EDITED BY ARIDAY GUERRERO

ECUMENICAL CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES

HEARTH NEWS
ECM AT KU

W W W . E C M K U . O R G S U M M E R 2 0 1 1

Capital Campaign in the Home Stretch

DATES TO
REMEMBER
8K by May 24th! By Teresa Zaffiro

 May 12th- Last

As the May 24th deadline for our
Veggie Lunch of the Mabee Foundation Capital Campaign
Spring Term matching grant draws near, both
excitement and nerves buzz in the
 May 12th- EMC office. We are currently just
LCPJ 2011 Tom and
under $8,000 away from making our
Anne Moore Peace
And Justice Award
fundraising goal for our Minis-
given to Thad Hol- try of the Hearth Capital
combe. 7 PM at ECM Campaign. If we make this
last amount by May 24th we
 June 9th- First day
receive our $119,000 match-
of Veggie Lunch for
ing / capping grant from the
the Summer
Mabee Foundation in Tulsa,
 Aug 20th-Welcome Oklahoma and will have suc-
BBQ from 5:00 pm- ceeded in the audacious
6:30 pm. fundraising goal of $832,000
for critical building improve-
 Aug 25th– First day
ments that we began nearly 2
of Veggie Lunch for
Fall Term years ago.
The capital campaign has been a long
ONGOING but educational learning process for
EVENTS many people. Fundraising this much
money is no easy task: the board,
THIS
campus minister, office staff, volun-
SUMMER AT teers and other ECM supporters
ECM
across the community have given
time, energy and generous donations
to help the ECM meet our fundrais-
ing goal and be good stewards of this
historically, culturally, politically and
religiously significant building.
This building, which is on the local,
state and national register of historic
places is worthy of our care. With
the funds raised from the Capital
Campaign we will be able to do
efficiency projects (already we have
reduced our heating costs by almost
$1,000 a month compared to 2010
costs) renovate the student commu-
nity housing (Koinonia) and work on
ADA compliancy, along with many
other projects. This building has
been a constant gathering place for
social justice in our community and
we are proud and excited to
be able to care for this special
place.
We are so appreciative of
everyone who has supported
us both financially and with
their enthusiasm for the ECM.
If you can help us make this
final stretch, send your con-
tributions to the ECM office
(1204 Oread, Lawrence, KS
66044 c/o development Co-
ordinator) before May 24!
Thank you for your support, and we
look forward to celebrating with you
when we have achieved this goal that
has been two long years in the mak-
ing!

Eco-Walk Update
 Roving Imp Theater–
meets Thursdays for
Class 6:30 to 8:30pm
Performance 8:30 to
10:30 pm
After receiving a generous gift from Eliza-
 KU Swing Society– beth Schultz to help Eco-Justice and the
Tuesdays 8:00 to 11:00 Wetland Preservation Organization begin
pm construction, the groups searched for a
construction manager and found a great fit
 Solidarity Bookstore– with Ed Scheurich. Over the past month
volunteers available on or two, Ed and I have been working along
Wednesdays and with a wonderful group of various volun-
Thursdays noon- teers from WPO, Home Depot and
3:00pm supportive community members and have
managed to complete the main bridge!
 Feminist Book Club- Over the next week, we'll be working to
Thursdays from 7-9pm finish the west ramp. . . in which we will
officially run out of money. From here
starts the time for more fund-raising! The
next goals are to build a kiosk, work with
WPO and Haskell professors to create
by Jason Hering
informational posters/welcome signs, build donate or get involved!
several observation benches, build small
Also, check out some Eco-Walk coverage
“bridges” at several low places along the
from Channel 6 news!
trail system, and build a 32 foot ramp and
http://6lawrence.com/news/local/ecowalk-
level out the ground on the East side
project-progresses-in-wetlands/
towards 31st street to allow for wheel-
chair access. There are also many oppor-
tunities to design and create art/
sculptures, transplant unique wetland plant
species of the area to showcase and
educate visitors, and numerous other
additions which can be discussed with
WPO for future design plans. Contact us
at wetlands-preservation-
organization@googlegroups.com or Eco-
Justice at ecmku@ku.edu if you'd like to
 PAGE
Alternative Breaks
As the Spring semester comes to an end, students that attended our Alternative Breaks to Appalachia, Arizona, Chicago
and New Mexico share their experience. Read below for a quick note about their reflections on the trips. A special
thanks to the following who made it possible for the trips to be affordable and scholarships to those needing them: Pres-
bytery of Northern Kansas, Mission Grant (Presbyterian Church), St. Paul’s United Church of Christ (Eudora, KS),
Westside Presbyterian, First Presbyterian Church, Bob J. Burkhart, Paul & Stacey Vincent (Houston), George & Clara
Highfill, Bob Thompson (van), Skeeter Link (van), Thad Holcombe (auto).

