Minutes of last meeting

Midland Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice

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Minutes

February 2, 2009

March 23, 2010

At Joan Brausch's, 106 Coventry Ct.,

Present: Dick/Nan Skochdopole, Jeanne Broddle, Jeanne Schaller, Kathy McCreedy, Marge Darger,

Joan Brausch

Treasurer's report: $225.33

J. Schaller, M. Darger, J. Brausch will meet with Jack Telfer, Midland Daily News, April 7, 11:15 AM to discuss 2010 Forums. all members cordially invited to come to this meeting.

A review of the annual themes during the Decade was given by J. Brausch:

year one: Family/Individual NonViolence as a Way of Life

" two: Slowing Down...Quiet, Listening, Reflection...A Culture of Peace

" three: The World of Work

" four: The Value and Good of Politics

" five: 21st Century Living - Sustainability

" six: Environmental Justice - Water

" seven: International Living - Palestinians/Israelis

" eight: Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

" nine: " " "

Year ten theme: Children

brainstorming about the theme raised questions: will we be future oriented? (what can and should be done vis a vis children); stresses on children? should we be focusing on parenting? mentoring; single parent families and more.

Suggested were these three themes for the MND Forums: in the first one we could report to the community what MICPJ has done during the Decade and why. the second Forum could focus on how it takes a village to raise children. Midland has a lot going on: e.g. mentoring of children of all ages; raising awareness of diversity of family life in 21st century and much more. the third Forum: celebrating all the above and calling the community to simplicity of lifestyles and the pursuit of justice which brings about peace and non violence.

Following this there was discussion about possible events for 2010: possibilities: agency fair focusing on children and parenting resources; carnival, circus, family circus, peacemakers' potluck with keynote speaker, a parade at Tridge winding up where we started followed with childrens' music groups, dancing. panel discussions with Legacy, probate ct. judge, Karen Adams, Child Protection Agency and more.

It was emphasized that we must be realistic in our planning because of time/energy constraints. Our while Decade has been about children and creating a culture of peace and nonviolence. but now we must celebrate all that we have done.

next meeting: April 20, 2010, 7 PM, Joan Brausch's, 106 Coventry Ct.

October 19, 2009

Present: Dick/Nan Skochdopole, Norb Bufka, Jeanne Lound Schaller

Prayer

Treasurer’s report - $277.83. This includes a donation of $100 from the Midland Area League of Women Voters for their participation in the November 8 event.

Nov 8th gathering: Dick Sk will check to see if he can get a projector for the DVD showing and get back to Jeanne before she talks with Katie S at MCFTA about equipment needed

Dick Sk will run off 2 copies re: Global Zero to have at the gathering and also make several copies of a sheet of websites to have available

Jeanne never heard back from the Hiroshima people re: putting an ad in MDNews so we dropped the idea.

Dick Sk will write forum piece about G Z and Nov 8th and get it into the paper in the next few days.

Joan B has already written her letter to the editor and we are waiting for it to be published

(Jeanne sent press release to Jack Telfer and to WCMU’s community notes and John Palen sent out to other media)

Jeanne will check with the groups responsible for the full page letter from Hiroshima youth in the NYTimes to see if we can use it for our display on Nov 8

Jeanne will check with Joan B if we have any more new members through Facebook and see if anyone who signed up through that would like to get involved

2010 theme: All agreed that the theme will focus on children. Nan suggested “Save the World for the Children”. Norb suggested we tie in all the themes already used when

writing forum pieces, explaining how each theme relates to children.

Margaret Rockwell’s idea about creating a peace garden didn’t get much feedback and no one offered to spearhead it. We discussed if we might plant a peace pole In the Dow Garden’s Children’s Garden. All agreed this is an okay idea. Norb will ask Ed Hutchinson if the Master Gardeners might work with us on this IF MICPJ

members agree this is a good idea. WE WILL POLE EVERYONE ON THIS.

