Get your 10th anniversary tee-shirt at Faith & Labor Picnic

Maybe I'm biased, but I love our new 10th anniversary tee-shirts, featuring the "Justice Served" logo by Collins Dillard. They're union-made in the USA, and we have regular tee-shirts as well as ladies' cut tees. We've only ordered 100 and I expect them to go fast. They'll be available for $15 at the Faith and Labor Picnic on Labor Day, so be sure to bring your cash, check, Visa or MasterCard.

Sneak preview of silent auction items at the Faith and Labor Picnic

Want to do a little early Christmas shopping? Or just get something for yourself? Take a look at some of the great items we'll have at our silent auction at the Faith and Labor Picnic on Labor Day.

With these nesting "plarn" bags, you can be a double environmentalist. They're knitted from plastic bags, so they're super strong. Take them to the grocery store, the beach, or anywhere else you need to haul stuff.

 

 

Have a child in your life that you want to share Bible stories with in a way that's easy for them to relate to? Check out Elaine Blanchard's book and CD Help Me Remember: Bible Stories for Children.

 

Several artisans have donated some beautiful jewelry, including this Swarovski pearl and sterling silver necklace, earrings, and bracelet made by Anne Walton Garrison.

 

 

And this handblown glass "dream" pendant by Marjorie Levy.

 

Marjorie has also donated a beautiful pair of glass earrings.

 

I know I'm always a little stumped about what to give to the guys in my life. This handmade walnut pen and case made by Ken Burnette might be a good choice!





I love the Majestic Grille, and was so excited when they donated a $50 gift certificate.

 

By now you've problem seen the fabulous 10th anniversary "Justice Served" logo that Collins Dillard designed for our new WIN tee-shirts and our Picnic flyer. He'll be donating a framed print of it for the auction.

 

Do you (or a lady in your life) love Avon? Christine Booker has donated this Avon basket full of bath items and a jewelry set.



 

Potter Melissa Bridgman donated a honeypot last year, but I think this year's is even cuter! It includes a wooden honey dipper.

 

 

For all you hardcore Midtown folks, Jaime Winton has donated this Midtown Memphis print, along with matching notecards. All the letters are made from pictures she took in Midtown.

 

 

If you're a WIN activist, you might be interested in this photo book I made about our last 10 years.



 

 

Bring a little fair trade home with you with this set of 2 mugs, coffee, and chocolate from the St. John's United Methodist Church Artisan store.

 



 

If that's not enough coffee for you, we'll also have a $25 Starbucks gift card.

 

If you've heard John Kilzer perform at last year's Picnic or around town, I know you'll be interested in the three CD set he's donated: The Way Live (just released!), The Journey, and The Travelling Cokesburys.

 

If you see something you're interested in, be sure to bring some extra cash, your checkbook, or your Visa or MasterCard to the Picnic.

 

And just a reminder: this Monday, August 27th is the last day to get your discounted Picnic tickets on our website.



 

Ways you can make the 10th annual Faith and Labor Picnic a success

This year's Faith and Labor Picnic will be like no other because it's WIN's 10th anniversary and our 10th Picnic! I'm so excited about celebrating your successes in upholding workers' rights, and about where your Workers Interfaith Network is headed in the next 10 years.

Here are some things you can do to make sure the Picnic raises the funds - and fun - that our movement for worker justice needs.

1) Become a Picnic sponsor. Whether you sponsor at the $1,000 or $10 level, your gift will support workers who are organizing to win living wages and to stop wage theft. If you want your name to be included in our Picnic program guide, we must receive your Picnic sponsorship by August 20th. You can sponsor online, or call (901) 332-3570.

2) Volunteer the day of the Picnic. From running the MoonBounce to serving food, it takes a lot of volunteers to keep things running smoothly. Contact me if you're willing to volunteer.

3) Get your tickets today, and get a 15% discount. Advance tickets are just $10 for adults, $5 for kids, or a maximum of $30 for families. Discounted tickets are available online until August 27th. You can can also buy discounted tickets from a WIN volunteer.

4) Bake WIN a batch of birthday cupcakes. We'll be celebrating WIN's birthday with cakes and cupcakes. If you can make homemade cupcakes for the Picnic, please contact me.

