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Worship & Celebration
"In these challenging times,it is especially important to consider our spiritual connection with natureand how that relationship nurtures and sustains us as we seek to heal the brokenness of the world.
We are not called by an external authority, but by an increased attention to our own inner truth.
A healthy Earth-based spirituality is a way to be fully at home in our lives and on this earth.
A strong spirit helps us to weather the storms of life.
For many, that spirit is nurtured by an intimate connection with nature." ~ Green Sanctuary Program Manual
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Upcoming Worship & Celebration Projects
The Green Sanctuary Team in is the planning process for the 2008-2009 year. We are pursuing guest speakers, seasonal celebrations and of course, our annual Earth Day celebration. Keep checking back for details on events and activities as they develop.
In August we will be recruiting BUF members to put together a team for ReSources "Kindred Spirits Celebration." Be on the look our for further information
Earth Art & Music Galleries
Worship and celebration of the Earth can take very many forms and is very personal for many of us. Not only is the environment a social, economic and political issue that is very public, but it is also a very private and spiritual path for many as well. Some of us celebrate by attending sermons, sit-ins and other public events, some of us choose to express our feelings for the Earth through charcoal, photography, ceramics, oils/acrylics/watercolors, fabric and other mediums. Check out the following subsections to see UU and local artists at work for the environment in the arts.
Past Events
April 20, 2008 - BUF's Second Earth Day Celebration
BUF's Second Earth Day celebration included William Scarvie, a UU member very familiar with David Korten and his works, conducting a service entitled "We are the Ones We've Been Waiting For." After the service, there was a delicious Earth Day Potluck. About 1:00 pm, Mr. Scarvie conducted the "Change the Story, Change the Future" workshop.
March 23, 2008 - "As Old As The Earth: An Easter Celebration" by Rev. Doug Watkins
Long before it was known as Easter, there were sacred times in the spring that honored the parallels between the reawakening of the human spirit and the rebirth we experience in nature. TodayÕs service will look at the ways that very old, earth-centered traditions might ask us to honor and live those parallels yet again.
August 5, 2007 - "Behold, There Is Magic All Around You: Pagan Practices and UU Beliefs" sermon by by Beth Nyblade
We in the Pacific NW tend to be tree-huggers who find meaning and value in our contacts with the natural world. Can Pagan metaphors speak to UUs today? This service came four days before the pagan observance of Lughnasa. Beth Nyblade is a clinical psychologist, long-time BUF member, and a tree-hugger herself.
July 22, 2007 - Earth-based Summer Service: "It's Easy Being Green"
Melanie Rieck, Summer Coordinator, presented an earth-based service on July 22. This year's service, revolved around inspirational readings and personal reflections on being stewards of the earth. UUs Jayme & David Curley described what they do to make a difference, and music byÊ a local, folk-pop duo, Irthlingz, whose mission is to use entertainment and fun to ignite love for our environment and inspire proactive care of our world. They are an internationally active musical duo who are presenting a climate change musical revue at the UN Commission on Sustainable Development this past spring.
April 22, 2007 - BUF's First Earth Day Celebration
We conducted an annual Earth Day celebration both within our fellowship and with the greater Bellingham community. This first year, we held an Earth Day Fair after Sunday worship on April 22nd as a kickoff for our Green Sanctuary Program. Special emphasis was on introducing the 12 projects via a GSP brochure, handing out personal audit forms, kicking off the transportation challenge, educating the congregation on NSEA and recruiting task force members for the ÒfoodbookÓ project. In addition, we joined in the Bellingham Multi-Faith Clergy Earth Day service planned for that same Sunday afternoon. This new event sponsored by Christian, Jewish and Unitarian clergy, is hoped to be a regular annual event for our community. Our minister Rev. Doug Wadkins planned the music for the event. To make it a full day, we encouraged participation that same day in the raising of a Lummi Nation Healing Pole to honor three youths killed in a gasline explosion in June of 1999. The memorial is located near Whatcom Creek Trail at the end of Racine St.
April 20, 2007 - RE Sources 5th Annual Environmental Heroes Banquet
Several BUF members attended RE Sources' 5th Annual Environmental Heroes Award Banquet and 25th Anniversary Celebration. The celebration honored RE Sources founders, past board members, and Whatcom County's first curbside recycling volunteers. Marian Beddill graciously reserved a table for BUF for the event. It was a wonderful time with good food, good fun and especially good company. BUF members and friends included Marian Beddill, Ruth Ashworth, Nancy Grayum & David Marshak, Deb & Ralph Cruz, Christa & Bill Simmons, Leslie Clark & Phil Printz and others.
March 18, 2007 - "The Blessing of the Animals" sermon by by Rev. Doug Watkins
ItÕs time again for one of our most beloved and interesting services. Every couple of years, we do a service that honors our interconnected relationship with the animal companions in our lives. You are invited to bring your animal companions with you to the service, with appropriate cage or leash, please. Or, if it would not be a blessing for either your pet, you or the rest of the congregation to bring them to the service, then a picture will do just fine. You can also bring photos of beloved animals that have died; remembering them will be a part of our service, as well.
February 4, 2007 - "The Spirit of the Earth" sermon by by Rev. Doug Watkins
December 9, 2006 - "A Celebration for the Earth" Concert by Jim Scott
Acclaimed jazz/world folk guitarist and UU Jim Scott performed songs of peace and the environment to kick off our new Green Sanctuary program. Jim has long been active in the UU church, and three of his songs are included in the new hymnbook.
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