January 2011

January Widening The Circle Forum To View, Discuss The Soloist

The January Widening The Circle Forum will explore issues of race, class, homelessness, creativity, purpose, self-determination, paternalism, and hope through the critically acclaimed movie, The Soloist. The Soloist, a 2009 movie starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr. is based on a true story (see plot below). The Forum will begin an hour earlier than usual, at 6 p.m., in order to both view the film and then have discussion. If you have already seen the film, you can come at 8 p.m. for the discussion alone.

There is no charge for this event, and refreshments will be served. Child care is available, but only if arranged for prior to the event.

The movie’s plot: “In 2005, the only thing hurting Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez more than his face from a recent bike accident was his pressing need for story ideas. That is when he discovers Nathaniel Ayers, a mentally ill, homeless street musician who possesses extraordinary talent, even through his half-broken instruments. Inspired by his story, Lopez writes an acclaimed series of articles about Ayers and attempts to do more to help both him and the rest of the underclass of LA have a better life. However, Lopez's good intentions run headlong in the hard realities of the strength of Ayers' personal demons and the larger social injustices facing the homeless. Regardless, Lopez and Ayers must find a way to conquer their deepest anxieties and frustrations to hope for a brighter future for both of them.” [From the Internet Movie Database at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0821642/]

We have secured official permission to show this film with thanks to the FCCC Mission Council.

February 2011

“A Mile In Your Moccasins”
An Experiential Look At Our Church As An Older Or Differently-Abled Person

The Widening The Circle Forum on Thursday, February 17 will be an experiential exercise to help sensitize those of us who have fuller use of our bodies to the perspectives of those who don’t. Gathering at 7 p.m., participants will be assigned various physical limitations, everything from having to use a wheelchair, to carrying heavy weights as a larger person, to blurred vision as a person with cataracts. We will then move around the building doing familiar things a person attending our church might do – only with the physical limitation assigned to him or her.

Following the exercise, we will gather to discuss our feelings and perspectives on what we just experienced. Hopefully, we will have folks from our congregation with varying physical abilities, who will help shape our conversation.

We will use as a primary resource L.E.A.P. (Linking Employment, Abilities and Potential), an organization whose offices are in our neighborhood. LEAP serves persons with disabilities in eight northeast Ohio counties and promotes self-determination, peer support, self-help and self-advocacy, systems advocacy, and equal access to society. These lead to empowerment, independence, inclusion, and maximized leadership for people with disabilities. The majority of LEAP's board members and staff members are persons with disabilities.

Three resources that will also guide us in this effort are: “That All May Worship: An Interfaith Welcome To People With Disabilities,” “From Barriers To Bridges: A Community Action Guide For Congregations And People With Disabilities,” and “Loving Justice: The ADA And The Religious Community.” These are available for check-out from the church if you are interested in learning more about helping our congregation to “Widen The Circle For ALL God’s Children.”

For more updated information, go on our website to: http://www.franklincirclechurch.org/WideningTheCircleForums.htm

November 2010

Widening The Circle Forum
Islam And Our Muslim Neighbors

The November Widening The Circle Forum, a monthly program at Franklin Circle Christian Church at 1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, will be an exploration of the Islamic faith. It will be held on Thursday, November 18 from 7 – 8:30 p.m. and will feature Isam Zaiem, Cleveland Chapter President of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.  A discussion and refreshments will follow.

Mr. Zaiem is a native of Damascus, Syria who came to the United States in 1970 as a student. He obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Medical Technology in Chicago and completed his medical training at the Cleveland Clinic. Mr. Zaiem has also served in different capacities at the Islamic Center of Cleveland and the Uqbah Mosque Foundation in Cleveland. He is passionate about protecting the civil rights of Americans and is a strong proponent of defending the Constitution and an advocate for justice for all under the rule of law.

As always, there is no charge for this event. If childcare is needed, please call the church ahead of the event to let us know and it will be provided. For more information, go to the Forums page on our church’s website: http://www.franklincirclechurch.org/WideningTheCircleForums.htm  or call 216-781-8232.

Our Widening The Circle Forums provide a means for our congregation, neighborhood, and broader community to explore in a creative manner critical issues of diversity, hospitality, and inclusiveness. This is part of our commitment to be an Open & Affirming, Anti-Racist/Pro-Reconciling, and Accessible Congregation.

For more information, contact Pastor Allen Harris at PastorAllen {at} FranklinCircleChurch {dot} org.
 

Past WTC Forums:

September 2010

September Widening The Circle Forum
To Focus On Unemployment Resources & Support

On Thursday, September 16 at 7:00 p.m. our monthly Widening The Circle Forum will delve into a topic close to too many in our congregation and community: Unemployment. Several presentations will be made by persons who are involved in support for persons who are unemployed or underemployed, as well as those involved in job search resources. There will be packets of materials from various agencies and organizations in Cleveland that provide support, counsel, and opportunities for persons seeking employment help.

