Category: Celebrations of Life

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December 1, 2019 – Rev. Angela Denise Davis

“The Things that Open You”

Angela Denise Davis, M.Div., M.S., is a ukulele instructor, workshop facilitator, ordained minister, and public speaker. Her work as a minister focuses on how the fusion of art and spirituality can enlarge the ground beneath our feet and enrich the ways we move in personal and social spaces. In addition, she is also the creator, host, and producer of the ZAMI NOBLA Podcast. She is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University where she earned a B.A. in Art. She also holds a master of divinity from Vanderbilt University Divinity School, and a master of science in rehabilitation counseling from Georgia State University.

  • Facilitator: Libby Ware
  • Musician: Susan Ottzen
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November 24, 2019 – Rev. Chris Glaser

“Considering Gratitude for Things that don’t Make us ‘Feel’ Grateful”

Rev. Chris Glaser, a graduate of Yale Divinity School, is a weekly blogger of “Progressive Christian Reflections” at http://chrisglaser.blogspot.com. He is the author of a dozen books, many of which deal with challenging spiritual communities to welcome LGBTQ people and offering spiritual guidance to LGBTQ people. For more information, please visit http://chrisglaser.com.

  • Facilitator: D. Patton White
  • Musician: Charli Vogt
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November 17, 2019 – Dr. Jean Heinrich

“Existentialism and Mistakes, Enemies,
Suffering, and Gratitude”

Dr. Jean Heinrich, passionate human being, licensed clinical psychologist, musician, is nourished by existential philosophy in these times. Believing her knowledge of existentialism and the human psyche/mind/body/spirit make her a better musician and her music makes her a better clinician, and, both her knowledge and music make her a healthier/more vital human being, she invites you to join us as she speaks on: “Existentialism and Mistakes, Enemies, Suffering and Gratitude”.

  • Facilitator: Jan Lister
  • Musician: Mick Kinney
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November 10, 2019 – Mario Guevara

“Covering Immigration Raids in Atlanta”

Mario Guevara is a senior correspondent for MundoHispanico.com. He reports on subjects ranging from immigration, crime and politics, to human interest stories at a local and national level. Guevara’s work has been recognized by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Publications. Originally from El Salvador, every year he covers multiple stories related to the inmates in local, state, and federal detention centers in Georgia among other states. He has written about their cases, people from minority groups, especially Hispanic.

  • Facilitator: Barbara Van-Helsdingen
  • Musician: Aviva and the Flying Penguins

Please join us for a Packing Party after the Celebration of Life!

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November 3, 2019 – Dr. Robert Baker

“Free Speech and its Discontents”

Robert Baker teaches history at Georgia State University. He is the author of Prigg v. Pennsylvania: Slavery, the Supreme Court, and the Ambivalent Constitution and The Rescue of Joshua Glover: A Fugitive Slave, the Constitution, and the Coming of the Civil War.

  • Facilitator: Robert Stewart
  • Musician: William Chelton
Dr. Robert Baker, 11-03-19
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October 27, 2019 – Rev. Marsha Mitchiner

“Day of Celebration/ Day of the Dead”

Rev. Mitchiner will be our speaker tor Sunday’s Celebration of Life at the First E Sanctuary.

Rev. Marsha Mitchiner grew up in middle Georgia and was an active member of her church. In her teen years, she became disillusioned with organized religion but felt a need to find a community of individuals seeking answers without dogma. She found her spiritual home when she came to First E in 1980 and joined Rev. Lanier Clance’s ministerial training program.

“My spiritual life began as a Christian in middle Georgia . During my teen years I began to question the concept of “one truth”. Through personal exploration and with three years of guided study by Rev. R. Lanier Clance, I have come to believe that there are many paths to truth, each valid to the believer. Our journey through life is a unique, subjective experience that is enhanced and supported as we share with others our authentic self. It is a joy to serve the First Existentialist Congregation and the greater community.”

  • Facilitator: Jan Lister
  • Musician: Kathy McGuire

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October 20, 2019 – Rev. Marti Keller

“Bring Us Your Tired, Your Poor”

Rev. Marti Keller

This program will be a reflection on a core tenet of Jewish teachings– the idea of welcoming the stranger.   We will hear about the life, times,and legacy of trailblazing Jewish- American poet and activist Emma Lazurus, who penned the words on the base of the Statue of Liberty as a prophetic rebuke to fear, Xenophobia and anti-immigrant isolationism. What was the basis for her moral commitment– and ours as well?  PS: There is a Unitarian Transcendentalist thread in her story

Rev. Marti Keller recently finished a justice ministry with the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation that spanned two decades. Prior to this she had been a communications director, legislative advocate and executive director for several women and family policy groups, including a dozen years with Planned Parenthood. She is still serving as consulting parish minister in Auburn Alabama

Rev. Marti Keller
  • Facilitator: Robert Stewart
  • Musician: Dr. Jean Heinrich
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October 6, 2019 – Rev. Angela Denise Davis

“Looking for Liam: Notes on Privilege,
Interdependence, and Compassion”

Angela Denise Davis, M.Div., M.S., is a ukulele instructor, workshop facilitator, ordained minister, and public speaker. Her work as a minister focuses on how the fusion of art and spirituality can enlarge
the ground beneath our feet and enrich the ways we move in personal and social spaces. In addition, she is also the creator, host, and producer of the ZAMI NOBLA Podcast.

Rev. Angela Denise Davis
  • Facilitator: Lorraine Fontana
  • Musician: Susan Ottzen