"Esse Quam Videri: Muslim Self-Portraits" exhibit at Heart Mountain Interpretive Center through Sept. 18

From the Heart Mountain Foundation web site:

The Heart Mountain Interpretive Center at the site of a World War II Japanese-American internment camp outside of Cody, Wyo. will present a new exhibit featuring self-portraits that reveal Muslim Americans in everyday life. The exhibit is intended to counteract stereotypes and preconceived notions about Muslims in America at this time in history. Esse Quam Videri: Muslim Self-Portraits will be exhibited in the Ford Foundation Special Exhibition Area through Sept. 18, 2012.

"This exhibit is the first in a series of exhibits at the Interpretive Center that will encourage visitors to think about prejudice, stereotyping and religious, racial and ethnic profiling," said Stevan Leger executive director.

"Esse Quam Videri" means "to be rather than to seem." The exhibit includes photographs, collaged images and self-drawn portraits of and by Muslim Americans are presented with short essays to add context.

For more information, please contact Steve Leger at 307-754-8000 or by email at sleger@heartmountain.org. The Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center hours are 10 to 5 Wednesday through Saturday.

Wyoming Humanities Council Saturday University in Jackson set for March 3

Paul Flesher

From a Wyoming Humanities Council press release:

On Saturday, March 3, from 8:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, join the Wyoming Humanities Council and the University of Wyoming for Saturday University, a free day of learning featuring the best and brightest scholars from the University of Wyoming.

Spring 2012 Saturday University features chair of religious studies Paul Flesher, associate professor of economics Klaas Van't Veld, and professor of English Susan Aronstein. Following the lectures, all three professors will participate in a final roundtable discussion. No registration is required. Participants who attend all three terms are eligible to earn college credit from Central Wyoming College.

Saturday University is sponsored by the Wyoming Humanities Council, the University of Wyoming, and the University of Wyoming Foundation, and co-presented by Central Wyoming College, the National Museum of Wildlife Art, and the Teton County Library Foundation. The program is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit www.uwyo.edu/humanities.

Face of Jesus appears on trailer park refrigerator; hilarity ensues in CLTP's first play of 2012

Book your seats now for CLTP's hilarious production of

Messiah on the Frigidaire
Directed by Dave Gaer

The small town of Elroy, South Carolina is thrust into the middle of a media frenzy when the face of Jesus appears on a refrigerator in a trailer park. When Lou Ann, her husband Dwayne and best friend Betsy become the center of the evangelical spotlight, their relationships are put to the test, proving God moves in truly mysterious ways.

Performance Dates: January 20 & 21 and 26-28, 2012 @ 7:30 p.m.; January 22 & 29, 2012 @ 2:00 pm, at the Historic Atlas Theatre in downtown Cheyenne. Special Thursday night $10 discount performance on January 26, 2012 @ 7:30 pm.

Call 307-638-6543 or book online at www.cheyennelittletheatre.org

"Handel's Messiah" Dec. 18 at Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church in Casper

"Handel's Messiah"
December 18, 2011 • 4:00 p.m.
Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church, Casper

The Casper Chamber Society and ARTCORE will present the Christmas section of Messiah by George Frideric Handel. The performance will feature a Casper select chorus, soloists, and orchestra under the direction of Frederick Taylor. Although written to be performed during the Lent and Easter seasons, Messiah is most often heard during the Christmas season. Its first performance was in Dublin in1742, with Handel himself at the harpsichord. The libretto was designed and organized by Charles Jennens from both Old and New Testaments.

The work was well received in Dublin but did not become popular for another decade. Handel revised sections of the work for many subsequent performances based on the availability of soloists. During the nineteenth century, and especially during Victorian times, it became fashionable to perform Messiah with huge choruses and orchestras. The style of Messiah is essentially that of Italian Baroque opera requiring a certain virtuosity in solo arias.

The nature of most baroque music is that it was done with small ensembles and small choirs. Today we would call it chamber music. There is a brilliance, pungency, and intimacy with smaller ensembles that is often lost with larger organizations, yet is the essence of Handel’s music.

This will be the first Casper performance of Handel’s Messiah in several years.
Casper Chamber Music Society members will be admitted by their season tickets.