Resources will be offered for those who would like to have an ongoing support group for persons who are unemployed, but the question will also be raised as to whether or not a new group should be formed in our congregation and/or neighborhood. We will ask the tough questions around “How can our congregation and neighborhood be more hospitable and responsive to persons in employment distress or crisis?”

As always, there is no charge for this event. If childcare is needed, please call the church ahead of the event to let us know and it will be provided. For more information, go to the Forums page on our church’s website: http://www.franklincirclechurch.org/WideningTheCircleForums.htm or call 216-781-8232.

Our Widening The Circle Forums provide a means for our congregation, neighborhood, and broader community to explore in a creative manner critical issues of diversity, hospitality, and inclusiveness. This is part of our commitment to be an Open & Affirming, Anti-Racist/Pro-Reconciling, and Accessible Congregation.
The Widening The Circle Forums are usually planned on a monthly basis and include a creative or interactive element (film, speaker, interactive exercises, etc.) ample time for discussion, and refreshments. There is never a charge, and suggestions for future topics, speakers, films are always encouraged.
 

July 2010

“Neighborhood Mapping” Focus Of July Forum

Walking Tour Photos -- Click HERE!

In keeping with the summer weather, our July Widening The Circle Forum on Thursday, July 15 at 7 p.m. will be an outdoor excursion through the Ohio City/Near West Side Neighborhood! Using a technique he first learned from biblical scholar and self-proclaimed “activist theologian,” Ched Myers, Pastor Allen will take participants on an hour-long jaunt through the neighborhood surrounding Franklin Circle Christian Church. Using guided questions and storytelling, Pastor Allen will hopefully help members of the church and neighborhood look at and think about our community in a deeper, more engaging way.

We will meet at the church at 7 p.m. for a brief introduction to the process and charting our course. Participants will need to be able to walk for an hour, with occasional breaks at “rest stops” along the way. You are encouraged to bring your own reusable water bottle that you can fill at the church. Also, bring a couple of dollars as we will stop at a neighborhood store for a drink or snack, if you would like.

In case of rain, the program will still be offered, but it will be via a projected program in the church’s Chapel Media Center. There is no charge for this event, and all are welcome. If you have need of childcare, please call the church office at least 48 hours prior to the event. If you would like to do a little preparation for this Forum, you can find a wonderful introduction to Community Mapping from the Maryland Office Of Planning at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/education/growfromhere/Lesson8/lesson8.htm
 

June -- NO FORUM IN JUNE

May 2010

April 2010

April Forum Asks, “How’s Your ‘Cultural Competency?’”

* Are the skills and talents of everyone in our community fully utilized?

* Do people of different faiths, races, ages, education levels, and backgrounds know and rely upon one another on a regular basis?

* Can we openly and safely dialogue when issues arise coming from our diversity and cultural differences?

On Thursday, April 15 at 7 p.m. Franklin Circle Christian Church will welcome William Avery and Molly Holland, founders and leaders of the Organization For Cultural Competency at our Widening The Circle Forum. This monthly forum, open to the community as well as the congregation, seeks to build a stronger foundation for healthier neighborhoods as well as for the church’s commitments to being a hospitable, inclusive, and diverse community of faith.

From the organization’s website:
Cultural competency is the ability to function successfully with people of other cultures. The Organization for Cultural Competency, which is composed of associates from different cultural and racial backgrounds, uses common values and interests to bring together people from diverse racial, religious, and cultural groups to create strong communities and organizations in Northeast Ohio. The mission of the Organization for Cultural Competency is to foster awareness and appreciation of one another’s cultures and to provide a means by which groups, organizations, and communities can open dialogue and find resolution to issues arising from diversity and cultural differences. Their vision is to create communities and organizations where the skills and talents of each individual are recognized and utilized to the fullest extent possible and without regard to racial or cultural differences. We achieve this through group conversations, community meetings, and workshops. (http://www.choosediversity.org/index.html)

There is no charge for this forum, and all are welcome. Refreshments will be provided. There is ample secured parking. For more information, go to the church’s website: www.FranklinCircleChurch.org or call 216-781-8232.

Our Widening The Circle Forums are a means for our congregation, neighborhood, and broader community to explore in a creative manner critical issues of diversity, hospitality, and inclusiveness. This is part of our commitment to be an Open & Affirming, Anti-Racist/Pro-Reconciling, and Accessible Congregation.

The Widening The Circle Forums are usually planned on a monthly basis and include a creative or interactive element (film, speaker, interactive exercises, etc.) ample time for discussion, and refreshments. There is never a charge, and suggestions for future topics, speakers, films are always encouraged.
 

March 2010

Widening The Circle Forum Studies Same-Sex Marriage
Thursday, March 11, 7 p.m.
Legally-Married Gay Couples Share Their Stories

Since Washington, D.C. became the latest principality to officially offer same-sex marriage licenses on March 3, the discussion about what exactly does this mean becomes ever more important. Joining the five states that currently offer same-sex marriage, D.C.’s law offers full marriage rights and confers full marriage responsibility to gay and lesbian couples. But how do such rulings correlate with the federal Defense of Marriage Act passed in 1996? Furthermore, what does legal same-sex marriage mean for churches and religious institutions that either affirm it or oppose it?