5) Have a gift card you don't plan to use? Donate it to WIN for our auction and doorprize give-a-ways at the Picnic. Mail your gift card to WIN, 3035 Directors Row, B - 1207, Memphis, TN 38131. Also, be on the lookout for our auction preview, which I'll post the week before the Picnic. This year we'll have a bigger variety of items to bid on.

6) Post a Picnic flyer at your congregation, union hall, business, or community organization. You can download an English flyer here or a Spanish flyer here.

Preview silent auction items for the Faith and Labor Picnic

This year's Faith and Labor Picnic will include our first ever silent auction. You can preview the items below that will be up for bid on Labor Day. And don't forget to buy your Picnic tickets now, while they're still discounted! Remember, your ticket price includes all musical and dance entertainment, food, beverages, chance to win doorprizes, and a MoonBounce and facepainting for the kids.

Item #1: Memphis Grizzlies basketball signed by Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Sam Young, AJ Mayo, Marc Gasol, Greivis Vasquez, Coach Lionel Hollins, and more

Value: $250
Minimum bid: $85
Donated by: Coach Lionel Hollins, Memphis Grizzlies

Item #2: "God's kingdom is right by your doorstep" 16 x 20 inch painting

Value: $200
Minimum bid: $75
Donated by: Jaime Winton

Item #3: Pottery honey pot

Value: $30
Minimum bid: $18
Donated by: Melissa Bridgman

Item #4: Glass jewelry pendant with tree of life

Value: $25
Minimum bid: $15
Donated by: Marjorie Levy (her jewelry is available at the St. John's Artisans store)

Item #5: Signed paperback copy of The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Value: $15

Minimum bid: $10

Donated by: Gretchen Rubin

Item #6: $25 Target gift card

Value: $25
Minimum bid: $18
Donated by: Judy Bettice

Item #7: Swarovski crystal pendant on 18 inch sterling silver chain

Value: $30
Minimum bid: $18
Donated by: Anne Walton Garrison (her jewelry is available at the St. John's Artisans store)

Item #8
$25 Kroger gift card

Value: $25
Minimum bid: $18
Donated by: Communication Workers of America




Want to take one of these items home? Come to the Faith and Labor Picnic on Labor Day, September 5th to place your bid. We will be accepting cash, checks, and Visa or MasterCard. Bidding will be open from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.



Get a 15% discount on your Faith and Labor Picnic tickets by buying them by Thursday, September 1st. Advance tickets are available from WIN's website, by calling (901) 332-3570, or by purchasing them from a volunteer in your congregation or organization.

Top Ten Reasons to Come to the Faith and Labor Picnic

Each Labor Day, Workers Interfaith Network throws the ultimate party with a purpose: the Faith and Labor Picnic. More than 450 Mid-Southerners come together for fellowship, fun, and to raise the funds we need to stand up for worker rights all year round. I can think of dozens of reasons you'll want to buy your tickets today, but I've narrowed it down to a top ten list:

10. If you get your tickets before the Picnic, you get a 15% discount! Go to our website to buy tickets before the event, or buy them from a ticket seller in your congregation or organization. Advance tickets are just $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 5 -12, or $30 for families.

Note: if you use our website, the top part of the form is for Picnic sponsorships. You don't have to sponsor in order to buy tickets. Just click on the button that says "no thank you" under Picnic sponsor, and then fill out the ticket portion.

9. Did someone say doorprizes? With 35 doorprizes to give away, there's a good chance you'll walk away with something. Could you use an Itunes or Target gift card, a couple of boxes of Kroger cereal, a basket of Avon goodies, or a beach bag made from plarn?

8. The dunk tank is a great way to release your pent-up agression. We've even heard that a County Commissioner may agree to get in the dunk tank this year. Start practicing your throws!

7. Incredible music and dance performances. Danza Azteca has been a highlight of the Picnic for the last 3 years, and favorites from last year Alicia Washington and Esteban Alexis will join us again this year. New this year: a performance by John Kilzer, who you can check out in this video from Channel 3's Live at 9 (at the 2:45 mark is where John performs.)