Arizona Trip by Bekkah Sperry

“Ida is the The alternative spring break trip to Arizona was life- can support indigenous peoples of our land who are losing
changing, even though it was my second time going their culture more and more each day. Ida is the strongest
strongest woman out there. Heading 16 hours away in a small car filled woman I know and has been fighting for her rights her
I know and has with people you do not know very well to a place in entire life. I want to live with a passion like hers. I will
the middle of the desert with no cell phone service, remember the close bonds I developed with the Clinton
been fighting for running water, or electricity is very intimidating, but family and the people I experienced this trip with forever
her rights her once we got there none of that stuff mattered any- and I know it has impacted my heart and the way I love
more. The Clinton family welcomed us into their forever.
entire life.”
home with open
arms and made us
feel like family.
The week went by
quickly with us wak-
ing up before the sun
and getting tired
soon after it went
down. We spent our
time taking down
fences, building new
fences, herding
sheep, cooking, and
hiking. Ida Mae Clin-
ton expected us to
work hard and she
was right there along
with us. She taught
us about her tradi-
tions and her strug-
gles as a Dine
(Navajo) through stories. The lifestyle is simple, but
by no means easy. We grew as a group as our bonds
strengthened and worked hard together to complete
our tasks.
I went home from this trip wondering about how I
can reduce my imprint on this earth and also how I

ECUMENICAL CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES

WWW.ECMKU.ORG PAGE 3

Appalachia Trip by Ben Dillon

Prior to going on the alternative
break to Appalachia, I had only
limited knowledge about the effects
of coal mining on the region. I knew
that mining was ingrained in Appala-
chian life and that mountaintop
removal was devastating much of
the landscape in the coal fields, but
as an outsider, I couldn't see every-
thing underneath the surface of the
region's conflicts.
On the first night of our trip, when
eight of us crossed over Black
Mountain on the eastern border of
Kentucky and entered the aptly
named town of Appalachia, Virginia,
it seemed fitting that we could see
very little of our surroundings. It
wasn't until the next morning, when
we ascended the mountain in day-
light, that we would survey the
ongoing plundering of the nearby
mountaintops by surface mining.
In the ensuing days, we went be-
yond issues of mountaintop remov-
al as we met with lifelong residents
and organizers with the Southern
Appalachian Mountain Stewards,
Appalshop, and Kentuckians for the
Commonwealth. We learned about
the rich history of mining unions,
the detrimental health effects
of water contamination and coal
dust, the civil strife caused by
school consolidation and prison
expansion, and the grassroots
movements to combat racism and
sexism.
After six days, I returned home
with a clearer picture of Appalachi-
an social issues and a resolve to be
an ally to advocates of justice in the
region. Moreover, I had gotten a
glimpse of the remarkable commu-
nities and lands that many Appala-
chians are fighting to reclaim and
preserve.
“After six
days, I
returned home
with a clearer
picture of
Appalachian
In continuing my support for Appala-
chian social justice movements, I plan social issues and
to travel with a group from the ECM a resolve to be an
to West Virginia next month and join
ally to advocates
thousands of demonstrators in the
March on Blair Mountain. The event of justice in the
commemorates the 90th anniversary of region.”
the Battle of Blair Mountain, when
10,000 coal miners rose against the
rule of the coal operators and fought
for the basic right to live and work in
decent conditions. For more infor-
mation on the march, please visit
www.marchonblairmountain.org or
contact me at bendillon@gmail.com.