These, and other questions will be raised by two gay couples, both of whom have been officially married. The Rev. Michael Schuenemeyer and Rowen Garcia (pictured to the left) will share stories and thoughts about their wedding in California last summer during the window of time that same-sex marriage was legal in that state. One of Franklin Circle Christian Church’s own members, Joe Bartholomew, and his partner will talk about their wedding in Connecticut several years ago and what it means to move to a state that does not recognize the legal status of their marriage. Both couples will talk about participating in congregations which do honor and recognize their relationships and marriages. Facts about what same-sex marriage is and is not will be shared, and there will be time for discussion.

There is no charge for this event, and everyone is welcome including persons from both the church and the community. Refreshments will be served, and the program will be over by 9 p.m. The building is handicap accessible, and there is ample secured parking.

These monthly Widening The Circle Forums are a means for persons from the congregation, neighborhood, and broader community to explore in a safe, personal, and creative manner critical issues of diversity, hospitality, and inclusiveness. This is part of Franklin Circle Christian Church’s commitment to be an Open & Affirming, Anti-Racist/Pro-Reconciling, and Accessible Congregation.

The Widening The Circle Forums are typically planned on a monthly basis and include a creative or interactive element (film, speaker, interactive exercises, etc.) ample time for discussion, and refreshments. There is never a charge, and suggestions for future topics, speakers, films are always encouraged.

For more information, call 216-781-8232 or go on the web to http://www.franklincirclechurch.org/WideningTheCircleForums.htm
 

February 2010

Widening The Circle Forum Thursday, February 18, 7 p.m.
A Framework For Understanding Poverty

People in poverty face challenges virtually unknown to those in middle class or wealth – challenges from both obvious and hidden sources. The reality of being poor brings out a survival mentality, and turns attention away from opportunities taken for granted by everyone else.
The monthly Widening The Circle Forum on Thursday, February 18 at 7 p.m. will focus on issues related to poverty. The forum will be led by Pastor Allen using the book, A Framework For Understanding Poverty by Ruby K. Payne, Ph.D. Facets of poverty to be explored include:
     • What are the “hidden rules” of poverty, middle class, and wealth?
     • 12 key points to remember about poverty,
     • Poverty-related behaviors and their interventions,
     • Symptoms of generational poverty and how they reveal themselves.

If you work with and beside people in poverty, as our congregation does, and you believe that the “circle” of life is not complete without all of God’s children being present, then some deeper and understanding of how different that world is from the worlds of middle class or wealth will be invaluable. Pastor Allen will also draw upon the book he is currently reading, Where We Stand: Class Matters by bell hooks.

It is also our hope that persons who live in poverty will be with us, so that this is not a conversation “about” others, but with our sisters and brothers.

There is no charge for this event, and everyone is welcome including persons from both the church and the community. Refreshments will be served, and the program will be over by 9 p.m.
 

March 2010
*** Please note: March’s WTC Forum will be one week earlier than usual, on Thursday, March 11 at 7 p.m. We will be honored to have the Rev. Michael Schuenemeyer and his husband, Mr. Rowen de Leon Garcia, as our guest speakers. They will share their experience as a legally married same-sex couple, as well as answer questions. Pastor Allen will facilitate the discussion about same-sex marriage, how it is similar to and yet different from Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships, and how Open & Affirming Congregations like ours can advocate for equal rights for all individuals and couples. ***
 

January 2010

On January 21, 2010, the third Thursday of the month, the Anti-Racism Team of Franklin Circle Christian Church will be sponsoring the Widening the Circle Forum from 6:30 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. The event will be "Dinner and a Movie," and we will be serving a lite dinner menu and other refreshments. The feature movie will be "Imitation of Life" with a short discussion afterward to process the message in the movie.

The film is relevant for us as it explores various issues of race, relationships, and also features a solo by Gospel singing star, Mahalia Jackson. The movie centers around two mothers, one white and one black, and their two young daughters as they struggle toward womanhood. We will be showing the 1959 version (the first version was released in 1934). The film is adapted from a novel by the same title, written by Fannie Hurst, and was directed by Douglas Sirk. Be sure to mark your calendars and plan to attend, especially if you have never seen the movie!

There is no charge for the dinner or the movie, however donations will be gladly accepted! For more information, please call 216-781-8232 or go on the web to: www.FranklinCircleChurch.org. The church is located on Cleveland’s Near West Side.

Our Widening The Circle Forums are a means for our congregation, neighborhood, and broader community to explore in a creative manner critical issues of diversity, hospitality, and inclusiveness. This is part of our church’s commitment to be an Open & Affirming, Anti-Racist/Pro-Reconciling, and Accessible Congregation.