Norb asked if we might want to put together our 10-years of work for our benefit and then see if it could be included in the Midland History Center’s archives. Norb is willing to look into this since he has charge of the website. Dick Sk suggested we might want to simply run off 8 ½ x 11 sheets and put them in a binder in order to keep it simple and inexpensive. All agreed that doing this is a good idea. We could donate a copy to the History Center,

Minutes July 20, 2009

First United Methodist Parlor,

Present: Jeanne Broddle, Jeanne Schaller, Dick Skochdopole, Dorothy Arthur, Marge Darger

No treasurer's report

Nuclear Disarmament Core Committee report: The DVD being produced by Global Zero is behind

schedule according to Jim Head. Possibly be ready in Feb. 2010. Nov. 8 DVD showing and reception

hosted by MICPJ at Historical Soc. Museum is on hold.

Other ideas discussed to substitute for this delay were rejected. The committe wishes to

stay focused on Nuclear Disarmament.

Dick Skochdopole will contact Sen. Carl Levin to arrange a meeting with him and a few Core members

to discuss whether Sen. Levin might speak to the Midland community on the subject.

LWV, subject to approval by Board, are planning to co-host Nov. 8. Jeanne Schaller will contact

Karen Sherwood, League president.

Jeanne Schaller will check with Joan Brausch to see about progress on press release and letter to the

editor.

- Other action ideas: Dick Skochdopole will get in touch with Dave Camp; and Jack Telfer to see

what might be put in Midland Daily News. Dick also suggested MICPJ members contacting Senators

and Representatives on nuclear disarmament at some point.

- Alice Morgan and Dick Skochdopole have shortened the DVD of Paris meetings on nuclear dis.

to one hour and twelve minutes. It is available to loan to interested groups though peoples' antennas

not up on this subject now.

- MICPJ received an invitation and a thank you from the Mayor of Hiroshima to the Memorial Peace Day

Aug. 6.

2010 Children theme: Margaret Rockwell e-mailed July 9 suggesting, in light of Children theme for 2010, that

a peace garden be created in the childrens area at Dow Gardens. Jeanne Schaller will ask MICPJ, via e-mail,

whether us interest in this idea. She will also ask how many members are willing to sign up to work on this.

Next Nuclear Disarmament Core Committee meeting: Mon., Aug. 24, 11 AM, First United Methodist

Next MICPJ general meeting: Mon., Oct. 19, 12 noon, First United Methodist

Logged on by Marge Darger

Minutes April 17, 2009

First United Methodist Church parlor

Present: Joy/Dorothy Arthur, Jeanne Broddle, Dick/Nan Skochdopole, Marge Darger, Ronnie McQuaid, Kathy McCreedy, Norb Bufka, Joan Brausch, Jeanne Schaller

Treasurer's report: N. Bufka reported a balance of $267.83. $50 was collected later in the meeting.

Nuclear Disarmament Core Committee report: The program is behind schedule awaiting a Jim Head Midland Daily News interview to be published.

- after the interview appears, there will be a Forum article by D. Skochdopole.

- all MICPJ members (everyone receiving these minutes) are asked to register with GlobalZero.org and to let J. Schaller know that you have done so.

- monetary contributions are welcome.

- the purpose is to build a body of people supporting nuclear disarmament so that Congress will support these efforts. it cannot succeed with a top down approach ... it has to have a bottom up approach as well.

- 80% of Russian and American people support nuclear disarmament.

- members of the core committee viewed a DVD of the speakers at the GlobalZero kickoff in Paris.

- portions of this will be put on a DVD which will be shown at a

presentation in August (this is tentative being planned). this

DVD will also be offered to MCTV and various community

groups.

- in November the GlobalZero DVD which is still a work in progress will be shown at the Historical Museum. Jim Head will answer questions after the presentation. there will also be a reception afterwards.

- D. Skochdopole will do a monthly column in the MDN with choice tidbits....short blips, very readable on nuclear disarmament progress.

