WES Kids Show their Generosity

Our Sunday School kids have really stepped up over the last month, to demonstrate their wonderful spirit of giving.  Take Nathan David, age 7 (below).  He donated the “Share” portion of his savings – more than $40! -- to the campaign to bring water to our sister community of El Rodeo.  Grayson Kaufman was one of many other WES children who were inspired to give to El Rodeo--Grayson gave $5 in gift money he'd received.  And Elizabeth Schofield-Leca, 11, is selling her American Girl doll collection and donating the money she raises to WES.  Thanks to all of our generous children.  You make us proud!

Last Chance to Support Water Campaign in El Rodeo, our Sister Community!

We are down to the final days of our campaign to raise money for a solar-powered water system in El Rodeo, our sister community in El Salvador.  Clean, running water has long been the top goal of our friends there, and thanks to much effort on the part of many people, we are close to the finish line.
We have received major funding from the government of Japan and Rotarians International.  The people in El Rodeo are donating labor for the project.  WES's final financial contribution is just $7,000--and at last count we had raised over $5,000.  We hope for 100% participation in the campaign.  If you've already given--THANK YOU! And if you haven't yet, please consider donating by going here  --all gifts are appreciated, large and small. Or bring your donation to WES on Sunday, Nov. 29. The campaign ends on Monday, November 30, so please act now!

Mark Your Calendar--Stone Soup on Nov. 22

We hope you can come to our annual Stone Soup Celebration, hosted by our Sunday School children and parents. Stone Soup symbolizes how we all come together as a community to help each other create something from seemingly nothing. It's also a time for us to pause and reflect on the abundance in our lives as we host the soup feast, and host families of Montgomery Co. Infant/Toddler Program (children with special needs) and Family and Families of Incarcerated People (FFOIP) through our Giving Tree. This year, for the first time, we'll be trying a mini-Stone Soup, from 10:00-10:30, followed by the opportunity to do a service project during the main platform.  All will then gather for lunch.  Please contribute the following, based on your last name (choose the first alphabetically in the family if there is more than one last name):
A-D: Pre-sliced bread/rolls, homemade or store bought, somehow tied to your family ancestry (like a family favorite recipe for a bread);
E-H: small tub of butter for spreading on the bread
I-L: Apple Cider in jugs
M-P: pre-sliced cheese for the bread
Q-Z: Pre-cut family recipe dessert that reminds you of your ancestry, homemade or store bought

Every child should bring: one raw, whole vegetable to put in the pot during the story and one fist-sized, washed stone to put in the pot during the story. For more information, please contact Melissa Sinclair.

Saturday Night Fever! WES Annual Auction, November 7, 6:00

Join us for our most fun event of the year.  The talented auction team always produces an extravaganza of entertaining auctioneers, fabulous food, and a vast array of events and items to bid on.  Whether it's a vacation week in Quebec, an afternoon of board games, theater tickets, cool gift baskets, or an overnight babysitter, you'll find plenty to entice you.  The entry donation of $25 gets you wonderful food and drink, a lot of laughs, and the chance to raise your paddle or to bid in the silent auction.  By pre-registering you'll not only help the food-planners prepare enough good eats, you'll also get $10 off your purchases.  Open to all.

Film Festival at WES in the news. 
The Washington Ethical Society hosted two events for the Greater Washington Immigration Film Festival. The film shown at the Society on Friday night got an interesting review on-line from Karren LaLonde Alenier, writing as The Dresser. Even before the festival kicked off last Thursday, WES members working on the festival were interviewed by Mark Lieberman for the NorthWest Current. His interview was published Wednesday on page 3 of the Current.

Trick or Treat for UNICEF this Sunday, October 25th.

Have a container of spare change at home? Why not bring it to platform this Sunday!

This Sunday as part of our Sunday platform, children will collect for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF before heading down to Sunday School classes. Children can come to platform in costume (not scary please), and can collect among the congregants with their bags and boxes.

2nd Annual Greater Washington Immigration Film Festival kicks off at WES with the East Coast premiere of On the Bride’s Side (Io Sto Con La Sposa) on Friday, October 23. This documentary follows the nail-biting journey through Europe of five Syrians and Palestinians fleeing the war. In the Milan train station the group discovers there is no train that will take them to safety in Stockholm. Concerned Italians wanting to help propose dressing the group as members of a wedding party. Will the ruse get them safely across borders and into Sweden? The resulting journey is suspenseful, funny and heartrending. Viewers are invited to discuss the film and the current situation in with the Italian director, Gabriele del Grande, a journalist specializing in immigration issues, who is flying in for the event! The evening is co-hosted by Georgetown’s Institute for German and European Studies. 

The Film Festival was conceived of last year by WES members, and now boasts an organizing committee with members from many other congregations and non-profits. The Festival runs all weekend (October 22-25) at locations throughout the DC metro area, including a gala performance at UDC on Saturday night. For more information, check out their Facebook page and their website.