EDITED BY ARIDAY GUERRERO

ECM AT KU

HEARTH NEWS
W W W . E C M K U . O R G F A L L 2 0 1 1

ECUMENICAL CAMPUS MINISTRIES

What the ECM means to me

ONGOING EVENTS THIS FALL AT ECM
Real Person's Guide to Sexuality Mondays 8:00 pm Compassion For All Animals Tuesdays 6:00 pm Environs Wednesdays 5:30-6:30pm Faith Forum, A liberating Take on Christianity Wednesdays 6:30-8:15pm UniversityCommunity Forum Wednesdays 11:301:00pm Veggie Lunch Thursdays 11:30-1:00pm K.I.C.K. (Kinetic Interfaith Coalition at University of Kansas)Thursdays 7:00-9:00pm Ecojustice Thursdays twice a month at 6:00pm Fair Trade Thursdays 7:15-8:15pm Fair Food Mondays at 6:30pm at 612 West 17th Street, between Indiana and Mississippi School of Americas Trip/Vigil- (sign up for contact on meetings/ deadlines for registration) Alternative Breaks(sign up for contact on meetings/deadlines for registration)

By Cassandra Smyers

The response I generally hear when referencing the ECM in conversation is either, I love that place!! or The ECM? Whats that? When the latter happens, I take the opportunity to make the moment a learning one, and launch a wholehearted spiel about how great the ECM is and if one is looking for somewhere to get involved with great causes and people, the ECM is the place to go. I myself graduated in May and have decided to continue my involvement with the ECM because of the experi-

ences I had not only with Thad, Miles, Ary, and Teresa, but everyone associated with it last year. Although I was a senior, I hadnt really taken full advantage of their services (or offered any of mine) in previous years out of timidityVeggie Lunch was about as out of my comfort zone I would go. That quickly changed when I found myself spending some part of every day there because of my involvement with an event being held in that (wonderful) space. With the scariness of small numbers of

people (because you cant hide in the crowd if there is no crowd!) and unfamiliar faces out of the way, I now feel I can fully experience all that the ECM has to offer and give back as much as I can in thanks. Students, graduates, and ECM veterans alike all come to the space with a spirit of reciprocity, taking the community and opportunity for growth while giving their time, energies, and spirit to continue making it all it can be. Because thats what the ECM isyou and me.

Development Update
Well it surely has been an exciting and eventful summer! In terms of development there is a lot going on at the ECM. First of all, as everyone knows, the successful completion of the capital campaign has everyone energized! (Of course we relaxed for a few days in there). We are excited to channel the energy from the capital campaign to our general fundraising efforts so that we can have the funds we need to keep ECM up and running and support all of our wonderful programming this fall. Speaking of fall programming, we are incredibly excited to have a wonderful Leadership Team for the 20112012 school year. The Leadership Team will be working on programming having to do with faith dynamics, sexuality education, environmental and social justice and vocation. Students will lead alternative spring breaks, organize events and work together to create lots of opportunities for education, reflection, activism and dialogue.

by Teresa Zaffiro, development coordinator

ested donors. Mark your calendars and look for an invitation in the mail! Finally, we are excited to be establishing our first ever Development Committee. I am working with a great group of students, members of the board and other ECM supporters to establish a long-term stable budget plan for the ECM. If anyone is interested in becoming involved with ECM development projects or in donating please feel free to contact me! I will love to hear from you we can talk about how great ECM is and how you can best support our important work. Call 785-843-4933 Monday-Friday between 2:00 and 5:00 pm or e-mail ecmku@ku.edu attn.: Teresa. We are, as always, endlessly grateful to our supporters and we are excited to see how all of our plans and projects develop.

We are excited to announce that this year the Leadership Team kicked

their year off with a team-building retreat at Heartland Presbyterian

Retreat Center in Kansas City. This retreat was funded through a grant from the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. The local Unitarian Fellowship recently joined ECM as a supporting congregation and made us aware of this grant opportunity. We are now able to support all 23 students on the leadership team for this overnight that should get the year and their projects off to a great start! In other news, we have set the date for our Capital Campaign appreciation dinner and celebration. On Sunday October 16th from 4:30-6:30 we will gather everyone who supported us in the capital campaign in any way and celebrate the completion together. There will be wine, cheese, beer, discussion, a few speakers and hopefully a good time all around. The event is here at the ECM and will include tours of our building for inter-

For more ongoing events visit our website at www.ecmku.org and click on Programs.