President Obama's recent nuclear disarmament initiatives will be woven into all of this where possible as well as Reagan and Gorbachev's efforts to initiate nuclear disarmament in the '80s.

- in addition to the above Joan Brausch will issue a press release and write a letter to the editor about President Obama's initiatives on nuclear disarmament.

Next meeting for general membership: brown bag lunch, noon, First United Methodist, July 20, Monday. The next Core meeting: May 13, 11:30, First United Methodist.

logged on by Marge Darger

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Minutes February 2, 2009

At Colin and Jeanne Broddles

Present: Norb Bufka, Jeanne Schaller, Dick/Nan Skochdopole, Colin/Jeanne Broddle, Dorothy Arthur, Marge Darger

J. Schaller opened meeting with a brief reflection.

Treasurer's annual report: N. Bufka reported a balance of $252.83

N. Skochdopole: the inauguration charge was to DO something. should MICPJ DO something?

- later in the meeting it was decided that what we would DO was to get

the Midland community stirred up to assist in eliminating nuclear

weapons.

2009 THEME: ELIMINATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. Discussion:

there was an introductory MDN Forum article in June 08. World Security Institute meeting in Paris in Dec. 08 announced GLOBAL ZERO.

- Jim Head will be interviewed by MDN in Feb. 09 and will share more on

Global Zero.

- Forum article in MDN, other area newspapers to announce Global Zero

and how to participate - Feb.-March '09

- MICPJ push in local organizations and churches to get support for

Global Zero March-Aug. '09

- showing of 45 minute DVD on Global Zero by MICPJ at library, various

organizations and MCTV - Sept-Nov '09

- are there other organizations that MICPJ could coalesce with?

Discussed was the possibility of doing another exhibit on library mezzanine in August if something that would draw viewers can be pulled together. The American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors would contribute $1000 to such an effort. All concurred that the event would have to justify the $1000 contribution. It was pointed out that Midland pretty much empties out during the month of August.

For the Children: a simple play of Sadako and a Thousand Paper Cranes. Randi Kawakita and Nancy O'Connell are interested in managing this.

Instead of annual Peacemakers Award Potluck the Core Committee suggests a reception be held after the Global Zero DVD showing (with Jim Head answering questions after the showing). it was pointed out that Queen Noor of Jordan was interviewed in MDN's Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009 on Global Zero.

EVALUATION OF MICPJ 2008 ACTION: N. Skochdopole: "Kaz Suyeishi made the year". The question "how does what we do affect the children" wove through evaluation discussion:

- Blessed Sacrament school children creating paper cranes

- Aug. 6 Tridge event remembering the Hiroshima atom bomb and the

victims (a number of families attended)

- Peacemaker Award Potluck (high school teacher and students came for

Kaz' presentation

- the library poster exhibit during Nov. many families attended the

reception

- Kaz' talks to students at SVSU and Dow High School

- consensus that there was significant participation by young people

THEME 2010: J. Schaller asked people to think about theme for tenth and

final year of Decade. Children had been the theme decided on. M. Darger was to check the minutes on this:

- 11-14-05: "2006 theme: remaining themes: international life; the arts and

play; neighborhoods; environmental justice (with a focus on water?) and

a fixed theme for final year of decade, Children. Please reflect on what

you think the best theme would be. to be discussed at Feb. '06

meeting

- 2-28-06: "Tentatively 2007 theme will be Culture & Play; 2008 Interna-

tional Life; 2009 Neighborhood; 2010 Children"

Further discussion on 2010 theme will occur at the next meeting.

NEXT MEETING: April 16, Thurs., 12 noon, First United Methodist. enter

Larkin St. (Parking lot entrance). Ask at Main Desk where meeting is. Note: decision to change from night to day meeting made at request of several members. to accommodate working MICPJ members it is suggested to bring a brown bag and come on your lunch hour.

TREASURER'S COLLECTION: $15.

