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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Simple Living Works Blog - Ideas for Simple Holiday Celebrating

Simple Living Works

Episode 8: Whose Birthday?

Posted by: Simple Living Works! on: November 4, 2013

In: Others' resources | SLW! resource
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Brief show notes for this episode of SLW! podcast. . .
Whose Birthday Is it, Anyway? - a radio adaptation of Alternatives’ best-known resource for Advent and Christmas. This episode features: ”What Does JESUS Want for Christmas?“ + 10 Free, Fun Things to Do with Your Family at Christmas
Access all SLW! podcast audio and the show notes either at SimpleLiving.startlogic.com/SLW-PODCAST or at SimpleLivingWorks.org (then click window #3). Listen through your computer, iPod, iPad, iPhone (or equivalent). SUBSCRIBE through iTunes, Stitcher.com or your favorite podcast service.
To LISTEN, click the player at the top or the bottom of the complete show notes. For previous episodes, see the list toward the bottom of this blog.
To SUBSCRIBE to email notices, click Comments at the bottom of the complete show notes, then check “Notify me of new posts by email.”
COMING next episode: one of Alternatives’ audio shorts + 10 Tips for a SImpler, More Meaningful Christmas
SEASONAL HELPS from Treasury of Celebrations: Create Celebrations That Reflect Your Values and Don’t Cost the Earth* – September – December | ADVENT | CHRISTMAS
Most of Alternatives’ AV resources are part of this “Whose Birthday?” radio series. See episode 6 for a list of SEASONAL HELPS, including links to AV and Text resources. NEW – Advent/Christmas music from Sing Justice! Do Justice!
Some of our resources have MEDIA RELEASES and BLOG POSTS that will help you recruit helpers for an event/activity. Then use them in newsletters, web sites, email blasts, etc. to bring people to the activity/event. Media Release Index
To learn more about SLW! – our MISSION, for example — please listen to our getting-acquainted episodes, especially #1 and 2. We produce a half-hour podcast twice a month, hopefully educational and inspiring for you, your family and your congregation or group. We blog four times a week.
Submission guidelines for Whose Birthday? 2013 | Issues 1-24
Send us your email address to receive the free monthly SLW! eNews. Remember to like us on Facebook. Rate us in iTunes and leave a review. Urge your friends to do the same.
To access individual previous episodes: #1: Getting Acquainted | #2: 5 Life Standards | #3: Saga of Simply Enough | #4: Beyond a Consumer Lifestyle-1 | #5: Beyond a Consumer Lifestyle-2 | #6: Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?-1 (of 6) | #7: Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?-2
Through social media, we extend the mission and resources of the non-profit organization Alternatives, 1973-2011. Simple Living Works! web site home page | Theme/Seasons Index

Like SLW! on Facebook. | Follow us on Twitter.

Share your thoughts on this podcast and this episode. Email Podcast AT SimpleLivingWorks DOT org [or SimpleLivingWorks@yahoo.com or SimpleLivingWorks2@gmail.com], leave a message on our Facebook page or on the SLW! blog.
Peace, Gerald ”Jerry” Iversen, Chief SLW! Activist
GRAPHIC: Angela and Gabbie recording

Copyright: Creative Commons non-commercial attribution share-and-share-alike license.
We do not solicit or accept donations, nor do we sell anything. All our resources and services are free of charge. We’re an all-volunteer organization.
* Treasury of Celebrations, published by Northstone, a division of Wood Lake, BC, Canada, best known for its Season of Creation curriculum)

CONSUMO Must Go!

