FACING WAR-jazz concert at Riverhead First Baptist Church

THE MUSICIANS
The first event of the ten-day long FACING WAR event, sponsored by NFPOC and Riverhead First Baptist Church, was a jazz concert held at the church.

It is not often that the forces and elements conspire to create a truly magical event, one that connected the diverse communities on the North Fork and brought us together to mourn the fallen soldiers and the ineffable consequences of war but also to celebrate life and hope through music, dancing and dialogue. Four groups of musicians played for three hours against a background of the panels that consist of the photographs and obituaries of the Honor the Fallen Memorial.

Although the lighting in the hall does not allow us to show the musicians at their best, we hope that these photographs will allow you to share some of the atmosphere even if you were unable to join us last Saturday evening.









THE AUDIENCE
These photos speak for themselves--the audience made up of children, teenagers and adults, all rapt and delighted, transformed by the music.

HONORING THE FALLEN
People took time to meditate and reflect at the lost lives honored in the memorial's panels which lined the hallways of the church.





THE WORKERS AND SPONSORS
Installing the panels and readying the church for the concert was a labor of love and collaboration which we hope will be the beginning of many other community projects in the future.

AFSC's 'ONE DAY OF THE IRAQ WAR' at First Baptist Church

To bring home to us the cost of the Iraq war in terms that each of can relate to, AFSC lent us their new exhibit consisting of five tall free-standing banners, each itemizing what the cost of one day of the war costs Americans. Some examples:

95,364 Head Start Places for children,
34,904 4-year scholarships for university students
84 new elementary schools

For more information, http://www.afsc.org/cost/default.htm or IBieri@afsc.org

Here is how the exhibit looked at the First Riverhead Baptist Church this week. Please visit it soon before it returns to NYC.