www. port landobserver. com Decem ber 6. 20 0 6 Chinese, American Cultures Merge M etro Multi-ethnic backgrounds explored in ‘Seven Artists’ il’1 JJnrtlanh (Observer »f» 4j) of 'community’ service See Focus, page B3 SECTION B Soul-Stirring ‘Gospel Christmas’ Returns Local choirs and Oregon Symphony continue tradition The O regon S ym phony's perform ance ot G ospel C hristm as will return for its eighth year o f expressive, soul-stirring C hristm as music in gospel style for three 7:30 p.m. show s this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the A rlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. The perform ances feature harm onies and contem porary rhythm s o f the N orth w est G ospel Choir, a group o f m ore than 100 singers from m ore than 30 o f the Port land area’s gospel choirs. C onductor and arranger C harles Floyd will return to lead the Sym phony. A na tionally known conductor, Floyd has led more than 500 orchestras since 1991, in cluding the San Francisco. Atlanta, and H ou sto n S y m p h o n y O rc h e stra s. H is eleven-year partnership with N atalieC ole included the multiple Grammy Aw ard-w in ning tribute to Nat King C ole entitled “ U nforgettable, With Love.” H isconduct- ing appearances have included the annual “G ospel N ight at Pops" at B oston's S ym phony Hall and Esplanade Pavilion and a PBS telecast o f “ Evening at Pops," featur ing Patti L aB elle and Edw in Haw kins in a program o f gospel music. Nationally known conductor Charles Floyd will lead the Oregon Symphony's T h e c h o ir is d ir e c te d by G a ry performance o f Gospel Christmas. H em enw ay, pastor o f Journey Church in W alla Walla, Wash. Rehearsals take place three m onths prior to the perform ances, and occur each weekend. "T hese choir members, soloists and m usicians are people who love to sing and proclaim the G ood News through the m e dium o f gospel m usic,” said C hoirC oordi- nator Dorothy L. Davis. T his y ear's program will feature guest ensem ble Derrick M cDuffey & Chosen G eneration perform ing "K ing o f G lory" and D o n 't Forget the Baby." U nder the direction o f M inister M cDuffey. Chosen G eneration has been perform ing for al most a decade. Hailing from M ississippi, the group blends a large portion o f tradi tional and East Coast gospel ensem ble with a West Coast mass choir feel. The concert will also include arrange m ents including "Tell It On the M oun tain," “ Let Us Adore Him” and "The First Noel.” Tickets are $25 to $73 and may be pur chased at the Oregon Sym phony Ticket Office, 923 S.W. W ashington, or charged by phone at 503-228-1353, or Ticketmaster outlets, 503-224-441X). Discounted tickets for groups o f eight or more are available through the group sales hotline at 503- 416-6380. Kuni BM W/Cadillac is official autom o tive sponsor o f the 2(X)6-2(X)7 Gospel C hristm as perform ance, with additional support from the H eathm an Hotel. Local Leaders Say ‘Bring Troops Home’ Human needs called better alternative Tw o northeast Portland lawm akers joined the Port land City Council in support o f a resolution to bring U.S. troops hom e from Iraq and fund local human needs. State Sen. Avel G ordly and State Rep. Chip Shields joined social service and peace organizations to say that the $419 million Portlanders have spent on the w ar though U.S. taxpayer m onies could have be betterutilized for education, health care, housing and the environm ent. The Portland City Council voted unanim ously Thursday to support the resolution filed by C om m is sioner Randy Leonard. A "standing room only" crow d w itnessed moving testim ony from m ore than 50 people who made the Avel Gordly case for the resolution. Mukadzi i b iS t f. T* P ’ iW F .