6. A Labor Day cookout is fun, as long as you're not the cook. So leave the hamburgers, hotdogs, veggie burgers, baked beans, chips, and veggies to us. Oh, and did I mention the homemade cookies? You don't want to miss the taste - or the joy of not having to turn on your oven.

5. Kids bouncing off the walls? Let them bounce in the Moon Bounce instead. We'll also have facepainting for the kids.

4. We're going green this year! All our plates, napkins, and utensils will either be made from recycled materials or will be compostable.

3. Are you a Grizzlies fan? This year, we'll have a small silent auction for several items, included a basketball signed by Grizzly star players (AJ Mayo, Marc Gasol, Rudy Gay, and more), pottery by Melissa Bridgman, jewelry by local artists, and a signed copy of The Happiness Project. So be sure to bring your checkbook or some extra cash in case you see something you just have to have!

2. Connect with other progressive causes. Curious about what else is going on in Memphis and how you can connect? Lots of other nonprofits and unions will have booths at the Picnic. The Picnic is also a great chance to check out candidates for office, since many usually attend.

1. You'll celebrate the victories you've made possible, and raise the funds we need to win even greater victories. Workers Interfaith Network wants to say thank you in person for partnering with University of Memphis workers to get their first raise toward a living wage, and much more.

     Have I convinced you? Buy your discounted tickets by Thursday, September 1st, because prices will be higher at the door.

     We look forward to seeing you on Labor Day, September 5th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1738 Galloway Ave. in Midtown.

Have you liked WIN on Facebook yet?

Honor their struggles, take up their unfinished work

    There are several people I think of as "justice giants." They are people who gave themselves whole-heartedly to the struggle for labor justice. I think of people like T.O. Jones and Rev. Henry Logan Starks, a sanitation worker and pastor who gave leadership to the 1968 sanitation strike in Memphis.

    I am awed by what these leaders accomplished. But I would be doing them a dis-service by just admiring them. That's why I try to continue their unfinished work - just as you do - with my involvement with Workers Interfaith Network.

    I invite you to honor the work these justice giants have done, and continue their work, by becoming a sponsor of WIN's 9th annual Faith and Labor Picnic. Each sponsorship level honors a different "justice giant" who has been steadfast in upholding the rights of workers.

    How does your sponsorship continue the legacy of these workers? Your sponsorship gift will allow WIN to keep campaigning with University of Memphis workers until all of them are paid a living wage. WIN will soon be launching a new campaign against wage theft, which your sponsorship will also make possible.

    You might not realize it, but $1 out of every $7 raised for WIN this year will come from the Faith and Labor Picnic. That is, if folks like you will help us reach our goal of raising $24,500 from the Picnic. The majority of funds raised come from sponsorships from individuals like you, labor unions, community groups, and businesses.

   Wondering which justice giants your sponsorship will honor?

Your $10 sponsorship honors Dolores Huerta, the co-founder of the United Farm Workers union in California.
Your $25 sponosrship honors Alzada Clark, a pioneering union and civil rights activist who organized workers throughout the Mid-South.
Your $50 sponsorship honors A. Philip Randolph, founder of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and a leader of the March on Washington.
Your $100 sponsorship honors "Mother" Mary Jones, a travelling labor crusader who was arrested many times for her support of strikes in the early 20th century.
Your $250 sponsorship honors Cesar Chavez, the founder of the United Farm Workers union.
Your $500 sponsorship honors T.O. Jones, the Memphis sanitation worker who spear-headed the 1968 strike by AFSCME.
Your $1,000 sponsorship honors Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker movement in the mid-20th century.
Your $2,500 sponsorship honors Rev. Henry Logan Starks, an AME pastor who provided critical support to the 1968 Memphis sanitation strikers.

    If you are as inspired by these women and men as I am, please help us continue their legacy of uniting workers and people of faith into a strong voice for justice by becoming a Picnic sponsor today.

Have you "liked" Workers Interfaith Network on Facebook? When we reach 1,000 fans WIN will give away a VIP Faith and Labor Picnic prize package to one of our fans.

