Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - May 22, 2018
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

1. Activist Feedback
2. Original Sin, part 33 – Prophetic Witness
3. This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman

1. Activist Feedback

Grace Writes:

The Seattle Vegfest 2018 was awesome.I was really happy to see the CVA table so close to the health screening table where I was serving as a medical volunteer coordinator on both days. I stopped by CVA table to say hello to Rachel on Saturday, and she gave me a lot of CVA booklets.I noticed CVA sign-up sheet was empty so I signed up first to get others to sign, and it worked ??.I stopped by again today, and I saw wonderful AR friends/gentle souls Barb and the chicken whisperer Heather. I met so many other wonderful people of all backgrounds (AR, medical providers, vegan chefs, vegan authors, etc.) throughout the event since yesterday.God put me on a unique position to serve and help others to go vegan. During carotid ultrasound scan assessment from 10 am to 6 pm for 2 days, I saw a lot of abnormal results among meat consumers.People want to stay healthy and they eventually make the moral connection.Ethical veganism is the best way to go because it will make people go and stay vegan forever.

I plan to pass CVA booklets again soon, and I will actively search for Christian concerts on weekends in the Seattle area. Please let me know if you know of any.

Upcoming Activist Opportunities

Leafleting

05/30-31/18 WA, Seattle Third Day
06/01/2018 OR, Portland Third Day
06/02/2018 NC, Charlotte Rock The Park – TobyMac
06/02/2018 TX, La Mesa Sanctus Real
06/02/2018 CA, Ontario Third Day
06/02/2018 NC, Charlotte Rock the Park (Tobymac, Zach Williams, and more)
06/03/2018 TX, Grand Prairie Third Day
06/06/2018 MO, Kansas City Third Day
06/07/2018 IL, Chicago Third Day
06/9-10/18 NY, NYC Third Day
06/13/2018 KY, Louisville Third Day
06/14/2018 IN, Indianapolis Third Day
06/15-16/18 GA, Atlanta Third Day
06/18-19/18 TN, Nashville Third Day
06/21/2018 MN, Minneapolis Third Day
06/21/2018 VA, Doswell Kings Fest (Tobymac, For King & Country, and more)
06/22/2018 MI, Grand Rapids Third Day
06/23/2018 TN, Nashville Third Day
06/24/2018 Phoenix, AZ For King & Country
06/27/2018 CO, Denver Third Day
07/07/2018 HI, Honolulu For King & Country
07/11/2018 CO, Colorado Springs Kari Jobe
07/13/2018 MI, Detroit Jeremy Camp – Summer Lights Tour
07/14/2018 CO, Denver Colton Dixon
07/19/2018 VA, Virginia Beach Jeremy Camp – Summer Lights Tour
07/30/2018 OH, Columbus Casting Crowns
07/31/2018 FL, Orlando Jason Crabb
08/01/2018 FL, Orlando Jason Crabb
08/03/2018 NY, NYC Hillsong Conference USA
08/04/2018 MO, St. Louis Colton Dixon
08/10-12/18 IN, Indianapolis Women of Joy
08/12/2018 TN, Memphis Needtobreathe
08/17/2018 DC, Washington Needtobreathe
08/18/2018 MA, Boston Needtobreathe
08/19/2018 PA, Philadelphia Needtobreathe
08/21/2018 NC, Charlotte Needtobreathe
08/24-25/18 MN, St. Paul Joyce Meyer Conference
09/15/2018 PA, Reading Propel Women Activate 2018
09/28/2018 FL, Orlando For King & Country
10/04/2018 IN, Indianapolis Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North
10/5-7/2018 TX, San Antonio Women of Joy
10-6-2018 TX, Houston Propel Women Activate 2018
10/12/2018 LA, New Orleans Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North
10/13/2018 TX, Tyler Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North
10/26-28-18 MO, Independence Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North
10/28/2018 AR, N. Little Rock Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North
11/03/2018 ME, Portland Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North
11/09/2018 SC, Greenville Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North
11/10/2018 NC, Greensboro Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North

Tabling

06/02/2018 NY, Albany Albany VegFest
06/09/2018 PA, Philadelphia Philadelphia VegFest
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
08/04/2018 MO. St. Louis St. Louis Vegfest
08/04/2018 PA, Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Vegfest
09/02/2018 NC, Asheville Asheville Vegan Fest
09/08/2018 TN, Chattanooga Chattanooga VegFest
09/15/2018 PA, Scranton NEPA VegFest
09/15/2018 NY, Rochester Rochester Vegfest
09/15/2018 DC, Washington DC Vegfest
09/16/2018 MN, St. Paul Twin Cities Vegfest
10/13/2018 IL, Chicago Chicago Vegan Mania
11/10/2018 GA, Atlanta Atlanta Veg Fest

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. Contact Lorena at lorenavalenziveg@gmail.com if you can help.

2. Original Sin, part 33 – Prophetic Witness

Jesus said, “No prophet is acceptable in his own country” (Luke 4:24). Some have noted that people have trouble venerating someone they remember as an immature youth. Gil Bailie, offering further insight, has argued that an individual becomes a prophet by virtue of being rejected. The victim of ostracism (and often violence) gains an understanding of the ways in which mobs gain unity through collective violence. This is prophetic knowledge, and it requires being an outsider.

To varying degrees, everyone has experienced being an outsider at times. Outsider status becomes greatly enhanced when a person exposes and denounces scapegoating, because much of what it means to be “one of us” is to agree with the rest of the community about who should be exploited for the supposed benefit of the community as well as who should excluded due to their “evilness” or “inferiority.” To belong to a community unified by the scapegoating process requires participation in the community’s scapegoating, which is why prophets can never fully belong to their community.

Robert C. Tannehill has written, “The destiny of God’s prophets includes suffering and rejection, for they must speak God’s word to a blind and resistant world and must bear the brunt of this resistance.” This knowledge does not make prophecy any easier or more pleasant, but it can help prophets maintain equanimity in the face of seemingly insurmountable resistance to their message.

Because speaking with a prophetic voice can be burdensome or even dangerous, it is tempting to focus on one’s own purity and righteousness rather than societal injustice. However, William Sloane Coffin has written, “Public good doesn’t automatically flow from private virtue. A person’s moral character, sterling though it may be, is insufficient to serve the cause of justice, which is to challenge the status quo . . . and to take personal or concerted action against evil . . .”

Prophesy requires activism, though we should be prudent in decided where and when to use our prophetic voice.

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

Heavenly Words Strengthen Us

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