Oak Ridge Today

Local organizations, congregations celebrating community unity

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Community Unity Celebration has events this week. During the celebration, local organizations and congregations are working together to offer opportunities for residents of Oak Ridge and surrounding areas to come together to get to know each other and build community, a press release said.

The Celebration kicked off with the Human Rights Rally on Saturday, January 18, and it will end with the World Day of Prayer on Friday, March 6.

“Please join us as you can!” the press release said.

Here is more information about the events:

[Read more…]

Presentation today about taking charge as a medical advocate

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Gay Marie Logsdon
Gay Marie Logsdon

At the February meeting of Women’s Interfaith Dialogue, Gay Marie Logsdon will give a presentation about taking charge as a medical advocate.

The meeting will be held on Monday, February 3, at the Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge, 101 West Madison Lane, with an opening reception at 10:45 a.m. and program at 11 a.m., a press release said.

Logsdon’s presentation is based on her own experience as well as that of family and friends over more than 30 years, the press release said.

“The urgency to speak about medical advocacy grew out of months of in-patient and out-patient medical care, torrents of insurance claims, and gradual recovery following a head-on car wreck in 2016,” the press release said.

[Read more…]

Church Women United offers focus on community dialogue on Friday

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Church Women United will hold a public presentation on Friday, April 6, at Kern Memorial Methodist Church, which is located at 451 East Tennessee Avenue in Oak Ridge. Reverend David Allred of High Places Community Church will introduce an innovative supper program that the Oak Ridge Ministerial Association is developing to foster healthy conversation and closer ties between people of differing backgrounds, experiences, and core beliefs within our community, a press release said.

According to Allred: “Communities around the country are disconnecting from each other in ways that are driving us apart. We’re slowly losing our ability to listen to one another, fragmenting into ‘bunkers’ of sameness rather than giving space for each other’s differences.” To overcome this fragmentation, ORMA aims “to create spaces of togetherness that are not designed to fix community problems, but instead center on the practice hearing each other and being present with each other.” The inspiration for this program comes from the organization called “The People’s Supper.”

All are invited to attend the event however long they can, the press release said. Fellowship begins at 11:30 a.m. Friday, followed by a short meeting and prayer at noon, along with the presentation thereafter. Latecomers are welcome. Contact Gay Marie Logsdon at (865) 483-7940 for more information.

This press release was submitted by Gay Marie Logsdon.

CWU presentation to focus on domestic violence

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Church Women United will meet Friday, February 2, at United Way of Anderson County, located at 728 Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge. The meeting will initiate the 2018 Blankets+ Campaign to collect bedding and support for those who have lost their homes locally and worldwide, a press release said.

In addition, Rachel Thompson, domestic violence victim advocate for Knox and Anderson counties, will be the guest speaker in a public program, the press release said. Thompson is a culturally specific domestic violence advocate for the African American community. She will talk about domestic violence, how it impacts victims in the African American community, and resources offered through the YWCA for victims of domestic violence, the press release said. [Read more…]

Learn how to be a medical advocate on Friday

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Submitted

The public is invited to a program, “The Importance of Taking Charge: How to Be a Medical Advocate for Yourself and Others,” at noon on Friday, September 8, at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge.

Gay Marie Logsdon will speak from experience related to medical care within her family during the past 30-plus years, including dealing with major insurance agencies and receiving extended care after a head-on car wreck in October 2016.

A meet-and-greet session will be held at 11:30 a.m. before the presentation, in Room F-110 of the main (Coffey-McNally) building. The program is sponsored by Church Women United. All are welcome!

For more information, call (865) 483-7940.

This press release was submitted by Gay Marie Logsdon.

Celebrate World Community Day on Friday

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Church Women United invites the public to celebrate World Community Day on Friday, November 4, at United Church, Chapel on the Hill, 85 Kentucky Avenue, in Oak Ridge.