You Raised $23,000 to Stop Wage Theft and Work for Living Wages Through This Year's Faith and Labor Picnic

As you can see from the photo slideshow above, this year's Faith and Labor Picnic was a blast! It was the ultimate party with a purpose. You raised more than $23,000 to help Workers Interfaith Network fight wage theft and campaign for a living wage at the University of Memphis. At this year's Picnic, you:

• Raised critically needed funds to support workers' rights. Despite the tough economy, you raised even more than last year. Scroll down to learn about the specific ways WIN will be putting your Picnic gifts to work.
• Celebrated what you've accomplished as a member of WIN. You got the Shelby County Sheriff and District Attorney to agree to treat certain wage theft cases as criminal offenses, among many other victories.
• Demonstrated the true meaning of Labor Day with other people of faith, workers, and allies who believe in justice in the workplace. This year, 125 of you signed living wage petitions to University of Memphis President Shirley Raines. Click here to sign our online petition.
• Enjoyed great entertainment by Alicia Washington, Valerie June, Marcela Pinilla, and Danza Azteca.
• Ate a lot of food! Approximately 100 of you volunteered at the Picnic by preparing and serving food, selling tickets, making homemade cookies, and helping with kid's activities like the dunk tank, Moon Bounce, and face painting. Thank you!

Here's how WIN will be putting your Faith and Labor Picnic gifts to work:
1) You'll campaign for a living wage with University of Memphis workers.
2) You will partner with workers to recover their stolen wages from employers.
3) You will advocate for new federal wage theft legislation to stop employers from taking advantage of workers.
4) You will train construction workers on how to prevent on-the-job injuries and deaths.

I look forward to seeing you next Labor Day! Want to make sure you get notified about all the plans for next year's Faith and Labor Picnic? Sign up for WIN's email alerts. 

Vote in the Faith and Labor Picnic Contest for the Chance to Win a Free Family Ticket!

It's week two in our contest for two free family tickets to the Faith and Labor Picnic, coming up in just two weeks on Labor Day! Six people responded to my invitation to post their best reason for coming to the Faith and Labor Picnic. Now, you can enter the contest for a free family ticket to the picnic (worth $30) by voting for your favorite reason.

How to enter the contest:

1) Read the six reasons below and decide which one gets your vote.

2) Post a comment with your vote and your full name. (For example: My vote is for reason #4, Rebekah Gienapp). If you are not on the WIN email list, please also post your email address so I can contact you if you win. You can choose to post your comment using the "anonymous" profile, but you must include your name to be entered in the contest.

3) One winner will be drawn at random from all those who vote. The other winner will be the person whose reason gets the most votes.

Reason #1

I love the picnic because of the way it brings together good-hearted folks of different faiths, colors and ages. Every year when I look out at the crowd, I feel I'm getting a glimpse of God's kingdom.

Reason #2

I think going to the picnic would be wonderful experience. I would meet and learn so much for regulars. I usually volunteer to help others but it will be a great experience. I'm very interested in helping other get the wages they need in order to support their families. I think having picnic will unite so many different backgrounds to a common goal.

Reason #3

The best reason to attend the picnic is to interact with others who have experienced discrimination in hiring, pay, and job loss. The more people that share their experiences, the more of a 'working force' we become.

Reason #4

Last chance to show off your white summer sandals.

Reason #5

This will be my eighth (8) year of having a freedom holiday, free from labor such as cooking for my family. They all know that on Labor Day nothing is being served at my house, I have attended every Faith and Labor Picnic since its inception. I encourage them to attend also, and most do attend each year. By doing so, they are supporting a very worthy organization, Workers Interfaith Network. The picnic is its most effective fundraiser each year. WIN is consistently working to improve the conditions in which many low wage workers have to endure in their struggle to provide for themselves and their families. I don't know of a more hardworking group of people than the committed Staff and Volunteers of Workers Interfaith Network.

What great fun my family and I always have at these family oriented picnics, there are activities for children, good food and fellowship, door prizes and even entertainment for the whole family. Don't pass us this opportnunity to serve other while you are being served. I encourage you to come see for yourself and leave the cooking to someone else.

Come out and support WIN, and you will be glad that you did.

Reason #6

It is a fun way to support WIN who helps those in need--"one of the least of these."

