Thursday, February 28, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 2300 East End St NW, Olympia 98502

info.. Roger Nielsen, helloroger88@yahoo.com
Website.. http://www.ouuc.org/pages/adultED.html

Admission/cost.. $20.00 (one-time registration-see website)

This class will be based on a special report on the NW Detention Center in Tacoma that ran in The Olympian. The Center can house up to 1500 people awaiting possible deportation. The series of five articles reveals the center got built and how the lives of one family have been disrupted by one of its members being detained there.

Please refer to the OUUC website for registration information & to review other available classes.

Saturday-Sunday, March 2-3, 2013, 9:00AM - 12:30PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516

info.. The Priory Spirituality Center 360-438-2595; spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. No fee

Come join the Sisters to listen to your call from Scripture and the Prologue of the Rule of Benedict about Benedictine community. Experience being with the St. Placid Sisters for reflection time, prayer, work and leisure. If you are a Catholic single woman discerning whether you have a vocation to a Benedictine way of life, this is a wonderful opportunity to share in community life with St. Placid Sisters.

Saturday, March 2, 2013, 9:15AM - 3:00PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516

info.. The Priory Spirituality Center 360-438-2595; spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. $50

The Gospel is very clear that those who follow in the way of Jesus are "commanded" to "love our enemies." Yet, it is not at all easy for us today to determine either who are "enemies" are, let alone what it would mean for us to "love" them.

For many people in North America today an "enemy"is most unfortunately being defined in practice, (in terms of how people speak in public, entertainment, internet, politics, etc.) as those who do not see the would as "we" do.

Thus, to disagree has come to turn us into "enemies."

The gift of the Gospel to all kinds of people, Christians and others -- those who see the world in many different ways -- is to invite and make it possible to know, respect, honor, and love those who do not see the world exactly as we do.

Using resources from Christian tradition and contemporary culture, this workshop will assist participants to reflect on who their "enemies" are, and to explore this invitation to know, respect, honor and love them.

Friday & Saturday, March 1 & 2, 9 am - 4pm (Fri) & 3pm (Sat)
First United Methodist Church of Olympia, 1224 Legion Way SE, Olympia 98501

Admission/cost..

Great bargains on household & outdoor goods & decor, sporting goods, clothing, sewing & craft supplies, tools, books, furniture, antiques & collectibles and more. The "Unique Boutique" features quality retro, funky, and vintage clothing & accessories for men, women, and children.

All proceeds support local, national and global charities.

Sponsored by United Methodist Women, who plan and collect for this all year!

Saturday, March 2, 7:30 pm -
Traditions Fair Trade Cafe, 300 - 5th Ave SW, Olympia 98501

info.. (360) 491-9093; info@olympiafor.org
Website.. [http://www.tomrawson.com; www.olympiafor.org ]

Admission/cost.. Tickets: $10-25 sliding scale

TOM RAWSON
He has a banjo and he's not afraid to use it! Peace & Social Justice Folk Music Concert to Benefit Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation

"Tom Rawson – Pete Seeger. These two run together in my mind. Friendly, charismatic banjo playing...More of a sharing than a show....First timer or old fan, old song or new, it always seems we are singing our favorites with an old friend."
~ Steve Drufee, Victory Review

Please buy tickets in advance!
Buy tickets from Traditions Fair Trade or mail a check to:
Olympia FOR
5015 15th Avenue SE
Lacey WA 98503-2723

Checks payable to "Olympia FOR." Earmark lower left corner "Tickets." Tell us how many tickets you want, and we'll hold them at the door .

The Olympia FOR has worked locally since 1976 for peace, social justice and principled nonviolence. Join us!

see flyer

Mondays, March 4, 11, 18, 25; April 1, 8, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Olympia Unitarian Universalist, 2300 East End St NW, Olympia 98502

info.. Roger Nielsen, helloroger88@yahoo.com
Website.. http://ouuc.org/pages/adultED.html

Admission/cost.. $20.00 (one-time registration; see website)

This is a six-session discussion course that explores good health, the connections between human health and the environment, and how we can sustain both. The course discusses limitations of the current medical model, then addresses the places where our personal health intersects with the environment - from our food and homes to our communities and society. Throughout the course you will find individual actions that promote good health and, in turn, a healthier environment.

Please refer to the OUUC website for more information and to view a description of other Adult Education offerings.

