A new community initiative at Union University Church will launch Wednesday, October 7, with “Roots of Justice in Alfred, NY,” an evening featuring a talk by educator Chris Romanchock, music by local musician, singer and songwriter Emma Tyme Armstrong, and a photography exhibit by Bill Stephens, also known as Billamack.

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at Union University Church, 5 Church Street, Alfred, NY. Light refreshments will be served, and the event is free and open to all.

Romanchock, an Alfred University alumnus and social studies teacher at Canisteo-Greenwood Central School, was named the 2025 New York State Rural Teacher of the Year by the Rural Schools Association of New York State. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Alfred University, teaching history and education classes. Emma Tyme Armstrong will bring the arts thread of the evening through live music.

Billamack, a U.S. photographer and documentarian based in New England whose work focuses on historical landmarks and spaces that are often overlooked or inaccessible to the general public. His subjects include schools, hospitals, prisons, churches, factories, power plants and other places that hold stories often hidden from view. Stephens’ photographs of Union University Church were captured during a six-hour exploration of the church in January 2025, when he produced more than 350 images of its interior and exterior. The exhibit will showcase a selection of those photographs, offering a unique perspective on a familiar Alfred landmark.

WEAVE is a community initiative of Union University Church in Alfred, NY. WEAVE brings people together through events exploring two powerful threads: the arts and justice. Open to everyone, WEAVE creates opportunities for conversation, creativity, learning and connection among congregation and community members, residents of the region, artists, advocates, and Alfred University and Alfred State students. While WEAVE is rooted at Union University Church, its events are designed as welcoming community gatherings open to all.

The name WEAVE reflects the initiative’s purpose: to interlace distinct strands to create something stronger together. By bringing arts and justice into conversation, WEAVE hopes to connect people and perspectives, inspire new ideas, and create a welcoming space where our community can learn, engage and imagine what’s possible together.