Jackson Community Church

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racial justice

NH Council of Churches Keynote with Rev. Dr. Carter Heyward, Author of 7 Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism

By jacksonnhccPosted on Posted in Adult, Clergy of the Eastern Slope, Education & Faith Formation, Home, Justice & Activism, Mt Washington Region, Mt Washington Valley, OutreachTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

From NH Council of Churches:

Dear Church,

Have you registered for our summer keynote yet with Rev. Dr. Carter Heyward?

Just yesterday, I gathered with community and faith leaders regarding the latest act of white supremacist violence in our state. In a time of rising hate activity, the Church has a particular responsibility in the work of dismantling white Christian nationalism. It is a gift to have an expert like Carter with us to do just that!

We invite you to join us for either the daytime event, evening event, or both! The event is generously happening at no cost to you to ensure as many people as would like to attend are able to do so. We hope you will make this a part of your summer plans, and share with your neighbors.

You can register here: https://www.nhcucc.info/event-details/lecture-seminar-with-carter-heyward

This weekend with JCC and around town: June 18-19 (including Father’s Day and Juneteenth Observances)

By jacksonnhccPosted on Posted in Calendar, HomeTagged , , , ,

SAT, June 18

  • Community Resource: LIBRARIES
  • Community Event: Soggy Po’ Boys (Mountain Top Music program)
    7:30pm • Majestic Theater
    The Soggy Po’ Boys serve their jazz messy, mixing brass-fueled mayhem with spirituals, Meters-style old-school funk, and the Caribbean side of the New Orleans tradition.On the Main Stage of the Majestic Theatre.  Admission to limited to those over 18 or accompanied by parent / guardian.  Doors and Majestic Cafe concessions open at 6:30 pm, music at 7:30 pm. Info & ticket: https://mountaintop.ludus.com/index.php
  • MUSIC AROUND TOWN
    • Shannon Door:Mike & Becca • 7-10pm
    • Wildcat Tavern: Carolyn Ramsay Band • 6-9pm
    • Red Parka Pub: Wooden Nickles • 8-11pm

SUN, June 19 – FATHER’s DAY & JUNETEENTH OBSERVANCES

  • INTERFAITH GATHERING
    8am • Pavilion behind Whitney Community Center (and zoom)
    • in-person & zoom
    • Gather for poetry, conversation and prayer
    • Zoom link and password required
  • WORSHIP with FATHER’S DAY OBSERVANCE
    10:30am • JCC (in-person & zoom)
    • Zoom link and password required
    • Guest Pianist: Maisie Brown
    • Father’s Day Message with Stephen Weeder
    • Minister: Rev Gail Doktor
    • Reception to enjoy friends, members, and special out-of-town guests follows the service
  • MUSIC AROUND TOWN
    • Shannon Door: Mike & Becca • 6-9pm
    • Red Parka Pub: Greg Walsh  • 4-7pm
  • Community Events: JUNETEENTH OBSERVANCES

About Juneteenth

By jacksonnhccPosted on Posted in Calendar, Home, Justice & Activism, Music, Weekly MeditationsTagged , , , , , , , ,

What this day means and how we observe it in NH

JUNETEENTH OBSERVANCES:

June 19:

Through June 20:

SONGS for JUNETEENTH:

Fury & Faith —  Amanda Gorman

You will be told this is not a problem, 
Not your problem. 
You will be told now is not the time
For change to begin, 
Told that we cannot win. 

But the point of protest isn’t winning; 
It’s holding fast to the promise of freedom, 
Even when fast victory is not promised. 

Meaning, we cannot stand up to police 
If we cannot cease policing our imagination,
Convincing our communities that this won’t work, 
When the work hasn’t even begun,
That this can wait, 
When we’ve already waited out a thousand suns.
By now, we understand
That white supremacy
& the despair it demands
Are as destructive as any disease.