Summer Veggie Lunch begins

June 9th

volunteer
cooks
needed!
PAGE 4

New Mexico Alternative Break by Beth Ruhl

Going to Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu,

other kind
New Mexico on an Alternative Spring
of issue that
Break is a life-changing experience for
is important
all involved. As we are immersed in
to
the diverse cultures of Northern
New Mexico, we are forced to take a young peo-
look at our own culture and examine ple living in
both its positive and negative effects the world
on our lives. We help dig communal today. As
water ditches with the members of the week
the local community, which reinforces progresses,
the idea that each individual in im- so does the
portant in and of themselves, but trust within
without the whole of the community, our small
each individual would be lost. When groups and
we are not digging ditches, we are members feel more and more inclined world and make it a better place as
either out hiking with our new found to share the deepest parts of their lives each of them sees fit.
friends or reflecting in small groups and the most vulnerable parts of them-
on the theme of "What do I want my selves. Participants come back from
life to say?" We talk to each other this trip with a new sense of who they
about issues of vocation, career, rela- are in the world and an incredible en-
tionships, sexuality and almost any ergy to go out into this new found

Chicago Trip by Cassandra Smyers

I chose to participate in the ECM’s our hearts. We were there to ob- A feeling of gratitude flowed freely
alternative break to Chicago because, serve, learn from, and participate in between us as this experience afford-
as a senior, I the community. We talked to His- ed both sides the chance to decon-
couldn’t help but panic day laborers, assisted with struct stereotypes and see that people
feel like some- English classes, met with moms are people, regardless of their country
thing was lacking fighting for educational equality, of origin.
in my education. discussed neo-liberal economic poli-
I saw a discon- cies and its
nect between competitors,
what I have and so much
learned in the more. I saw the
last four years of faces behind the
classes and what word
I felt I needed to “immigrant” and
know to be an I loved those
educated mem- faces. The
ber of society. warmth of the
Throughout the families we
week, not only stayed with was
our brains were expanded, but also overwhelming.

ECUMENICAL CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES


2011 TOM AND ANNE MOORE PEACE AND JUSTICE AWARD GIVEN TO
On Thursday, May 12, 2011
LCPJ 2011 TOM AND ANNE
MOORE PEACE AND JUSTICE
AWARD GIVEN TO THAD HOL-
COMBE
On Thursday, May 12, 2011 LCPJ
will host it's annual meeting. It will
be at the Ecumenical Christian Min-
istries Building at 1204 Oread in
Lawrence. The two main items on
the agenda are the presentation of
the Tom and Anne Moore Peace
and Justice Award for outstanding
contributions to peace and justice
issues and a panel on Northern
Africa and the changes happening
there. The program will begin at
around 7 P.M. This is the eight-
eenth year of recognizing members
of our local community who carry
the banner towards a reasoned and
just city, region and country.
Among the winners are activists
Mary Michener and Norm Forer,
artists like David Loewenstein,
professors Deborah (Misty) Gerner
and Howard Baumgartel, shepherds
Forrest Swall and Josh Longbottom
and the relentlessly compassionate
Loring Henderson, Saunny Scott,
and Enrique Penaloza. Organiza-
tions that have received this award
represent a spectrum of activities
and needs. Women's Transitional
Care, Audio Reader and Independ-
ence, Inc. ACLU and the Lawrence
Bill of Rights Defense Committee.
From KU Peace and Conflict Stud-
ies Program to last year's dynamic
Save our Neighborhood Schools
these are people working together
to to promote peace and justice
efforts in the local community. A
complete list is available at http://
lcpj.org/lcpj/?q=award
THAD HOLCOMBE
This year’s Tom and Anne Moore
Peace and Justice Award goes to
Thad Holcombe, director of the
Ecumenical Christian Ministries.
Thad has been the minister at KU’s
ECM for twenty years. From the
time of his arrival in Lawrence, he
has been concerned to be open and
welcoming to all people and to all
ideas and faiths.
Thad’s encouragement of students
and faculty at ECM is based on his
recognition of the need at all times
and in all circumstances to practice
compassion and justice as it is de-
scribed by Jesus and others. In his
twenty years he has been commit-
ted to finding ways to engage uni-
versity and community members in
social and environmental issues and
to recognize the necessity for act-
ing with compassion and justice in
their lives. In working with diverse
groups of people, Thad seeks to
understand similarities and differ-
ences, and appreciating disparities,
he seeks to create community
through dialogue. In talking about
his work at ECM, he describes it as
"the ministry of the hearth," not
only alluding to the actual hearth in
the ECM building, but also empha-
sizing the importance of the warm-
ing and life-giving hearth as the
center of a home and "heart" as
being at the center of "hearth."
The particular means he has used
to emphasize the importance of
peace and justice in community are
numerous. He has been instrumen-
tal in developing the University-
Community Forum, which sched-
ules weekly presentations by a
range of people from our diverse
community on socially important
topics. He was instrumental in de-
PAGE 5
veloping ECM’s Sexuality
Education Committee,
which opened opportuni-
ties for discussing issues
related to sexuality and
gender. He initiated and
encouraged the develop-
ment of alternative win-
ter, spring, and summer
breaks for KU students
which allowed them to
gain hands-on experience
helping others. He has
been tireless in supporting peace
and environmental activists in Law-
rence, and he has served on many
committees in the community ne-
cessitating conflict resolution. The
twelve-foot long sign, proclaiming
"No War in Iraq in our Names,"
which he had placed on ECM’s
front lawn and which was subse-
quently covered with signatures, is
one vivid example of his concern to
promote peace and to educate
others about peace.
Thad is one who gives unstintingly
to others. Thad is one who comes
readily to the aid of others. Thad is
one who encourages listening to
others. Thad is one who loves with
an open hand. Thad is one who acts
on the basis of his convictions re-
garding the necessity for peace and
justice, compassion and community,
and his principles and actions are
embodied in the work he does for
KU’s Ecumenical Christian Minis-
tries.

