Communities are created and strengthened through singing together: no one knew this better than one of America’s most beloved folk singers, Pete Seeger. Come watch parts of the inspirational film, “The Power of Song” and observe Seeger’s ability to bring great social issues into popular discussion through song. and sing a few tunes about social justice, the environment, peace, civil rights and community.

This is a family-friendly event.

Potluck begins at 5:00pm, Singing and film begins at 6:00pm

Find out what puts Cuba on the map in the quest for global health …

Cuba has trained more than 30,000 medical doctors from over 68 countries, including 100 from the United States, for free. Now they are working with the poorest of the poor all across the globe. Learn about their battle for global health, and the complex realities confronting the movement to make healthcare everyone’s birth right.

Many thanks to the Cosponsors of this event

 The July 26th Coalition

in Solidarity with Cuba

What’s the real story behind the housing mortgage meltdown? Are you worried about the economy? Wondering how the new President will manage our financial affairs? Have you been mystified by the so-called experts who use obscure jargon to paint a rosy picture of “free trade,” corporate bail-outs, and wage stagnation? Let Dr. Dollar –answer your questions about the current economic crisis, and what to expect from our new president.

Read Arthur’s article, “The Greed Fallacy” here, from www.dollarsandsense.org

Many thanks to the Cosponsors of this event

With the holiday shopping season looming ahead, many of us dolefully take the shopping frenzy and stress as a matter of course. Howerever, here’s your antidote to the over-commercialized Christmas season: The Church of Stop Shopping!

Through retail interventions, corporate exorcisms, and some good old-fashioned preaching, Reverend Billy reminds us that we have lost the true meaning of Christmas. After the film, reflect with Rev. Terry Burke on the choices we make this holiday season.

Singing together helps to bring us into community, learn history, and share a folk-language that can pass through the ages. They give us a way to build and express community, calm the heart, and share emotions that defy ordinary conversation.

As we head into the winter darkness, let’s join together and light up from the inside with song. Often we find friends who intially complain that they “can’t sing” will be reluctant to stop after a two-hour songfest.

Come sing your old favorites: folk, pop, traditional and family music. Bring a potluck item to share, and your voices to join in with the celebration of food, family, community and song. Requests taken and all are welcome!

Did you know that Jamaica Plain is home to many of Boston’s distinguished and celebrated authors? For our first bi-anual “Local Authors” night, Brendan Hlapin and Ron Maclean will join us for an evening of reading, discussion and celebration of our local literati, storytellers, and writers.

Brendan Halpin is the author of two memoirs and several novels for both adults and young adults.  His most recent young adult novel, Forever Changes, was on the Fall 2008 Kids’ Indie Next List, and his novel Donorboy was the recipient of the ALA’s Alex award.  Brendan was a high school English teacher for ten years and currently teaches in a workforce development program in Boston.  He has lived in Jamaica Plain for fifteen years, and currently lives near Franklin Park with his wife Suzanne, their three children, and their dog.

Ron MacLean’s fiction has appeared in GQ, Greensboro Review, Prism International, Night Train and other quarterlies. He is a recipient of the Frederick Exley Award for Short Fiction and a recurring Pushcart Prize nominee, and author of the novel Blue Winnetka Skies and the story collection Why the Long Face?  MacLean holds a Doctor of Arts in narrative and narrative theory from the University at Albany, SUNY and a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Boston University. He is former executive director (and still teaches) at Grub Street, Boston’s independent creative writing center. He has taught fiction at the Chautauqua Summer Writer’s Program, the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, and elsewhere.  He has been a contributing writer for Inc. and Fortune Small Business magazines and the Boston Phoenix newspaper, and was a pioneer in web site content development.  Currently he splits his time between writing and teaching fiction, and content development for values-based business ethics programs.

Books Available from Rhythm and Muse

THE DHAMMA BROTHERS tells a dramatic tale of human potential and transformation as it closely follows and documents the stories of the prison inmates at Donaldson Correction Facility who enter into this arduous and intensive program. This film, with the power to dismantle stereotypes about men behind prison bars also gives you hope for the human race.