Tuesdays, March 5, 12, 19, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Olympia Unitarian Universalist, 2300 East End St NW, Olympia 98502

info.. Roger Nielsen, helloroger88@yahoo.com
Website.. http://ouuc.org/pages/adultED.html

Admission/cost.. $20.00 (one-time registration; see website)

We long for meaning, for an effective way to bring insight and heart to the ordinary circumstances and inevitable challenges our our daily lives. On the basis of Gelek Rimpoche's book, Good Live, Good Death, this course will explore ways to bring depth, meaning and joy to our lives. The course will include presentation, group discussion, concentrated meditation and guided analytical meditation.

Please refer to the OUUC website for more information and to view a description of other Adult Education offerings.

Thursdays, March 7, 14, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Olympia Unitarian Universalist, 2300 East End St NW Olympia 98502

info.. Roger Nielsen, helloroger88@yahoo.com
Website.. http://ouuc.org/pages/adultED.html

Admission/cost.. $20.00 (one-time registration; see website)

In his book A Hidden Wholeness, Parker Palmer describes how many of us become estranged from the life of integrity and meaning that we could be living, and the impact this has on our selves and our communities. He describes ways we can participate in groups whose sole purpose is to provide a safe place where we can support one another in our journeys to reconnect with that life of integrity and meaning, through practices including deep listening, open and honest questioning, and respecting silence.

Please refer to the OUUC website for more information and to view a description of other class offerings.

Friday, 3/8/13, 7:30pm -
Traditions Cafe, 300 - 5th Avenue SW, Olympia 98501

info.. (360) 943-6772
Website.. http://www.heartsparkle.org

Admission/cost.. $5-10 (no one turned away)

Join the Heartsparkle Players for a Playback Theatre performance in collaboration with the Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation, an organization working to create peace, social justice and nonviolence locally and worldwide.

see flyer

Friday, March 8, 5 pm - 7 pm
St. Michael Parish, 1021 Boundary St. SE, Olympia 98501

info.. Mary Trotter, mtrotter@saintmichaelparish.org
Website.. [http://www.saintmichaelparish.org, www.cgsusa.org]

Admission/cost.. n/a

The Pacific Northwest Region of the Catechesis* of the Good Shepherd invites you to an evening to explore The Religious Potential of Children.

Catechesis* of the Good Shepherd is hands-on approach to Religious formation for children rooted in Montessori educational philosophy. While it began in the Roman Catholic tradition other Christian traditions including Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran, and Mennonite, utilize the approach as well.

The evening features two speakers, recently returned from providing training at the Missionaries of Charity in Kotalka, India(Mother Teresa's order). The presentation will be followed by a Lenten soup supper. This event provides an introduction and information on how churches can utilize the CGS approach.

*Catechesis means oral religious instruction, and is pronounced "kat-i-kee-sis".

Saturday, March 9, 2013, 9:15AM - 3:00PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516

info.. The Priory Spirituality Center 360-438-2595; spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. $50

Walk the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross, with us through lectio divina, visio divina, expressive drawing, blessed movements, walking the Stations of the Cross, and silent reflections. These practices will help us contemplate and reflect more deeply on Jesus' compassion, forgiveness, and loving kindness through his passion story.

Wednesdays, March 13, 27, April 10, 24, May 8, 22, 9:00AM - 12:00PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 CollegeSt. NE, Lacey, WA 98516

info.. 360-438-2595, spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. $250 for 6 sessions, materials included

A 6-session program on writing an ethical will, led by Jan Lowry.

"Making a statement that articulates your values and offers your wishes, blessings and hopes for future generations is a tradition that began centuries ago in Biblical times. Such an ethical will provides a lasting legacy of wisdom gleaned from a lifetime of experience. To create such a document, we must understand the times in which we lived and how they influenced the choices we made and who we became."

Saturday, March 16, 2013, 9:15AM - 3:00PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516

info.. The Priory Spirituality Center 360-438-2595; spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. $50

In times of change or transition, we often recognize a desire to leave a legacy – our imprint on the place or people we are leaving. This workshop will focus on two questions concerning legacy by (1) suggesting that the best time to consider a legacy is at the beginning and (2) exploring what we take with us...

Sunday, March 17, 10am - 2pm
Temple Beth Hatfiloh, 201 8th Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501

Website.. http://bethhatfiloh.org/ http://choose-a-palooza.com

Admission/cost.. free

As usual this year's 25th Annual Blintzapalooza will include the sale of bagels with lox and cream cheese, blintzes with delicious toppings, frozen blintzes, used books, and a cooking competition.

