Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - March 15, 2018
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

  1. Activist Report
  2. Original Sin, part 29
  3. This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman

1. Activist Report

Nancy, who leafleted at Winter Jam WJ Houston on March 4, writes,

It went well today. It could have been helpful to have one more volunteer but we managed OK. After an hour in front of the building on the sidewalk we were told we had to stay across the street even though we were on public property so I thought.But I think by then we got to most of the attendees arriving. I got some good responses and even met a couple of vegans.I wore my "Vegans Rock" shirt which drew some positive attention as well as some ah oh attention but nothing too difficult.One young man had to announce to me he is a dedicated carnivore and that he was not a good target audience.And I just politely said actually you're exactly who we're trying to reach.And that we were once like him but came to realize the dark truth behind the meat and dairy industries and why it's all unnecessary. But he wouldn't take the booklet.

I'd be glad to do this again.

Leafleting and Tabling

Leafleting

Leafleting and tabling are effective, enjoyable ways to show our brothers and sisters in Christ that a plant-based diet is good for God’s Creation. When you volunteer for the CVA, the CVA now donates $16/hr. for tabling and $25/hr. for up to 3 hours for leafleting to the veg. or animal protection group of your choice. In particular, the Winter Jam events are outstanding leafleting opportunities, with large, young, receptive audiences. Contact Lorena at lorenavalenziveg@gmail.com if you can help.

Upcoming Activist Opportunities

03/16/2018 LA, Baton Rouge Toby Mac Hits Deep Tour 2018
03/17/2018 AL, Birmingham Toby Mac Hits Deep Tour 2018
03/17/2018 CO, Colorado Springs Natalie Grant – The Roadshow 2018 Tour
03/17/2018 OH, Cleveland Newsboys United
03/17/2018 OK, Oklahoma City Winter Jam 2018
03/18/2018 FL, Pensacola Toby Mac Hits Deep Tour 2018
03/18/2018 TX, Ft. Worth Winter Jam 2018
03/23/2018 SC, Columbia Winter Jam 2018
3/23-25/18 TN, Pigeon Forte Women of Joy – Jeremy Camp
03/24/2018 NC, Raleigh Winter Jam 2018
03/25/2018 SC, Greenville Winter Jam 2018
03/29/2018 IL, Chicago Winter Jam 2018
03/30/2018 TN, Nashville Chris Tomlin
03/31/2018 KY, Lexington Winter Jam 2018
04/06/2018 PA, Pittsburgh Chris Tomlin
04/07/2018 MO, St. Charles Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North
04/07/2018 TX, Dallas Hillsong Worship & Pastor Brian Houston
04/08/2018 IN, Indianapolis Chris Tomlin
04/08/2018 MI, Grand Rapids Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North
04/09/2018 CA, Los Angeles OUTCRY Tour 2018
04/12/2018 CO, Denver OUTCRY Tour 2018
04/12/2018 TN, Knoxville Casting Crowns – The Very Next Thing Tour
04/12/2018 IA, Des Moines Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North
04/12/2018 NY, Albany Chris Tomlin
04/13/2018 KA, Wichita OUTCRY Tour 2018
04/13/2018 OH, Cleveland Chris Tomlin
04/13/2018 MN, Minneapolis Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North
04/15/2018 MO, Springfield OUTCRY Tour 2018
04/17/2018 OH, Cincinnati OUTCRY Tour 2018
04/18/2018 MI, Detroit OUTCRY Tour 2018
04/19/2018 OH, Columbus OUTCRY Tour 2018
04/19/2018 FL, Pensacola Chris Tomlin
04/20/2018 FL, Jacksonville Chris Tomlin
04/21/2018 PA, Reading Hillsong Worship & Pastor Brian Houston
04/21/2018 OK, Oklahoma City Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North
04/22/2018 SC, Greenville OUTCRY Tour 2018
04/23/2018 MA, Boston Hillsong Worship & Pastor Brian Houston
04/23/2018 Al, Birmingham OUTCRY Tour 2018
04/24/2018 LA, Bossier City OUTCRY Tour 2018
04/24/2018 DC, Washington Hillsong Worship & Pastor Brian Houston
04/26/2018 TN, Nashville OUTCRY Tour 2018
04/26/2018 GA, Atlanta Jeremy Camp
05/04-06/18 SC, Myrtle Beach Women of Joy
06/02/2018 NC, Charlotte Rock the Park (Tobymac, Zach Williams, and more)
06/21/2018 VA, Doswell Kings Fest (Tobymac, For King & Country, and more)
08/10-12/18 IN, Indianapolis Women of Joy
10/5-7/2018 TX, San Antonio Women of Joy

Tabling

03/25/2018 CA, North Hollywood Vegan Street Fair
03/31/2018 IN, Indianapolis Indy VegFest
04/07/2018 MA, Northampton Valley Vegfest
04/14/2018 NH, Manchester NH VegFest
04/21/2018 FL, Orlando Central Florida Earth Day 2018
04/22/2018 CA, San Diego Earth Fair 2018
05/04/2018 NV, Las Vegas Vegan Street Fair Vegas Night
05/12-13/18 LA, New Orleans New Orleans Vegan Food Festival
05/19/2018 NY, NYC NYC Vegetarian Food Festival
06/02/2018 NY, Albany Albany VegFest
06/09/2018 NC, Asheville Asheville Vegan Fest
06/23/2018 TX, Corpus Christi Corpus Christi VegFest
07/21/2018 TX, Houston VegFest Houston
07/28/2018 CO, Golden VegFest Colorado
07/28/2018 WA, Spokane Spokane VegFest
09/08/2018 TN, Chattanooga Chattanooga VegFest
09/15/2018 PA, Scranton NEPA VegFest
09/15/2018 NY, Rochester Rochester Vegfest

2. Original Sin, part 29

This week I continue my exploration of ways that Jesus helped reveal the scapegoating process. He wrote:

Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:34-37).

How would Jesus’ ministry divide families? It would not result from people abandoning their Jewish faith in favor of following Jesus, because Jesus said, “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them” (Matthew 5:17). Social discord was an initial, inevitable consequence – but not the goal – of Jesus’ ministry. He opposed the hierarchical social order that unjustly marginalized members of society, such as those who were poor, widowed, or infirm. Because the social order helped maintain the peace, Jesus’ ministry threatened to disrupt all levels of society, including the most fundamental social unit: the family. However, the Bible teaches that our communities are not peaceful or reconciled as long as they adhere to social customs and laws that rely on scapegoating and the unjust social arrangements that arise as a consequence of scapegoating. It is striking that the parallel passage in Luke’s Gospel includes “Henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three” (12:52). The scapegoating mentality is all against one, with people unified by their hatred of the scapegoat. In contrast, Jesus’ ministry threatened to lead to destabilizing conflicts, such as three-against-two conflicts that would be difficult to resolve by ostracizing a scapegoating victim and therefore could tear families and other social structures apart.

Animal advocates, who seek a world of peace and reconciliation, also bring a metaphorical sword. Exposing the injustice of animal abuse undermines human communities to the degree that people feel unified by their sense of superiority over nonhumans. This sense of unity is manifest in many ways, one of the most obvious being the group meal of animal flesh.

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.

3. This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman

Fighting God Never Solves Anything

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