Yes, nuclear disarmament is still a critical issue for human survival, even if many of us have not been paying so much attention to it as a result of the immediate disasters of ongoing wars and economic crises.
The August 9 Saving Lives Task Force, a partner with New Jersey Peace Action, is sponsoring a
Peace Conference
When: Sunday, May 31, 2009, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Where: First Memorial Presbyterian Church
51 West Blackwell Street
Dover, NJ 07801
Admission Free
This is obviously not very close to us here in Teaneck, but this is important enough to publicize in case anyone can attend (and even if none of us can, it’s important that we not lose sight of the criticality of nuclear disarmament.) Here’s more information ….
President Obama has catapulted nuclear disarmament to the front page from its obscurity over the past decade. The August 9 Saving Lives Task Force has scheduled its second conference on May 31st to continue promoting the disarmament agenda. Join the group to learn what is happening in the disarmament movement and how you can support national and international efforts toward a nuclear weapons-free world.
Timing is critical. The START Treaty** expires this year.
Speakers:
- Brian Finlay, President of the Stimson Organization, Washington , D.C – The Domestic Politics of Nuclear Disarmament;
- Rick Ufford-Chase, Former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Executive Director of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, Director of the Stony Point Conference Center – The Role of Faith-Based Groups
- Larry Hamm, Director, People’s Organization for Progress – Redirecting Spending to Social and Humanitarian Programs
For more information please contact:
Dave Mortensen (862-812-2324) and/or
Madelyn Hoffman, NJ Peace Action (973-259-1126).
** The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the United States and the USSR by late 2001 resulted in the removal of about 80% of all strategic nuclear weapons then in existence. There is still a long way to go.
Conference Organizers:
- Islamic Center of Morris County in Rockaway
- Jam-e-Masjid Islamic Center in Boonton
- Multifaith Peace and Justice Alliance
- New Jersey Peace Action
- Peacemaking Committee of the Presbytery of Newton (Representing 62 Presbyterian churches in northwest NJ)
- Seeds of Peace of the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship
- Social Action Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Sussex County
Conference Co-Sponsors
- Church and Society Committee, Sparta United Methodist Church
- Essex County Chapter of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
- Essex County Greens
- First Memorial Presbyterian Church of Dover
- First Presbyterian Church of Rockaway
- Lakeland Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
- Network of Spiritual Progressives
- Northwest New Jersey Peace Fellowship
- Pax Christi NJ
- People’s Organization for Progress
- Tikkun
- Veterans for Peace, Chapter 021
- Vietnam Veterans Against the War - North Jersey
Revised Directions to the First Memorial Presbyterian Church, 51 West Blackwell Street, Dover, NJ 07801 – for the May 31, 2009 Peace Conference:
The first set of directions is from Route 80. The second is from the Dover train station. Please allow a little extra travel time due to the Dover flea market on Sundays. The public parking lot now has a pay station machine.
- From Route 80:
- For those east of Dover/Rockaway: Take Route 80 West.
- Get off at Exit 35A. There are two exits here at this intersection. Take the second one, the exit for Dover, which is right after the overpass.
- After coming around the jug-handle, you probably want to get in the middle lanes to avoid being in the right turn only entrances to the Mall. Watch for merging traffic on both sides.
- You are now on Mt. Hope Avenue heading south.
- If you are coming on Route 80 East from western NJ, get off at Exit 35 and bear to the right on to Mt. Hope Avenue. After getting off Route 80, you probably want to get in the middle lanes to avoid being in the right turn only entrances to the Mall. Watch for merging traffic on both sides.
- Go for about 1.5 to 2 miles on Mt. Hope Avenue and you will come to the intersection of Route 46 / East McFarland St.
- Make a right on to Route 46 / East McFarland.
- Go for about one eighth of a mile on Route 46. Before the next turn you will see North Sussex Street on your left. Don't turn yet.
- At the next light is Pequannock Street. Make a left on to Pequannock. After the first light Pequannock becomes North Warren Street. Keep going straight. After you pass through the intersection of Bassett Highway you will be making the next right.
- Make a right on to West Blackwell Street.
- After a very short distance there is the Baker Theater on the right and after that you will see the First Memorial Presbyterian Church on your right - 51 West Blackwell Street.
- There is a parking lot in back of the church, but it only has about 20 spaces. We need to reserve these for anyone with special needs, the church staff, and our guest speakers. The driveway is on the right just before you come to the church. If you are one of those who will be using the church lot, turn right into the driveway and the parking lot is to the rear of the church. The driveway entrance is one-way in only. The one-way exit is on the other side of the parking lot.
- For everyone else, here are the directions to the municipal public parking lot that is about 200 feet from the church: When on West Blackwell Street with the church to the right - Make a left on to Prospect Street and go about 200 feet. Change from last year: The public parking lot on the left now has a pay station machine by the first driveway. It is still a pay lot on Sundays as per the Dover Police Dept.
- If this lot is full, there is another public parking lot by the train station. It is also a pay lot.
- Go in the main entrance to the church that is closest to the street. This is the narthex/lobby where the literature, information and book tables will be located. (The side entrance by the in driveway is best for people with special needs).
- If you are having difficulty finding the church, please call Dave Mortensen at 862 812-2324 (cell). If anyone needs directions from another location, please email Dave Mortensen or call him.
- Directions from the Dover train station:
- When you get off the train, and with your back to the tracks, look for one of two streets that lead directly away from the train station. The streets are North Bergen and North Essex. If you are going uphill then you are going in the wrong direction.
- Follow one of these two streets out to Blackwell Street. It will either be East or West Blackwell.
- Turn left on to Blackwell. When you come to a safe intersection with a traffic light, cross to the other side.
- Go about four blocks (give or take one block) and after that you will see the Baker Theater on your right. The church is on your right just after the theater.
- Go in the main entrance to the church that is closest to the street. This is the narthex/lobby where the literature and information tables will be located. (The side entrance by the driveway is best for people with special needs).
- IMPORTANT NOTE: It is about a ten minute walk from the train station to the First Memorial Presbyterian Church. Sometimes the trains are not always on time, and there could be a ten or fifteen minute delay. If you are having difficulty finding the church, please call Dave Mortensen at 862 812-2324 (cell).
