CPM Updates

The Middle East Peace Education Coalition invites you:

Boycott – the film that “exposes attacks on freedom

of speech” in state legislatures across the US.

 

Monday May 15, 7 P

NW Community Center

5110 Franklin Ave, DM

 

The Story

    When a news publisher in Arkansas, an attorney in Arizona, and a speech therapist in Texas are told they must choose between their jobs and their political beliefs, they launch legal battles that expose an attack on freedom of speech across 34 states in America.

Boycott traces the impact of state legislation designed to penalize individuals and companies that choose to boycott Israel due to its human rights record. A legal thriller with “accidental plaintiffs” at the center of the story, Boycott is a bracing look at the far-reaching implications of anti-boycott legislation and an inspiring tale of everyday Americans standing up to protect our rights in an age of shifting politics and threats to freedom of speech. – https://justvision.org/boycott

Such Anti-boycott legislation, has passed in 34 states (including Iowa) since 2015. Since that time efforts to pass copycat legislation to restrict gun control and environmental advocacy campaigns have spread across the US.  (The US Supreme Court affirmed boycotts as protected free speech in 1982)

Co-Sponsored by: Catholic Peace Ministry, Iowa Peace Network, Women’s
International League for Peace & Freedom

 

After 3 years of covid – forced abstention we are thrilled now to invite our friends, allies, partners, you, to this special 25th Dingman Awards Ceremony.

Date: Saturday, March 4, 2023, Social Hour with hors d’oeuvres and desserts starts at 6pm, the Award Program starts at 7:30pm

Location: Holy Trinity Catholic Church 2926 Beaver Ave Des Moines, IA 50310 United States

 

 

This year’s awardee is Carla Dawson, a long-time peace and justice activist, Catholic Worker, teacher and mentor from Des Moines. Carla’s love for the community has many different areas. She was the Legal Aid Society Vice President, community rep, War Resister National Board Member, Past President of Iowa CURE.

 

Our Speaker is Johnny Zokovich, the Executive Director of Pax Christi USA,

the national Catholic peace and justice movement. Previously, Johnny worked in Brussels with Pax Christi International as the Senior Communications Officer. For nearly 15 years, he lived at and co-directed the Gainesville (FL) Catholic Worker House, an intentional community serving and

living with people who are homeless, addicted, impoverished, and mentally ill. He holds an MA in Theology with a concentration in biblical studies from the University of Notre Dame. His writing has been featured in National Catholic Reporter, US Catholic, Belief.Net, The Encyclopedia of Race and Racism, and elsewhere.

What: Once again the DM Faith Committee for Peace will be holding a Service
on the Feast of the Holy Innocents. We remember the slaughter of the
innocents in Herod’s time, and raise our prayers to stop violence against
innocent children caused by wars and conflict around the world today. We
continue to insist that “War is not the answer.” Waging peace is the

answer.

When: 6:30 pm Wednesday, December 28, 2022
Where: First United Methodist Church, 1001 Pleasant Street, Des Moines.
Parking lot and entrance on north side. The service will also be live
streamed.

Who: Organized by Des Moines Faith Committee for Peace.

We are inviting co-sponsors to help organize, publicize and attend
the event, either in person, or virtually.

This ecumenical service is one of a series organized over the last several years by the
D.M. Faith Committee for Peace. This is a time to lament the terrible losses of war,
pray for peace, and re-commit ourselves to the cause of peace-making worldwide.

The service has its roots in the Christmas story recounted in the Book of Matthew, 2:16-
18: “When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and
he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or
under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what
had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing
and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled,
because they are no more.’”
The service will emphasize deeply that all children need peace with justice. The
purposes of the service are to remember the slaughter of the holy innocents of
Bethlehem, ask for God’s mercy upon innocent victims everywhere, call upon God’s
great might to frustrate the designs of evil, and pray for the coming of justice, love and
peace on earth. We will pray to strengthen our resolve to act against war.
We ask co-sponsors to lend their good names, help organize, promote and publicize the
prayer service, and encourage people to attend. Financial contributions of $25.00 or
Des Moines Faith Committee for Peace

$50.00 to help cover expenses are appreciated, but not required to be listed as a co-
sponsor. The offering for this service will be given to Children & Families First, an
organization in Des Moines that seeks “…to put the well-being of children and their
families first by offering evidenced-based programs and services through all phases of
development and life.” (from their web site) Donations to the program can be given
directly to them at: 1620 Pleasant Street, Ste. 237, Des Moines, IA 50314, or given to
the DM Faith Committee for Peace who will send the combined offering to Children &
Families First.
Co-sponsorship checks can be made out to DM Faith Committee for Peace and sent to
Linda Dorsey, 3519 Oak Creek Place, West Des Moines, IA 50265. Donations to the
Faith Committee are not tax deductible.
To reply or for more information: call Eloise Cranke at: 515-262-5974, or send email to
ecranke@mchsi.com The deadline to be listed as a co-sponsor is Monday, December
13 th
.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING ECUMENICAL

SERVICES FOR PEACE.