But that's not all...
This year you can be part of the event's 25th anniversary "Choose-A-Palooza," a way for the entire Olympia community to designate which previous Blintzapalooza recipients over the last 25 years gets another donation this year, alongside this year's other beneficiaries: GRuB, Interfaith Works and SideWalk.

To vote, go to: http://choose-a-palooza.com

The organization with the most votes will receive a donation of $2,500. The on-line vote will run from March 9-March 15 and the winner will be announced at Blintzapalooza on March 17. Twenty-five organizations are in the running.

Vote now for your favorite at choose-a-palooza.com and share it with your friends and family.

See you on March 17 for bagels, blintzes, books and more.

see flyer

Saturday, March 23, 2013, 9:15AM - 3:00PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516

info.. The Priory Spirituality Center 360-438-2595; spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. $60

Get your hands into the bread of life! We'll begin with the reality of bread making, each participant preparing their own dough and loaf. As it rises and bakes, we will investigate mystic poetry from Christian, Sufi, and other traditions through reflection and creative response. Gluten-free options available.

Thursdays, Mar 28, Apr 4, 11, 18, 25, May 2, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Olympia Unitarian Universalist, 2300 East End St NW, Olympia 98502

info.. Roger Nielsen, helloroger88@yahoo.com
Website.. http://ouuc.org/pages/adultED.html

Admission/cost.. $20.00 (one-time registration; see website)

This class on the theme of justice is based on a very popular ethics course from Harvard University, taught by Professor Michael Sandel. Its aim is to help us become more critically minded thinkers about the moral decisions we all face in our everyday lives. Sandel challenges us with difficult moral dilemmas and asks our opinion about the right thing to do. The results are often surprising, revealing that important moral questions are never black and white.

Please refer to the OUUC website for more information on the topics that will be discussed and to view a description of other Adult Education offerings.

Thursday-Sunday, March 28-31, 2013, 3:00PM - 12:00PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516

info.. The Priory Spirituality Center 360-438-2595; spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. $195, cost with spiritual direction $230

Travel with Jesus on the road to Calvary. Take time with the silence of this retreat to let yourself be fully present to this holy time. Begin by joining the Benedictine Sisters for a special meal on Holy Thursday. Be with us as we let the liturgies of each sacred day lead us deeper into the journey of Easter. We will celebrate new life with 8:00AM Eucharist on Easter Sunday, followed by a simple breakfast with the Sisters and Mass participants. Spiritual Direction is available on Thursday before 3:00PM.

Monday-Friday, March 25-March 29, Noon -
The United Churches of Olympia, 110 - 11th Ave SE (at Capitol), 98501

info.. 943-1210
Website.. http://www.theunitedchurches.org

Admission/cost.. Free

Join us in the Sanctuary for our annual Holy Week Organ Concerts. All the performers are active parish organists. You are welcome to bring your sack lunch.

Friday, March 29, 4:00 pm -
First Christian Church, 701 Franklin St SE, Olympia 98501

Website.. [http://www.firstchristianolympia.org, www.theunitedchurches.org]

Admission/cost.. n/a

On this holy eve, when we remember Christ's death, we observe that too much tragedy and violence still exists in our world.

With candles to light our hope for the world, we will walk through the downtown area of Olympia to observe the violence and tragedy that has occurred in our own community. Along the way, we sing songs and listen to words from the Christian Scriptures.

This prayer walk will conclude in 90 minutes after approximately a 1.5 mile walk. There will be a shorter loop for those that are not able to walk as far.

Meet on the front steps of the First Christian Church

Friday, March 29, 2013, 7pm -
Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1925 Boulevard Rd SE, Olympia 98501

info.. church office- (360) 357-5750
Website.. http://www.wpcoly.org

Admission/cost.. free

Join us for worship as our Chancel Choir, along with the Gloria Dei Lutheran Choir, will present Faure's Requiem.

