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Fred Schlomka, executive director of the nonprofit Mosaic Communities (Multinational Housing Cooperatives), will speak at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston (UUCR) on Thursday, June 10, at 7:30 p.m. The discussion will take place under the auspices of UUCR’s Forum for Free and Responsible Discourse, which promotes the examination of issues that have religious and/or public policy implications. Mosaic’s goal is to establish integrated Arab/Jewish communities in Israel and to challenge housing policies that institutionalize legal segregation. Schlomka will be accompanied by Yasser Akawi, who holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and has worked with the Van-Leer Institute and Physicians for Human Rights. Akawi is currently the social and political forum coordinator at the Alternative Information Center in Jerusalem and a member of Mosaic Communities’ board. UUCR is located at 1625 Wiehle Avenue (at Fairway Drive), in Reston. For more information, contact the church office at 703-742-7992, or visit www.uureston.org.
Vajrayogini Buddhist Center is offering meditation classes on June 8 and June 22 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Classes are at Brown's Chapel, 11450 Baron Cameron Ave., Reston. Call 202-294-8156 or visit www.meditation-dc.org for more information.
Four local churches will sponsor a forum on the subject "The Relevance of Church in our Community" on Saturday, June 12 at 10 a.m. at the Reston Community Center in Hunters Woods, Reston. A panel of Christian ministers will address topical issues noted by community leaders. The public is invited to attend this free event. For more information call 703-478-0266 or email peter@cobaldtg.com.
Vale United Methodist Church's 3rd Annual Strawberry Festival will be held on Sunday, June 13 from 6-8 p.m. Tickets are $3 per person, free for children 3 and under. Vale UMC is located in Oakton at the intersection of Fox Mill Road and Vale Road.
Harvest Christian Fellowship, 1948 Isaac Newton Sq. West, will host a vacation bible school from 9 a.m.-noon, July 26-30. The camp is free and open to all children aged 2 to 10. To register or for more information, call Tracy Ferrante at 703-430-2048.
Washington Plaza Baptist Church's "Monthly Forum: Discussion, Sharing and Action on Civil Rights/Civil Wrongs Past, Present and Future" will continue every fourth Sunday of the month from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Plaza Room on the ground level of the church. For more information, call 703-471-5225.
Free help is available for Spanish speaking parents and guardians through the Nurturing Parenting Program, held at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Herndon. These session are scheduled every Tuesday until Aug. 17. Each class is from 5:30-8 p.m. Dinner is served and free childcare will be provided. These meetings will be conducted in Spanish and are designed to help families with children, newborns to age four. The program is designed for the entire family. St. Timothy's Episcopal Church address is located at 432 Van Buren St., Herndon. Contact Krissa Slone at 703-324-7745 or via email at Kslone@fairfaxcounty.gov or Vera Berrio Breton at 703-324-7737.