Logged on by Marge Darger

Websites of interest:

World Security Institute: www.worldsecurityinstitute.org

Global Zero: www.globalzero.org

Center for Defense Information: www.cdi.org

- The Defense Monitor

Global security Newswire: www.globalnewswire.org

Nuclear Threat Initiative: www.nti.org

Norb Bufka checked MDN for ad rates for non profits

1/4 page ad $636. Same ad again within 3 days at half price

81/2 x 11 insert $765. can do target markets if we have audience to reach

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September 8, 2008

At Dick and Nan Skochdopoles

Present: Joan Brausch, Skochdopoles, Norb Bufka, Jeanne Schaller, Marge Darger

J. Brausch opened the meeting with the Prayer for Decade of Nonviolence

Treasury report N. Bufka: $359.68

HIROSHIMA TRIDGE GATHERING AUG. 6, 2008 evaluation: around 50 in attendance, those in attendance learned as N. Skochdopole read a story and participants created paper cranes. chains of cranes brought by Ruby Iwamasa very effective. will we do it again next year?

- what about a peace festival? concert? fun for the children? coalesce with other peace groups, peace oriented churches?

THEME 2008-9: ELIMINATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Forum piece in MDN by D. Skochdopole affirmed

D. Skochdopole reported there will be an international conference in Paris

(as neutral site. Russians tepid backing; do not want anything initiated by

U.S.) Sponsored by World Security Institute and original planners George

Schultz, William Perry, Henry Kissinger, Sam Nunn.

Jack Telfer willing to interview Jim Head (who will attend conference) when

he returns

J. Schaller passed out hard copies of Wall St. Journal l-4-07 piece written

by G. Schultz et al. Michail Gorbachev has written another WSJ piece

which J. Brausch will track down electronically.

J. Schaller suggested sending 2 MICPJ reps to Oak Ridge, TN, Hiroshima

Day event in 2009.

J. Head's ideas for grass roots participation through $10 contributions dis-

cussed. Augmentation by solicitation of larger amounts a possibility.

Film about WSI efforts in process. Will be out in 2009 to educate grass

roots.

J. Schaller if anyone knows anyone locally connected to Physicians for

Social Responsibility via friendship or professional alliance?

HIROSHIMA POSTER EXHIBIT named Hiroshima Revisited by MICPJ

Exhibit will be on library mezzanine the month of November

Local artists will be contacted for counsel in mounting posters

Help needed Nov. 1 to mount this exhibition in A.M.

There will be MICPJ information displays and handounts at the exhibit

Possibility of a speaker by Hiroshima survivor in late October.

PEACEMAKER AWARD POTLUCK: Oct. 30, Trinity Lutheran

A speaker has not been selected yet for the potluck. A person heavily

involved in nuclear disarmament will be asked.

J. Brausch, Joy and Dorothy Arthur, Ronnie McQuaid (M. Darger will

contact Sara Parkins) will work on arrangements including an interfaith

prayer.

TREASURER'S BASKET PASSED: $40

Next meeting: Sept. 29, 08, 7 PM, J. Brausch's, 106 Coventry Ct.

Logged on by Marge Darger

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May 19, 2008

MIDLAND INTERFAITH COUNCIL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE MINUTES

Met at Skochdopoles

Present: N. Bufka, J. Brausch, N. Skochdopole, D. Skochdopole

1. Dick Skochdopole opened the meeting with a prayer.

II. Nuclear Disarmament Program

A. Dick proposed a tentative schedule for the year’s program on nuclear disarmament. A number of points were discussed regarding the content and timing of the actions in this program. They are as follows:

1. It will be hard to get people’s attention with articles in the MDN while the publicity about the election is taking up most of the space,

2. An appropriate time to place a forum article in the MDN is on the anniversary of the Hiroshima bomb on Aug 6.

3. A community prayer service might be good on this same date, with a display on the horrible effects of a nuclear bomb at the same day or week, or more.

