Special Thursday Documentary Film Night -- "Jesus Camp"

Join us this Thursday, December 6th with doors opening at 7 pm for our "extra" film showing of the month outside of our Third Thursday Documentary Nights. We will be delving into "Jesus Camp", the Academy Award® nominated documentary from filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady about the Evangelical Christian movement in America; specifically, an intensely "experiential" born-again revival summer camp for the children of Evangelical families. The film depicts without commentary the personal stories of several children who attend the camp in the same summer, the experiences of their fellow campers, and the overall impact or influence the camp and its parent movement have on their lives, the Evangelical community, and the potential ramifications to the greater body politic. After we view the film, we will explore the significant role religion plays in the field of peace and social justice activism, and create a dialog about religious tolerance, the nature of extremism, and where we are with these issues in America today.

As with all other Documentary Film Nights, there will be hot tea, water, fresh organic popcorn, and homemade vegan cookies! There is a sliding-scale donation of $5 -- 'sliding-scale' meaning that you give what you truly and mindfully can, even if that is only the honor of your participation in our dialog -- and we ask that you bring a non-perishable food donation to the Gallatin Valley Food Bank or Heart of the Valley animal shelter. We look forward to the discussion this night will bring, and to welcoming new friends, a spectrum of ideas, and open exchange on this important foundational issue.

Upcoming Events for December 2007

Our first "Speaker & Supper Night"! Not one documentary, but two! December is a great time to get to know your new Peace and Social Justice Center -- come join in some or all of our events this upcoming month, and join in the dialog! All events are held at the Bozeman Yoga Center, across from Hastings at 1716 West Main Street, Suite 8A2.

Thursday December 6th - 7 pm - ** Bonus Documentary Film Night **
We will be holding a special showing of "Jesus Camp", the Academy Award-nominated documentary revealing the firsthand experiences of Evangelical Christian children at a pentecostal Summer camp, and depicting on a larger scale a glimpse into the movement of the Christian right. There will be a facilitated discussion after the film to explore how religious extremes affect both the wellbeing and individual rights of children, as well as the affect such extremes have on peace and social justice movements worldwide. As with all of our documentary film nights, there will be popcorn, tea, and homemade vegan cookies! $5 sliding-scale donation and a non-perishable item for the food bank gratefully requested.

Saturday December 15th - 6-9 pm - Speaker & Supper Night: Tanzania
Join us for this first in a monthly series, where we will gain knowledge of the peace and social justice issues of a specific country or region while also exploring its culture through the universal language of cuisine! This month, Essau Pwelle of Tanzania and Director of the African Orphans Fund will lead us through the challenges facing his homeland and share stories of the work he and others have done with the AOF, after we share a community potluck vegetarian supper of traditional Tanzanian dishes. Watch our blog for an upcoming post with the traditional yet simple Tanzanian recipes you can bring to share as we get to know this fascinating country, its culture, and what it's up against.

Thursday December 20th - 7 pm - "Third Thursday" Documentary Film Night
In part to celebrate this season of family, community and healing, we will be showing "The Story of the Weeping Camel". A nomadic Mongolian family, faced with the rare birth of a pure white camel calf and also the rejection of that calf by its mother, set out on a series of attempts and then quests to gently unite the mother and baby into the family they were intended to be. Aside from a heartwarming story, it is an excellent discussion point on the role that culture and tradition play in forming the medical model, and how we can strive to better facilitate health rather than conform to standard medical practice. Discussion to follow the film, and popcorn, tea, and homemade vegan cookies throughout. $5 sliding-scale donation and a non-perishable item for the food bank gratefully requested.