£2 African Cultural Arts at IFCC Loveness Wesa <iom m n nity L a 1 e n d a r Holiday Express ing, story telling, bagpipes, treats, toy making and holiday beverages. Admis- i sion is $3 or free for children under 15. December Zoo Lights The w hole fam ily can experience the by j The w alk-through w inter w onderland O r gone era o f the steam -pow ered train dur egon Z oo Lights com es to life throughout ing the Holiday Express at O aks Park in 1 the m onth o f Decem ber. The festival in southeast Portland. T rains will be depart cludes a lighted zoo train, choral and en every hour on the hour for the next tw o sem ble music, puppet shows, and a model w eekends; from 2p.ni ,to8 p.m. on Fridays train display. Festival hours are Sunday - and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and T hursday, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Sundays. For ticketing inform ation visit Saturday, 5 to8:30p.m . Closed D ec.24and orhf.org orcall 503-224- 8499. C hristm as Day. Holiday Bake Sale Presents for Primates T he SC R A P holiday bazaar & bake sale is Saturday, Dec. 9, from 11 a.m. t o 6 p.m. at 3 9 0 1A N. W illiams Ave. Local artisans will transform unw anted m aterials to cool and creative gifts to raise recycling aw are ness. On T hursday, Dec. 14, at 10a.m „ S an ta's Elves will give holiday gifts to the Oregon Z o o 's chim panzees, orangutans, mandrills and other pri mates. Bri ng yourcam eras for this great picture opportunity. Call 503- 2 2 6 -15 6 1 or visit oregonzoo.org for more information. Christmas at Fort Vancouver Saturday, Dec. 9, from 10a.m. to4 p.m., the Ft. V ancouver National Historical Site, KX1I E. Fifth St., Vancouver, hostsC hrist- mas at Fort V ancouver, a festive event focusing on holiday preparations in the 184O's by the H udson Bay C om pany em ployees. A ctivities include wreath mak- Christmas Tree Permits The Mt. Hood National Forest has opened its personal use C hristm as tree cutting program . Permits arc $5, limited to 5 per mits per household, with a 12’ foot m axi m um height per tree. For more inform ation. call the forest headquarters at 503-668- Chip Shields “Three years ago, when the case was made for war, many people, m yself included, were com pelled togive those in charge the benefit o f the doubt. It is clear now that we were grossly misled, and our service men and women are standing in harm 's way as a result," said Com missioner Leonard. "Adding our voice to the chorus o f cities around the country calling for their prompt return home is the least we can do." W ith the ado p tio n o f the reso lu tio n . Portland jo in e d m ore than 270 o th e r m u n icip alities around the U .S. that have called for an end to the w ar and o ccu p atio n in Iraq since the invasion in M arch 2003. T he resolution calls forthe US to “imm ediately com m ence an orderly and rapid withdrawal o f United States m ilitary personnel from Iraq," and support efforts to rebuild Iraq. The resolution also requests that “financial re sources used to prosecute the w ar be redirected to address the urgent needs o f the most vulnerable portions o f our population, including education, health care and full benefits for returning veterans.” Loveness Wesa presents ‘Half o f Myself ’ Z im babw ean artist and Portland resident Loveness W esa brings a new dance production to the local stage with three upcom ing perform ances at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, 5340 N. Interstate Ave. W asa had her A m erican debut in 2(X>4 with Langi vela Khona (W here I Com e From ), a theatrical dance based on the lives of African im m igrants. She will be continuing this them e in her newest production, Ingxenye Yami (H alf o f M yself) which explores the relationship between African im m igrants and Af- 17(X) M onday through Friday from 7:30 a.m .to 4 :3 0 p .m . Holiday Wreath Sale I he Black History M useum o f O regon is seeking brilliant m inds o f concerned indi viduals to help in restructuring the m u seum foundation's com m ittee. For infor mation, call 503-284-0617. Oregon Food Bank The O regon Food Bank seeks volunteers on M ondays from 1:30 p in. to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesdays, 9 a.m . to noon, to sort and repack perishable foods. Cal 15( 13-282-0555, e x te n sio n 272 o r v isit O re g o n fo o d bank.org. about