On April 5th and 6th, over 300 people attended the Joan Chittister Play at St. Michael’s Recital Hall and at Trinity Episcopal Church in Shelburne. Teri Bays proclaimed the message of Justice, Peace and Equality, especially for women, loudly and clearly. The Winooski Peace Initiative, with the support of many community partners, sponsored the play.
Winooski is the most diverse community in Vermont in terms of income, country of origin, language, age, religion and gender. The Winooski Peace Initiative brings residents together, face to face, in ways that lift up common values, encouraging people to reach out—even if just a little—to those seen as “others”.
Our programs and projects help people move toward each other, rather than away. We believe it is easier to understand a person when you get close. We are working to increase Winooski’s sense of community and to foster peace.
We will continue to build a strong, supportive community, so how will we do this? We need to listen to all the voices in our community and to the voices within ourselves. Together we will find ways of responding. Together we seek truth, justice and equality.
Who are the people who help us to see life differently? We need all voices. What opportunities do we have to listen to one another?
The Dalai Lama (@DalaiLama) tweeted at 5:30 AM on Mon, Apr 16, 2018:
Compassion reduces our fear, boosts our confidence, and opens us to inner strength. By reducing distrust, it opens us to others and brings us a sense of connections with them and a sense of purpose and meaning in life.