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University-Community Forum Fall 2011

ECMs University-Community Forum is back for the fall semester every Wednesday from noon to 1:00 pm with an optional lunch at 11:30 am. You wont want to miss this years dynamic presentations and captivating dialogue. Check out the full schedule below.

Aug. 24

Taking the Kansas Pulse at 150 years Thomas Fox Averill, writer-in-residence at Washburn University and commentator for KANU as William Jennings Bryan. Averill traveled to 24 public libraries speaking about his book What Kansas Means to Me. He will share his observations about the state of the state influenced by these presentations. Milestones of Tribal Involvement in the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Chris Howell, Chief Operating Officer at Kansas Arts Commission. A Search for a Home for the Homeless Center Loring Henderson, Director of Lawrence Homeless Shelter. Several attempts to find a new location for homeless shelter in Lawrence have not been successfulwhat do we, as a community, do now? On the 1966 Meredith March with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Rev. Joe Alford, retired Episcopal Campus Chaplain and founder of the Jubilee Caf. In June 1966 Alford spent three weeks as a driver for a CBS News crew covering the Meredith March from Memphis, Tenn. To Jackson, Miss., led by MLK. Kansas Legislature: Current Legislative Assessment Tom Sloan, Kansas State Representative. Sloan will review the past Kansas Legislature and discuss possible directions it will take, including legislation in regards to energy and environmental policy, death penalty and further reorganization of state government. Protecting Land into Perpetuity Jerry Jost, Interim Director of Kansas Land Trust. The presentation will describe how the Kansas Land Trust protects prairies, prime farm land, woods and riparian areas for all future generations. Unforgettable, Strange and Wonderful Facts About the Banana Charles Lee Stansifer, Professor Emeritus of History. Stansifer will speak on how banana tenacity caused the fall of communism along with various other social and political theories about rising and falling of banana consumptionand what to do with bananas if you are weird and do not like them. Fall Break Grassroots Neighborhood Associations in Lawrence and Beyond Gwen Klingenberg, President of Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods. Klingenberg will discuss how neighborhood associations play a vital role in Lawrence and how they compare to other cities. Where on Earth is Douglas County? Ken Lassman, Author of Wild Douglas County. Douglas County will be described in the larger context of our planet landscapes, seasons, and cycles. Evolving Elections Jaime Shew, Douglas County Clerk. Shifting the Discourse: Immigrant Rights as Human Rights Tanya Maria Golash-Boza, Assistant Professor of Sociology and American Studies. The human rights implications and racial disparities of U.S. immigration policy will be explored along with possible changes to current policy. Pack Your Bags for Saudi Arabia Jean Grant, Author of novel The Burning Veil and former journalist in Saudi Arabia. Grant will describe what it is like for a newcomer to walk in Saudi Arabia as a teacher, businessman and scientist, and what it is like for a non-Saudi to leave the U.S. and live forever with a Saudi spouse. Douglas County Sheriffs Office Inmate Reentry Program Shannon Murphy, Reentry Director, Douglas County Jail. Reentrys mission of increasing public safety by developing successful transition planning for sentenced inmates returning to the community will be described. Perspectives on Mount Oread Ted Johnson, Professor Emeritus of French and Italian. Known for Stop Day walking tours of KU Campus. He will discuss why he began the tours and their importance. Planning Meeting for Spring 2012 UC Forum (11:30 am- 1:00 pm). An open meeting with lunch option 11:30-1:00pm- bring your suggestions for topics and/or presenters.

