Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Change worship time
Our Sunday worship time changes in December 2 to 10:00 am.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Newsletter Nov 14, 2012
Fairlawn West United Church of Christ
2095 West Market Street, Akron, OH 444313
office@fairlawnwest.org, 330-864-2179, www.fairlawnwest.org
November 14, 2012
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** Secretary
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Our continual prayers are with Clare Llewellyn, our secretary, who is now in hospice on Ridgewood Road. Clare was in Akron General Medical Center for two weeks and a week ago was moved to hospice.
Susan Kolarik is now serving as our secretary. She is in the office 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri. In December, her partner, Pam Reid, will be in the office those same hours on Wednesdays. The email continues to be secretary@fairlawnwest.org and phone number 330-864-2179. We have an automated phone system which filters all our calls since we receive over 50% of our calls as sales and solicitations. Also, our present system enables the secretary and the pastor to receive calls and voice mails whether they are in the building or not.
** Family Promise hosting
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We are hosting four families the week of November 18-25. We need folks to help with the meals for Sunday, Nov 18 and Saturday, Nov 24, to stay overnight both of those nights, to drive the families transportation van morning and evening every day of the week, to set up the rooms on the 18th, to take down the rooms and load the beds into the truck to transport to the next host congregation on Nov 25th. Susan Kolarik is our Coordinator. Contact her at the church office for any help you can provide..
** Habitat for Humanity Blitz Build Week
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The Blitz Week got move back to November this year due to problems with building permits. It will be Tuesday, November 20th to Saturday, December 1. The house will be in Stow for a young mother and her two children. If you are willing to help us host a morning snack and lunch for the builders during the week, let our office know as soon as possible.
** Thanksgiving Meal for the Congregation
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We host the TransAlive support group for northeast Ohio once a month. This is the only support group for transgender people and their loved ones in the area. They are having a Thanksgiving meal on Tuesday, November 20th at 6:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall. They are inviting us to join them since we have offered our facility for their meetings. Contact the office if you will be coming and if you could bring a potluck item for the meal. Jake Nash is the leader of the group. It averages between 20-30 people each month.
** David Loar's Retirement
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David has shared with the leadership that he will be retiring the end of 2013, but with his vacation, his last Sunday would be December 1, 2013. Here is a link to the letter he has written to the congregation. http://fairlawnwest.org/retiring.htm
** New Covenant Community Church Moving
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New Covenant Community Church has moved their offices to 880 Mull Avenue. They will be worshiping in the sanctuary through the end of November. After that they will be worshiping at the DoubleTree Inn on West Market Street across from the Summit Mall.
** Advent
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The new Christian year begins this year on Sunday, December 2nd with the 1st Sunday of Advent. You can see what are the worship themes and scriptures at http://fairlawnwest.org/worship.html
** Transgender Day of Remembrance
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The Cleveland area Transgender Day of Remembrance observance will be at Cleveland City Hall . This will be the 12th year that a vigil and observance has been held in Cleveland and the 4th year Illumination Awards have been handed out. The Illumination Awards are given to individuals who help light the way to increased acceptance for the transgender community. Cleveland is the only TDOR, that we are aware of, that not only memorializes those who have been murdered due to hate but we also have a celebration of life to recognize those who have helped to propel the transgender community forward.
The Rev. David Loar of Fairlawn West United Church of Christ, will receive the "Cisgender Ally Award" which is one of the Illumination Awards. This award is given to a cisgender* identified individual who has worked within the Northeast Ohio region through activism, advocacy, and educating in order to create a more inclusive community where all are accepted regardless of gender identity and expression.
*where an individual's self-perception and presentation of their gender matches the behaviors and roles considered appropriate for one's sex
The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28th, 1998 kicked off the "Remembering Our Dead" web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester's murder — like most anti-transgender murder cases — has yet to be solved. Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgender — that is, as a transsexual, crossdresser, or otherwise gender-variant — each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgendered people. We live in times more sensitive than ever to hatred based violence, especially since the events of September 11th. Yet even now, the deaths of those based on anti-transgender hatred or prejudice are largely ignored. Over the last decade, more than one person per month has died due to transgender-based hate or prejudice, regardless of any other factors in their lives. This trend shows no sign of abating. The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn't perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. The Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. The Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who've died by anti-transgender violence."
– by Gwendolyn Smith "Remembering our Dead Project."
** New Worship Time
Starting Sunday, December 2, 2012 the worship time will move from 9:30 am to 10:00 AM.
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Copyright ©2012 Fairlawn West UCC, All rights reserved.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Rev. David Loar to receive Northeast Ohio Transgender Ally Award
The Cleveland area Transgender Day of Remembrance observance will be Saturday, November 17, 2012 at Cleveland City Hall at 6:00 pm. This will be the 12th year that a vigil and observance has been held in Cleveland and the 4th year Illumination Awards have been handed out. The Illumination Awards are given to individuals who help light the way to increased acceptance for the transgender community. Cleveland is the only TDOR, that we are aware of, that not only memorializes those who have been murdered due to hate but we also have a celebration of life to recognize those who have helped to propel the transgender community forward.
The Rev. David Loar of Fairlawn West United Church of Christ, 2095 West Market Street, Akron will receive the "Cisgender Ally Award" which is one of the Illumination Awards. This award is given to a cisgender* identified individual who has worked within the Northeast Ohio region through activism, advocacy, and educating in order to create a more inclusive community where all are accepted regardless of gender identity and expression.
*where an individual's self-perception and presentation of their gender matches the behaviors and roles considered appropriate for one's sex
The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event
is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28th, 1998 kicked off the "Remembering Our Dead" web project
and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester's murder — like most anti-transgender murder cases — has yet to be solved.
Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgender — that is, as a transsexual,
crossdresser, or otherwise gender-variant — each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgendered people.
We live in times more sensitive than ever to hatred based violence, especially since the events of September 11th. Yet even now, the deaths of
those based on anti-transgender hatred or prejudice are largely ignored. Over the last decade, more than one person per month has died
due to transgender-based hate or prejudice, regardless of any other factors in their lives. This trend shows no sign of abating.
The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that
current media doesn't perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be
forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. The Day of Remembrance
reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. The Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance
to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who've died by anti-transgender violence."
– by Gwendolyn Smith "Remembering our Dead Project."
Youtube videos from the 2011 observance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSdXpeFSfsY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES_k9FZVuXc
Jacob Nash Christen L. DuVernay, MA, CDP
TDOR Committee TDOR Committee
Founder and President Director of Programs,
Margie's Hope Board of Directors The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio
transactivist@sbcglobal.net cduvernay@diversitycenterneo.org
P (330) 240-1600 P (216) 752-3000 ext. 220