Posted by: Simple Living Works! on: October 31, 2013

In: SLW! resource
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CONSUMO. . . Overlord of Overconsumption

Sexy… Contented… Powerful… Wealthy…
The Enemy…
and Worshipped by US!
Worshippers of Consumo, we have alternatives!
Consumo is being challenged this fall during the high holy season of Consumas, commonly mistaken for Christmas. Consumas – pronounced Con-SOOM-us – is “The REALLY Big Con.”
Consumo is worshipped by almost everybody in North America. Consumo – or Big C – appears in many guises, even as Santa Claus. Big C is the national god of North America, the god of US. The worshippers of Consumo exhibit an attitude based on fads and sex appeal, the lifestyle of the privileged. The followers of Consumo strive to live… and strive and strive and strive.
The alternative is simple living. The worshippers of Big C say they agree with simple living. But they think it’s boring and they live according to Big C. Simple living is based on the joy of relationships, not the burden of stuff. It is supported by virtually all the major religions of the world. It is promoted by a small group of organizations and individuals who truly believe that the way of Big C is destroying the world. Big C is promoted by an incredibly wealthy and powerful advertising and entertainment industry. Simple Living Works! offers free tools to help people deal with “Consumo” or “Affluenza” or whatever we choose to call the North American addiction to overconsumption.
* * *

Navigational Tools for SLW! Site

* * *

Free Resources to Use and Share

Investigate a few that might meet your personal, family or congregational/group needs. They’re all FREE.
Probably the best-known: UNPLUG the Christmas Machine Workshop Leader’s Guide (audio and text)
Treasury of Celebrations: Create Celebrations That Reflect Your Values and Don’t Cost the Earth: September-December | ADVENT | CHRISTMAS: Alternative Christmas Campaign | Organizing a Festival | Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway? (Story of Jason) | 10 Tips for Simpler, More Meaningful Celebrations | Planning an Alternative Christmas Workshop | How to Organize an Alternative Christmas Community Festival
Many Alternatives’ following audio shorts are also part of the current “Whose Birthday?” podcast series.
Let Jesus Come, Let Santa Go: audio workshop | The Celebration Revolution of Alexander Scrooge | Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas | Carols with Justice sing-along | What Does JESUS Want for Christmas? (pageant) | Let’s Get Off the Christmas Roller-Coaster | Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway? (5 of 24 editions have audio versions)|Submission Guidelines
Other TEXT Resources (no accompanying audio/visual)
15 Christmas Packets | An assortment of Advent/Christmas Calendars | Christmas Anthologies to read alone or aloud | Christmas Campaign Kit | Advent/Christmas Articles Index | Spirit of Simplicity: Quotes & Art: Celebrating Advent/Christmas | Worship Alternatives: Advent/Christmas | Thematic Index: Advent/Christmas/Epiphany
EARLY WINTER FESTIVALS: New Year’s Day | New Year’s Eve Watch Night Services | Reviewing the Old Year with Friends | Emancipation Day (Jan. 1) | Epiphany (Jan. 6)

SLW! Podcast Reminder

You can access all SLW! podcast audio and the show notes either at SimpleLiving.startlogic.com/SLW-PODCAST or at SimpleLivingWorks.org (then click window #3). Listen through your computer, iPod, iPad, iPhone (or equivalent). SUBSCRIBE through iTunes, Stitcher.com or your favorite podcast service.
Or access individual episodes: #1: Getting Acquainted | #2: 5 Life Standards | #3: Saga of Simply Enough | #4: Beyond a Consumer Lifestyle-1 | #5: Beyond a Consumer Lifestyle-2 | #6: Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?-1, featuring Let’s Get Off the Christmas Roller-Coaster, inspired by UNPLUG the Christmas Machine | #7: Whose Birthday?-2, featuring Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas | #8: Whose Birthday?-3, featuring What Does JESUS Want for Christmas
To LISTEN, click the player at the top or the bottom of the show notes.
Please rate us in iTunes and leave a review. Remember to like us on Facebook. Urge your friends to do the same.
To learn more about SLW! – our MISSION, for example — please listen to our getting-acquainted episodes, especially #1 and 2. We produce a half-hour podcast twice a month, hopefully educational and inspiring for you, your family and your congregation or group. We blog three times a week.
Do your friends a favor. Share this blog and podcast.
Peace, Gerald “Jerry” Iversen, Chief SLW! Activist