The Widening The Circle Forums are usually planned on a monthly basis (third Thursdays currently) and include a creative or interactive element (film, speaker, interactive exercises, etc.) ample time for discussion, and refreshments. There is never a charge, and suggestions for future topics, speakers, films are always encouraged.

October 2009

What Secrets Are Hidden In Your Family’s History?
Family Name Video To Be Shown & Discussed October 15 @ 7 p.m.

Join us as we watch a documentary film by Macky Alston about his exploration of his family’s heritage, and how that intersects with our nation’s history regarding slavery, race, and diversity.

Macky Alson, a young white, gay seminary student (now pastor) and filmmaker was a friend of Pastor Allen Harris in his New York City days. Macky has made a documentary film about a curious occurrence. While attending a family reunion in North Carolina one year, he noticed in the local newspaper a notice about another Alston family reunion happening nearby. When he went to investigate, he found a wonderful celebration – of an all-Black Alston family! This film looks at the intersection of family histories, the legacy of slavery and race in America, and how families deal with secrets.

Join us on Thursday, October 15 at 7 p.m. to watch this film and then discuss it afterwards. There is no charge, and refreshments will be offered. The neighborhood and community are welcomed and encouraged to attend. The church is located at 1688 Fulton Rd. on Cleveland's Near West Side, in Ohio City.

Our Widening The Circle Forums are a means for our congregation, neighborhood, and broader community to explore in a creative manner critical issues of diversity, hospitality, and inclusiveness. This is part of our commitment to be an Open & Affirming, Anti-Racist/Pro-Reconciling, and Accessible Congregation.

The Widening The Circle Forums are usually planned on a monthly basis and include a creative or interactive element (film, speaker, interactive exercises, etc.) ample time for discussion, and refreshments. There is never a charge, and suggestions for future topics, speakers, films are always encouraged.

 

Widening The Circle Forums Resume
Explore God’s Diversity Every Third Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
     On Thursday Evening, September 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the Chapel Media Center our congregation’s Widening The Circle Forum series will resume. This month’s topic will be How Communities Can Care For Those With Memory Loss and will feature a speaker from the Cleveland area Alzheimer’s Association.
     Just like the rest of our bodies, our brains change as we age. Most of us notice some slowed thinking and occasional problems remembering certain things. However, serious memory loss, confusion and other major changes in the way our minds work are not a normal part of aging. They may be a sign that brain cells are failing. Alzheimers is a progressive and fatal brain disease. As many as 5.3 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer's destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time, is fatal, and has no known cure. Today it is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States and accounts for 50 to 70 percent of dementia cases.
     Our Widening The Circle Forums are a means for our congregation, neighborhood, and broader community to explore in a creative manner critical issues of diversity, hospitality, and inclusiveness. This is part of our commitment to be an Open & Affirming, Anti-Racist/Pro-Reconciling, and Accessible Congregation.
     The Widening The Circle Forums are usually planned on a monthly basis and include a creative or interactive element (film, speaker, interactive exercises, etc.) ample time for discussion, and refreshments. There is never a charge, and suggestions for future topics, speakers, films are always encouraged.

January 2009 ~ POSTPONED ~

January Forum For Teachers, Parents, & Caregivers
     The January 15 Widening The Circle Forum at Franklin Circle Christian Church, 1688 Fulton Rd. on Cleveland’s Near West Side, will focus on exploring children and youth books that deal with diversity, justice, and multi-culturalism. The forum, set for 7-9 p.m. will seek to help parents, teachers, caregivers and other interested persons better nurture our children in such issues as race and reconciliation, differences in ability, economic differences, varieties of family configuration, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender diversity.
     It is anticipated that a librarian from the Cleveland Public Library system will be present to share books and other resources available through the library system. These will include fiction, non-fiction, and teaching resources.
     There is no charge for this event and all are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served, and there is ample parking. For more information, go to www.FranklinCircleChurch.org.

Flyer coming soon!

October 2008 Forum Announced!

Widening The Circle Forum To Address New Housing Model
Thursday, October 16, 7:00 p.m.

The October Widening The Circle Forum will welcome Gerald “Jerry” Skoch, executive Director of the West Side Catholic Center, to present the new venture in which the Center is engaged called the “Zaccheaus Housing Solutions Project.” The Forum will be open to the church and the community and will be held on Thursday, October 16 at 7:00 p.m. at Franklin Circle Christian Church in the Chapel Media Center. There is no charge for this event, and refreshments will be served.

For a flyer to post at your school, work, or neighborhood center, click HERE.

An extension of the nation-wide movement called “Housing First,” the Zaccheaus Project is a tenant-based rental assistance program that uses intensive case management to help individuals and families to secure and maintain permanent housing. Using the biblical model of Zaccheaus (from Luke 19) the project is designed to empower homeless individuals who seek help. The welcome from Jesus came first. Jesus did not require Zacchaeus to change his life before he dined with him.  He offered himself first and the transformation followed. The Zacchaeus Project is a “Housing First” project. This nationally successful model provides housing first as a stable base from which to address personal barriers to success.

