Center on Religion & the Professions

Improving religious literacy among professionals.

Mid-Missouri PrideFest

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From the organizers: Mid-Missouri PrideFest is an annual celebration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and ally community in Mid-Missouri. This family-friendly event includes entertainment, food, vendors, information on community organizations, children’s activities and more. This year’s event will include live bands, a gayest dog contest, bounce houses for all ages, Pride Idol (similar to American Idol), and a special presentation by Chad Michaels. Chad Michaels is the nation’s #1 Cher impersonator and winner of Ru Paul’s All Stars Drag Race.
 
Time/Date: Sunday, Aug. 18, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Location: Intersection of Cherry and 4th streets, including Deja Vu

Cost: Free

For more information: Contact info@midmopride.com. VIP tickets and a schedule of events available at www.midmopride.com.

Juneteenth celebration in Douglass Park

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From the City of Columbia: Come and celebrate African-American Heritage in the park with bands, choirs, speakers, games, and food. Bring your lawn chair or blanket and come have some fun!

The cessation of slavery in the United States is observed on June 19, or Juneteenth.  The observance of Juneteenth had its beginnings in 1865 Galveston, Texas, with the arrival of Union soldiers armed with the good news of freedom.  Although slavery was ended on January 1, 1863, by the Emancipation Proclamation, it was not until 1865 that enforcement of the Proclamation was attained.  In 1997, the United States Congress recognized Juneteenth as Juneteenth Independence Day, and in 2010, the World Day of Reconciliation and Healing from the Legacy of Enslavement was established.  Currently, a majority of states celebrate June 19 as a state holiday or day of observance, including Missouri.

Time/Date: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 15

Location: Douglass Park, 400 N. Providence

Contact: Call Bill at (573) 522-1018 for more information

 

At Ragtag: ‘Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement’

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From the City of Columbia: The Supreme Court of the United State is expected to issue its decision on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) before the end of June.  This documentary and the panel discussion that follows will provide information that may assist you in understanding the legal and societal impact of their ruling.

Ragtag Cinema and The Center Project, Mid-Missouri’s non-profit LGBT community center, are partnering to present an inspiring 2009 documentary.  It will introduce you to Edie Windsor, the lead plaintiff in the current Supreme Court case. In the movie, Edie and her partner Thea are a feisty, delightful Lesbian couple who are finally getting married after 42 years together. In this documentary, we learn more about these tireless community activists and the issues they faced.

A discussion/Q&A will follow the screening. MU Law School professors Wells and Dragich and the Deputy Director of PROMO, Stephanie Perkins, will discuss the legal and personal stories that caused the lawsuit to be filed and how the decision may affect LGBT couples throughout the U.S.

Time/Date: 5:45 p.m. Monday, June 10

Location: Ragtag Cinema

Cost: This screening is free, but a minimum $5 donation is suggested to help support The Center Project, Mid-Missouri’s non-profit LGBT community center based in Columbia.

For more information: Contact Diane Booth at (573) 874-1540 for more information

Islamic Center of Central Missouri hosts potluck

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From the Islamic Center of Central Missouri: “Ending U.S. Sponsored Torture Forever” is a potluck dinner and presentation with the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, or NRCAT. Featured speakers are Rev. Richard Killmer, executive director of NRCAT and Dr. Mohammed Elsanousi, the director of the Interfaith and Community Alliances, or ISNA. 

Time/Date: 6 p.m. Saturday, June 22

Location: The activity room of the Islamic Center of Central Missouri, 201 S. 5th St.

Cost: Free

For more information: Contact the Islamic Center of Central Missouri at (573) 875-4633.

Missouri School of Religion upcoming course offerings

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The Missouri School of Religion, located in Jefferson City, is offering the following courses during the summer and fall (all course descriptions are from the Missouri School of Religion:

  • History and Polity of the Disciples of Christ: This course will explore and analyze the history, polity and characteristic beliefs of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  It will include becoming familiar and knowledgeable about the origins, development, growth and current status of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The instructor for this course is Rev. Kenneth Watson.  Ken retired in 2007 after 43 years in ministry with the Disciples of Christ.  At his retirement he was serving as Associate Minister of First Christian Church, Columbia, Missouri.