Thursday-Sunday, March 28-March 31, various -
St. Michael Parish, 1055 Boundary St SE, Olympia 98501 and St. Michael Parish Westside Chapel, 1835 Overhulse Rd NW, 98502

info.. 360-754-4667
Website.. http://www.SaintMichaelParish.org

Admission/cost.. n/a

You are invited to join us for Holy Week and Easter

Holy Thursday, March 28
Mass of the Lord's Supper 7:00 pm Downtown

Good Friday, March 29
Morning Prayer 9:00 am Downtown
Prayer & Stations of the Cross 12:00-3:00 pm Downtown
Veneration of the Cross 7:00 pm Downtown

Holy Saturday, March 30
Morning Prayer 9:00 am Downtown
Easter Vigil Mass 9:00 pm Downtown

Easter Sunday, March 31
Downtown Church: 7:30 am, 9:30 am, 12:00 noon, and 5:00 pm
Westside Chapel: 8:30 am, 11:00 am

Sunday, March 31, 9:00 and 11:15 worship, 10am Annual Easter Egg Hunt -
Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1925 Boulevard Rd SE, Olympia 98501

info.. church office- (360) 357-5750
Website.. http://www.wpcoly.org

Admission/cost.. free

Join us for Worship on Easter Sunday! And our Annual Easter Egg Hunt for kids ages 1-year through 5th grade is at 10am. Children will meet in the Sanctuary. Bring your baskets!

Sunday, March 31, 7:45, 9:00, 11:00 am -
Various, see below

info.. fumco@fumcoly.org; 943-2661
Website.. http://www.fumcoly,org

Admission/cost.. Free

You are invited to experience Easter with the First United Methodist Church faith community. We offer three unique worship services:

7:45 AM
Worship at Harbor House, Percival Landing
405 Columbia St. NW, Olympia

9:00 AM Traditional Worship
Worship at First United Methodist Church
1224 Legion Way SE, Olympia

11:00 AM Celebration Worship
Worship at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts
512 Washington St. SE, downtown Olympia

There will be a shuttle from the church parking lot, childcare provided, as well as a gift for every child. Music with Mark Bunda and the Song Team.

Fri/Sat/Sun, April 5, 6, 7, 6pm/9am/9am - 9pm/5pm/4pm
Olympia, must register for exact address

info.. Keylee,360-586-2888 ext 103; Keylee@crisis-clinic.org
Website.. http://www.crisis-clinic.org

Admission/cost.. Free; registration required; http://www.crisis-clinic.org/PDF/VolunteerApplication.pdf

The Crisis Clinic is a 24/7 crisis telephone hotline. Volunteering with the Crisis Clinic offers opportunities for service to those in need, as well as personal growth.

The training is designed to enable trainees to:

Friday, April 5, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Unity Church of Olympia, 1335 Fern Street SW, Olympia 98502

info.. Bill Fisher: Cell: 789-8289 Home: 459-3079
Website.. http://unityofolympia.org

Admission/cost.. $12

From Carnegie Hall to the United Nations to the Kennedy Center to uncountable church halls all over the U.S., David Roth has enchanted audiences for two and a half decades. His music was even carried on NASA's Shuttle Atlantis so he can honestly claim his music is out of this world. Both funny and heart-opening, Roth will take you on a Seinfeld-like musical roller coaster.

see flyer

Saturday, April 6, 2013, 9:15AM - 3:00PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516

info.. The Priory Spirituality Center 360-438-2595; spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. $60

Participants will be led through a journey of self-discovery using SoulCollage, IFS (Internal Family Systems) and Caroline Myss's survival archetypes to facilitate healing for the fragmented lives we so often find ourselves living in spite of our best efforts. We will experientially learn to live from the core-self of being.

see flyer

Sunday, April 7, 2013, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Temple Beth Hatfiloh 201 - 8th Ave SE Olympia, WA 98501

info.. Temple Beth Hatfiloh, 754-8519
Website.. http://www.bethhatfiloh.org

Admission/cost.. none

Annual Holocaust Remembrance Day ("Yom HaShoah") begins with a brief Memorial Service at 7pm.

Featured Speaker: Arnold Zweig, Holocaust Survivor and Thurston County resident

A native of the Free City of Danzig, Arnold Zweig was deported by the Nazis at age 13 along with his family to the Lódz Ghetto in Poland. After two years of deprivation in the ghetto, he was transported to Auschwitz-Birkenau and then to a series of slave labor camps in Germany.

After liberation, Zweig lived in Germany and studied engineering at the University of Munich, before moving to Montana and eventually settling in the South Sound region in the 1950s.

Join us to witness and remember, as Arnold Zweig shares his remarkable story of resilience and survival.