So when you’re told that your rage is reactionary,
Remind yourself that rage is our right.
It teaches us it is time to fight.
In the face of injustice,
Not only is anger natural, but necessary,
Because it helps carry us to our destination.

Our goal is never revenge, just restoration.
Not dominace, just dignity.
Not fear, just freedom.
Just justice.

Whether we prevail is not detemined
By all the challenges that are present,
But by all the change that is possible.

& though we are unstoppable,
If we ever feel we might fail,
If we be fatigued & frail, 
When our fire can no longer be fueled by fury,
We will always be fortified by this faith,
Found in the anthem, the vow:

Black lives matter,
No matter what.
Black lives are worth living,
Worth defending,
Worth every struggle.
We owe it to the fallen to fight,
But we owe it to ourselves to never stay kneeling
When the day calls us to stand. 

Together, we envision a land that is liberated, not lawless.
We create a future that is free, not flawless.
Again & again, over & over,
We will stride up every mountainside,
Magnanimous & modest.
We will be protected & served
By a force that is honored & honest.
This is more than protest
               It’s a promise.

Articles and information about Juneteenth:

Statement from NH UCC’s Racial Justice Group:

Our Purpose in Celebrating Juneteenth in New Hampshire is based upon our desire for greater visibility, education, and alliance in a state and geographic region that is historically perceived as demographically white. This misperception is perpetuated through the mainstream and local media; socially, culturally, and politically governed institutions; and lack of cultural awareness manifested in expressions of implicit bias. On Wednesday, June 19, 2019, Governor Chris Sununu signed a bill proclaiming an annual observance Juneteenth as an officially recognized state holiday. This act ended many decades of oversight.
       Juneteenth Commemorates the End of Slavery and the Beginning of a Journey into Freedom – It recalls how the states of Louisiana and Texas heard that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Slavery continued in those two states for more than two years after the proclamation was signed due to active resistance. News of Emancipation had not been fully shared until June 19, 1865. Hence this is the origin of the Juneteenth holiday which is still celebrated in many communities of African American descent. Americans, this is our collective history and a narrative that deserves to be shared. Remember that in NH, slaves were not legally freed until the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, though many NH people fought on the side of the Union. NH was not a free state.
      The truth is that people of African heritage have always been part of New Hampshire history. The narrative of enslaved African people and their descendants is far too often untold and denied. We appreciate the ongoing efforts of our allies to preserve these stories. We embrace Juneteenth as an opportunity to request that EVERYONE participate and join us in celebration for the whole month of June.

Opening worship for the national Synod gathering of the UCC (United Church of Christ)

By jacksonnhccPosted on Posted in Home, Justice & Activism, UCC News, WorshipTagged , ,

SYNOD Begins Today: WORSHIP featuring Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.
You can view it as a Facebook event or on Youtube live event at 5pm EST today, Sunday, July 11.
Live chat is disabled for this event, but you can participate:

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.’s history in the United Church of Christ and the Civil Rights Movement go back years and reflect a legacy of justice orientation and activism. Chavis was a part of the Wilmington 10, a group of civil rights activists who were wrongly convicted of arson and conspiracy in 1972 after deadly racial conflicts in 1971. Chavis, a staffer with the UCC’s Commission for Racial Justice (CRJ), received a 34-year sentence. CRJ came to their defense, and the 1977 General Synod meeting in Washington, D.C. held a march outside the White House for their release. Their sentences were commuted in 1978, their convictions overturned in 1980, and in 2013, the state’s governor pardoned them. Chavis was a youth organizer in North Carolina for Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., served as Executive Director of CRJ from 1985 to 1993, headed the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People from 1993 to 1994, served as national director of 1995 Million Man March in D.C., co-founded the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, and now leads the National Newspaper Publishers Association. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and Duke Divinity School and holds a D.Min. degree from Howard University. Originally published in 1983, Chavis’ Psalms from Prison is available for pre-order at The Pilgrim Press: https://www.thepilgrimpress.com/products/psalms-from-prison-chavis

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