Time/Date: July 16-Sept. 10

Location: Je

Cost: $390. Students are responsible for purchasing their own textbooks, which are listed on the course page.

For more information: Contact the Missouri School of Religion or read more about the course here.

  • Introduction to Christian Thought: This course will be an overview of the history and development of Christian Theology including introduction to the basic systems or schools of theological thought.  The contributions of the major personalities in history of theological development will also be surveyed. The instructor for the course is Rev. Chase Peeples. Chase is the pastor of Country Club Congregational United Church of Christ in Kansas City, Mo.

Time/Date: July 16-Sept. 10

Location: Jefferson City

Cost: $390. Students are responsible for purchasing their own textbooks, which are listed on the course page.

For more information: Contact the Missouri School of Religion or read more about the course here.

  • Boundaries Training: Life-enriching relationships in the congregation: We are created in and for relationships. Life-enriching relationships, whether with intimate partners, family, friends, colleagues or parishioners, require healthy boundaries. This workshop explores the meaning and practice of healthy boundaries in the context of ministry. It will also identify the signs, dangers, and preventions of boundary violations including those in today’s social media. The workshop begins with an assumption that the complexity of relational dynamics in the congregation is one of its greatest possibilities and its greatest challenges for ministry. The facilitator for this event is Rev. Donna Rose-Heim, an ordained Disciples minister, currently serving as a Transitional Interim Minister.

Time/Date: Multiple dates in multiple locations — please see the Missouri School of Religion’s calendar for more information.

Location: Multiple dates in multiple locations — please see the Missouri School of Religion’s calendar for more information. (Note: The calendar indicates that the workshop in Cameron, Mo., will take place on Sept. 13 — it is actually scheduled for Sept. 6.)

Cost: $75. Includes lunch and participant workbook

For more information: Contact the Missouri School of Religion or read more about the course here.

  • Foundations of Faith Community Nursing (formerly known as Parish/Faith Community Nurse Basic Preparation Course): This educational opportunity is the result of collaboration between Missouri School of Religion and Deaconess The five day course includes background on parish nursing, how to coordinate volunteers and support groups, accessing resources, and health promotion.

Time/Date: Sept. 9-13. Registration is limited to 12 people.

Location: The Rickman Center, 3315 Bennett Lane, Jefferson City, Mo.

Cost: $200

For more information: Contact the Missouri School of Religion or read more about the course here.

  • Christian Ethics: This course will be an introduction and exploration of the basic concerns and issues involved in ethical reflection, the Biblical and theological foundations of Christian ethics, and the response of the Christian to perennial and contemporary social and moral issues, with a view to equipping the student for ethical reflection in preaching, teaching and pastoral leadership. The instructor is Rev. Dr. Kris Tenny-Brittian who serves as the Northeast Area Minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Mid-America.

Time/Date: Sept. 16-Nov. 12

Location: Jefferson City

Cost: $390. Students are responsible for purchasing their own textbooks, which are listed on the course’s website.

For more information: Contact the Missouri School of Religion or read more about the course here.

Missouri School of Religion: eRacism workshop

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From the Missouri School of Religion: The goals of our time together will be to explore common definition of racism, examine individual, institutional and cultural manifestations of racism, and be introduced to a strategic methodology for dismantling racism. The leaders of the event are Dwight Bailey and Martha Herrin, National Trainers for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism Initiative.

Time/Date: 6 p.m. Thursday, June 27, to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 29. Registration ends June 12, and space is limited to 40 people.

Location: Eden Theological Seminary, Webster Groves, Mo.

Cost: $50 that includes dorm housing on Eden Theological Seminary’s campus for 2-3 bedroom units and shared bathrooms. Scholarships are available.

For more information:  Contact Eden Theological Seminary or find more information here.