Thursday, April 11, 7:00 pm -
Pacific Lutheran University (Room TBA), 12180 Park Ave S, Tacoma 98447

info.. 253-531-6900
Website.. http://islamophobiainamerica.wordpress.com/

Admission/cost.. unknown at this time

Mass media in the U.S. continually highlight events pertaining to radical Muslim organizations. However, the daily lives of average Muslims living in North America are rarely presented. Such coverage can produce barriers between cultures - and jeopardize relationships. The latest documentary by the award–winning filmmakers of MediaLab at Pacific Lutheran University is "Beyond Burkas and Bombers: Dissecting Anti–Muslim Sentiment in America," a new film that explores the implications of this tendency and attempts to break down walls of false perceptions.

ABOUT THE FILM:
With the culmination of the Iraq War at the end of 2011, discussions have begun surrounding the perception of Muslim-Americans and the current Muslim-American relationship. A 2010 Time magazine poll stated that 62% of Americans have never met a Muslim, yet the majority of Americans hold some opinion of Muslims regardless of personal experience. The media continually highlights events that reference radical Muslim organizations, but rarely the daily life of the average Muslim living in the U.S. This type of coverage produces a barrier between cultures and jeopardizes relationships. We will explore what implications this outlook has on a biased perception by non-Muslim Americans and Canadians. Our documentary not only hopes to explore the ramifications of a negative relationship between non-Muslim Americans and Muslim-Americans, but will also attempt to break down the wall of false perceptions by presenting the audience with a true image of average peaceful Muslims.

Through interviews with media scholars, we explore the relationship between the media's portrayal of Muslims and North Americans' misconceptions. Then, by following average Muslim citizens, we hope to create an on-screen relationship that will challenge these misconceptions. Finally, we will propose various strategies to mitigate the issue of misrepresentation of Muslims in the media.

With the help of experts, faculty, and friends, the directors hope to produce an eye-opening film about the media's power and its potential to create positive relations with other countries.

Friday, April 12, 7:30 -
Shelton High School Performing Arts Center, 3737 Shelton Springs Rd, Shelton, 98584

info.. http://www.annasbay.org/
Website.. http://www.annasbay.org/show/mozart-requiem/

Admission/cost.. Advance Tickets: $20; at the door: $24

The Anna's Bay Chorale is joined by the Bremerton Symphony and the Bremerton Symphony Concert Chorale to perform Mozart's "Requiem".

The full symphony returns for its second Mason County appearance in a program featuring not only Mozart's beloved masterwork, but Samuel Barber's glorious "Agnus Dei/Adagio for Strings" and the combined choirs performing Heinrich Schutz' "Fili Mi, Abasalon" in this annual special event!

Friday, April 12, 2013, 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Traditions Cafe - 300 - 5th Ave SW, Olympia 98501

info.. (360) 943-6772
Website.. http://www.heartsparkle.org

Admission/cost.. $5-10 (no one turned away)

The Heartsparkle Players present "Stories of Being Downtown" in collaboration with Olympia's Downtown Ambassador Program. Downtown Ambassadors act as goodwill ambassadors on behalf of all members of the downtown community. They provide information, referrals to resources and support citizens and visitors to the area.

Join us for an evening of Playback Theatre where we take your stories and create a piece of art.

see flyer

Sunday, April 14, 5 pm Potluck/5:45 Program/6:30 Interfaith Service
First United Methodist Church, 1224 Legion Way SE, Olympia 98501

info.. Interfaith Works, 357-7224; office@interfaith-works.org
Website.. http://www.cwsglobal.org/

Admission/cost.. by donation

You are invited to a special presentation and benefit event with The Rev. John McCullough, President and CEO of Church World Service (CWS).

Started in 1946, CWS is a leading global humanitarian agency with programs in advocacy for social justice, development, and refugee assistance. Some of their programs include:

Mon-Sat (location varies), February 1 - April 15, varies with location -
Olympia Community Center, Lacey Library, Panorama City, Tumwater Library, Yelm Adult Community Center (see below)

info.. 360-480-9244
Website.. http://www.thurstonabc.org

Admission/cost..

