Volume 2, No. 02 webalias.com/humanism April 2000

Our May 10^th meeting will feature Mr. John Bailey from Greenwood Funeral Home. Mr. Bailey wants to respond to our program, "The Ungodly Costs of Funerals" which was presented by the North Texas Memorial Society.

Mr. Bailey is a longtime humanist and supporter of our organization. I hope you will attend and compare the presentations.

Last month’s meeting featured P.A. Humphrey from the FW Weekly. P.A has followed the exploits of Sheriff Williams for quite a while.

She talked about "The Sheriff’s god-pod and Other Strange Things." This was especially interesting in light of the Sheriff’s recent defeat in the Republican primary.

PA was Great!

The organization has decided to participate in Texas’ Adopt A Highway program. This was decided after a wonderful conversation among members.

It appears that we have fewer spots to adopt than we originally anticipated. HINT: Be thinking about Granbury Road by Hulen Mall.

As you know the new board have elected to collect voluntary dues for our organization. The dues structure is only $20 per year. Our treasurer has now opened a bank account for us. See his report in this newsletter.

Part of our newfound wealth will be used to pay Chapter Assembly dues to the American Humanist Association ($50).

The joint conference of the American Humanist Association and the American Ethical Union will be held in New Jersey June 1-4. Russell is attending…anyone else interested?

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

Alabama Freethought Association Lake Hypatia, Alabama weekend of July 4

Every year, freethinkers from across the country travel to attend the Alabama Freethought Association's annual independence Day Celebration, which takes place the weekend of 4 July at beautiful Lake Hypatia, Alabama.

Called the "Lollapalooza of Freethought" by fans of its informal style, the Alabama Freethought Association Independence Day Celebration is best described as a conference and vacation all rolled into one. Free time to enjoy the lake and socialize with fellow Freethinkers is built into the schedule, so you don't have to skip parts of the program in order to enjoy the local scenery and visit with your friends.

Our 2000 conference is looking like it will be our best ever! Speakers this year will include Massimo Pigliucci, professor at the University of Tennessee and famed debater of creationists and theologians, Mike Doughney and Lauren Sabina Kneisly, founders of the Biblical America Resistance

Front (www.barf.org), the ACLU's Martin McCaffery, and more. For more information, including a tentative schedule, driving directions, and a downloadable application form, please visit our July 4th website:

http://alfreethought.org/july4

For more information, please contact Adam Butler

President, Birmingham Freethought Society (CFA)

Communications Coordinator, Alabama Freethought Association (FFRF)

abutler@alfreethought.org.

CAMP QUEST 2000 COLLEGE COUNSELOR PROGRAM

YMCA Camp Kern Lebanon, Ohio

July 22-30

The Camp Quest College Counselor Program is a new summer camp program to train humanist, secularist, and atheist college students to plan, organize, and administer a secular humanist summer camp, become reliable and caring humanist counselors for younger campers, gain a practical knowledge of camp activities and basic camping skills, develop one's capacity for critical and scientific thinking and practicing humanist ethics, and learn the history and philosophy of humanism and freethought in a sympathetic, congenial, and educational setting. For more information, please go to www.edwinkagin.com/campquest/college/

For specific questions about the CC program, please contact CQ-CC Program Coordinator Steven Schafersman at schafesd@freeinquiry.com or Camp Quest Director Edwin Kagin at edwinkagin@fuse.net. LIMITED SPACE. APPLY TODAY!more descriptive of our group than anything else shorter than a paragraph.

WHO: Humanists of Ft. Worth

WHAT: Monthly Meeting

WHERE: First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church

WHEN: Second Wednesday of Each Month - 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Humanists of Ft. Worth have two wonderful possibilities. First, we can sponsor a SMART Recovery Group. SMART Recovery benefits non-theists in abstaining from alcohol through a rational basis. It would be wonderful to have one of our members coordinate this program! For more information please contact Russell Elleven (see contact info under "Rites of Passage"). There is a great deal of information and support available for this project.

First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church is located at 1959 Sandy Lane between Meadowbrook drive and Brentwood Stair Road. Anyone needing assistance to the meeting should contact Russell.

Humanists of Ft. Worth are encouraged to join the American Humanist Association. A special introductory membership rate of $25 is now available. The Humanist magazine and Free Mind newsletter are benefits of membership.

Think about sharing your ideas about humanism with the readers of The Cowtown Humanist. No doubt we all have opinions we’d like to let others know about…do it in your newsletter

Russell Elleven is certified as a Humanist minister by the Humanist Society of Friends. He can officiate weddings, commitment ceremonies, naming ceremonies, and other life celebrating events. He is also available during periods of grief and to officiate memorial services.

817.370.2171 – hm

817.257.7870 – wk

Russell Elleven

Jeff Rodriguez

Bruce Berggren

Joel Bailey

Humanists of Fort Worth Income Statement

Report date: April 21, 2000

Dues received: $120.00

Total Revenues $120.00

Comments: (5) individual dues @ $20. (1) family dues @ $20.

Signed, Bruce Berggren, Sectretary/Treasurer

Time: 6:30 pm

Dates: 2nd Sunday of each month

Location: Westside UU Church

Leader: Dick Trice (446-3840)

This group follows the Great Books format of advance reading of a selection and discussion at the meeting. Discussion is varied and lively. Participants include Cowtown Humanist members and others from the community. Newcomer’s are welcome to "sit in" before making the commitment to purchase materials.

free of personal bias. And finally, the true freethinker acknowledges the difference between believing something and knowing it.

FROM THE TEXAS ATHEIST NEWSLETTER

E-mail Howard Thompson at gofreemind@aol.com

[From Mike Sullivan - MikeSullivan@Mac.com] The Houston Church of Freethought inaugural service was a huge success. An enthusiastic crowd of 35 Freethinkers was present for the big day. They got an excellent and thoroughly professional service which included thoughtful and entertaining comments from the five founders, Arthur & Nancy Fay, Jim Ashmore, Jessica

Brumley and Rudy Holz.

HCOF meets the second Sunday of each month. Freethought Sunday School for children will begin at their May Service along with other social activities as soon as they can be organized. The five founders deserve congratulations for establishing another nontheistic group that gives greater diversity to our Houston communities.

Ten North Texas Church of Freethought members made the drive to Houston for this inaugural meeting. The North Texas Church of Freethought was founded in 1995 and now has services with 100-150 attending. Freethought churches are family, social oriented groups that use a church model organization to provide a social environment and sense of belonging for nontheists. They are entirely voluntary efforts dependent upon the energy and funds of members to build a community and haven for nontheists within a sometimes hostile religious society. Contact Arthur Fay if you want more HCOF information.