February 9th: "Carpe the F-ing Diem"

(*CN: Sensitive content on terminal illness, death and the word "fucking")

Dave Warnock is a former evangelical pastor who, after receiving a devastating diagnosis of ALS in March 2019, has been busy living his death out loud. With the knowledge that he has just a few years to live, Dave is creating as many meaningful moments as possible, traveling and speaking to friends and like-minded communities and living out his motto: "Carpe the fucking Diem."

Along the way, he has noticed a stark contrast between how his secular and evangelical friends react to his news. Fixated on his eternity, he feels his religious friends disconnect from his pain and that they are left feeling helpless except to pray.

Meanwhile, Dave's secular community is appropriately rendered speechless and sad but not afraid to crawl into the pain with him: to love, laugh, and cry together as moments continue to be made. They say things like, "call me anytime" and "I'm here for you". They admit there's nothing they can do but stay focused on sharing life with him as much as they can so that his remaining days are maximized. 

Please join us for this special Assembly to welcome Dave to LA and to Sunday Assembly as we connect on living, loving and losing the one breathtakingly precious life we have. 

* This Sunday's Assembly has content concerning terminal illness, death and grieving that may be sensitive and/or triggering. There is adequate space to step away as needed, and a supportive community to draw on if desired. Please take care of yourself, and let us know if you have any questions.

** While SALA is family friendly, and children are welcome in the Assembly or at our complimentary childcare, which takes place in a separate area, there may be infrequent profanity and/or topics during the Assembly to which you may not choose to introduce your children at this time, or may want to preface with thoughtful conversation. Please take this into consideration when planning your family's experience on Sunday.

SALA's house band is back in its entirety to rock our new Second Home!

Stephanie Idlebird Rivers is Trying her Best.

Sam and Ava host!

Exciting new speaker and content! Same great new space! 

Join us at 10:30 am, at our new space, and at 11:00 we'll get started with great talks, live music and secular celebration. Stick around afterward for coffee and pot luck in the courtyard. Sunday Assembly is free of charge, and donations are gratefully accepted.

Everyone is welcome. Free childcare provided.

Sunday Assembly is a volunteer-driven non-profit entirely funded by attendee donations. If you'd like to see SALA continue to develop positive secular community, please consider becoming a sustaining member: sundayassemblyla.org/monthly

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We could always use more volunteer helpers, starting at 9am. to set up signs, greet attendees, brew coffee and load out after the event, let us know if you can be on the team this month!

Want to sing your heart out from the other side of the stage? The Wonder-more Warblers is a for-fun choir that meets at 10:30am on the day-of to run through the songs. Sometimes we even have a rehearsal with the band before the day! Sign up here to learn more. 

There's a TON that goes into driving a thriving community--planning committees, event hosts, blog writers, social media posters, video editors and maybe something you're into that we haven't even thought of yet. If you'd like to be a part of the (figurative) magic of managing a science-based community, let us know!

Questions, feedback, special requests? Email us at [email protected]!