Contest: Win a free family ticket to the Faith and Labor Picnic

What's the best reason to attend WIN's Faith and Labor Picnic, coming up soon on Labor Day, September 6th at Trinity United Methodist Church in Midtown? Since this is our 8th picnic, we figure those of you that have been joining in for years know best what makes it a great event. So we're holding our first ever picnic contest to get your feedback.

We'll be giving away two family tickets to the Picnic. Here's how it will work:

1. In the comments section on this blog entry, tell us what you think is the best reason to attend the picnic by Monday, August 16th at 5:00 p.m. Providing a reason to attend the picnic will get you 5 entries in our contest for a free family ticket (worth $30). Please include your first and last name in the comment so we can follow up with you if you are the winner. Remember, the more creative your reason, the more likely you are to get votes from your fellow WIN supporters! If you need some ideas, check out my list of reasons from last year.

2. Next week I'll write a new blog post with all the reasons to attend the picnic that all of you have come up with. An email will be sent out to the WIN list, inviting people to vote on what they think is the best reason to attend the picnic. Each vote will get 1 entry into the contest for a free family ticket.

3. One family ticket will be awarded to the person who got the most votes for the best reason to attend the picnic. Another family ticket will be awarded at random from all the entries made by posting a reason or by voting for a reason.

And while you're thinking about the Picnic, why not become a sponsor? Our goal is to raise $4,640 from individual sponsors this year, and we're only $770 away from reaching that goal. Make a difference for Memphis workers all year round by sponsoring the picnic today. You can also buy tickets to the picnic on WIN's website.

If you'd like to volunteer the day of the picnic, we'll need lots of help setting up, serving food, running games, taking tickets, cleaning up and more. Please contact Picnic chairperson KC Warren if you would like to volunteer, or Picnic committee member Joanne Rhea if you are willing to bake homemade cookies for the picnic.

I look forward to hearing all of your great ideas about why the Picnic is not to be missed!
.

Are We Truly Ready for Discipleship? A Reflection on the Gospel Lesson for Labor Sunday

          I’ve learned from some clergy friends who are very diligent in their sermon preparation that it’s never too early to start thinking about a sermon. So, I want to offer my reflections on the lectionary’s gospel text for Labor Day Sunday this year in case they may be helpful to you. For links to other Labor Day weekend worship resources for a variety of faith traditions, visit WIN’s website.

In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus asks the throngs of people surrounding him to consider whether they are really ready to become his disciples. Can they give up the things that may be required? Jesus’ questions about whether they can hate their parents, siblings, or children must have rung harshly in their ears, as they do in ours today. Why would Jesus ask this? And what does this have to do with his final words that “none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions”?

In Luke, Jesus’ message of justice for the poor and marginalized is often aimed at the wealthy and powerful. Perhaps in this passage, Jesus is warning some of those powerful people who believe they are ready to follow him, wanting them to know that they could lose much in becoming his disciple. The crowd may think they are ready to spread Jesus’ message that “blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” and “woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation” (Luke 6:20-26). But this could easily result in being disowned, or worse, by family members a person was deeply dependent on for wealth and for identity.

So Jesus urges those who think they are ready to follow to really consider the costs of discipleship. Are they really ready to obey God rather than their families if the two conflict? Is the gift of God’s kingdom more precious than the gift of earthly possessions and power they hold now? It is not that Jesus doesn’t want disciples. He is simply looking for those whose enthusiasm won’t be destroyed by rejection from loved ones, or by the stripping away of wealth.

Jesus’ advice to count the cost of discipleship reminds me of something in social justice movements called “inoculation.” Union organizers know that workers who speak up for a union can gain better wages, fair treatment, and decent benefits. But they also risk a lot. (In thirty percent of union organizing drives, at least one worker is illegally fired because of their support for the union.) So the organizer “inoculates” the worker by warning her of what she could face: being fired, harassed, demotions or harder work assignments, being forced to sit through hours of anti-union videos on work time, or being asked to inform on her friends and co-workers. Some workers will walk away after this, knowing they’re just not ready to take the risks involved. But those who remain know what they are risking for the cause of justice, and they become stronger with that knowledge.