The celebration, “Sharing Gifts at the Table,” brings together women from different denominations and different racial and cultural backgrounds to honor the global dimension of the Christian faith through scripture, hymns, and prayer, a press release said. [Read more…]

Public program on Friday to focus on communicating with people who have dementia

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A public program in Oak Ridge on Friday will focus on communicating with people who have dementia.

Amanda Spencer, LPN, of Blue Harbor Senior Living, will be the guest speaker. Her presentation will help caregivers, family members, and friends better interact with loved ones whose abilities are diminished, a press release said.

The program has been organized by Church Women United. It’s the start of their 2016 fall season.

The event begins with fellowship at 11:30 a.m. Friday, September 9, followed by a short business meeting and the program at noon. [Read more…]

CWU celebrates reconciliation, grace, friendship on May 6

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Church Women United of Oak Ridge invites the public to its May Friendship Day celebration on Friday, May 6.

The celebration will feature a worship program titled “Finding Grace at the Table.” The program focuses on the table as a place for reconciliation and the need to recognize God presence in every person.

CWU will present Key Woman Awards to Mary Stephens and Judy Cohan for their dedicated service at Oak Valley Baptist Church and United Church, Chapel on the Hill, respectively, in addition to their contributions within the wider Oak Ridge community and Church Women United. [Read more…]

Opinion: Alarmed by proposal to privatize library, calls for feasibility study

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Dear Council Members:

I am both alarmed and dismayed at the current proposal to privatize the Oak Ridge Public Library beginning January 2016. I understand the City Council’s need to create a workable budget for the upcoming year, but we must beware of making sudden major changes to a valuable city resource on the vague promise of saving money. It is unconscionable that the city would make such a change without a full feasibility study of particulars, both positive and negative, along with full documentation of public comment and thoughtful analysis and response to those comments. Such a study is crucial because it would reveal the extent to which privatization would affect the city’s long-term ability to meet its citizens’ needs as well as its finances. More importantly, the study is necessary in order for our Council and citizens to exercise informed consent or dissent on the matter. [Read more…]

Letter: Church Women United thanks all who contributed to Blankets+ campaign

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To the Editor:

Church Women United in the Oak Ridge area thanks and blesses the many people in our community who contributed to our 2015 Blankets+ campaign this spring.

Foremost, we are thankful for the donations of many women from diverse church traditions—including AME Zion, Baptist, Catholic, Episcopal, God in Christ, interdenominational, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Unitarian—who respond to CWU’s calling to celebrate unity in diversity and to pray and work for a just, peaceful, and caring society.

In addition, we are thankful for Blankets+ contributions from members of Calvary Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, First United Methodist Church, Kern Memorial Methodist Church, Solway United Methodist Church, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, and United Church, Chapel on the Hill. [Read more…]

Church Women United to celebrate friendship, caregiving, human rights

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Anita Henderlight

Anita Henderlight will be honored at the May 1 program of Church Women United for her work in South Sudan. (Submitted photo)

Church Women United invites the public to its celebration of May Friendship Day on Friday, May 1, with a worship program entitled “Journey of the Caregiver.”

The program focuses on caregiving as a task entrusted to us by God.

CWU will also present its 2015 Human Rights Award to Anita Ayers Henderlight, founding director of Africa-ELI, which fosters gender equity, improved economic conditions, peaceful development, and strengthened leadership capacity in South Sudan.

The celebration will be held in the parish hall of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church at 212 North Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. Fellowship begins at 11:30 a.m., followed by a brief business meeting and the program at noon. A potluck lunch will be held afterward. Please bring something to share. [Read more…]

CWU program on Office on Aging, Family Resource Center on Friday

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Church Women United is hosting a public program on Friday, April 10, in Columbus Hall at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Cherie Phillips of the Anderson County Office on Aging and Jo Bruce of the Family Resource Center will speak.

Fellowship with refreshments begins at 11:30 a.m., followed by a brief meeting and the program at noon.

The program makes up for the March meeting that was canceled due to winter weather. [Read more…]