I'm looking forward to my 41st year of participating in the University Forum. The Forum has always been an opportunity for camaraderie among people from the University and the Community; a place where relevant information is shared and an exchange of views takes place. The fall schedule promises to be another stellar set of programs. Forrest Swall

Aug. 31 Sept. 7 Sept. 14 Sept. 21 Sept. 28 Oct. 5 Oct. 8-11

I came to University-Community Forum occasionally during my first academic year at KU. In the second and third year I attended more frequently trying to select those forums that I thought would be most interesting to me, but finally realized that I could not select them by title alone and gave up trying to select and started to attend all of them from the mid- to late 1950's onward and I did not like to miss many of them. Edward Shaw

Oct. 12 Oct. 19 Oct. 26 Nov. 2 Nov. 9 Nov. 16 Nov. 30 Dec. 7

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Deepening Connections

by Eric Sader, Faith Forum attendee

Faith by definition requires at least one relationship. Something must be believed or trusted. It does not exist in a vacuum but instead must be expressed and even challenged for its potential to be realized. For me, and many others, the opportunity to explore ones spiritual journey is present at Faith Forum at Ecumenical Christian Ministries. All ideas and viewpoints are open to discussion. Truths are examined in an incredibly safe, engaging, and genuine atmosphere. Friendships are made with amazing people from diverse backgrounds, generations, and professions. Arriving in Lawrence two years ago, I sought to find a campus ministry conducive to fostering my relationship with God, but not trying to direct it. At Faith Forum, a visitor can expect to encounter a community genuinely passionate about who people are at their cores and the experiences they bring to the table. There is something profoundly God-filled in peacefully breaking bread with ones neighbors, and a meal kicks off each week. These neighbors regularly inquire about each others weather, an analogy inciting explanation as to the feelings accompanying ones review of the last few days. I have been blessed to witness Gods presence from the eyes of a lawyer one session and a transgender social justice advocate the next. I have seen Christ in the work of Bahai, Islamic, and Jewish presenters. Through it all, a bind uniting attendees is a passion for the world, a caring hunger for improving the environment and loving its people. However one chooses to phrase it, Faith Forum deepens ones connection to something greater and begins to actualize the Kingdom in the here and now. What happens when you come to faith forum?
Every Wednesday night we begin with a light meal (optional) at 6:30pm, presentation/dialogue starts at 7:00pm and closing is from 8:00-8:15pm. If not eating, it is very important to be present around the table as we share who we are and how we are doing. Often we ask each person, What is your weather? the responses are volunteered and it is an opportunity to build a sense of community and to welcome new participants. *The presentations are ways to increase our dialogue on the theme. Each presenter will be a participant who has attended regularly. They will respond to all 3 questions, except in case of Nov. 2, where the questions will be derived from previous dialogue and new questions that may have arisen. The reflections will have specific questions facilitating our conversation. The Faith Forum aspires to the practice of listening to others, regardless of the differences. Dialogue and not debate is the intention of the series. There is no requirement to identify with a Faith tradition to participate. The closure for the evening includes common prayers for those who choose to participate and a Passing of the Peace.

Aug. 24 Aug. 31

Introduction Orientation to Forums Theme Topic: Framing the conversation- Imagining the worldview of an earlier period of Western cultural history that influences the way we approach faith and learning. Topic: Religions as a human construct vs. divine origin. Topic: Share something of your faith/spiritual perspective. What experiences in your life have shaped your being a spiritual person or person of faith and how have they affected the way you view the world and the way you live? Topic: What have been your significant positive and negative experiences in your learning and/or teaching which have evoked the most passion in you? Topic: From your perspective, what is the relationship between faith and knowledge? How does your understanding of this relationship inform you in your learning and/or teaching? *Presentation: A faculty response to the questions. Reflection- this may include additional resources/comments on the theme along with any further questions/comments on the previous weeks session. *Presentation: A student response to the questions. Ongoing conversation on the theme.

