Catch-up or reflect on recent Council events by checking out our scrapbook! Photos and notes from recent council events will be posted in this brand new section of the Council website. Recent scrapbook "pages" include incredible phtotos from the Eyes Wide Open Exhibit in Palo Alto and an Earth Day Service at First Unitarian Church of San Jose.

Eyes Wide Open Exhibit

Eyes Wide Open, the American Friends Service Committees widely-acclaimed exhibition on the human cost of the Iraq War, featured a pair of boots honoring each California military casualty, a labyrinth of civilian shoes to memorialize the Iraqis killed in the conflict, and a display exploring the history, cost and consequences of the war.

Event photos courtesy of Derrick Kikuchi, Alice Newton, and Ray Schuster from Eyes Wide Open exhibit in Palo Alto, May 3-4, 2008.

Earth Day Service at First Unitarian Church of San Jose

On Sunday, April 20, 2008, CCSCC Seminary Intern Kathleen Bardin delivered her sermon, "The Hope of All the Ends of the Earth," at the First Unitarian Church of San Jose. While the sermon was well-recieved, part of the liturgy for this Earth Day Sunday service involved creative, elemental chancel decor. Using the theme of the four elements and working with FUCSJ's Social Justice Coordinator Carol Stephenson, an ecologically themed chancel decoration was constructed with a recycling bin for earth, low-flow shower heads and fauced aerators for water, a solar panel for fire, and a bicycle for air. Thank you to the Santa Clara Valley Water District for the water conservation hardware, to Akeena Solar for loaning us the solar panel, and to Carol Stephenson for securing the signs, bike, and recycling bin. To see about having an eco-sermon delivered to your congregation, visit the [http://councilofchurches-scc.org/index.php?topic=environment;environment] section of our web site.

Event Photos: Top left: A recycling bin represents "Earth." Top right: A bicycle represents "Air." Middle left: A soalr panel represents "Fire." Middle right: Low-flow shower heads and faucet aerrators respresent "Water." Bottom: All four elements create the chancel decor for Earth Day Sunday.

Asphalt Gospel - An event with Crosswalk America

On Friday, April 4, CCSCC teamed up with Crosswalk America to offer a screening of the inspiring documentary, Asphalt Gospel. We were treated to a conversation with one of the core walkers in the film, Meighan Pritchard. The audience at the screening was clearly engaged with the film and asked many great questions of Meighhan. When asked what we could do locally to promote the ideas of the film, Meighan pointed to the Council's work and said that this is what we should be doing. Thank you to the Social Justice program at the First Unitarian Church of San Jose for hosting this event. Proceeds from the event benefited the Council and Crosswalk America. If you are interested in another screening of this film, contact Kathleen Bardin, Seminary Intern at kathleen@councilofchurches-scc.org. For more information about this event and Crosswalk America, read [http://www.councilofchurches-scc.org/article.php/crosswalkamerican; the orginial story].

Event Photos: On the left, Crosswalker Meighan Pritchard with CCSCC Seminary Intern and event organizer, Kathleen Bardin. On the right, Meighan with CCSCC Vice President and MCC Pastor, Rev. Mike Ellard and members of his San Jose congregation.

An Evening with Franciscan Priest and Anti-Torture Activist Father Louie

Recently released from five months in prison following his arrest during a nonviolent protest of the current U.S. torture policy, Father Louie Vitale came to speak at a CCSCC event in San Jose. The Council of Churches sponsored a talk by Franciscan Peace Activist Father Louis Vitale on Friday, April 11 at St. Paul's United Methodist Church. His talk, entitled "No to Torture: The Non-violent Response to Terrorism" dealt with the current administration's use of torture. In fact, Father Louie began his talk by opening the day's newspaper. A Q&A session with Father Louie revealed that he spent a great deal of his time in prison writing letters and ministering to his fellow inmates. This event was co-sponsored by the Council of Churches of Santa Clara County, the Metropolitan Community Church of San Jose, and St. Paul's United Methodist Church. Proceeds from the event will benefit Pace e Bene. For more, visit [http://www.councilofchurches-scc.org/article.php/vitale; the orginal story].

Event photos: On the left, Father Louie leads participants in a pledge to stop torture. On the right, Father Louie with CCSCC Board and Staff and Pace e Bene Staff.