th e p ro g ra m . C o n ta c t Kelly@ pclt.org or call 503-493-0293. Bradley-Angle House The Bradley-A ngle House needs volun teers to help its outreach against dom estic violence. W om en o f color and bilingual w omen are encouraged to call. For more information, call 503-282-9940. Parenting Classes N ew borns d o n 't com e with instruction i JAZZ D IV A / Team Up for Holiday Concert T w o o f Portland’s best jazz , soul and R&B musicians will team up fo ra special Christm as Concert in the his toric M ississippi neighborhood o f north Portland. L e g e n d a ry so u l d iv a L in d a Hornbuckle and keyboard goddess Janice Scroggins will perform a duo holiday concert in tw o show s on Sun day, Dec. 17 at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at M ississippi Studios, 39309N . M issis sippi Ave. Janice Scroggins A dm ission is $15. For tickets and more inform ation,call Mississippi Stu dios at 503-288-3895. Also on the schedu le for Ne w Y ear’s Eve, the Linda Hornbuckle Band will perform Sunday, Dec. 31 at Jimmy M ak's, 221 N.W. I Oth Ave. Tickets are $25 and can be reserved by calling 503- 295-6542. rican-Americans. Perform ances are on consecutive Tuesdays, Dec. 12. Dec. 19 and Dec. 2 6 at 7:30p.m. at the IFC C.The Dec. 2 6 performance will be a special show for the first day o f Kwanzaa. I ickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors, and children under five are free. For reservations call 5 0 3 -2 8 1 - 4599 or visit lovenessw esa.com . As with her previous works, Ingxenye Yami uses traditional African dances and drum m ing to create a dram atic story, but also adds an original musical score perform ed live. Before moving to the United States from Bulawayo, Z im ba bwe, W esa was well known in her country as a musician, dancer, actress, choreographer and theatre producer. The Portland Parks Environm ental Educa Volunteer for Crisis Line tion D epartm ent will be hosting the holi W ant to make a difference in yourcom m u- day wreath sale on W ednesday, Dec. 6 j nity? Volunteers and advocates are needed thru Sunday, Dec. I0 fro m 9 a .m .to 4 p .m „ for the Portland W om en’s Crisis Line. The at the Mt. T abor G reenhouse, 6437 S.E. i needs include on-call advocates to re Division St. All proceeds go to scholar spond in person or over the phone, o ut ships for low -incom e youth. re a c h an d e d u c a tio n a l e f f o rts , and fundraising and adm inistrative duties. Call Work Against Abuse 503-232-4176 for more information. C om m unity A dvocates invites those in terested in protecting children from abuse Home buying Classes to becom e an event volunteer, event o ut I Portland C om m unity Land Trust helps reach, technology expert, graphic artists first tim e and low -incom e hom ebuyers or office support team m em ber. For infor- purchase hom es at below market price. mation.call 503-280-1388. Attend a free, one-hourclass to learn more Black History Museum Linda Hornbuckle m anuals but parents and parents-to-be can attend classes through Providence Health System s to learn about a variety o f to p ic s fro m pain and c h ild b irth to breastfeeding to infant CPR and much more. For a schedule o f events, call 503- 574-6595 or visit: providence.org/classes. Stroller Class for Moms Are you a new mom or have a toddler?G et some exercise and meet other moms at the free Stroller Strides class, 9 a.m. to 10a.m. Tuesdays and Thursday at Peninsula Park. All you need is a stroller, water, a mat or towel and com fortable shoes. Call Helen at 503-260-5018 for more information. Write Around Volunteers Are you interested in becom ing a facilita tor for W rite Around P ortland's volun teer-run ten-week w orkshop? Contact Jill Tulcya at 503-796-9224. Women in Community Service Volunteer female mentors are being sought by W omen in C om m unity Service to work with incarcerated w omen at the Coffee Creek C orrectional Facility. The women provide support and encouragem ent for inmates transitioning from prison back into the com m unity. Call 503-571 1-6614. 1