Combating Modern-Day Slavery: Curbing the Crime of Human Trafficking

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From the organizers: Hotel and motel employees and managers are in position to become everyday heroes. To become eligible, they have asked to find out more about a horrible crime: The trafficking of human beings. one of the fastest-growing criminal enterprises in the world. To be ready, they must know what to look for and how to report it. Co-speakers will be Deborah Hume, associate professor in the University of Missouri’s Public Health Program, and Nanette Ward, Co-Chair of the Central Missouri Stop Human Trafficking Coalition. Both women are founding board members of the Coalition.

Employees and managers engaged in the hospitality industry are encouraged to attend, as is the general public, and the media.

This event is sponsored by the Columbia Hospitality Association, representing the majority of the City’s 35 hotels, motels and bed & breakfast venues.  Other sponsors include Hampton Inn & Suites/Columbia and the University of Missouri.

Time/Date: 4 to 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 30

Location:  Hampton Inn & Suites, at the corner of Stadium Boulevard and College Avenue

Cost: Free and open to the public

For more information: Contact Norm Benedict via email at norman@normanrobert.com or call (573) 443-4388

Description: Event is Free, Open to the Public

 

To create a stage for plain speaking and discussion on the subject, a seminar has been planned for Tuesday, April 30, from 4:00-5:00 p.m., at the Hampton Inn & Suites, at the corner of Stadium Boulevard and College Avenues.

 

 

United Nations Alliance of Civilizations call for video submissions

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From the UNAOC: The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) again invite the world’s youth to submit original and creative videos focusing on PLURAL+ themes: migration, diversity and social inclusion.

Young people up to 25 years old are invited to submit short videos of five minutes maximum in length. A prestigious international jury will select three winners in each age categories (9-12, 13-17, and 18-25).  All the winners will be invited to New York, all travel expenses paid, to present their work at the PLURAL + 2013 Awards Ceremony at the Paley Center for Media on the 5th of December 2013.

Deadline: June 30, 2013

Submission guidelines: Visit the UNAOC’s PLURAL+ website.

For more information: Questions about the project can be sent via email at plural@unaoc.org.

Andrea Gibson to give Pride Month keynote address

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From event organizers: This award-winning spoken word artist will make you rethink gender norms, politics, the struggle queer people face in today’s society and how amazing spoken work performances can be. Check her out on YouTube and her website and arrive early to get a seat.

Time/Date: 7 p.m. to midnight, Wednesday, April 24

Location: N201/202 Memorial Union (Mark Twain Ballroom)

Cost: Free

For more information: Contact the MU LGBTQ Resource Center in room G225 inside the MU Student Center, at (573) 884-7750, via e-mail at lgbtq@missouri.edu, or by visiting the organization’s website, where you can find a full calendar of more Pride Month activities and events.

 

Graduate student workshop at Chapman University

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From the Institute for the Study of Religion, Economics, and Society at Chapman University: IRES invites applications to its second annual graduate student workshop. The workshop is designed primarily for advanced students in economics, sociology, and political science, but we welcome proposals from all disciplines.

The workshop provides two days of intensive instruction, interaction, and feedback for a select group of advanced graduate students. Each student must have a completed paper, and all papers will be circulated and studied in advance.Sessions will center on presentations and discussion, with two or more professors giving detailed feedback on each paper. Alumni of the workshop are strongly encouraged to submit their papers for presentation at the April 2014 meetings of ASREC (the Association for the Study of Religion, Economics, and Culture).

Applications should include a one-page summary and CV. The one-page summary should include your name, university affiliation, email, graduate advisor, and a 300-500 word description of your work. Send your applications to Elizabeth Hofeldt at hofeldt@chapman.edu no later than April 26. If you already have a draft of your paper, please send it as well.

Time/Date: Friday, June 7, to Saturday, June 8 (applications due April 26)

Location: Chapman University (Orange, Calif.)

Cost: If accepted, IRES covers transportation, lodging and meals

For more information: Visit IRES’ website or download a flier about the workshop