"Green Church" by Rawlins author Rebekah Simon-Peter getting national attention

Always interesting to discover Wyoming authors who've been living under our noses the whole time.

Rebekah Simon-Peter, a 12-year resident of Rawlins who describes herself as a "churchwoman," has written three non-fiction books on a subject close to her heart -- the "greening" of our churches. The most recent is "Green Church: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rejoice!" (Abingdon Press, 115 pages, paperback, ISBN: 9781426702921). It received a favorable review this week from Roger Wolsey at the Huffington Post.

Find out more about Rebekah and her books, visit her page at the Wyoming Authors' Wiki.

The book is available in print and Kindle e-book. Order here. 

Helen Schmill announces publication of three books

Helen Schmill

Casper writer Helen Schmill announces publication of three books through Xlibris:

"A Morning with God," an illustrated children's book
"Paradise Lost 2011," described as "a reading play for churches and schools"
"A Grandmother's Old Testament Hymns," a living autobiography

Order copies of Helen's books through amazon.com, xlibris.com or through http://www.wix.com/helenschmill/books#!contact

May the food be with you -- at July 7 "Star Wars" food-raiser

Darth Vader wants your food -- for Cheyenne NEEDS

Highlands United Presbyterian Church announces its "Star Wars" Festival “food-raiser” for NEEDS. The STAR WARS FESTIVAL, is scheduled for 6:30-9:30 p..m., Thursday, July 7, at the Highlands United Presbyterian Church, 2390 Pattison Ave., Cheyenne . The public is invited to attend. Admission is FREE with the donation of any non-perishable food item or baby item such as diapers. All items collected will be donated to NEEDS, Inc. for their food bank.

A variety of events are planned as part of this family evening: 

6:30 pm - Intergalatic Meet-and-Greet
Want to meet Darth Vader, Imperial Stormtroopers or R2D2? Come early to the talk and meet some of your favorite characters from the Star War films. Bring your camera and take as many pictures as you like! Re-enactors include members of the Mountain Garrison of the 501st Legion -- www.501st.com. Members reside in both Colorado and Wyoming.

Dr. Toby Rush presents "The Music of Star Wars"

7:30 pm - Presentation: The music of Star Wars 
This 90-minute multimedia presentation from UNC music professor TOBY RUSH, includes excerpts from all six films. Dr. Rush will present the music of Star Wars and explore how John Williams used the soundtrack to help tell George Lucas' epic tale.

9 pm - Costume Contest
Wear your Star Wars costume! Guests are encouraged to dress as characters from any of the Star Wars films. A short fashion show, allowing guests to strut their stuff, will be held following Dr. Rush’s talk. Prizes will be awarded for the top outfits!

All this FREE with your donation for NEEDS! So bring the family, this is one event you don’t want to miss! And it’s for a good cause – with all foodstuffs to be donated to NEEDS Cheyenne. 

Highlands Presbyterian Church is located in north Cheyenne at 2390 Pattison Avenue. From Dell Range at Mountain, drive north on Mountain Road to the intersection of Pattison and Mountain.

For more information, contact Rodger McDaniel, pastor of Highlands Presbyterian, at 307-634-2962 (church office) or rodger.mcdaniel@bresnan.net.

Red Desert Rendezvous and Art Show June 17-19

Photo by Ken Driese

From the Wyoming Association of Churches:

We welcome your participation at the Red Desert Rendezvous and Art Show scheduled in and around Rock Springs for June 17-19.

The Rendezvous will offer people an opportunity to come and experience the Red Desert first hand with tours and an evening educational session on June 18. The goal of our collective effort for Red Desert Week and the Red Desert Rendezvous is to focus attention on this spectacular and mostly unknown piece of Wyoming's landscape and to do what we can to protect this important part of our heritage. Many in our coalition of Red Desert supporters would love to see the best parts of these lands designated a National Conservation Area while others would be content to see responsible federal and state agencies work to protect its unique features.

For a guided tour, you must sign up in advance.  There are four tour options. The tours are limited to 20 each per BLM requirements.  Registration will be on a first come, first serve basis.  Travel costs for gas will be shared.  You will be contacted to confirm your reservation and for specific directions. 