GRAPHIC: Spirit of Simplicity: Art: Voluntary Simplicity: 1-A501

Help to Convince, Then to Promote

Posted by: Simple Living Works! on: October 28, 2013

In: SLW! resource
Leave a Comment

Avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Need help urging/persuading/nudging family members, friends, congregation members to consider a simpler lifestyle, especially at Christmas time?
Most of Alternatives’ free simpler living educational and inspirational resources have an introduction that could help introduce it to them.
Some also have a MEDIA RELEASE that was originally meant to promote the resource in newspaper, magazines and on the internet. Some have links to BLOGS that may help.
Since they’re already in electronic form, those releases can also be used on a church web site; as an email blast to members friends, relatives; or as a helpful face-to-face introduction on a one-to-one or at a committee meeting.
Here’s the process:
1. Click on any of the resources below that you’d like to use.
2. If there’s a “media release” link near the top of the page, click it, then read it. Or go directly to the Media Release index.
3. Use it to help introduce the resource to others.
4. Then use it to promote the activity/event after it’s adopted and before the event starts — in a newsletter, email blast, web site, etc. (If the information is confusing, please let me know so I can fix it. Thanks!)
* * *

Navigational Tools for SLW! Site

* * *

Free Resources to Use and Share

SLW! Podcast Reminder

You can access all SLW! podcast audio and the show notes either at SimpleLiving.startlogic.com/SLW-PODCAST or at SimpleLivingWorks.org (then click window #3). Listen through your computer, iPod, iPad, iPhone (or equivalent). SUBSCRIBE through iTunes, Stitcher.com or your favorite podcast service.
Or access individual episodes: #1: Getting Acquainted | #2: 5 Life Standards | #3: Saga of Simply Enough | #4: Beyond a Consumer Lifestyle-1 | #5: Beyond a Consumer Lifestyle-2 | #6: Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?-1, featuring Let’s Get Off the Christmas Roller-Coaster, inspired by UNPLUG the Christmas Machine | #7: Whose Birthday?-2, featuring Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas | #8: Whose Birthday?-3, featuring What Does JESUS Want for Christmas
To LISTEN, click the player at the top or the bottom of the show notes.
Please rate us in iTunes and leave a review. Remember to like us on Facebook. Urge your friends to do the same.
To learn more about SLW! – our MISSION, for example — please listen to our getting-acquainted episodes, especially #1 and 2. We produce a half-hour podcast twice a month, hopefully educational and inspiring for you, your family and your congregation or group. We blog three times a week.
Do your friends a favor. Share this blog and podcast.
Peace, Gerald “Jerry” Iversen, Chief SLW! Activist

GRAPHIC: Spirit of Simplicity: Art: Advent/Christmas: 3-A-bonus#2-FeelingOverwhelmed

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Dear Friends:

In this harvest season where we remember “the earth is God’s and all that is in it,” (Psalm 24), Presbyterians across the nation have been busy planning actions and bearing witness through the Campaign for Fair Food.

From Columbia Theological Seminary mobilizing over 30 students to join with the CIW in witness outside Publix Supermarket in Atlanta to 80 women at the PW of Scioto Valley connecting with OH Fair Food and Denison University to plan a Wendy’s action in November, the Spirit is stirring the church to action in contagious and exciting ways. In this email you’ll find lots of opportunities to bear witness to the well-being that God intends for all people and our earth. Read on to learn about:

Finally, as our email comes out only once a month and the Campaign is dynamic, I strongly encourage you to also join our Presbyterian social media for the latest updates. Here are links to get you connected to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Peace,

The Rev. Noelle Damico
Associate for Fair Food, Presbyterian Hunger Program

Wendy's Campaign: Founder's Week November 9-17

During Founder’s Week at Wendy’s, the restaurant chain focuses on the values that are central to the company’s success. One of those values is “do the right thing.” Across the nation, fair food supporters will be holding actions and dropping of manager’s letters urging Wendy’s to “do the right thing” by joining the Fair Food Program. There are several ways to be involved.

Sign the Petition to Wendy’s from the anti-slavery organization Walk Free
Join the march in DC planned by DC Fair Food, join PW at the Columbus action planned by OH Fair Food, or organize an action in your community
Write an op-ed piece or a letter to your local newspaper about why Wendy’s should join the Fair Food Program.
Stay tuned for more actions as they’re announced.

