Washington Ethical Society

This MLK weekend, join Amanda in a reflection on the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.--not his legacy of beautiful words and inspiring vision, but his legacy of long-term, community-based organizing. How do we take our intentions to build a better world...and transform those into the actual work of that building?

Join us for a celebration of the year, and a look at what a circuit around the sun means for us in our personal lives...and on a cosmological level! We will travel through space and time, and make our own commitments to the universe we share. Music from singer/songwriter LEA.

This former National Young Audiences Artist of the Year will perform her original poetry with all the trimmings: anguish, triumph, ecstasy, soul & above all, realness. Join us as she delivers a full set of her favorite slam poems to soften & prepare our hearts for the mixed bag of emotions Christmas & New Year's bring.

“Getting Down And Dirty For Hope,” Chioma Iwuoha. by affirming the worth of every person since 1944.

"Should We Keep Hope Alive?" Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader. What does it mean to have hope in the world today? Is it a good idea--or even possible? Amanda will explore the interaction of lamentation, solidarity, and that elusive hope, drawing on the work of Miguel de la Torre and others. Music from the WES Chorus.

With Thanksgiving fresh in our mind, we will explore how gratitude can be an act of cultural resistance. Our society tells us to always want more, to be more. This week we'll take a moment to reflect on the abundance in our lives & how grounding ourselves in gratitude can sustain us in our work.

Join us for our annual celebration of abundance, as we retell the story of the magic soup created by just a few stones...and a community's acts of generosity. This year, we will honor members of WES who have given abundantly of their time and love over the years.

Most of us have emotional reactions all the time--sadness, anger, fear, joy. And frequently, those reactions are part of not just our private lives, but how we interact in the world and with systemic oppression. How do we find the right balance of allowing ourselves to be present to our emotional responses, while at the same time managing our own reactivity? And how can we be present to others' emotional reactions, to honor their experiences, while still finding a way to move forward together? Music from Jean Rohe.

This week we keep in mind Veteran’s Day: the service and sacrifice of service members and their families. As “Abundance” is the theme of the month, Rev. Rebekah will explore how the idea and culture of service is connected to creation and a legacy of empowerment.

Plan to be with us for this important day in our year, when we remember those we have lost and reflect on all they have meant to us. Nationally-acclaimed poet Gayle Danley will share some of her work, and then offer a special workshop for the WES community, inviting you to process grief through poetry

At the request of Black Lives of UU, WES will explore core anti-racism concepts and turn the lens on our own culture, to see more clearly how white culture and a preference for whiteness shows up in our community.

Rev. Pratima Dharm will speak on the topic of grief as a common human emotion experienced by people of all cultures around the globe. Though, the rituals of grief and their observances can be unique depending on particular regional and religious influences, shedding of tears are the most common human expression connected with grief.

We often have to hide parts of our selves, either because they are explicitly unwelcome or because we imagine them to be so. Amanda will share stories of the courageous among us, who have found ways to be fully themselves, despite all odds. Music from singer/songwriter LEA. #WEScourage

Many of us are engaged in social justice work, or political action, seeking to change the recent direction of our country. How do we maintain hope and build up our bravery for that work? And, at the same time, how do we stay true to our Ethical Culture principles? Music from the WES Chorus.

As WES seeks to become a more intentionally anti-racist, multicultural community, what tools do we need to learn? How does it feel to be part of the majority culture at WES, and how does it feel to be part of the minority cultures also represented? Music from the WES Chorus.

What does it look like to welcome into our lives all that is...the good, bad, and ugly? How do we increase our capacity to accept the reality we live with, while still holding a sense of the possibility of change? Amanda will explore the Buddhist tradition in this experiential platform.

Imagine you were a traveler from a far-off land, or another time...or even just a different Ethical Society! When you arrived at WES for the first time, what would you find? Would you understand our language, our customs, our (humanist) rituals? Together we will imagine welcoming the stranger to our unique and ever-changing community.

Join John Crestwell as he tackles the complicated relationship between individuality, authenticity, and embodying the sacred.

Join Amanda for this always popular “question and answer” platform. Send her your questions about ethics, social justice, WES, and more ahead of time, or just bring your questions with you–you’ll have an opportunity to write them down. Amanda will address as many as she has time for!

What does it mean to live in accordance with Buddhist principles in the context of global climate change, and its connection with other social ills, racism in particular? Kristin will share her own journey into the intersection of Buddhist practice with socio-ecological crises and how they can inspire, inform and sustain a heart-filled response.