The Voluntown Peace Trust is a nonprofit education center dedicated to social change and sustainable living. We offer programs, workshops, retreats, hospitality and resources, to people constructing alternatives to the violence of our age.
June 16 -Annual Meeting
At our Annual meeting this year, we will be dedicating the Herbie Diaz Cabin located behind Ahisma on the lovely grounds of VPT.
A SOCIOCRACY CIRCLE AT VPT
June 13, potluck at 6, discussion at 7
(free-will donation of $5 for use of Muste facility)
“Reading Assignment” if you like: follow this link, and see where it takes you: www.sociocracy.info
or simply come for a talking circle about your experience with informal and formal consensus decision-making, and this new/old idea: Sociocracy, or “Dynamic Governance.” Kit and Jane Johnson will share what they learned at a John Buck/Jerry Gonzales workshop with co-housing groups in New Haven. If there is interest in further exploration, we might bring their training to VPT.
What is Sociocracy?
Sociocracy is a method of designing harmonious organizations, workplaces and associations in which each member is valued equally. It is based on creating self-optimizing systems that are effective and productive. The principles and practices were developed by Gerard Endenburg based on:
(free-will donation of $5 for use of Muste facility)
“Reading Assignment” if you like: follow this link, and see where it takes you: www.sociocracy.info
or simply come for a talking circle about your experience with informal and formal consensus decision-making, and this new/old idea: Sociocracy, or “Dynamic Governance.” Kit and Jane Johnson will share what they learned at a John Buck/Jerry Gonzales workshop with co-housing groups in New Haven. If there is interest in further exploration, we might bring their training to VPT.
What is Sociocracy?
Sociocracy is a method of designing harmonious organizations, workplaces and associations in which each member is valued equally. It is based on creating self-optimizing systems that are effective and productive. The principles and practices were developed by Gerard Endenburg based on:
- Modern management theory and practices
- Quaker traditions of peace education and the valuing of each person
- Cybernetics, the science of communications and control
50TH ANNIVERSARY
2012 MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PURCHASE OF THE FARM FOR THE WORK OF THE NEW ENGLAND COMMUNITY FOR NONVIOLENT ACTION (CNVA). SAVE THE DATE: JULY 4TH CELEBRATION OF INTER-DEPENDENCE DAY AT VPT!
FGC FIELDTRIP: 4th of July, 2012, INTERDEPENDENCE DAY
AT THE PEACE FARM: www.voluntownpeacetrust.org
The 55-acre “Peace Farm” marks the 50 anniversary of the purchase of the property by New England Community for
Nonviolent Action (CNVA) for the work of Quakers and fellow pacifists over the years. The afternoon’s fieldtrip will include
music with Joyce Katzberg, a celebration of the life and work of Bayard Rustin in his 100th birthday year (Rustin was co-
founder of CNVA); a tour of the historic property, including the Swann/Rachel Corrie House (Marjorie Swann and other
AFSC activists lived and worked here), the Muste Center (A.J. also spent time here), the 290-year-old farmhouse with
Underground Railroad and ‘60s militia stories, the large organic community garden, and a Peace Pilgrim Labyrinth; a
yard sale of historic posters and used progressive books; and alternative vegetarian picnic fare (prepared from the
garden as much as possible by PaciFeast caterers). Families may enjoy swimming at nearby Beach Pond and honoring
Ferdinand the (pacifist) bull around a recently discovered “cork tree.” And for the older “kids”? How about a round of
“green” golf with frisbees between the trees?
Nonviolent Action (CNVA) for the work of Quakers and fellow pacifists over the years. The afternoon’s fieldtrip will include
music with Joyce Katzberg, a celebration of the life and work of Bayard Rustin in his 100th birthday year (Rustin was co-
founder of CNVA); a tour of the historic property, including the Swann/Rachel Corrie House (Marjorie Swann and other
AFSC activists lived and worked here), the Muste Center (A.J. also spent time here), the 290-year-old farmhouse with
Underground Railroad and ‘60s militia stories, the large organic community garden, and a Peace Pilgrim Labyrinth; a
yard sale of historic posters and used progressive books; and alternative vegetarian picnic fare (prepared from the
garden as much as possible by PaciFeast caterers). Families may enjoy swimming at nearby Beach Pond and honoring
Ferdinand the (pacifist) bull around a recently discovered “cork tree.” And for the older “kids”? How about a round of
“green” golf with frisbees between the trees?
Would you like to sit just quietly and smell the flowers too?
Join Ferdinand at the Voluntown Peace Trust farm for a 4th of July INTERdependence Day
Picnic celebrating revolutionary America’s 236th, CNVA’s 50th and Bayard Rustin’s 100th!
11:30 BYOB picnic, Frisbee Golf, Peace Labyrinth, Tours, Book/Poster Sale & Exhibit
1pm Welcome & JOYCE KATZBERG “changing the world one song at a time”
2pm Birthday Cupcakes
2:30 Ferdinand workshop with Nancy MacBride and Mystic Paper Beasts creating a cork tree, flowers, and the no-Wall, no-Street Bull himself
4pm Ferdinand the Bull: a children’s play on Munro Leaf’s classic story of the bull who wouldn’t fight.
5pm More music with Joyce
5:30+ Supper: no-bull kabobs by PaciFeast veggie catering
539 BEACH POND ROAD, VOLUNTOWN, CT
INFO/DIRECTIONS: WWW.VOLUNTOWNPEACETRUST.ORG
Join Ferdinand at the Voluntown Peace Trust farm for a 4th of July INTERdependence Day
Picnic celebrating revolutionary America’s 236th, CNVA’s 50th and Bayard Rustin’s 100th!
11:30 BYOB picnic, Frisbee Golf, Peace Labyrinth, Tours, Book/Poster Sale & Exhibit
1pm Welcome & JOYCE KATZBERG “changing the world one song at a time”
2pm Birthday Cupcakes
2:30 Ferdinand workshop with Nancy MacBride and Mystic Paper Beasts creating a cork tree, flowers, and the no-Wall, no-Street Bull himself
4pm Ferdinand the Bull: a children’s play on Munro Leaf’s classic story of the bull who wouldn’t fight.
5pm More music with Joyce
5:30+ Supper: no-bull kabobs by PaciFeast veggie catering
539 BEACH POND ROAD, VOLUNTOWN, CT
INFO/DIRECTIONS: WWW.VOLUNTOWNPEACETRUST.ORG
Coming in October:
The Voluntown Peace Trust will be part of "Walktober", the 'Last Green Valley's' event showcasing Connecticut's historical and scenic treasures!
“OCCUPY” POPULAR EDUCATION
WORKSHOPS
WHAT IS
POPULAR EDUCATION?
IT IS A LEARNING
PROCESS THAT ~
• begins with the standpoint
of the oppressed;
• is inclusive;
• is accessible to people of
all educational levels;
• addresses issues people face
in their communities;
• supports people moving
towards action/nonviolent
social change;
• is based on the experiences
of those participating in the
learning; and
• integrates non-traditional
methods of learning.
Look for more workshops in the future!
POPULAR EDUCATION?
IT IS A LEARNING
PROCESS THAT ~
• begins with the standpoint
of the oppressed;
• is inclusive;
• is accessible to people of
all educational levels;
• addresses issues people face
in their communities;
• supports people moving
towards action/nonviolent
social change;
• is based on the experiences
of those participating in the
learning; and
• integrates non-traditional
methods of learning.
Look for more workshops in the future!