In an August 3, 2008 op-ed article in the Plain Dealer, Jerry explained, “The solution to homelessness is so painfully obvious that it has been overlooked for years. The first step out of homelessness is housing – not treatment, not employment, not rehabilitation, but housing. All the other steps to self-sufficiency rest on the platform called ‘home.’ Housing First recognizes this essential truth and works to place homeless people in homes of their own.”

Gerald Skoch, J.D. has twenty years of management experience as president of a local business law firm and a cabinetry-millwork manufacturing company and manager of a medical practice. He is a member of St. Christopher Parish and has served on both school committees and the church’s building committee. Very active in the community, he has provided pro-bono counsel for charitable organizations. He graduated from St. Ignatius High School; Miami University, Oxford, Ohio; and Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

For more information call Rev. Allen Harris at 216-781-8232 or go on the web to http://www.franklincirclechurch.org/WideningTheCircleForums.htm .

For more information on the topic, go on the web to the PBS newsmagazine NOW at http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/305/index.htm l or to the Housing First main website at www.BeyondShelter.org .
 

New Series Begins For 2008-2009!

Widening The Circle Forum: "Must We See To Be In The City Of God?" with Randy Knapp, Cleveland Sight Center, Thursday, September 18, 2008; 7-9 p.m. at Franklin Circle Christian Church

The community is invited to hear Randy Knapp, the Senior Assistive Technology Specialist at the Cleveland Sight Center, speak on Thursday, September 18 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the inaugural 2008-2009 Widening The Circle Forums.  You probably know Randy for he occasionally worships with us, joining his wife, the Rev. Carrie Culleen!

Randy will share with the gathered members of the congregation and neighboring community his perspectives on how churches and other community organizations can be more accessible, inclusive, and supportive of persons who are sight-impaired.

In addition to Randy's program there will be refreshments and a Question and Answer period at the end, which will include several other members of the congregation who are sight-impaired.

There is free parking, and the building is wheelchair accessible. There is no charge for this event.

Go online to http://www.franklincirclechurch.org/WideningTheCircleForums.htm  or call Pastor Allen Harris at 216-781-8232 for more information. For more information about the Cleveland Sight Center, go online to: http://www.clevelandsightcenter.org/
 

January 24, 2008

Widening The Circle Forum January 24, 7 p.m.
“Living In Community With Our Formerly Incarcerated Neighbors”

At the January Widening The Circle Forum we will deal head-on with the question, “How does a community live safely and justly with persons who are ex-felons, persons who have been incarcerated, and those who simply have some kind of criminal record?”  Charles R. See, Executive Director of Community Re-Entry, a program of Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries, will speak from his 34+ years experience in the field and answer questions from the participants.

The forum will be held on Thursday, January 24 at 7 p.m. in the Chapel Media Center.  Persons from the church and neighborhood are encouraged to attend.  Refreshments will be offered.  There is no charge for this event.  The church's Widening The Circle Forum Series seeks to help church and neighborhood folks come together face-to-face to discuss issues of diversity in an honest and safe environment in order to help deepen our understanding and strengthen the entire community.

Since 1973, Community Re-Entry has served Cleveland by supporting persons returning to the community after a period of incarceration and persons placed on probation to reduce recidivism and enhance the quality of life for both the persons and the community served.  Community Re-Entry also provides prevention and intervention social services to youth in low-income public housing estates who are at high risk for involvement in drug or gang activity and future incarceration.  For more information about Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries, go to their website: http://www.lutheranmetro.org/index.php/Community-Re-Entry/
 

September 2007

Thursday, September 27 @ 7 p.m.

You are invited to our next Widening The Circle Forum.  We are showing the movie "De Colores,"  on Hispanic lesbians and gay men on Thursday, September 27, 7-9 p.m. here at Franklin Circle Christian Church, 1688 Fulton Rd. near W. 28 St.  Please call 216-781-8232 for further information.  There is no charge. Refreshments and a time of moderated discussion will follow.

Cleveland City Councilman Joe Santiago will be present to share his story.

De Colores is a bilingual 28-minutes documentary about how Latino families are replacing the deep roots of homophobia with the even deeper roots of love and tolerance. Through moving personal stories we learn about how families are breaking cultural barriers and how love always prevails.

De Colores es un documental bilingüe de 28 minutos mostrando como las familias y comunidades latinas están reemplazando la homophobia con la tolerencia y el amor. A través de historias personales aprendemos como familias rompen barreras culturales y como el amor siempre prevalece.

For more recent information and press materials, please visit the producers at: www.UnlearningHomophobia.com.

Awards & Honors

Best Documentary Short, Los Angeles Lesbian and Gay Film Festival 2001

Best of Show, Berkeley Video Festival 2001

Grand Jury Award: Best Documentary Short 2002
New York Independent International Film and Video Festival

Screening Honoree: San Diego Latino Film Festival, 2002

Screening Honoree: Festival International Del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano, Habana, Cuba, 2001

Screening Honoree: Mix Mexico 2002, Mexico City

May 2007

Community Conversation On Crash, The Movie
Thursday, May 24, 6 p.m./8p.m.

