Events for May 1 - Jul 7

The Mountain Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation believes in the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Their ministries fall within three spheres — Spiritual Path, Fellowship, and Justice Outreach — which bring enrichment and balance to their work within their community and beyond their walls. Spiritual Path — to gather together in spiritual community to be reminded of what matters most in life. Fellowship — through informal gatherings of shared interests, they encourage one another. Justice Outreach — they work for justice in a variety of community, state, and national endeavors.

Positive Aging SourceBook was founded by Steve Gurney in 1990 to provide individuals, families, and professionals with the most comprehensive listing of every retirement community, assisted living, nursing and rehab center and home care option in the DC, northern Virginia, and suburban Maryland. Join us for a live discussion that will explore ethical and practical considerations regarding the right to end our lives on our own terms. Special focus will be given to understanding what is a “Good Death” and how to achieve one within the US end-of-life care system. Gary Wederspahn has been an active supporter of the Death-with-Dignity movement since the 1980s with the Hemlock Society. He is a board member of Final Exit Network (FEN), a leading national right-to-die organization that grew out of the Hemlock Society, and he is also a member of Compassion & Choices and Exit International. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zsB7j1QlRFyivMcTiTaVrA

Atheists United is thrilled to host Dave Warnock as our first pop-up speaker in 2022! Dave Warnock was caught up in the Jesus Movement of the ‘70s and lived the bulk of his life as a Charismatic Evangelical Christian, serving as a pastor on three different church staffs. Following several years of internal struggle, he came to the conclusion in 2011 that he no longer believed in a personal God. In 2019 he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, ALS. He is an author, blogger, public speaker, and the founder and director of Dying Out Loud. This event will be hosted IN PERSON without a live stream. Must be fully vaccinated to attend and show proof of vaccination. Limited street parking, public transit, and ride-sharing are recommended. Our events are free for our members. $10 suggested donation for guests. Become a member at http://www.atheistsunited.org/membership. Questions? Email christine.jones@atheistsunited.org.

The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. (NAELA) was founded in 1987 as a professional association of attorneys who are dedicated to improving the quality of legal services provided to seniors and people with special needs. The NAELA membership is comprised of attorneys in the private and public sectors who deal with legal issues affecting seniors and people with disabilities. Members also include judges, professors of law, and students. The primary focus of the Academy is education. The Academy sponsors continuing legal education programs on Elder Law for attorneys throughout the year. We also serve as a sounding board so attorneys can benefit from the expertise and experience of other members. This will be a two-speaker event. Janis Landis, past president of FEN, will be speaking on the issues of advance directives and surrogates. Pam Bankert is FEN's attorney and will respond to questions from an attorney's point of view.

Lifelong Education and Aging Resource Network, Inc (LEARN) is an Idaho based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed to provide free education for mature adults and caregivers in the topic areas of health, wealth, lifestyle, and caregiving.

We welcome anyone to join us who is interested in making our communities the best they can be for older adults. We care about younger people but we know that commercial interests proclaiming that aging is to be dreaded and denied is a false message, regardless of all the anti-aging rhetoric one encounters every day.  We want you to pause and recognize that the message which says aging is only about declinism is a destructive message, not just to older people, but to younger ones as well. We're out to change the American culture about aging. This will be a live discussion that will simultaneously be available via Zoom. We will explore ethical and practical considerations regarding the right to end our lives on our own terms. Special focus will be given to understanding what is a “Good Death” and how to achieve one within the US end-of-life care system.

Unitarian Universalist congregations are committed to seven Principles that include the worth of each person, the need for justice and compassion, and the right to choose one’s own beliefs.  Our congregations and faith communities promote these principles through regular worship, learning and personal growth, shared connection and care, social justice and service, celebration of life’s transitions, and much more. Throughout the fall and winter of 2021/2022, the Adult Spiritual Development team has been engaging their congregation in "final chapter" questions, ranging from dying well to estate planning to end of life questions. This presentation will discuss what it means to have a "completed life".

General Assembly (GA) is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). Participants worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process. Anyone may attend. In 2022, we will have the option of meeting online or in-person! For those who enjoyed the convenience and accessibility of remote participation, General Assembly will continue to offer virtual attendance with robust programming and enhanced delegate discussion tools. For those who have been missing the physical experience, GA 2022 will also feature face-to-face interactions, hanging banners, a browsable exhibit hall, meals with friends old and new, local site attractions, and more! All GA attendees and exhibitors are required to provide proof of Covid-19 Vaccination for in-person attendance at General Assembly. In addition, masking is required and physically distanced seating options will be reserved in our meeting spaces.

FEN's Surrogate Advocate, Althea Halchuck, will be speaking on end-of-life issues.

Our mission of the Humanist Forum is to advance humanism, an ethical and life-affirming philosophy free of belief in any gods and other supernatural forces. Advocating for equality for non-theists and a society guided by reason, empathy, and their growing knowledge of the world, the Humanist Forum promotes a worldview that encourages individuals to live informed and meaningful lives that aspire to the greater good. They include humanists, agnostics, atheists, freethinkers, skeptics, religious naturalists, interested theists, and anyone else who wishes to attend. Their discussion topics include issues relating to morality and ethics, human development, evolution, the nature of the universe, love, the capacities of the brain, free will, the latest scientific research and discoveries, and other topics of mutual interest. Their events are open to the public. The Humanist Forum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) chapter of the American Humanist Association. FEN speaker, Charles Gessert, will talk about the work that FEN does to advance their mission. This will be an in-person and online meetup, with Q&A following the presentation.

This is a meeting place for humanists and other nontheists. Depending on your interests, they offer social events, educational events, volunteerism, and activism. FEN speaker, Eleanor Aronstein, will be providing an overview of FEN and the other organizations focused on Physician Aid in Dying (PAD) legislation, and end-of-life documents.

For Atheists and Godless Heathens in the "Bible Belt" It's one fun day to get connected, support each other’s journeys, and share cool experiences, new ideas, and high fives. The all-star lineup features keynote speaker Seth Andrews, Black Nonbeliever's Mandisa Thomas, Hollywood actor Alice Greczyn, atheist debater Matt Dillahunty, former pastor Dave Warnock, trans LGBT lobbyist Dr Marisa Richmond, Recovering from Religion's Gayle Jordan, queer atheologian Dr James Frey Croft, kids' camp organizer Amy Monsky, Holy Koolaid's Thomas Westbrook, Kelly Helton, and much, much more. Details at http://nanocon.rocks