Sept. 7 Sept. 14

Sept. 21

Sept. 28

Oct. 5 Oct. 12

Oct. 19 Oct. 26Dec. 7

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Listening Loudly

Reflections and updates from Thad Holcombe, Campus Minister at ECM

Recently, a pastors sermon at one of ECMs partner congregations evoked in me an appreciation of what ECMs ministry is all about when he spoke of the untamable presence of the spirit of the Holy. During Veggie Lunch recently, I was approached by a regular attendee who came up to me to say thank you to ECM. That week there had been a presentation on homophobia as part of the weekly presentations in The Real Persons Guide to Sexuality. He shared how, as a gay person, was affirmed as a child of God and now felt he could move beyond the shunning by his very traditional Roman Catholic family, including five siblings. He now identifies as a Buddhist. In another conversation, a returning summer service volunteer described his experience as a member of the College staff at Ghost Ranch Conference Center (a site for one of our Alternative Breaks*). I felt the spirit through his sharing how living in an intentional community was what he had needed. He had a summer to re-focus his life through community support and having a daily discipline of running and then meditating on the side of a mesa. Again, a graduate student asked me to suggest some readings on spirituality. Her involvement in social justice issues through her cross-cultural experiences and involvement in womens issues, prompted her to explore in more ways how to sustain her integrity in the midst of the predominant culture we all experience. I find myself understanding these stories and others as gifts of the spirit. And, they remind me of what I hope continues to be a mark of ECMs ministry. We encourage individuals to discover and affirm their gifts. And, in so many ways, we celebrate these gifts through their being involved a community that encourages such discernment .
* Also, the location of the film Cowboys and Aliensseeing the landscape makes watching the film worthwhile.

Opportunities at ECM
Join us for the School of America's (SOA) Vigil in Fort Benning, GA November 18th-20th. Since 1946, the SOA has trained over 64,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics. These graduates have consistently used their skills to wage a war against their own people. Among those targeted by SOA graduates are educators, union organizers, religious workers, student leaders, and others who work for the rights of the poor. The yearly vigil is a peaceful gathering of thousands of people who are part of a nonviolent grassroots movement that works to stand in solidarity with the people of Latin America and the Caribbean, to close the SOA/WHINSEC and to change oppressive U.S. foreign policy that the SOA represents. Contact TERESA, teresabina.zaffiro@gmail.com The Chicago Alternative Break explores community building at the Centro Autnomo in Albany Park, Chicago. The week-long program serves to educate through collective exploration of issues in workshops throughout our stay, meetings with community members, and home-stay experiences that deepen understanding of the community. For more information contact Sybil Adams at sea3190@ku.edu Narrow Ridge Alternative Spring Break (new this spring) The value of sustainability as a way of life goes far beyond its environmental implications. On this alternative break, students experience the way in which a rich sense of community can be built through sustainable living. During a week-long trip "off the grid" to Narrow-Ridge Earth Literacy Center in Washburn, TN, students engage in a combination of service-learning and community-building exercises centered around a lifestyle of eco-mindedness. The schedule for this alternative break will be tailored to meet the particular needs and interests of those who sign up. Lodging is on-site at the famous Straw Bale Lodge. For more information email Jon at narrowridge@ku.edu. **Visit our website to learn about other alternative breaks (New Mexico, Arizona, Appalachia)

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ECM in pictures

We would like to give a special thanks to all the wonderful volunteers that make our events happen!!

You guys are awesome!

ECM Leadership Team Retreat

International Dinner

TOOLS NEEDED
We are in need of tools to make ECM repairs. We need: battery operated drills, electric Skill Saw, drill bits, socket sets, wrenches and other hand tools. A donation of any of the above will help us immensely! Contact us to make a donation or stop by the office anytime!

Interested in renting our building?

ECM is your space for public and private events. The building offers three climate-controlled floors with varied designs to cater all event needs. You can host a lecture, discussion panel or film screening with the ECMs presentation technology equipment. You can organize a small group in the beautifullylit area upstairs that boasts a spectacular view of East Lawrence. Or you can plan a grand dinner with our full, state-certified kitchen and seating for up to 500 people. Visit our website at www.ecmku.org to view pictures of our building! Give ECM a call today to plan your next meeting or event. We promise you and yours guests will enjoy the experience.

YES! I want to donate to the ECM!

Amount: Name: Address: Email: Date: _______ __________________ _________________________________________ ______Telephone: ____________

**please make any check donations payable to Ecumenical Campus Ministries Operating Budget**

Thank you for being a part of ECMs Ministry

1204 Oread Ave. Lawrence KS 66044 *

785-843-4933 *

www.ecmku.org * ecmku@ku.edu

LAWRENCE,KS 66044 1204 OREAD AVENUE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS ECUMENICAL CAMPUS MINISTRIES