Volunteers Make Our Work Possible

 

Citizens Project is 20 this year, and anniversaries are a great time to look at the past, present and future of work in the social justice movement. In many ways, we've come a long way.

 

We celebrate successes, such as the GSA at Palmer, the overturning of Amendment  2, the re-establishment of a City Human Relations Commission. And yet we know there is still work to be done. Voters still need unhampered access to the ballot box and the information to make good choices. Our LGBT friends still need equality in many areas. And Colorado Springs still needs a reasonable voice for our values.

 

Over the years, Citizens Project has seen many battles, many wins, many losses. But one thing has always been true. We rely on advocates and volunteers to get our work done. Learn more about what our volunteers are doing to advance diversity, equality, religious freedom and civic engagement, and how you can make a difference!

Coming Together

By Rev. Renee TenEyck, guest writer

 

Why does it take a crisis such as 9-11 or Katrina to bring people together?

 

I grew up in a Catholic household, and though I did not consider myself outgoing or confident, I was always analytical, questioning everything to the point of frustrating adults.  In our small town church, it was not uncommon to hear comments from others if you missed a day at church or other church activities.  As time passed, however, the scope of my inquiries grew to questions such as "Why would a truly loving God send my god-parents to hell, just because they did not believe in Him?"  "Why, if we want to attract people to Christianity, was there a statement in the missalette denying invitation to participate in the Eucharist to those who were not Christian, and offering only a half-hearted invitation to those who were not Catholic?"  "Why does the priest dislike children, when Jesus loved the children?"  "Why do we have this rule?  Who told you so? Who told that person?" "What if I don't interpret that passage the same way you do?"  When someone would criticize, I explained that it is our duty to question everything, even telling one friend's parent that at least "I didn't leave what I learned at the door prior to walking out of church."

 

In my teens and twenties, I tried other denominations, always searching for what felt right, going to bible study groups, asking questions and trying to find answers that did not bring me back to the same uncomfortable conclusions.  During my twenties when I was in the Army, I did not feel that I could find my "next chapter," and this part of my life remained in limbo for many years; the military has traditionally provided pastoral or chaplain services only for Christians.  Despite this fact, the cliché that "there are no atheists in foxholes" is untrue, and the military is acknowledging in recent years that not all of its members are Christian, and even among Christian members, beliefs and practices vary greatly.

 

Read more here

 

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City of Colorado Springs seeks volunteers for Parks & Recreation Advisory Board

As an advisory body to the City Council on parks and recreation resources within the City, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board reviews matters pertaining to the planning, development, improvement, beautification, equipping and maintaining the public parks, playgrounds, programs, urban forest, recreation facilities and resources including golf courses and center street medians.  Meetings take place the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 a.m. 

Send letters of interest and resumes before Friday, April 27 to mdevine@springsgov.com or mail to City Council; Attention Marti Devine Sletta; P.O. Box 1575; Colorado Springs, CO 80901. Or, fill out the Application for Appointment to a City Board, Committee or Commission, which can be found at www.SpringsGov.com by clicking on "Commissions and Committees" on the homepage.  (The application cannot be submitted online at this time.  Please send to the e-mail or physical address above.)

 

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