“It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something.”

As the city of Cleveland continues to suffer from too many violent crimes, with young black men being shot and killed, gay men being harassed and beaten, transgendered youth murdered, and endless stories arising of confrontations and tensions between persons of different cultures and ethnicities, a way out of this dilemma must be found. Talking about it is not the solution, but certainly careful, honest, and purposeful conversation must be a starting point.

On Thursday, May 24 at 6:00 p.m. Franklin Circle Christian Church, 1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland will host a showing of the Academy-award winning movie Crash and offer a guided discussion following at 8:00 p.m. This is part of the congregation’s ongoing Widening The Circle Forum series looking creatively at diversity and how our differences effect what it means to be community. Melding issues not unfamiliar to the city of Cleveland, and the Near West Side especially, the movie compels the viewer to see the complexity of issues of class, race, culture, and gender.

Representatives from the community who have been affected by the violent situation in our city or who are in positions to help make a change will be on hand at the 8 p.m. discussion time to answer questions and share their perspectives.  As of this time we have commitments from Dan Kilbane and Ed Boyte, a gay couple who live in Ohio City who have experienced physical violence and verbal abuse because of their perceived sexual orientation.

There is no charge, and refreshments will be available. The movie is rated “R” and permission is being obtained to legally show it for this event. The church is located at the intersection of Franklin Blvd., Fulton Rd., and W. 28th St. and has free parking.

A synopsis of the movie from the Internet Movie Database:
“Several stories interweave during two days in Los Angeles involving a collection of inter-related characters, a police detective with a drugged out mother and a thieving younger brother, two car thieves who are constantly theorizing on society and race, the white district attorney and his irritated and pampered wife, a racist white veteran cop (caring for a sick father at home) who disgusts his more idealistic younger partner, a successful Hollywood director and his wife who must deal with the racist cop, a Persian-immigrant father who buys a gun to protect his shop, a Hispanic locksmith and his young daughter who is afraid of bullets, and more.”
 

February 22
Thursday, February 22, 7:00 p.m.
Film & Discussion: All God's Children

Exploring & Celebrating Same-Gender Love In the African American Community

As part of its monthly forums exploring themes of diversity and inclusion, Franklin Circle Christian Church will screen the award winning documentary, All God’s Children on Thursday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m. Refreshments and discussion will follow. Such themes as race, class, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities may be seen as either opportunities or barriers in the life of the community, especially in religious institutions. This ongoing video/discussion series seeks to explore such compelling topics in a safe, informative, creative, and respectful environment.

All God's Children, a 27-minute video, presents a political, social, and religious analysis of sexual orientation within the context of the traditional African-American values of freedom, inclusion, and the Christian love ethic. Through the voices of politicians, religious leaders, academics, family members, and activists, All God's Children vividly illustrates the human toll exacted upon society by the unspoken stigmatization and alienation of lesbians and gay men.

In the documentary respected religious and political leaders, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. James Forbes, Rev. Carol L. Murray, Rev. Cecil L. Murray, Bishop Carl Bean, Rev. Waylon Melto; Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Senator Carol Moseley-Braun, Mayor Ken Reeves, and Cornel West call for spiritual reconciliation and a commitment to equal rights and social justice for all people.

Several Cleveland area community leaders will also be available during the conversation to offer their perspectives and to take questions from the participants. For more information, please call Pastor Allen Harris at 216-781-8232.

This film was produced by Woman Vision studios in association with The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, The National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum.  It was produced and directed by Acadamy Award Nominees Dr. Dee Mosbacher & Frances Reid and Dr. Slyvia Rhue.

Awards & Honors
*Best Documentary -- 1996 National Black Arts Film Festival
*Best Film on Matters Relating to the "Black Experience" -- 1996 Black International Cinema Competition
*Special Merit Award -- 1996 National Black Programming Consortium Prized Pieces Film and Video Competition
*Apple Award -- 1997 National Educational Media Network
*Lambda Liberty Award -- 1997 Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund
*Screening Honoree -- 1997-1998 Council on Foundations Film Festival Series
 

Widening The Circle Forum, November 16, 7 p.m.

"Accessible Buildings, Accessible Hearts"

Franklin Circle Christian Church, 1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, invites members of the community to its November 16 Widening The Circle Forum at 7 p.m. Special guest speaker will be Laura A. Gold, Director of ADA/Accessibility Services for Independent Living, Inc. She will help our church, and other neighborhood individuals and organizations, consider more faithfully what it means to provide a fully accessible facility, not just in terms of physical access, but also in terms of attitude and participation.