CIW Awarded “Freedom from Want” Medal by Roosevelt Institute

On October 16th, the Roosevelt Institute awarded the Coalition of Immokalee Workers the Freedom From Want medal, citing the Fair Food Program as “a sustainable blueprint for worker-driven corporate social responsibility” impacting nearly 100,000 farmworkers. Elder Linda Valentine, executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, was in attendance. Read more and watch the full ceremony.

Accepting the award, Gerardo Reyes Chavez of the CIW said, “Somewhere we have heard that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice… Today, for first the first time in the history of the south, this dream is coming true for farmworkers in Florida’s agriculture…we are confident that this recognition will help us to arrive to the day in which our dreams will be made fully real.”

Southeast Publix Truth Tour

Presbyterians throughout the southeast formed the backbone of the CIW’s Southeast Publix Truth Tour in early fall. A huge thanks to Westminster Presbyterian in Gainesville who hosted the press conference that launched the tour, to Presbyterians in Charlotte, at Warren Wilson College, and to Columbia Theological Seminary (see photo on right) and area congregations in Atlanta who helped educate thousands of people and who joined the CIW in public witness outside Publix Supermarket, urging the company to join the Fair Food Program. Check out the full report with beautiful photos and let their witness inspire you to take action!

Presbyterians throughout the southeast formed the backbone of the CIW’s Southeast Publix Truth Tour in early fall. A huge thanks to Westminster Presbyterian in Gainesville who hosted the press conference that launched the tour, to Presbyterians in Charlotte, at Warren Wilson College, and to Columbia Theological Seminary and area congregations in Atlanta who helped educate thousands of people and who joined the CIW in public witness outside Publix Supermarket, urging the company to join the Fair Food Program. Check out the full report with beautiful photos and let their witness inspire you to take action!

SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge

From November 17-23, Linda Valentine, Gradye Parsons and Neal Pressa will be taking the SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge and eating on the value of SNAP/Food Stamps for one week. Will you join them? While living on a food stamp budget for just a week cannot come close to the struggles encountered by roughly 45 million low-income families week after week and month after month, it does provide those who take the Challenge with a new perspective and greater understanding.

Background information is on the PC(USA)’s SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge website where you can register for the Challenge as well as support in other ways. For example, you can send a letter to Congress through our Office of Public Witness on the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill determines the amounts available for SNAP and is in conference committee between the House and Senate right now.

I hope you will join me, our church’s leadership and Presbyterians across the nation in deepening our understanding of the challenges faced by neighbors who are hungry and to bear witness. Please register today and spread the word!

Eco-Justice Worship webinar, November 13th

Sustainability recognizes that ensuring the human rights of all people and the well-being of our earth are intertwined. Join the eco-justice worship webinar sponsored by PC(USA) Environmental Ministries on 11/13/13 from 2:00-3:00pm. It will be chock full of ideas, conversation and is an opportunity to connect with Presbyterians across the nation. Don’t miss it! And please register!

A Tale of Two Thanksgivings

By popular demand, CIW’s video “A Tale of Two Thanksgivings,” will be re-released in an updated version in November. Stay tuned to http://ciw-online.org for the re-release and be sure to share it widely via email, Facebook and more.

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Redwoods Hunger Action

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Simple Living Works Blog - Ideas for Simple Holiday Celebrating

Simple Living Works

Episode 8: Whose Birthday?

CONSUMO Must Go!

CONSUMO. . . Overlord of Overconsumption

Navigational Tools for SLW! Site

Free Resources to Use and Share

SLW! Podcast Reminder

Please LIKE SLW! on Facebook.

Follow us on Twitter.

Help to Convince, Then to Promote

Navigational Tools for SLW! Site

Free Resources to Use and Share

SLW! Podcast Reminder

Please LIKE SLW! on Facebook.

Follow us on Twitter.

Partners for Just Trade - Free Shipping