Neva Reece: Common Grace Podcast, Music, and Writing

19/07/2024

Seventeen days, $1,500 to go. All or nothing fundraiser. Pledges in any amount welcome.

A portable exhibit to highlight the rich and little known elements of Black History in Orange County, Indiana in the 1800's

09/07/2024

Dear friends, I just sent out a simple but tediously designed fundraising email for the history project only to be informed it has a typo........I am not saying it is all the fault of MailChimp...but I will say it was glitching quite a bit during the design process, told me the email couldn't be sent, wouldn't let me send a new version of the email..then sent it anyway...with the typo. Please pledge at least the minimum of $10 to alleviate my sadness. 😀

A portable exhibit to highlight the rich and little known elements of Black History in Orange County, Indiana beginning in the 1800's.

05/07/2024

Revisiting a podcast from a few years ago. Happy Independence Day!

When Patrick Henry wanted a tax to support Christian ministers, James Madison had a few things to say! James Madison, “Father of the Constitution” Bill of Rights Pledge of allegiance, authored by Francis Bellamy in 1892 Pledge of Allegiance, "Under God" added in 1956 during Eisenhower presidency...

22/06/2024

Adventures in history! Please consider supporting this new project that is already underway!

A portable exhibit to highlight the rich and little known elements of Black History in Orange County, Indiana beginning in the 1800's.

13/06/2024

Looking for the first 213 Founding Members for this project!

A portable exhibit to highlight the rich and little known elements of Black History in Orange County, Indiana beginning in the 1800's.

02/06/2024

Hello friends, Friends and family,

In April while in Colorado, I happened upon Denver's African American Research Library, a beautiful three story building with two stories dedicated to Colorado's Black communities, including the stories of early settlers who made their way West seeking a more equitable and productive setting for raising their families and building their lives. I was reminded of the free Black families that moved with my Quaker ancestors to Southern Indiana from North Carolina in the early 1800's.....and I thought, why is there no representation of this history in my hometown of Paoli, where those early Quakers settled? Paoli is the county seat and there are no dedicated Black History Museums anywhere within Orange County, the closest being more than 70 miles away.

Most of the traveling companions of those Quakers, the African American families, moved away before the Civil War, but there is a growing awareness of the significance of that early community and how their story fits within the broad river of Black History. Within these local stories can be found personification of the impacts of changes in laws and society, both for the good and for harm. Local stories matter and give insight into the big picture histories that we often study in abstract terms.

As it happens, I own a building in Paoli, the former public library, a Carnegie building that is located on the town square directly across from our current Museum. Though we have a beautiful (if I do say so myself) AirBnB and private lodging downstairs, the upstairs of this building has been under-utilized since the library moved to a new location several years ago. I see new life for the building and a new way it can serve the community, starting with housing a traveling exhibit on the original Black community, and building over time into a more comprehensive representation of Black History through the twentieth century, and the Native American History that preceded us all in this region.

I drove out of Denver on my way to Indiana with the seed of a new idea. Since then I have been guided by local amateur historians to connect with the Roberts, Thomas and Bonds Historical Society (RTBHS), made up of descendants of those early Black settlers. I have learned about the thriving African American community that grew around the two luxury hotels in French Lick in the early 1900's, learned of the revitalization of the "Colored" church in West Baden, and wondered why nationally known Margaret Murray Washington (Mrs. Booker T.) traveled all the way from the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Alabama to speak in West Baden in 1917.

Currently I am in discussion with the Orange County Historical Society about ways we might work together on this project and I am planning to do research that can support the long-range plans of the RTBHS for an interpretive center featuring their ancestor's community. The land that belonged to their community is now within the boundaries of the Hoosier National Forest, where a graveyard and other traces of their ancestors' community can still be found.

Soon I will be launching a Kickstarter fundraiser for the first stage of this project, a traveling exhibit that will be easily transported to schools and other community settings when it is not on display in the old library. The goals for this stage of the project is 213 supporters, one for each year since my ancestors and Roberts, Bonds and Thomas families traveled to Indiana seeking a better life. Any level of support will be welcome from those first supporters, whose listed names and hometowns will accompany the exhibit on its travels. I am hoping we can show interest and support from many places and people.

Thanks so much for reading this message. Please contact me if you have any questions. I will post a short and pithy announcement when the KickStarter campaign is launched.

Sources that may be of interest:
https://www.rtb1.org/
https://www.historicorangecounty.org/

06/01/2024

For listeners of the Saturday morning show I DJ in Anchorage on KONR - If there are songs you would like to hear, hit me up. We stream so you can listen in from anywhere!

14/02/2021

Hello,

Due to some serious studies underway, COMMON GRACE PODCASTS will be on hiatus, likely until May.