In March of 2005, following a vote of the Board of Franklin Circle Christian Church, the congregation was welcomed into the Accessible Congregations Program of the National Organization on Disability. There are over 2,250 other religious institutions and houses of worship committed to the campaign. The Accessible Congregations Campaign (ACC) seeks to gain the commitment of congregations of all faiths to remove barriers, welcome, and include people with all types of disabilities as full and active participants. It is sponsored by the Religion and Disability Program of the National Organization on Disability. This forum is another way the congregation is seeking to make real its commitment to including all of God's children in its ministries.

The presentation will be followed by a time of discussion. Refreshments will be provided. There is no charge, however a free-will offering will be received to help defray the cost of the speaker. Please call the church office to register for the workshop: 216-781-8232.

For more information Services For Independent Living go on the web to: http://sil-oh.org/  . For more information on the Accessible Congregation Program, go to www.nod.org/ACC/ .

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Follow-up discussion to film "Flag Wars"

Thursday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m.

Dear Members & Neighbors,
Many of you were able to participate in the Widening The Circle Forum on Thursday, September 28 when we watched the PBS documentary film, "Flag Wars," and shared in a brief discussion following.

I would like to extend an invitation to everyone to gather for a follow-up discussion this Thursday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m. here at Franklin Circle Christian Church, 1688 Fulton Rd. It is my hope that we will come up with a strategy to help community organizations, such as this church, improve communication and build stronger bonds of understanding around the issues raised in the film, such as gentrification, identity, race, class, safety, poverty, family heritage, and community.

We will show the film again starting at 5:30 p.m. so that those who missed it can view it or those would like to see it again may do so.

Again, if you want more information on the film, and an extensive set of interactive resources, go to: http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2003/flagwars/index.html 

It would be helpful to know if you plan on attending. Please RSVP via reply e-mail or by calling the church at 216-781-8232. Refreshments, as always, will be provided!
 

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As part of our Widening The Circle Forum series,
Franklin Circle Christian Church presents the compelling PBS video "Flag Wars"



"Flag Wars" is a poignant account of the politics and pain of gentrification. Working-class black residents in Columbus, Ohio fight to hold on to their homes. Realtors and gay home-buyers see fixer-uppers. The clashes expose prejudice and self-interest on both sides, as well as the common dream to have a home to call your own.

Thursday, September 28 – 7 p.m.
90-minute video, refreshments and moderated discussion following
at: Franklin Circle Christian Church
1688 Fulton Rd. (near W. 28th)
Call Pastor Allen Harris at 216-781-8232 or e-mail PastorAllen@FranklinCircleChurch.org for more details, and to receive copies of background readings (strongly encouraged) ~
 

There is no charge for this event

From the PBS website:
“Flag Wars” is a poignant account of the politics and pain of gentrification. Working-class black residents in Columbus, Ohio fight to hold on to their homes. Realtors and gay home-buyers see fixer-uppers. The clashes expose prejudice and self-interest on both sides, as well as the common dream to have a home to call your own.

Shot over four years, "Flag Wars" is a poignant 90-minute account of economic competition between two historically oppressed groups, seen through the politics and pain of gentrification. The setting could be any city with a once stable working and middle class black community, now aging and economically depressed, in danger of losing control of their neighborhoods as wealthier home buyers gentrify block by block. In this case, the neighborhood is in Columbus, Ohio and the home buyers are largely white and gay.

The resulting conflicts are a case study of differences in perception. Where realtors and buyers see run-down homes, black residents see evidence of institutional racism that steered resources away from this community. What newer residents see as a beneficial effort to renovate and restore value, veteran residents see as an assault on their heritage and a threat to their ability to hold on to their homes.

The events in "Flag Wars" unfold against a backdrop of racism, homophobia, and tensions between privilege and poverty. Mix in government zoning boards, the court system, lending institutions, and civic leaders, and you've got a film that literally hits people "where they live." "Flag Wars" explores the complexity of gentrification, and the contradictions between intention and result, belief and action. It goes beyond merely assigning blame or labeling people as "good guys" or "bad guys" to examine the relationship between housing, heritage, and public policy.

For background readings and extensive interactive resources, click on the photo above, or go to:
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2003/flagwars/index.html
 

March 2006

Finding Words To Talk About Race
Viewing "The N Word: Divided We Stand"
Franklin Circle Christian Church is a congregation seeking to intentionally explore, confront, and respond to the social injustices and peaceful possibilities of our day. We express the hope that the church can be a catalyst for change and radical inclusion through our motto: "Widening The Circle For All God's Children."

We've begun a series of monthly forums that are open not only to church members, but to the broader community as well. These forums link informative, visually stimulating media -- usually film -- with open dialogue and discussion. Our first forum looked at an interview with the Rev. Dr. James Forbes, pastor of the diverse and justice-oriented Riverside Church of New York City. The second looked at gender identity issues through the delightful film, "Oliver Button Is A Star."