Teresa Zaffiro
ECM Development Coordinator
Teresa received her Bachelor’s degree
in American Indian and Environmental
Studies from Miami University in Ox-
ford, Ohio. She has worked as a volun-
teer on the Yankton Sioux Reservation
in South Dakota and has participated in
various student organizing and energy
justice efforts. She is the membership
coordinator for a local residential coop-
erative, The Olive House, and enjoys
gardening, the written word, debating,
hiking and delicious eats.
ECM welcomes the Unitarian Fellowship of
Lawrence as an additional covenant partner,
joining the Presbyterian Church (USA), the
United Church of Christ, the Religious Society
of Friends (Quaker) and the Church of the
Brethren denominations along with First Pres-
byterian, West Side Presbyterian, Plymouth
Congregational, Lone Star Church of the Breth-
ren congregations of Lawrence and St. Paul’s
United Church of Christ in Eudora, Kansas.
1204 Oread Ave. Lawrence KS 66044
New Staff at ECM
Ariday Guerrero
ECM Office Administrator
Born in Caracas, Venezuela and raised
in the coastal city of Puerto La Cruz,
Ariday came to the U.S. as part of the
Rotary Exchange program at age 16. She
has been residing in Lawrence for the
past two years and received her Bache-
lor’s degree from the University of Kan-
sas Architectural Studies program. She
is passionate about architecture and
community development. At ECM, in
addition to her work in the front office,
she is the Arts Coordinator on the
Student Leadership Team. She enjoys
nice weather, painting, reading poetry
and hanging out with friends.
785-843-4933
Rabbi Moti Rieber
Kansas Interfaith Power & Light
Coordinator
Rabbi Moti Rieber is a 2004 graduate
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical
College in Philadelphia, PA and a
recent immigrant to the KC metro
area. Prior to joining Kansas Interfaith
Power & Light he served as the rabbi
of Congregation Beth Shalom in Na-
perville, Illinois and as Executive Di-
rector of the Mid-Kansas Jewish Fed-
eration in Wichita. He served on the
Kansas IPL board from 2008-2010
and has a long history of involvement
in peace and social justice issues. He
is a practitioner of “voluntary simplic-
ity” and has written extensively about
it. He makes his home in Overland
Park with his wife Suzy and their
three children.
www.ecmku.org