WHAT TO BRING:

Saturday, April 20, 2013, 9:45AM - 3:30PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516

info.. The Priory Spirituality Center 360-438-2595; spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. $65

We will spend a day in a deep exploration of Gregorian chant as prayer and meditation, reflecting on texts from the Bible and the Christian mystical tradition that point us toward inner silence and chanting simple beautiful melodies that will move the heart toward greater clarity and mindfulness.

see flyer

Saturday, April 20, 9:00 am - 3:20 pm
Fauntleroy UCC Church, 9140 California Ave SW, Seattle, 98136

info.. Olympia - info@olympiafor.org; 491-9093
Website.. http://www.wwfor.org http://www.wwfor.org/wp-content/uploads/2013-Spring-Assembly-Flyer-Pre-Registration-Form-final.pdf

Admission/cost.. $15 (sliding scale), includes keynote, lunch and workshops. Pre-registration encouraged

Every year the Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation (WWFOR) brings grassroots folks together for a Spring Assembly to share ideas and strengthen the movements for social justice, nonviolence and peace. This year's timely theme connects several issues. Workshops will focus on economic and environmental justice and about using nonviolence effectively to make positive, sustainable change.

The day begins with a short keynote address by mild-mannered but fearless priest Bill Bichsel ("Bix") from Tacoma. He'll mention the encouragement he felt last fall while meeting with Scottish and British anti-nuclear activists. He'll affirm that we really can abolish nuclear weapons.

See the flyer/registration form posted at www.wwfor.org. Please pre-register with the WWFOR office (206-789-5565 or wwfor@wwfor.org in Seattle). Pre-registering by Friday April 5 will help us plan for food, etc., but please do come even if you can't register in advance.

There will be carpooling from Olympia.

Saturday, April 20, 2:00 pm -
St. John's Episcopal Church, 114 - 20th Ave SE, Olympia 98501

info.. WAOlympia@momsdemandaction.org
Website.. http://momsdemandaction.org/

Admission/cost.. n/a

Join us as we gather to remember those we have lost to gun violence, and ground ourselves in our shared faiths so that we may care for others.

We will march to the Washington State Capitol and hear from dynamic speakers in support of stronger gun laws such as universal background checks, high-capacity ammunition magazine limits, and other sensible and responsible federal and state proposals. This will be a family friendly event to support sensible gun legislation to make our communities safer.

Bring your signs, bring your friends and families, and let's show how important gun violence prevention is to our communities!

Saturday, April 27, 2013, 9:15AM - 3:00PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516

info.. The Priory Spirituality Center 360-438-2595; spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. $60

The second half of life is a time to let go of fears of getting older and explore what it means to age with grace. Practice skills for the inner work of harvesting your life – transform a lifetime of experience into forgiveness, wisdom and blessing. What legacy might you leave for future generations? We will draw from rich traditions in this hopeful exploration of spirituality in the later years.

see flyer

Saturday, April 27, 4:30 pm -
Downtown Olympia (see website for route map)

info.. 360-705-1087; e-mail: agatemoons@yahoo.com
Website.. http://www.procession.org/

Admission/cost.. Spectating is free! Small fee for workshops

The Procession of the Species is a joyous, spontaneous artistic pageant where community members celebrate their relationships with each other and with the natural world.

Created by the community for the community, the Procession program facilitates seven weeks of art, music, and dance workshops that inspire personal understanding of and local action for wildlife protection.

Then, on Procession day, residents don their creative expressions and proceed through the streets of downtown Olympia in masks and costumes. Carrying banners, windsocks, and giant puppets, they participate in a cultural exchange honoring the awe and splendor of the natural world.

The Procession route begins at Legion and Jefferson, and ends at Heritage Park near Water Street. See the website for more information on how to participate, the route map (http://www.procession.org/Map.php), photos from past years, and more.

This annual event is not to missed!

Monday, April 29, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Northstar Church of God, 6820 Capitol Blvd SE, Tumwater, 98501

info.. Bill Terhune, Chaplain, South Bay Fire Dept; 791-9701
Website.. http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/em

Admission/cost.. none

The purpose of the workshops are to facilitate awareness, provide information, and offer opportunity for faith communities to plan for emergencies and disasters; and to partner with local emergency management in community disaster planning.

see flyer

Saturday, May 4, 2013, 9:15AM - 3:00PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516

info.. The Priory Spirituality Center 360-438-2595; spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. $60

Based on the book Parables and the Enneagram by Clarence Thomson, this class will explore how specific insights of the parables speak to the spiritual liberation of each of the nine enneagram-types.

see flyer

Sunday, May 5, 1:30 pm -
State Capitol Campus, Capitol Way and Sid Snyder Blvd, Olympia

info.. CROP Chairman Wayne Gruen at 352-9703, or Interfaith Works 357-7224
Website.. http://www.cropwalkonline.org/Olympiawa http://www.interfaith-works.org/CropWalk.php

Admission/cost.. n/a

People from every faith tradition and walk of life are concerned about hunger. Interfaith Works co-sponsors the Thurston County CROP HUNGER WALK each year on the first Sunday of May.