For the dinner, we also need advance registration and payment by June 13th. The Red Desert Rendezvous dinner is on Saturday, June 18, 5:30 pm at the Young at Heart Senior Center, 2400 Reagan Avenue, Rock Springs.  The dinner is $16 per person payable to the Wyoming Association of Churches on line at the link below or by check sent to:
Warren Murphy
50 Diamond View Drive
Cody, WY 82414

All other events are free – Also at the Young at Heart Senior Center, Saturday, June 18
Reception with an art show, 3 – 5:30 pm
Key note speaker and panel, 7 pm

Ecumenical Service for the Earth on Sunday, June 19 at 1 pm, at an outdoor site yet to be selected.  Plan to be there by 12:30 and bring a picnic lunch!

Overnight camping is allowed in the Red Desert.

A small block of rooms for June 17 and 18 are being held until June 15 at the new Comfort Inn & Suites in Rock Springs at 2622 Commercial Way. Call 307-362-9100 and ask for the BOCES block.  The cost is $99/night and includes breakfast.

Click here to Register

Penny Zeller, Amanda Cabot and Audra Harders sign books June 4 in Cheyenne

Penny Zeller will be joined by Amanda Cabot (a Wyoming author with over 25 novels published) and Audra Harders on Saturday, June 4, at Cornerstone Christian Supply from 10 a.m.-noon  and at Barnes and Noble from 2-4 p.m., Cheyenne. All three authors write historical fiction and will be signing books in that genre. Penny will be signing one of her nonfiction books. Her books include McKenzie and Kaydie (books one and two in Penny's Montana Skies series) and 77 Ways Your Family Can Make a Difference. FMI: www.pennyzeller.com

Islamic Cultural Awareness Week April 13-15 at UW

From a University of Wyoming press release:

Comedy, prayer and table tennis are among activities scheduled to celebrate Islamic Cultural Awareness Week April 13-15 at the University of Wyoming, sponsored by the UW Muslim Student Association.

The schedule:

Wednesday, April 13, 5:45-7:45 p.m. -- "Why Do We Love Jesus?" speaker from Colorado in the Wyoming Union Ballroom. Pizza will be provided.

Thursday, April 14, 8 p.m. -- Comedy show "Allah Made Me Funny" in Room 103 of the Classroom Building. Pizza will be provided.

Friday, April 15, 12:30 p.m. -- Friday prayer on campus in Room 123 of Coe Library. Snacks will be provided.

Friday, April 15, 5 p.m. -- Ping pong competition in the Wyoming Union basement, with awards given to the top three places. To sign-up or get more info, email Mahmoud at malkahlo@uwyo.edu or Ammad at  aamad@hotmail.com . Registration ends at noon Wednesday, April 13.

Noted religion author and editor selected as keynote speaker for Casper conference

Religion writer Phyllis Tickle is the keynote speaker at Episcopal Church Women's Spring Conference in Casper, April 29-May 1. Tickle, a highly sought-after lecturer, will be making her first appearance in Wyoming at the annual conference themed “Walking with Jesus.” The Episcopal Church Women's event will be held at St. Mark's Episcopal Church.

Tickle, founding editor of the Religion Department of Publishers Weekly, is recognized as an authority on religion in America. In addition to her popular lectures and numerous essays, articles and interviews, Tickle is the author of more than two dozen books on religion and spirituality, most recently "The Great Emergence," "How Christianity is Changing and Why" and "The Words of Jesus, A Gospel of the Sayings of Our Lord."

Registration for the full conference is $100 and open to all. (A special rate of $75 is available for those who wish to participate on Saturday only.) The event is drawing participants from throughout the Rocky Mountain region because Tickle's travel schedule is very limited.

The ECW conference will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Casper, 701 South Wolcott. A block of rooms has been set aside for conference attendees at the Quality Inn (307-215-9951 or 866-974-9802) at 821 North Poplar. Mention “ECW” to get the special diocesan rate.

FMI: Call Pamela RW Kandt, ECW Communications, at 307-377-7763 or email PamelaKandt@gmail.

