[BES Friends] May Schedule

[Stephen Meskin]

Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings will be held from 10:30 to noon 
at the Society, in The Congress Hotel at 306 W. Franklin St., Suite 102. 
On street parking is available. Handicap parking and entrance are 
available in the adjacent lot with appropriate identification. Ethical 
Humanist Sunday School for children during platform meetings. Call 
410-581-2322 for more information. The following is copied from our 
newsletter and web site www.BaltimoreEthicalSociety.org

     /*Sundays*/

*Sunday, May 1*
   *
   *The Ethics of Joy**
   By Fritz Williams, Leader, Baltimore Ethical Society

   Joy is more than a momentary elation that accompanies some good
   fortune. It is a tap root into the potential of life. It nourishes
   goodness. Fritz Williams examines the deeper meaning of joy and its
   central place in a purposeful and moral life.

   Fritz Williams is Leader of the Baltimore Ethical Society and serves
   as primary speaker, teacher, pastor, and organizational leader.
   Fritz also performs weddings and commitment ceremonies. He has
   worked as a parish priest in the Episcopal church, and as a writer
   and producer at public TV stations in Harrisburg, PA, and Detroit, MI.

*Sunday, May 8  *(Poetry Corner at 9:30 am contact Karla: nada23_2002 at yahoo.com) 
   
   **Getting Out of the Way**
   By Sue Egbert, Baltimore Shambhala Meditation Center

   We live in a world that needs our help. How do we do that? How do we
   know what's the best thing to do in any situation? How can we be
   sure that what we are doing is not adding to the problem? To be of
   real benefit, we must start with ourselves. The sitting practice of
   meditation and the practice of contemplation are opportunities to
   get out of our own way long enough to see what's going on.

       Training our mind...we can create an alliance that allows us to
       actually use our mind, rather than be used by it. This is a
       practice that anyone can do. Although it has its roots in
       Buddhism, it is a complement to any spiritual tradition. 

   (Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, from /Turning Your Mind Into An Ally/.)

   Sue Egbert discovered the Baltimore Shambhala Meditation Center
   through a series of secular training weekends called Shambhala
   Training, and has had a daily meditation practice for four years.
   She is certified as a "Guide" which means she can offer introductory
   meditation instruction. She is a temporary employee of the Motor
   Vehicle Administration assigned to a research project related to
   reducing recidivism in drunk drivers through close monitoring of
   drivers given an interlock device as a condition of maintaining
   their driving privilege. She is also the mother of three teens. All
   of this has given her plenty of opportunity to practice getting out
   of the way.


*Sunday, May 15*   (Bible for Skeptics Workshop at 12:30 also Sat evening, see Special Events)
   
   **Mahatma Gandhi**
   By Mark Lindley, Boston Ethical Society

   Mark Lindley, a member of the Boston Ethical Society, will include a
   sketch of Gandhi's life, work, and ideas (some of which were
   different from what most of us think they were), and some
   reflections on how Gandhi's reputation has fared, which of his ideas
   are worth adapting to modern times, and which are best left to the
   history books.

   Prof. Lindley has taught Gandhi studies at universities in India and
   the Near East, and has given guest lectures on related topics at
   many universities in India, Europe, and the USA. His recent
   publications include "Gandhi's Challenge Now to the Affluent" in the
   Journal of Gandhian Studies, 2004, and the 3rd edition of Gandhi and
   Humanism. His book, J.C. Kumarappa: Mahatma Gandhi's Economist, will
   be published in Bombay next year. This month the National Gandhi
   Museum in New Delhi will publish a book on Gandhi and religions
   which Dr. Lindley co-wrote with Lavanam Gora, the International
   Humanist and Ethical Union's "Humanist of the Decade" for the 1990's.

*Sunday May 22* (Poetry Corner at 9:30 am contact Karla: nada23_2002 at yahoo.com)                                                            
              (Newcomers' Meeting at 12:30 pm, all welcome)   
   
*   *Memorial Sunday*  *  *An Interactive Experience*
   The Baltimore Ethical Society is a better community due to the work
   and caring of those who have belonged over the years, as well as
   those who have given support and vision to our members. As we finish
   our regular season of programming, we come together to celebrate
   those who are no longer with us in body, but whom we still hold in
   our hearts and minds.

   The annual membership meeting will immediately follow this program.

*Sunday May 29* (actually Friday evening May 27 to Monday morning May 30)
   *
   *90th Assembly of the American Ethical Union* *hosted by the
   Northern Virginia Ethical Society.  For more information contact the
   AEU at 212-873-6500 or check out their web site.

     /*Special Events*/

**Saturday, May 14th**, Bible Workshop ("The End of the World") and Pot 
Luck, 6:00 p.m., home of Dick and Judy Katz. Bring a dish to share, and 
a Bible for reference. Space is limited, so call Fritz Williams at 
1-717-582-4932 for a reservation. "The End of the World" will explore 
what many fundamentalist Christians believe about living in the "end 
times," and preparing for the second coming of Jesus Christ. It will 
also provide an opportunity to examine the scriptures that support these 
beliefs and key chapters in their historical development.

The workshops will be conducted by Fritz Williams, who is not only our 
Leader, but has a MDiv from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in 
Philadelphia, and a ThM in Biblical Studies from Princeton Seminary.

**Sunday, May 15th**, Bible Workshop (Repeat of "The End of the World"), 
starting at 12:30 p.m., after the regular program at the Baltimore 
Ethical Society, 306 West Franklin Street. There is no pot luck, but 
bring a Bible for reference.

**Sunday, June 5th**, Picnic in the Park, Sparks Bank Nature Center, noon 
to 4:00 p.m. Bring a dish to share and a lawn chair. There will be some 
outdoor games such as lawn bowling, horse shoes, badminton, and for the 
little ones, ring toss, big balls, and bubbles. There is a hiking trail 
for those who want to ramble. Drinks, cups, plates, and utensils will be 
provided.

Directions: Take I-83 north to exit 24 (Belfast Road). Turn right on to 
Belfast Road, and go to the end (York Road). Turn right. Take the second 
left onto Sparks Road. The parking lot is just past the one lane bridge 
on the right. Noon to 4:00 p.m.