Volunteer walkers raise funds for local hunger-relief organizations and to fund humanitarian projects around the world. The 10K (6.2 mile) Walk/Run around Capitol Lake begins and ends at the State Capitol Campus.

Our 2012 Thurston County CROP HUNGER WALK raised $46,520. Local recipients include Thurston County Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, Community Kitchen and others.

WAYS YOU CAN PARTICIPATE!

Sunday, May 5, 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm
New Bridge Community Church, 812 Central Street SE, Olympia 98501

info.. 918-3642; david@friendlywater.net
Website.. http://www.friendlywater.net

Admission/cost.. $25

Clean drinking water for all!
Friendly Water for the World BioSand Water Filters offer an elegantly simple technology that can remove up to 95 - 99% of bacteria and viruses, amoebae, protozoa, and worms, as well as metals, providing clean water for the family. More than 3.6 million people now have access to BioSand-filtered water through installations in homes, schools, orphanages, hostels, and clinics in 66 countries.

PROGRAM

Sunday, May 5, 3 pm -
St. John's Episcopal Church, 114 - 20th Ave SE, Olympia 98501

Website.. http://stjohnsoly.org/st__john_s_concert_series

Admission/cost.. Donate as able

For two decades the Slovvinden Flute Ensemble has entranced music listeners with the magic of 'the silver wind.' Experience the ethereal and the sensual, the sacred and the ribald, in a program of pieces for flute, harps, piano, and voice including Ravel, Donizetti, Debussy, Bach and Greig.

Don't miss this cosmic event featuring

Thursdays, May 9, 16, 23, 30, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Olympia Unitarian Universalist, 2300 East End St NW Olympia 98502

info.. Roger Nielsen, helloroger88@yahoo.com
Website.. http://ouuc.org/pages/adultED.html

Admission/cost.. $20.00 (one-time registration; see website)

This class will examine economic inequality and its consequences in our society, classism in our faith tradition, and our role in combating prejudice and poverty. Topics will include how we experience class differences in our own lives and exploring poverty and its impacts. Three Camp Quixote residents will report on how mainstream America treats the very poor.

Please refer to the OUUC website for more information and to view a description of other class offerings.

Thursday, May 9, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Traditions Cafe, 300 - 5th Ave SW, Olympia 98501

Website.. http://www.olympiafor.org

Admission/cost.. free

Come to Olympia FOR's Annual Gathering. We'll celebrate with light refreshments and social time. Then we'll review our rich and varied accomplishments since last May, and elect some Steering Committee members and officers.

Friday, May 10, 7:30 pm
Traditions Fair Trade Cafe, 300 - 5th Ave SW, Olympia 98501

info.. 943-6772
website.. http://www.heartsparkle.org

Admission/cost.. $5-$10 suggested donation (No one turned away)

The Heartsparkle Players perform in collaboration with Hospice Without Borders (HWB) whose mission is to grow peace at the grass roots by cultivating the healing potential of hospice. HWB supports, mentors and works in solidarity alongside community partners from Rwanda and Burundi to those here in the USA striving to improve pain control and provide palliative care for all -- especially the vulnerable and very poor. In bearing witness to monumental suffering , hospice nurtures the sacred shoots of compassion -- so peace may blossom in our hearts.

Playback Theater is an original form of improvisation in which audience members tell stories from their own experience and watch them enacted on the spot.

see flyer

Saturday, May 11, 2013, 9:15AM - 3:00PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516

info.. The Priory Spirituality Center 360-438-2595; spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. $60

This one day program will offer three sessions on Benedictine spirituality,: "The Path of Benedictine Prayer-- learn to deepen your life with God", "The Path of Benedictine Sacred Study-- experience patterns of Lectio Divina" and "The Path of Benedictine Hospitality-- transform our world by welcoming Christ in others".

see flyer

Saturday, May 11, 2013, 9am - 4pm
Columbus Park, 5700 Black Lake Blvd SW Olympia, WA 98512

info.. Columbus Park 360-786-9460
Website.. http://www.columbuspark.net/

Admission/cost.. Admission is Free

Games, Crafts and Local Resources! Many vendors and activities will be going on throughout the day to get our local families plugged in to the community.