4.The timing for future forum articles and publicity would best be determined after we get the timing on the publicity release of the World Security Institute. This will be obtained from Jim Head by Dick Skochdopole at the earliest time possible.

5. Public showings of the WSI publicity, perhaps with fall meeting.

6. We should let Jack Telfer know of our plans as soon as they are firmed up.

B. The nuclear disarmament committee will meet on June 16 at 7:00 PM at the Skochdopoles to consider the above comments and to formulate a plan for the program. It likely will go into next year.

C. The next MICPJ general meeting will be on September 8 with place to be determined.

Minutes by Dick Skochdople

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Feb 2008

MIDLAND INTERFAITH COUNCIL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE MINUTES

Met at Dick and Nan Skochdopoles, Feb. 18, 2008

Present: Dick/Nan Skochdopole, Jeanne Schaller, Marge Darger, Jim Head, Norb Bufka, Jeanne/Colin Broddle, Dorothy/Joy Arthur

Dick Skochdopole opened the meeting with prayer.

Jeanne Schaller introduced Jim Head, World Security Institute and MICPJ 2008 Peacemaker Awardee. Jim, when he received the award, asked for help from MICPJ with WSI’s goal to eliminate nuclear weapons globally. Since elimination of nuclear weapons is MICPJ’s 2008 theme we wanted to hear Jim’s ideas.

Jim Head: WSI envisions a two year preparation for campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons. A few years back there were a series of articles on this subject in Wall St. Journal by Henry Kissinger, George Schultz, Sam Nunn, and Bill Perry, all retired U.S. leaders. At a Hoover Institute meeting sponsored by George Schultz on subject of nuclear weapons their approach had been to look at incremental steps necessary to: get a test ban treaty ratified. To dealert nuclear weapons … at present there is a 10 minute notice to “wipe out Russia with nuclear weapons” … the Russians have that same power.

World Security Institute President Bruce Blair (Center for Defense Information, an organization Jim Head has long been involved in, is now a branch of WSI) and WSI board decided to get into the act and go directly for the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons. Matt Brown was hired to put together a proper program and schedule which is: a world leaders summit in January 2010. To prepare for this there will be two preliminary meetings. The first will be in Reykjavik, shortly aftet Nov. 08 U.S. election chaired by Michail Gorbachev and George Schultz. The second meeting will occur in 2009.

There will be a public outreach effort including a film produced by the same company that produced the Al Gore An Inconvenient Truth film. This company has donated $2,000,000 towards the production of this film; SWI has donated $1,000,000. The film will be previewed at the Sundance Festival. The film will most likely feature a retired SAC commander, Gen. Lee Butler, retired, who has spoken out against nuclear weapons in his retirement. Other people involved in arms control have also have come forward.

After the Reykjavik meeting in late Nov. ’08, there will be a general public outreach across the world to build on what has come out of the Reykjavik meeting: the film; power point presentations and more will be the center of public forum meetings as well as fundraising and securing 1,000,000 signatures on petitions.

This general public outreach in Midland is where MICPJ comes in. Ultimate goal: eliminating nuclear weapons (subsequent efforts will be enforcement of the ban which includes openness to inspections and more). MICPJ Core Committee will be chaired by Dick Skochdopole and includes Nan; Jeanne/Colin Broddle, Jeanne Schaller, Evylyn/Frank Hudson. Their first meeting will be at Jeanne/Colin Broddles, 2318 Oakfield. All members are cordially invited to join this committee. To find out the date in March that the meeting will occur and sign on, call Dick Skochdopole.

Since the Reykjavik meeting occurs in late Nov. and MICPJ effort will occur after that our usual calendar schedule most likely is going to be scrambled. The Peacemaker Awards Potluck will most likely occur in October. Dorothy Arthur and Marge Darger need more members to join this committee. Call Dorothy if you are willing to sign on.

Money donated : $17 for a checking balance of $384.68.. Next meeting: Mon., May 19, 7-9PM, Broddles, 2318 Oakfield.

Logged on by Marge Darger.

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