Green Sanctuary Program
| |
Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship
Green Sanctuary Program |
|
GSP Home About GSP Worship & Celebration Religious Education Sustainable Living Environmental Justice Simplicity Circles Information Center BUF homepage Other Links Northwest Earth Institute |
Children's RE
The RE program is working up its program for the 2008-2009 and working closely with the Green Sanctuary Team to develop programs for our kids. As part of our theme for September: Local Food, BUF's children will be working with the "Food 4 Tots" program. Details on this and other children's programs will be announced as they become available. Adult RE Workshops
The RE and GSP teams will also be working together to host opportunities for adults as well. GSP is hoping to host a series of "Conversation Cafes" that will provide an opportunity to discuss more indepth the topic of the given month it is held. Check below for a list of tentative activities for the year. Feel free to contact the Green Sanctuary if you have any suggestions or are willing to help us out in any of these events. Ideas and assistance are always needed and welcome. September: "Local Food"
"Local Food" Consersation Cafe Local Food info available at the GSP table during the Grand Coffee Hour
"Green Building and Renovation" Consersation Cafe Green building and renovation info available at the GSP table during the Grand Coffee Hour
"Fair Trade" Consersation Cafe Fair Trade info available at the GSP and Social Justice tables during the Grand Coffee Hour
"Spiritual Connection" Consersation Cafe
"Personal Green Resolutions" Conversation Cafe
"Social & Environmental Activism" Conversation Cafe
"Water Conservation" Conversation Cafe Meet the CSAs (Community Supported Agriculure farms)
Green Gardening info available at the GSP table during the Grand Coffee Hour "Green Gardening" Conversation Cafe
"Wildlife Conservation" Conversation Cafe Film/Guest Lecture Series
The GSP Team is working on bringing in environmental films and speakers to make presentations to the congregation. We will post details as the come available. Past Events
April 2008 - BUF Celebrated Earth Day with Visiting UU Williarm Scarvie. At 10:30 am, William Scarvie conducted the service with a sermon entitled: "We are the Ones We have been Waiting For." William stated: "The organizing principles of Earth Community are so closely aligned with the principles of my faith that I cannot affirm and promote one without affirming and promoting the other . . . We will explore the moral imperative of the Earth Community described in David KortenÕs recent book, 'The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community.'" After the Service we enjoyed a delicious Earth Day Potluck. From 1:00-4:00pm, William Scarvie conducted a workshop entitled: "Change the Story, Change the Future" which was a continuation of the service and exploring more indepth the crisis outlined in "The Great Turning." As per William: "a three-fold crisis looms before us. Today's parents of young children will almost certainly experience the effects of global climate disruption in their lifetime. They will also almost certainly suffer the catastrophic economic consequences of dwindling resources and a possible collapse of the US dollar. Given our grim prospects, is there any hope? The Chinese ideogram for crisis has two components, the characters meaning danger and opportunity. What opportunities exist to shape a positive future for our children and grandchildren? What actions can we take now that will improve the likelihood that their lives will be prosperous, secure and meaningful? What is the role of religious communities in this great work?" Inspired by David KortenÕs recent book, "The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community," this workshop explored these questions through introspection, intimate conversation and group discussion. March 7, 2008 - BUF's Social Justice Committee and the Green Sanctuary Program helped Whatcom Human Rights Task Force and Re Sources sponsor a program by "Appalachian Voices" entitled "Appalachian Treasures." This multi-media presentation was on mountaintop removal and its critical social and environmental justice impacts in the Applalachian Mountains. As energy issues become increasingly pressing in America, it is crucial to realize how our neighbors in Appalachia suffer to supply the energy needs of the rest of the nation and to seek alternatives that do not destroy communities and cultures. February 3 & 10, 2008 - As part of the RE Lifelong Learning program's "Inquiry Sundays," the GSP provided a film entitled "Digital Dump: Exporting Reuse and Abuse to Africa" on loan from ReSources and produced by the Basel Action Network to educate the congregation on the social and environmental impacts of e-waste. November 27, 2007, 7:00 p.m. - The Great Turning makes the case that we humans are a choice making species that at this defining moment faces both the opportunity and the imperative to choose our future as a conscious collective act. We can no longer deny the need nor delay our response. A mounting perfect economic storm is fast approaching. A convergence of climate change, peak oil, and the financial instability inherent in an unbalanced global trading system will bring an unraveling of the corporate-led global economy and a dramatic restructuring of every aspect of modern life. "The Great Turning" video was viewed and a discussion, facilitated by Rebecca Cors, was held after the viewing. October & November 2007 - We ran a 4-session class on Climate Change using curriculum designed by the Northwest Earth Institute. Classes were held at 7:00 p.m. on Oct. 14th, 21st, 28th and Nov. 4th. If there's continued interested beyond the class running now, new classes will be formed. Click here to enter the NWEI course and registration page: Global Warming: Changing Co2urse October 21, 2007 - The BUF youth attended a consumerism workshop entitled "Think Twice Before you Buy" by Katie Fleming of RE Sources. The workshop examined the media's role behind creating the impulse to buy unneeded items and the hidden costs of current levels of consumption on the environment and society as a whole. During the holiday weeks ahead, the youth will be working on making their own holiday gifts, rather than purchasing them. Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007 Once again, our children had their own worship timeÊduring RE.Ê A special part of their worship was an offering, that went toward the purchase of a bee hive for the Heifer Project.Ê They were able to raise $77.83 towards this project. You're never too young for social action!!Ê
|