Free Fishing for Kids 14 and under! Come out and catch a couple fish and have a good time. Bring your own pole if you wish, some poles provided. Please call Bob Leingang @ 360-754-8262 to pre-register for a fishing slot.

Kids Free Fishing Day sponsored by Trout Unlimited and Cabela's Sporting Goods.

see flyer

Mondays, April 8 and May 13, 7 PM - 8:45 PM
Traditions Cafe, 300 - 5th Ave SW, Olympia, 98501

info.. Betty Hill 357-6207
Website.. http://www.ctaww.org

Admission/cost.. free

A two-part DVD study, featuring one of the world's leading authorities and outspoken critics of state-sponsored execution.

Sister Helen Prejean is a leading American advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. Sr. Helen has ministered to numerous inmates on death row, and has authored two books based on those experiences, Dead Man Walking and the Death of Innocents. She is the founder of the Death Penalty Discourse Center in New Orleans.

In April she talks about the "condition of the human heart" that the death penalty causes us to struggle with as well theological ideas and behaviors that need to be overcome by those who live a life of privilege.

In May she talks about a change of heart and radical forgiveness. Both sessions allow time for discussion.

Sponsored by Call to Action Western Washington, a independent national organization which advocates for change in the Catholic Church.

see flyer

Tuesdays, May 14, 21, 28, Jun 4, 11, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Olympia Unitarian Universalist, 2300 East End St NW Olympia 98502

info.. Roger Nielsen, helloroger88@yahoo.com
Website.. http://ouuc.org/pages/adultED.html

Admission/cost.. $20.00 (one-time registration; see website)

Our lives are often filled with suffering. When we are happy we worry about losing the source of our happiness (job, partner, etc.) When we experience pain it can be magnified by anger, depression and obsession. In this five-week course you will be introduced to Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and meditations for becoming free of negativity and cultivating the source of lasting happiness.

Please refer to the OUUC website for more information and to view a description of other Adult Education offerings.

Friday-Sunday, May 17-19, 2013, 7:15PM - 1:30PM
The Priory Spirituality Center, 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516

info.. The Priory Spirituality Center 360-438-2595; spiritualityctr@gmail.com
Website.. http://www.stplacid.org

Admission/cost.. $180

Take your relationship with God and your Centering Prayer practice deeper on this weekend silent retreat. Retreat includes periods of Centering Prayer and time for solitude within the intentional silence observed throughout the entire retreat. For those with at least 6 months of daily Centering Prayer practice.

see flyer

Monday, May 20, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 2300 East End St NW, Olympia 98502

info.. nojimcrow@ouuc.org
Website.. http://www.ouuc.org http://www.thehouseilivein.org/

Admission/cost.. Free

The first of a pair of film and discussion sessions on the profound human rights implications of America's 'War on Drugs'.

"The most provocative movie of the year! Filmed in more than 20 states, the film captures heart-wrenching stories from individuals at all levels of America's "War on Drugs". From the dealer to the grieving mother, the narcotics officer to the senator, the inmate to the federal judge - the film offers a penetrating look inside America's longest war that reveals its profound human rights implications".

Directed by Eugene Jarecki
Executive Producers Danny Glover, John Legend, Brad Pitt & Russell Simmons

Session 2, May 26, 3:00 pm: Watch a talk by Michelle Alexander, associate professor of law at Ohio State University, a civil rights advocate and author of "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness", given at Yale Divinity School on February 25, 2013. See calendar for more information.

see flyer

Celebrating Thirty Nine Years of Service, Leadership, and Interfaith Spirit

Tuesday, May 21, 7:00 pm
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1515 Harrison Ave NW, Olympia

info.. office@interfaith-works.org, 357-7224

Admission/cost.. none

Light Refreshments - Desserts - Fellowship - Board Elections - Music - Hidden Gems

3rd Annual "Hidden Gems" Awards

Recognizing those special persons in our faith communities who — with heart and hands — contribute to charitable, social or educational work , or show outstanding commitment to interfaith or intercultural understanding.

MC—Kevin Benedict

see flyer