Matteo Pistono, author of "In the Shadow of the Buddha," returns to Wyoming April 5-8

Author Matteo Pistono was one of the speakers at the Casper College Humanities Festival in February. He’s returning to the state in April for presentations in Casper and Laramie. Here are the details:

Tuesday, April 5, 6 p.m., Casper

Casper College, Leik Auditorium, Physical Sciences 103

“Tibetan Pilgrimage: In the Shadow of the Buddha”

Slide show and Book Talk by Matteo Pistono

Thursday, April  7, 3:10 p.m., Laramie

International Studies Program, University of Wyoming

“China, Tibet, and the Human Rights Debate: Why Can¹t the Dalai Lama and China Find Common Ground?”

Lecture by Matteo Pistono followed by response by Jean Garrison, Tom Seitz and Michael Brose

Friday, April 8, 7-8 p.m., Laramie

Second Story Books, 105 East Ivinson

“Tibetan Pilgrimage: In the Shadow of the Buddha”

Slide show and Book Talk

Watch the video trailer for “In the Shadow of the Buddha: Secret Journeys, Sacred Histories, and Spiritual Discovery in Tibet” at http://www.matteopistono.com/disc.htm

New novel by Jackson's Deborah Bedford

Deborah Bedford, Jackson resident and long-time faculty member for the Jackson Hole Writers Conference, has a new book, co-written with Joyce Meyer. It's entitled "Any Minute" and here's a description:

Sarah Harper is driven to achieve success no matter what the cost. She wants to do good and not hurt the people she loves—especially children and her husband, Joe—but her desire to succeed in her career too often leaves little time for family.

One cold, autumn afternoon, all of that changes when Sarah's car plunges off a bridge and into a river. She is presumed dead by those on the "outside," but Sarah's spirit is still very much alive. What she discovers on the other side transforms everything about Sarah's view of life—past, present, and future.

When Sarah is revived, she is a changed woman. And the unsuspecting world around her will never be the same again.

Info: Faith Words publishing, $14.95 US, ISBN-13: 978-0-446-58253-7

Order at Valley Bookstore in Jackson. Valley Bookstore no longer offers online ordering. Order Deborah's books by phone 307-733-4533 or email them.

"Religion Versus Science" author at Second Story Books on Feb. 25

Dr. Ron Frost, author of "Religion Versus Science," will be at the Second Story Book Store, 105 Ivinson Avenue in downtown Laramie on Friday, February 25, 6:30-8 p.m. for a book signing. FMI: (307) 745-4423

"Religion" exhibit opens Dec. 17 at The Corridor Gallery in Casper

The Corridor Gallery announces “Religion”, an upcoming show featuring 25 artists accepted by process of jury. The Corridor Gallery’s member artists evaluated more than 60 entries to accept a final 29 works into the show. The call for entries allowed any medium or format to be entered under the broad subject of “Religion”. Submissions depict the many facets of religious interpretation and belief through creative expression. One piece will be selected as the Best in Show winner durning the opening reception bringing the winning artist a feature solo show at The Corridor Gallery.

The 25 accepted artists include Marta Amundson, Glenn Bochmann, Eric Wimmer, LuDel Deal Walter, Bruce Allemani, Win Ratz, Leighton White, Conor Mullen, Jamie Lacore, Brad Cool, Karyne Dunbar, Sharon Merschat, Gabrielle Reeves, Robert Martinez, Michael Flicek, Gabriella Hileman, Unknown Haitian artist, Lisa Lofgren, Rodney Mahaffey, MaryFair Whitlatch, Seth Ramsey, Cynthia Rose, Ron Whitlatch, Gigi Atkins and Jacey Myers. Location of artists range from Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas and Illinois. Mediums range from collage, quilt/fiber, paint, photography, ceramics, wire sculpture and mixed media.

The opening reception will open to the public on Friday, December 17th at 7 p.m. including a cash bar and many of the artists will be present. “Religion” will show only through Sunday, December 19th. Most pieces will be offered for sale.

