planting Dreams
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
A multigenerational platform which recognizes that as nature is renewed each year with fresh blooms, we must rewaken our own human nature by planting fresh dreams as seeds for our own better future. |
Sorry
Not
Avail |
| Apr 05 |
Cultivating Empathy
Jone Johnson Lewis, Senior Leader, Norther Virginia Ehtical Society
Empathy is a crucial attitude and skill for developing more ethical relationships in personal life, in politics, at work, in every venue in life. Drawing on resources in science, philosophy, psychology, and personal development. Jone Johnson Lewis will explore empathy as an ethical practice. How do we learn empathy as a skill and nurture empathy as an attitude? |
MP3 |
| Mar 29 |
Investing in Each Other
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Join Amanda to reflect on what it means to be part of a religious community--and how we offer an alternative to the commercialism that runs rampant in our society. Amanda will especially consider Felix Adler's thoughts on groups and organizations, and how they relate to the materialism that he saw around him. |
MP3 |
| Mar 22 |
A Woman's Place
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Celebrate Women's History Month with Amanda as she considers the roles of women in American society and in Ethical culture. What challenges do women still face? What messages are we sending to our daughters, our nieces, our granddaughters--and to our sons, nephews, and grandsons? And what are some of the questions raised by the transgender rights movement, as we are challenged to reconsider our binary understanding of gender? |
MP3 |
| Mar 15 |
My Journey Towards the Earth Charter
Marie Soveroski, Earth Charter Advocate and international lawyer
Marie Soveroski, the local leader for Earth Charter and the Managing Director of Earth Rights International, will explore her journey towards the Earth Charter. Marie is committed, personally and professionally, to protecting the environment and human rights. She will reflect on how the Earth Charter principles touched her life before she even knew of the Earth Charter. She will show how its principles embody a holistic framework for "How Things Should Be" -- that is, how the environmental, social, and economic principles in the Charter can be used to steer the world towards greater justice, equality, and a healthy, sustainable future. She will recount through her journey how and why the Charter moved her to take action in her own life and see life on the planet as a greater whole, and how that personal journey is part of a grassroots, yet global, movement now underway. Finally, she will suggest how the Charter can resonate with the Ethical Society and its members.
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MP3 |
| Mar 08 |
Here in the Real World
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
We live in a world where we meet, chat and connect electronically. . .
sometimes more often than we do in person. What do all these cyberrelationships mean for our connections with each other? How can they help us to form stronger bonds with each other—and when do we need to forget the computers and get real?
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MP3 |
| Mar 01 |
Beyond Social Justice
Perry Beider, WES Member
Many religious groups, especially liberal communities such as WES, have a mission of working for social justice. Sometimes the term is defined broadly to include justice for future generations and non-human species—but even then, does it cover everything worth striving for? In this platform, Perry Beider will argue that the ideal society envisioned in Ethical Culture depends critically on social justice, but encompasses other ethical goals as well. Our work for justice may be more coherent, and perhaps even more effective, if we recognize the broader whole of which it is a part. |
MP3 |
| Feb 22 |
Making Up the Words
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
When we sing our children to sleep, what words do we use? Are they the ones we remember from our own childhood? Or do we make up new words? Join Amanda to talk about the importance of words and language in our religious communities from this unique perspective. |
MP3 |
| Feb 15 |
What Makes Us Human
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Amanda considers what philosophers have understood as “necessary” to be considered human—and poses some Ethical Culture possibilities, as well. |
MP3 |
| Feb 08 |
The Mightiest Word -- Pay Attention To Love Day
Mary Herman, Community Leader
At President Obama’s inauguration, poet Elizabeth Alexander asked “What if the mightiest word is “love” – love beyond marital, filial, national; love that casts a widening pool of light…” What if, in the realm of the political, in our families, in our romantic relationships, and in our friendships, we were to put love at the center of our lives? |
MP3 |
| Feb 01 |
Finding Silence
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
The winter time calls for us to reflect and be quiet—but that quiet can be hard to find in our busy lives. How do we find the time and space to reflect, to be present to ourselves? Join Amanda to explore the idea of spiritual practice, and what that might mean for you. |
MP3 |
| Jan 25 |
The Challenge of Justice
Andrew Bard Schmookler, Activist, Author
Drawing on such sources as Aesop, rabbinical stories, Jane Austen and others, Dr. Schmookler will illustrate what an uphill struggle it is for us human beings to act justly in the world, and how those of us with a passion for justice might make that uphill journey. |
MP3 |
| Jan 18 |
On the Edge of History -- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Join us as we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the context of the inauguration of America's first black president. What does this historic moment say about the state of racism in America? What can we be proud of--and what still calls for our attention and our passion? |
MP3 |
| Jan 11 |
What Makes Us Good?
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
"To do good is my religion," say our bumper stickers, and the drive toward ethical living and right relationship is foundational to our community. But where do we find that drive? Are we born good? Do we grow into it? Reflect with Amanda on just where we get the impulse toward morality. |
MP3 |
| Jan 04 |
New Year's Celebration
Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Ring in the New Year with all of your friends at WES. Amanda will lead us in examining our lives and our commitments as we begin a new year together. |
MP3 |
