December Sunday M.A.S.S. Brunch

It's almost that time again. Time for Sunday M.A.S.S. Brunch that it is! We will be meeting this Sunday, December 2nd, at 10am in the Stone of Accord meeting room on N. Reserve. Last month we had a very full room and we are currently in the process of finding a larger place to have our monthly brunch. Thus far we have been having some difficulties finding an appropriate space to accommodate all of us so if anyone has some suggestions for a space that serves breakfast or lunch and can hold at least 50 people on a monthly basis please let us know. In the mean time if we have a large crowd again this month some of us will be moving out into the main area of the Stone of Accord so we don’t get too crowded and can still have a lively conversation at a reasonable noise level.

Fourth Annual M.A.S.S. Bike Trip on the Route of the Hiawatha

 
Get ready the  M.A.S.S. bicycle trip on the Route of the Hiawatha!

The Route of the Hiawatha was called one of the most scenic stretches of railroad in the country.  Today the railroad is gone but the scenic views have remained. We will be biking along 15 miles of the old railroad, through 8 open tunnels, and over 7 high trestles following the mountainous terrain.

It is a gentle downhill ride on an unpaved gravel road. Total riding time is about 2.5 hours, with stops along the way for lunch, snapping a few pictures, and taking in the scenery.  Be sure to pack something tasty and bring lots of water. Once we get to the bottom there will be a shuttle to take us (and our bikes) back up to the top.

We will be carpooling so meet us at 8:30 am on Saturday, June 30^th in the NW corner of the Super Walmart Parking Lot on North Reserve in Missoula.   Be on the look out for people with bikes wearing M.A.S.S. t-shirts.

We'll get our tickets for the trail ($10) and the shuttle bus ($9) at Lookout Pass, with discounts for children. Rental equipment is available if you don’t have a bike, helmet, or light (both lights and helmets are required).  The beginning of the ride starts with a long tunnel.  There are no lights so if you don't bring one you won’t be able to see.  Otherwise the tunnel is pretty easy, it's on wide flat ground and when we ride as a group we can light it pretty well.

Things to NOT forget:

• Bicycle
• Helmet
• Light
• Money for trail, shuttle pass, and gas
• Your Lunch
• Water

If your are ready to see some beautiful country with fantastic company come join us for a bike trip down the Hiawatha!

Sunday M.A.S.S. for May!

It's time again for another Sunday M.A.S.S. Brunch.  Come join your fellow non-theists for good food and great conversation.  As usual, we'll meet on the first Sunday of the month (May 6th) at The Stone of Accord in the meeting room.  If you're not sure where to go, just tell the hostess you're with the group in the meeting room and she'll show you the way. 

Picnic and Elections

Yes, it's time once again for our annual Board Elections, and this time we're doing a picnic as well.

When: This Saturday, September 24th, 5:30 - 10:00
Where: Bonner Park in Missoula

Please bring whatever dead animal product you'd like to throw on the grill (we'll have a grill or two available), as well as a small side dish to share.

Thanks to Milo, we'll also have a limited supply of free Kettlehouse beer (only for those 21 and over). After that runs out, you're on your own. ***Glass/Bottles are NOT allowed*** in the park, so canned beer and boxed wine only, please. (If you can find any canned wine or boxed beer, we'll allowed as well).

As for the election, Russ Thayer and Jon Garvin are up for re-election to the board. Dues paying members who's dues are up to date may nominate anyone they like (not only Russ or Jon) and vote on the nominees.

All M.A.S.S. members and interested heathens are welcome to attend the picnic, but your dues must be up to date to participate in the elections. If you're not sure if you are paid up, you can email treasurer@secularmissoula.org to find out, or just go to click this link to pay your dues now.

Marijuana-Miracle Cure or Toxic Drug?

To say that marijuana has been a hot button issue in Montana the last couple of years would be putting it lightly. During this long and heated debate, have you ever wondered what it is that scientists actually know about marijuana? For answer to these questions and more please join the Missoula Area Secular Society at 7:00 pm Thursday September 15 at the Press Box for a “just the facts” presentation on what scientific research has shown us about both marijuana’s possible toxic and medicinal properties from a local scientist, Dr. Katie George.

Dr. George is a professor at the University of Montana in the department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Her research focuses on the cellular mechanisms behind organophosphate pesticide neurotoxicity, additionally she teaches the Use and Abuse of Drugs class at the University.

Dr. George will be presenting a brief history of marijuana use and laws in this nation and Montana followed by a more in depth review of what is known about the toxic and medicinal properties of marijuana. Lastly, she will discuss what marijuana research might look like in the future. There will be time for questions and discussion after the presentation.

Food, and Drinks will be available for purchase from the Press Box before, during, and after the presentation.

Welcome

Welcome to the website for the Missoula Area Secular Society, or M.A.S.S. for short (pronounced Mass).

We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization who's mission is to foster a community of non-theistic individuals in Missoula, MT, and to develop and/or promote educational programs focusing on secular ethics, science, history, and critical thinking for our members, their families, and the public at large.

You are probably here because you saw or heard about our billboard on Russell St. We welcome you and invite you to browse around. Be sure to checkout our calendar for upcoming activities.

You can stay up to date by subscribing to our newsletter, liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or adding us on Google+.

Press can download a hi-res version of the billboard artwork here, and the group photo at the billboard here.

Observatory Trip & Brunch

Our trip to the Blue Mountain Observatory has arrived.

We'll meet at 11:00pm, Friday night, in the parking lot for Peak Fitness at the corner of Blue Mountain Road and Highway 93/12. From there we'll drive up to the top of the mountain for the Blue Mountain Observatory's Public Observing Night. Bring a snack, a flashlight, a light jacket and wear long pants. The natural AC on top of the mountain can make un-prepared amateur astronomers quite chilly after midnight. You'll want your flashlight to find your way from the parking area to the Observatory, but once in the vicinity of the Observatory, please turn your flashlight off and leave it off until heading back to the parking lot. Lots of people (including us) will be standing around outside the observatory letting our eyes adjust to the dark to make it easier to see cool stuff through the big telescope and new arrivals shining their flashlights in everyone's eyes are not appreciated. More details ( including info about a possible private observatory night ) are available on the Facebook event page.

The following weekend, we'll have our monthly Sunday M.A.S.S. brunch on August 7th at The Stone of Accord ( 4951 North Reserve St ) at 10am in the meeting room. If you plan to attend, please RSVP on the Facebook event page for the brunch. The meeting room can fit 32 people, and we've come close to that a couple times. If it looks like we're going to exceed that this time, I'll contact the restaurant to have them move us out of the meeting room and to a far corner of the restaurant that can fit us all.

If you would like a M.A.S.S. T-shirt, we'll have them available for purchase at brunch. T-shirts are $20 and available in a variety of colors. Dues paying members who are up to date get a $4 discount on each shirt, and yes, you can pay your dues and buy a shirt at the same time to get your discount.

Annual membership dues are $20 for general members, $50 for Supporters, and $100 for Patrons (and we've even got some higher membership levels for those of you that are really gung-ho). However, becoming a dues paying member is not a requirement to attend brunch or most other events. Events are usually open to anyone interested in our cause.

Lastly, but not surprisingly, the "likers" of our Facebook page have grown considerably since our billboard went up and it continues to add new people every day. If you haven't "liked" us yet, please do so.