Information: For more information, please contact The Corridor Gallery at (307) 333-7035, Zak at (307) 262-3549 or visit http://www.thecorridorgallery.com/

Tom Rea speaks about "Martin's Cove Controversy" in Rawlins Nov. 10

"The Martin's Cove Controversy: Public Land, Sacred Land," featuring author Tom Rea (pictured above), will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 7 p.m., at the Carbon County Education Center, Rawlins. This event is free and open to the public. It's part of the award-winning "Power of Place" series. FMI: Dave Throgmorton, 307-328-9204

Here's a description:

Bad weather, bad planning and their own zeal killed about 150 members of the Martin Handcart Company as they trekked across Wyoming in 1856. Today, the spot on the Oregon trail near Devil’s Gate where some of these Mormon pioneers died lies on BLM land--and at the center of controversy over religious freedom and the right of public access. Tom Rea explores the history of Martin’s Cove, using historical and contemporary photographs, and describes its later transformation into “holy ground” for the LDS Church. His presentation raises questions about who owns the past and how we preserve a balance between public and religious rights.

Tom Rea grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa., and has lived in Wyoming for 35 years. He holds degrees from Williams College and the University of Montana, and worked for many years as a reporter and editor on the Casper Star-Tribune. His books include Devil’s Gate: Owning the Land, Owning the Story (Oklahoma, 2006), winner of the 2006-07 nonfiction book award from the Wyoming State Historical Society, and Bone Wars: The Excavation and Celebrity of Andrew Carnegie’s Dinosaur, (Pittsburgh, 2001, paperback 2004) winner of the Western Writers of America Spur Award for contemporary nonfiction. He lives with his family in Casper.

"Picturing Faith" exhibit at UW

From a press release:

A series of photographs showing the place of religion in American society will be on display through March 23 in the University of Wyoming Classroom Building west entrance lounge in Laramie.

The UW Department of Religious Studies, along with others, sponsors "Picturing Faith: Religious America in Government Photography, 1935-1943." The exhibit is curated by Colleen McDannell, University of Utah Sterling M. McMurrin Professor of Religious Studies.

She will present a free public lecture Thursday, Feb. 12, at 5:10 p.m. in Room 133 of the Classroom Building. Refreshments will follow the lecture.

The Historical Division of the Farm Security Administration in 1935 began making a photographic survey of economic struggle and social dislocation in Depression-era America. The resulting "sociologists with cameras" entered the homes and churches of the poor and also the middle class.

They photographed people in prayer, domestic shrines, dinner graces, parishioners going into their churches, revival meetings, and even the gospel trucks of itinerant preachers. Picturing faith in the exhibit's series of photographs shows the place of religion in American society through the lens of some of America's most well-known photographers such as Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange and Gordon Parks.

"Picturing Faith" also presents the works of equally talented but lesser-known photographers such as John Collier Jr., Marion Post Wolcott, Russell Lee, Jack Delano and Marjory Collins.

Also sponsoring the exhibit are the Wyoming Humanities Council, UW Foundation, the Office of Academic Affairs, the College of Arts and Sciences, the American Heritage Center, the Department of History, the African American Studies Program, the Master of Fine Arts Program, the American Studies Program, the Department of Art, the Chicano Studies Program, the Women's Studies Program and the Art Museum.

For more information, contact Quincy Newell, UW Department: Religious Studies assistant professor, at (307) 766-2144 or e-mail qdnewell@uwyo.edu.

Photo: Religion in America -- Dorothea Lange's "Migrant Mother" is among images in a series of photographs depicting religion in American currently on display in the University of Wyoming Classroom Building west entrance lounge. (Photo Courtesy of Library of Congress)

Tom Rea pens series on "Wyoming's Mormons"

Wyofile is featuring a series of articles on "Wyoming's Mormons" by Casper writer and historian Tom Rea. Tom's most recent book is "Devil's Gate: Owning the Land, Owning the Story," from University of Oklahoma Press.

Here's some info on the series from Wyofile:

Beginning Monday, Casper journalist/historian Tom Rea looks at the significant role played by Wyoming's large Mormon population in the state's culture, politics and business.

The first part of the three week series on Wyofile.com focuses on Wyoming's beautiful Star Valley, where Mormons migrated in the late 19th Century to avoid arrest under anti-polygamy laws. Rea interviews prominent Mormons and those who have fallen away from the church in a compelling portrait of an LDS stronghold.

Subsequent articles will explore the conflicts between temple and state along the Mormon Trail; the growing LDS population in Laramie and the increasingly powerful political influence of Wyoming's Mormons who count for about 12 percent -- one of nine Wyomingites -- of the state's population.