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.