Being a disciple of Jesus today still puts us at risk of condemnation, especially if we follow his path of seeking justice. Consider people of faith in Arizona who give rides to church to undocumented immigrants. They are indeed welcoming the immigrant as Christ himself (Matthew 25:35), but they are also now breaking the law in their state. I also think about members of WIN who believe their faith calls them to stand in solidarity with workers who haven’t been paid. Occasionally they have found that the result is trash being thrown at them or threats being made to their safety. Or what about Jesus’ warning about family? At one time or another, many of us have been tempted to keep the family peace by holding our tongues when a relative says something offensive about poor people or people of color. And of course, there are workers every day who risk – and lose – their livelihoods because they are no longer willing to tolerate the injustice and even abuse that they experience at work.

            For those of who have some privilege in this nation because of our skin color, our gender, our citizenship status, our wealth, or our professional standing, it’s hard not be frightened a bit by Jesus warnings about what we can lose as disciples.

            We have to remember his words in light of the gospel – the good news – that what we gain in return for this sacrifice is the kingdom of God. We get to welcome God’s reign, where the hungry are fed, where the lowly are lifted up and the powerful brought down, where we live in shalom as one family, where mourning and crying and pain are no more. Despite my fears and doubts at times, I know I want to be one of the disciples who follows Jesus to this place, even if the road there will be a rocky one. 

10 Reasons You'll Be Glad You Came to the Faith and Labor Picnic

It's hard to believe another year has gone by, and it's time for the Faith and Labor Picnic. Held on Labor Day, this year's picnic is WIN's seventh one. Because of your participation and generosity, the picnic has grown from about 50 people the first year to more than 415 last year, and raising more than $25,000 to make Mid-South workplaces more just!

I hope you'll join me at the Picnic, September 7th, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church in Midtown, at the corner of Galloway and Evergreen.

On the fence about whether you want to come? Here's my 10 top reasons why you should:

10. Let's face it: cookouts just aren't as much fun when you have to be the cook. Save yourself the work and let us do the cooking for you.

9. We've got the fixins for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. Even your pickiest eaters will love the assortment of homemade cookies to choose from.

8. Everybody has just a little bit of aggression built up inside. The dunk tank is a great way to release it! If you know this year's dunkees - Pete Gathje, Jacob Flowers, and Brad Watkins - it's even more fun.

7. Danza Azteca Quetzalcoatl, the dance group we've added to our entertainment lineup this year, is amazing. Don't believe me? Check out this picture from the Commercial Appeal of their recent performance at the Native American Indian Association's Powwow.

6. Could you use a $25 gift card to Kroger? Like to have a beautiful piece of Frank D. Robinson's artwork or some handmade jewelry? How about a few boxes of Kellogg's cereal? You'll have the chance to win these doorprizes - and more - when you attend the picnic. About 50 doorprizes are given away, so you have a great chance of winning.

5. The picnic is your chance to hear Congressman Cohen speak about the Employee Free Choice Act and health care reform without a bunch of tea party hecklers trying to drown him out with their screaming.

4. When you buy a ticket to the picnic, you're raising critically needed funds for WIN's Workers' Center. You are making sure that workers have a place in Memphis where they can learn about their rights, and how to stand up for those rights.

3. Once you let your kids spend an hour jumping up and down in the Moonbounce, they'll pass out once you get home a leave you a peaceful hour to yourself.

2. Been curious about how you can plug into the progressive community in Memphis? Lots of groups besides WIN will have informational booths, including the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center, Memphis Area Women's Council, and the Memphis AFL-CIO. You'll also have the chance to meet a number of candidates for local office - find out what their positions are on issues you care about!

1. You deserve to CELEBRATE what you have accomplished with WIN! Recovering more than $152,000 in unpaid wages, workers compensation, and discrimination settlements. Stopping a repeal of the city and county living wage ordinances. Educating more than 400 workers on their rights. These things are a big deal, and they happened because of your generosity and action! Come celebrate with other WIN members, and lay the foundation for future victories.

The party won't be the same without you! See you on Labor Day, Sept. 7th at Trinity United Methodist Church (1738 Galloway Ave.) Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 5 - 12, or a maximum of $30 per family.