Occasional episodes may be posted before then, but the focus that is needed to do the podcast and do it well is not possible at this time. I love this work and plan to continue to improve my craft so that it will keep improving over time, but to be committed to production without time for improvement is not very satisfying and not fair to any audience. Thank you for understanding - and stay tuned.

Please send a PM with your email and/or mailing address if you would like to be notified of new episodes and the return of the regular production schedule.

Be Blessed, Neva

31/01/2021

Illustrator Michaela Goade, a member of the Tlingit and Haida tribes in Southeast Alaska, was honored for her work on “We Are Water Protectors” by Carole Lindstrom.

19/01/2021

Posting again in honor of the Inauguration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_NxmwKdx7E&lc=UgytzfG-aYfJmltg8rF4AaABAg&feature=em-comments

Source:https://www.podbean.com/eau/pb-hpijc-f622acThe more I work on history projects, the more I see all of those who went before as part of our heritage if...

07/01/2021

Something simple and soothing. Be well. https://CommonGrace.podbean.com/e/in-production-themes/

A reflective piece which just by chance happens to touch on several themes from previous podcasts. Just something soothing for distressed souls.  We have all had some kind of week - be blessed.  Music - all instrumentals  Breathe on me Breath of God Sweet ...

19/11/2020

A story for all ages

Consider that I semi-retired from a calling as an elementary school librarian. That is all. Enjoy the story!  Music!  Baby Gramps, Teddy Bear's Picnic Note: Whatever the glitches were that made this story disappear last week seem to be resolved, and the st...

03/11/2020

Sending you a song today, and reminding us all to sustain ourselves through music and other nurturing practices over the days ahead!  Music:  Don't Fear the Night, from Images, Neva Reece - and it must be added that the great instrumental parts are done by...

01/11/2020

Metcalf, McKeegan & O'Malley live at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia, WA around 2002 Lead Vocal- Marilyn O'Malley Back-up Vocals- Jessie McKeegan and Barbara Metcalf

31/10/2020

Warning - political content. :)

Today a friend sent a link to Heather Cox Richardson's FaceBook Live broadcast from Thursday, October 29. This episode focuses on a few of her comments, edited from her talk. Please go to her FaceBook page and her entire analysis for yourself. Taking a per...

31/10/2020

https://www.patreon.com/NevaAReece

Become a patron of Neva Arlene Reece today: Get access to exclusive content and experiences on the world’s largest membership platform for artists and creators.

29/10/2020

For the next two to three weeks, the podcasts will be focused on keeping our heads, avoiding disappearing down rabbit holes and the like as we near the election and its aftermath.  I will be posting every day or two,  for my sanity and yours!  In the meant...

25/10/2020

Inspiration for this podcast: How to Float for Swimming Music! Modest Mouse, Float On Edwin Hawkins, Trust Him Mahalia Jackson, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms These are not in the podcast, but are other versions of Everlasting Arms that you may enjoy! Iris Dement, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms Da...

18/10/2020

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

15/10/2020

Took a week off, but back on schedule.
Appropriately, did a podcast on Rest!

Rest - and even some salvation!  Resources will be posted soon. Right now, I need some rest!  Music!  The Bee Gees, Rest your love on me awhile  Naturally 7, Be Still My Soul Elizabeth Cotton, Sweet by and by...   ...

01/10/2020

New Podcast posted on Redemption and Transformation @ commongrace.podbean.com

17/09/2020

New podcast !

Jarena Lee was a minister and traveling preacher in the early days of the African Methodist Episcopalian church. One of the free African Americans living in times of slavery, she preached to the free, and the enslaved; to Native communities, to white sympa...

11/09/2020

Echoes of the 1780's.....

When Patrick Henry wanted a tax to support Christian ministers, James Madison had a few things to say!  James Madison, “Father of the Constitution” Bill of Rights  Pledge of allegiance, authored by Francis Belamy  in 1892 Pledge of Allegiance, "Under God" ...

02/09/2020

New Podcast is UP
Embrace the differences, and pray anyway

Embrace the divisions, pray anyway. Oak Ridge Boys, Standing in the Need of Prayer Jeremie, Haiti orphanage children, Standing in the Need of Prayer Sweet Hour of Prayer, Library of Congress Digital Collection Drum Prayer Song with the Deline First Nations...

27/08/2020

New Podcast up and ready -
Midrash and Rewriting Psalms
Commongrace.podbean.com

20/08/2020

New Podcast is up! commongrace.podbean.com
Exploring FORGIVENESS...

12/08/2020

"From a Texas Prison to an Unknown Sea - Work, Part 2" is posted at
Commongrace.podbean.com

09/08/2020

LaVon talks with Jacqueline Tabor, a jazz singer living in Seattle. She's released three albums, is a past winner of Earshot Jazz's Northwest Vocalist of the Year, and regularly performs around the Pa