Circle Cinema and Tulsa Interfaith Alliance present Sister Rose's Passion

Presented to honor the memory of Tulsa's interfaith leader Reverend Russell Bennett, a long time social justice advocate and LGBT ally, to commemorate the one year anniversary of his passing.

Born in rural Wisconsin, Sister Rose was one of eleven children in a devout Catholic family that prayed and said the rosary together daily. There were no Jews where she lived. All she knew of the Jewish people and their faith was what she was taught in religion classes. However, at a very early age, Rose began to question the Church's view that Jews were responsible for Christ's death. Years later, as a nun, her activism on the subject resulted in an official change in the Vatican's position on the death of Jesus - a change that affected all Catholic churches, schools and literature throughout the world. This documentary chronicles Sister Rose's courageous fight against anti-Semitism.

Sister Rose's Passion, a tribute to the late Reverend Russ Bennett, will show at Circle Cinema on Sunday, August 26, at 2pm.

The free screening is co-sponsored by the Tulsa Interfaith Alliance. 

The Elements: Council Oak Men's Chorale Summer Concert

The Tulsa PAC hosts COMC's summer concert, The Elements, this Saturday and Sunday. On the heels of the Live Earth concerts, Council Oak Men's Chorale pays tribute to our environment with a concert of songs about the four basic elements: earth, wind, fire, and water. Songs in this original program include "Earth Angel," "They Call the Wind Maria," "Ring of Fire" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water."

Tickets are $15. To purchase, visit the Tulsa PAC website.

DIVAS 2007 Concert to Benefit H.O.P.E

The 2007 benefit, produced by Tulsa sensation Rebecca Ungerman, features an all-star lineup: Cindy Cain, John Sawyer, Heather Richetto ­Rumley, OkEq volunteer and MCC pastor Reverend Carolyn Mobley, Pam Van Dyke ­Crosby, Christy Hanewinkel from The Red Alert, Annie Ellicott, and Charlie Redd from the Full Flava Kings; as well as a silent and live auction.

Proceeds will help support H.O.P.E. programs, such as prevention education about HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and other STIs, the only statewide 24-­hour HIV/STD resource hotline, and the only free, anonymous testing and counseling facility in northeastern Oklahoma -- including the service provided at the Equality Center.

To purchase tickets, contact H.O.P.E. at 918.­749.­TEST (8378), or visit the Tulsa Performing Arts Center website. For more information, visit H.O.P.E.'s website.

Starting September 8, OkEq will offer a support group for those experiencing religious/spiritual crises or questioning related to sexual orientation and identity.

The group will meet every other Saturday from 3pm to 5pm at the Equality Center, is open to the LGBTQ community and their friends, family, and allies, and will be co-led by experienced and trained group facilitators.

Is your spiritual or religious faith in crisis in part because of your orientation? Are you struggling to maintain your faith in light of religious beliefs that conflict with being gay? Have you experienced oppression from religious or spiritual communities for your sexual orientation?

This group will provide a safe, confidential environment for sharing questions and concerns, supporting others, learning from others' experiences, and collaboratively exploring religious/spiritual crises and ways to manage, cope, grow and heal from such experiences.

Transitions

Passed: Harold Hooker 

Born in Mount Vernon, Illinois on April 25, 1932, died in Tulsa July 22, 2007 surrounded by loving friends. Harold graduated high school in 1950 and then went to work for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in Evansville, Ind. He soon enlisted in the US Marine Corps, spending six years stationed at Camp Pendleton and Japan, and serving in the Korean War as a parachutist in a reconnaissance unit. Harold returned to Mount Vernon to spend time with his family before following his dream to head west to find work in California. Running short of cash upon arriving in Oklahoma, and he took a job with the Santa Fe Railroad in Okmulgee. The temporary job turned into a 35-year career; Harold was as proud to work for the railroad as he was to be a Marine. He fell in love with Oklahoma and called the Tulsa area home for over 47 years. His passion for motorcycles led him to a riding club that toured all over Oklahoma and southwestern United States. A lover of the outdoors, Harold took advantage of the vacation time afforded by his job to explore as much as he could.

Harold's close friend Stan remembers:

Harold had a passion for life: If he wasn't on his bike, he was camping with friends, or kicking some serious butt shooting pool down at the Tool Box (now the Tulsa Eagle). Shortly before his retirement, I some how talked him into going in business together. I thought it would be a great idea to set up a booth at flea markets on the weekends and sell some really neat (cheap) gift items and "GET RICH!" H&S Sales was born. Well, we went into business and had a blast, but we didn't get rich. Soon I got a real job, but Harold loved the friends he made and spent many years of his retirement, not making money and having a wonderful time at flea markets all over NE OK. While health issues over the past few years slowed him down, he continued to live life as best he could and had the love and support of his close friends. Harold was very independent and wanted to stay that way as long as he could, able to live at home until right before his death. Harold will be missed, but his memory will always be with those of us that loved him so much.

Friends of Harold are raising money to purchase a pool table in his honor for the Equality Center. Donations may be sent to: Oklahomans for Equality, PO Box 2687, Tulsa, OK, 74101.

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