Just a simple "Thank You"

Since I last wrote anything here, I was really hoping that I would write something at least once a week, but I have just been busy. So as I do my wash here at Woody's, I figured that this would be a good time to write.

I had a great experience this past Friday, when one of the people that I am an advocate for on the COM was ordained a Transitional Deacon. Michael is a great guy, and he is on his way to Spain, then to Africa for about 6 weeks. He will be back in the area for about a month, then he is off to Hawaii where he will finish is his as a Transitional Deacon and after he is ordained as a Priest, he will work as a Assistant Rector.

Having him as the person that I am shepherding first has been great, as I have learned much from him in this time. I really don't think that he needs an advocate, as he is really informed as to what he needs to do to go through this process.

After getting to know him, I know that he is going to do great things and to be a shining example of a priest and most importantly a Christian.

Here is a picture of the two of us taken right outside of Grace Cathedral this past Saturday.

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I need to get together with my other “sheep” soon. I was the person that interviewed her for the COM before Vocations day. I figured that it would take an hour, but three hours later we finally ended. Nancy is a great person, and think that she is going to be a wonderful Vocational Deacon. I think that I am going to have to be more involved with her journey through this, but in the end I think that she is going to do just fine.

This is the first year in about 4 years that I have missed going to the San Francisco Black Film Festival. I planned on going yesterday after church,, since it was the last day, but I ended up just staying home.

While I was home, I sat and watched Jesus Christ Superstar 2000. Now I love the original film, and when I had first saw that their was this one was out I kept avoiding putting it into my queue. I finally broke down, and now wish that I had seen this one when I first saw that Netflix had it. I wish that I had some way of being about to cut both versions together.

If you enjoyed the original film, check this one out. Make sure that you watch the Extras.

I am finding it amazing on how people are demanding of my time, but just saying a simple “Thank You” seems to be hard. Back in September of last year, one of the women of my congregation died while in Cuba. Jane was a wonderful person, and I had a lot of respect for her. We did have our differences, but I really respected her. I was asked to do the music for her funeral, and one of her daughters called saying what kind of music she wanted played. I looked all over and found the stuff, and did the funeral. After the funeral her daughter didn't even say Thank You. At our congregation, we hold a Las Posadas (?sp) each year between December 16 and 24. The people who host each night bug me to play music after the event during a meal. In the years that I have been doing this, I think that maybe 3 people who have hosted a night have said Thank You. A woman asked me to do the music for her daughters quinceanera. Not a single Thank You afterwards. This has happened over and over again. What ever happened to saying a simple Thank You to someone?

If you are ever in Oakland, you gotta stop by New Earth Artist Cafe, located at 2008 Park Blvd. The place is a little small, but they play some great music (both on CD and Live,) and some really great food.

I hope that things are going great for you.

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Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North

I received the following notice in an email and figured that I would pass this on. I hope that you plan on watching this, as it should be real interesting.

We are thrilled to share with you that Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North will have a national television broadcast premiere on the PBS award-winning independent documentary film series P.O.V. on Tuesday, June 24 at 10pm! Please check your local listings for air date and time in your area.

Traces of the Trade was nine years in the making, with the amazing involvement and support of the Akonadi Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, among many others. It is being released in 2008 on the occasion of the Bicentennial of the U.S. abolition of the slave trade (January 1, 1808). In January the film had its world premiere at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, and since then it's been featured at the New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival, the National Constitution Center's Legacy of 1808 series, and the Newport International Film
Festival. For those of you in the New York area, Traces of the Trade is an official selection of the 2008 Human Rights Watch International Film Festival and we will be there for Q&As after each screening.

Congressman John Conyers, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said at our Sundance premiere: "The power of the film is that it is flesh and blood people with all their shortcomings, struggles, and bravery—so it cuts through the talking heads, policy papers and statistics on inequality." [Salt Lake Tribune] Now is your chance to get involved with the film that has moved Congressman Conyers and hundreds of others in screenings across the country!

•    Host a "tune in" gathering at your home on the night of the P.O.V. broadcast.
•    Gather a group of friends, family, or fellow members of an organization or religious congregation the night after broadcast. Hold a dialog with the P.O.V. discussion guide (coming soon), and decide
how together you can take action in your community.
•    Find out how you can bring the film to your school, workplace, place of worship, civic or community group.
•    Learn more about the family journey in the powerful new book Inheriting the Trade written by DeWolf descendant Tom DeWolf.
•    Visit the Traces of the Trade Get Involved page to find out how you can do more.
•    Spread the word! Please consider posting a listing, or writing us up on your organizational websites, in your electronic newsletters, etc., and share this e-blast with friends, family, coworkers, listservs and beyond.

Sincerely,

Katrina Browne, Producer/Director
Jennifer Carr, National Outreach Director

TRACES OF THE TRADE : A Story from the Deep North
by Katrina Browne with Alla Kovgan, Jude Ray, Elizabeth Delude-Dix and Juanita Brown

Watch the trailer at www.pbs.org/pov/traces
National PBS Premiere on P.O.V.
Tuesday, June 24th at 10 p.m. (check your local listings)
Filmmaker Katrina Browne makes a troubling discovery—her New England ancestors were the largest slave-trading family in Unites States history. Her journey offers powerful new perspectives on the black/ white divide.
Tune-in, Get Involved and Join the Conversation—at pbs.org/pov

Log on
Visit the P.O.V. website to read an excerpt from "Inheriting the Trade," a deeply personal memoir by a family member who went on the journey. Learn more about the ongoing debate surrounding reparations
in the U.S. with additional video interviews. Download an audio podcast in which Katrina Browne talks about the making of the film and what she learned from the journey.
Join the Conversation
Visit our website or email pov@pbs.org to share your thoughts about Traces of the Trade.
Learn More

Teachers, access lesson plans and video clips!
Buy the Film
To buy the DVD go to www.tracesofthetrade.org

Major funding for P.O.V. is provided by PBS, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, The Educational Foundation of America, The Fledgling Fund, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, The September 11th Fund, and public television viewers. Funding for P.O.V.'s Diverse Voices Project is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. P.O.V. is presented by a consortium of public television stations, including KCET Los Angeles, WGBH Boston and Thirteen/WNET New York. Simon Kilmurry is executive director of American Documentary | P.O.V.

P.O.V. - Traces of the Trade . Preview | PBS 2008

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