There is a great opportunity to learn what you as an individual can do to promote peace and social justice (a foundation to peace) coming to Saratoga Springs on Sunday, Sept. 20 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Presbyterian-New England Congregational Church (PNECC) on Circular Street. (To view the banner, click HERE).
Entitled “Peace-ing It Together,” the goal of the fair is to teach people that everyone can have a piece of peacemaking, whether it is buying fair trade or lobbying the government and to have fun while doing said teaching. We plan to celebrate, educate, motivate and act. Participants will discover opportunities and concrete steps for action towards peace, justice and environmental stewardship.
With the exception of buying food, books or crafts – the entire event is free!
I got the name from a T-shirt that Max Obuszewski was wearing when we were on trial for interrupting the U.S. Senate and asking them to stop funding the Iraq War. It fits because most of the time peace is not one big thing but lots of little things that add up.
The fair was not my idea but the brainchild of Elizabeth Meehan, who attends PNECC. I've been hanging out there singing in the choir and someone thought I'd be a good assistant for Elizabeth. I call us the dynamic duo, she's dynamic and I'm the duo.
Three other community groups are part of the organizing committee, the Saratoga Peace Alliance, the Saratoga Universalist Unitarians and the Saratoga Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Each group is bringing their own facet of peacemaking and has rounded out the concept beautifully.
We're planning workshops on inner peace with introductory classes on yoga, meditation, centering prayer and drumming.
We'll also have exhibits about fair trade and how every dollar spent makes a difference as well as groups presenting how environmental issues impact on peace.
We'll cover the social justice part of peace with exhibits by such diverse groups as Veterans for Peace, PACE e BENE Nonviolence Services, Women Against War (the local Code Pink Affiliate) and the Soroptimist International of Saratoga County will talk about their committee to stop human trafficking -- just to name a few of the 30 exhibitors who will be there.
There will also be entertainment and fun activities with offerings such as local musician Bob Warren, the Solidarity Singers, Children at the Well (young people who tell folktales of their cultures), God's Hand Puppet Team, “Billions of Bells for Peace” and a pinwheels for peace garden. Temple Sinai will offer sidewalk mandellas in chalk art.
Jun San, the Buddhist nun of the Grafton Peace Pagoda, will be at the fair drumming a chanting. She is just returning from one of her annual peace walks and will be walking to the fair from Ballston Lake and will walk home to Grafton on Monday.
Ndakinna and Kanatsiohareke, two local Native American groups, will also be part of the fair with activities on care of the environment and spirituality.
(Did I mention that this is a free event?)
Saratoga Coffee Traders (SCT) will be one of the vendors selling lunch and coffee (of course). SCT at 447 Broadway in Saratoga Springs is my “branch office”. I conduct lots of business there. The coffee, tea and cocoa are all fair trade (meaning that the farmer gets a fair price and can feed his/her family), organic (no pesticides, soil is tenderly cared for), shade grown (farmers didn't deforest the environment), Kosher and bird friendly (I think that means that whatever they do to grow their crops the birds are not harmed). You get a good cup of coffee and brownie points with God, along with great friendly service.
“Peace-ing It Together” even has its own Web site: www.peace-ing.org. It is updated as we get new participants. (As I was writing this blog, Emmaus House, the Catholic Worker house of Albany, sent in their registration form).
Peace-ing It Together will be a “BFD” -- a big fun deal!