For our third Widening The Circle Forum we will watch the provocative documentary "The N Word: Divided We Stand" with a discussion on race, racism, and the power of language following. It will be held on Thursday, March 23, 7 p.m. in the Media Center at Franklin Circle Christian Church, 1688 Fulton Rd. As always, there is no charge. Refreshments will be provided. There is ample parking.

Please extend a personal invitation from our congregation to your membership to attend this forum.

From the DVD jacket:
"Easily the most inflammatory, shocking and historic word in the English language, the N word has smoldered in the American psyche for over a century. It has morphed from a source of hate, degradation and embarrassment to a term of endearment used amongst the many races of young people. But is that OK? Surf the web or eavesdrop in the lunchroom and you will find the N word is alive. Has overuse removed its horrific origins; has it lost its power to insult and enrage? "

"Given the word's continually shifting use, The N Word is a brave and bold confrontation of the taboo, exploring the history and relevance of the word and the social status within and between races. The N Word ignites the conversation. Let the debate begin!
Cast: Chuck D, Damon Dash, Whoopi Goldberg, Bryant Gumbel, Quincy Jones, Regina King, Wynton Marsalis, Michael Rappaport, Russell Simmons, Chi McBride, Levar Burton, George Carlin and many more! "

Please join us on Thursday, March 23 at 7:00 p.m. for this important documentary and discussion. FCCC: "Widening The Circle For All God's Children!"

For more info on the video, go to: http://www.venturadistribution.com/best_sellers/serve/10086/The+N+Word
 

February 2006:

Widening The Circle Forum: “Sissies, Tom Boys, And Anyone Else Who Doesn't Fit In”

Were you ever teased and called a “sissy” or a “tom boy” when you were a child?  Do you have friends who are so free-spirited that they don't worry about whether or not their clothes are “too feminine” or “too masculine,” their job is seen as being “manly” enough, or they are sitting in a “manner proper to their sex?”  Have you met someone who grew up feeling like they were trapped in the wrong body?

On Thursday, February 23 from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Pastor Allen will offer the second forum in a series of monthly programs encouraging members of our congregation, neighbors, and friends from nearby churches to explore, discuss, and hopefully understand more fully various perspectives on race, class, sexual orientation, gender, and physical ability.  Using as our guide our congregation's motto, "Widening the circle for all God's children," these forums seek to be a safe and nurturing place for progressive people of faith to dig deeper into some of the "hot button" topics of our day, especially those rising from religious and spiritual motivations.  These forums presume that rather than tearing our churches and our society apart, human diversity can, instead, draw us together as one human family.

This second forum, on Thursday, February 23 at 7 p.m., will begin with a viewing of the video “Oliver Button Is A Star,” a documentary video based on the classic children's book by Tomie DePaola, “Oliver Button Is A Sissy.”  In a June 2002 issue of The Advocate Omar Sacirbey writes,

 
“'What's a sissy?' Mary Cowhey asks her class of first-graders gathered around her feet.  'Someone who acts like a girl,' one child blurts out.  So goes the opening salvo of Oliver Button Is a Star, a thought-provoking new 60-minute documentary video… the newest project from New England filmmakers John Scagliotti and Dan Hunt (After Stonewall…  Oliver Button is rooted in DePaola's 1979 story-book about a boy who's harassed and scolded for wanting to tap-dance and pick flowers instead playing football.  But Oliver goes from outcast to star when his tap-dance number brings down the house at his school's talent show…  Using a clever mix of animation, news stories, footage from Cowhey's class, the Twin Cities Gay Men's chorus, and interviews with four real-life Oliver Buttons, Scagliotti and Hunt examine tolerance, bullying, and society's often rigid notions of gender roles. The filmmakers hang back and let the interviewees -- DePaola, explorer Ann Bancroft, dancer-choreographer Bill T. Jones, and the late makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin -- speak candidly about the pain caused by traditional perceptions of masculine and feminine.”

Individuals who have personal stories to tell about their gender identity are especially welcome at this forum.

There is no charge for this forum, and each monthly forum stands independently.  However, it is hoped that participants attend as many forums as possible in order to most fully appreciate the breadth of diversity which can enliven communities of faith.  These forums will help the congregation consider becoming affiliated with several congregational awareness/empowerment programs, including the Open & Affirming Congregation Program, the Accessible Congregations Campaign, and the Anti-Racist/Pro-Reconciliation Congregation Imperative.  Please call the church in advance if child care is needed.  For more information about the program, call or e-mail Pastor Allen (PastorAllen@FranklinCircleChurch.org).

Widening The Circle Forum: Film & Discussion 

There is no charge for this forum, and each monthly forum stands independently.  However, it is hoped that participants attend as many forums as possible in order to most fully appreciate the breadth of diversity which can enliven communities of faith.  These forums will help the congregation consider becoming affiliated with several congregational awareness/empowerment programs, including the Open & Affirming Congregation Program, the Accessible Congregations Campaign, and the Anti-Racist/Pro-Reconciliation Congregation Imperative.  Please call the church in advance if child care is needed.  For more information about the program, call or e-mail Pastor Allen.