Hello Jubilants,

Joy is that extraordinary happiness that is independent of what happens to us. Good luck can make us happy, but it cannot give us lasting joy.  The root of joy is gratefulness.
Brother David Steindl-Rast, Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer

Have you ever met someone who exuded joy? These people radiate a gladness that not only doesn’t depend on joyous circumstances, but often comes from a life that has known great suffering. This week as we explore Becoming Joy, I am thinking about the marks that the pandemic has left on so many of our lives. Articles about the collective trauma we’ve endured and the resulting mental health crises abound. I wonder if another possible outcome might be a quiet joy we didn’t know before?
 
The joy of trees and birds, of phone calls from friends and long walks alone – these aren’t new to me this year, but there is a new depth to them. As I have tuned in more closely to the trauma of being Black in America over the past decade, I have also found solace in paying attention to Black joy, Black creativity, Black love. While my Black sisters and brothers owe me nothing, watching and learning from their capacity to thrive in hostile environments has been a welcome antidote to my own white fragility on days when staying with the work of anti-racism feels hard.
 
Somebody once said that joy is happiness with a much longer shelf life. As much as I like the question, “What brings you joy?” maybe an even better one is “What joy do you bring to this day?”
 
Jubilee! has long been in the business of bringing joy and this week is no different as our Hunger Basket donations support Children First, WNC Health Services and Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries; we are offered the opportunity to join folks around the world walking a labyrinth for world peace; and we smile and sing together in glorious cacaphony on Zoom.
 
With joy,
Laura 

MEET THIS QUARTER'S HUNGER BASKET RECIPIENTS
One of the most amazing things about Jubilee! is the generosity of our community.  Each quarter we give our Hunger Basket donations to several community service organizations that directly support the folks who need it most.  This quarter your Hunger Basket donations go to:

• Children First ~ empowers children and their families to reach their full potential through advocacy, education and services that aim to help kids stay in school and achieve in life
• Western North Carolina Community Health Services ~ offers comprehensive, high-quality whole person health care to low income, indigent and uninsured patients who may not otherwise be able to afford health care via traditional sources, regardless of their ability to pay
• Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry ~ provides a homeless shelter, food and clothes pantry, and life skills training for achieveing successful independent living

WALK AS ONE AT 1
This Saturday at 1pm, people throughout the world will be walking labyrinths with a singular intention to promote, pray for, envision, collaborate, dance, intend and affirm peace. You are invited to gather locally for the walk at Johanna Manasse's beautiful labyrinth in Weaverville at 12:30 pm on Saturday, May 1st.  The walk, which begins at 1pm, is part of World Labyrinth Day and participants are encouraged to sign up ahead of time at The Big Connection, a research project studying the collective impact of participants walking with a very specific intention. If you can't make it to Weaverville, you can also go to the labyrinth at UNCA (beside the library), the Peace Garden at First Baptist Church on Oak Street (by the YMCA) or to the Riverlink Labyrinth on Riverside Drive (by the Cotton Mill Studios).  Alternatively, download a labyrinth image from the internet and finger walk it at 1pm.  If you want to join the walk in Weaverville, just email Johanna at jvm795@gmail.com

JUST CONVERSATIONS
Jubilee! is co-sponsporing Just Conversations: Dialoguing for a Deeper Truth with the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice.  This is a series of online discussions with activists  about the lessons they have learned working long-term with people who share their goals but not all of their identities. The first event in the series, facilitated by the Rev. Tami Forte Logan, will be with Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu (Desmond Tutu's daughter) and Rose Bator on Thursday, May 20th from 6:30 to 7:45pm. Please save the dates for the other sessions included in this series on June 3rd, June 17th, July 8th and July 22nd.  More details on furture dates will follow.  Learn more and register for the May 20th event.

ECO GRIEF CIRCLES
Jubilee! is part of Creation Care Alliance, which is offering a new seven-week series of Eco Grief Circles ~ an online opportunity to explore grief and sorrow, anxiety and fear, guilt and shame, anger and despair.  The series starts at 12pm noon on May 13th and continues every Thursday for seven weeks. About one hour and 15 minutes long each afternoon, the series offer mutual support, healing, insight and love, but is not a grief therapy experience. Past participants expressed profound gratitude for being among people who could talk honestly about grief, suffering, and the ecological and social challenges of our time. The leadership team includes counselors, pastors and environmental advocates.  Learn more and register here.

A LITTLE BIT OF TECH GOES A LONG WAY
Jubilee! is looking for folks who can help out with Zoom, Facebook Live, video and audio to support our Sunday Celebrations. Contact Patrick Fitzsimmons at patrickfitzsimmons@jubileecommunity.org if you have some experience and can help out this way. The Communications Team is looking for volunteers to occasionally work on the website and enewsletter. We use Mailchimp for the enewsletter and Thrive Themes on WordPress for our website...really easy systems that require zero coding ability.  If you'd like to join the Communications Team, email Michele Bernhardt at michele@jubileecommunity.org.

CONNECT WITH OTHER JUBILANTS
Have you added you contact information and photo to the password protected Jubilee! Community Directory yet?  This is a great resource for finding other Jubilants, and helping them connect with you.  Easy to do...just click here, fill out the form and email us your photo.  Password hint:  It's the name of our current Via, all one word with each word capitalized (i.e. ViaWhatever).

SO MANY WAYS TO SUPPORT JUBILEE!
We know it's not the same as filling the basket in person, but there are lots of different ways you can donate to Jubilee! and the Hunger Basket.  Please give as generously as you can!