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Margaret J. Wheatly encourages us to not respond to looming existential threats with fear, but from a place of understanding. Wheatley asks us to be "Warriors for the Human Spirit", leaders, and citizens who stay engaged, choose service over self, stand steadfast in the midst of crises, and offer our reliable presence of compassion and insight no matter what." On August 3, 2023, I attended a Zoom webinar where Peter Block spoke with Meg Wheatley about the newly-released second edition of her book, "Who Do We Choose to Be? Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership, Restoring Sanity." He asked: How do we lead as an Island of Sanity, creating the conditions for people to be generous, creative, and kind? Last year in December 2022 Meg. Wheatley offered a webinar We Have to Talk About Hope: An Invitation To Explore Our Dependence On Hope. She said: "We reach for hope as the antidote to despair, but actually hope is the cause of despair. The problem with hope is that it’s bipolar. Every time we rely on hope, we always bring in fear. Buddhist wisdom teaches that hope and fear are two sides of the same dynamic." "Too many of us good people dedicated to creating change have become addicted to hope. We feel despair for the destruction of the planet, peoples, species, and the future. Yet we still need to make a difference, so we grasp for hope to motivate and energize us." "It’s time to be aware of this cycle and liberate ourselves from the 'drug of Hopium'. It never gives us the energy and motivation we need to contribute and persevere." "As we free ourselves from the cycle of hope and fear, we don’t become useless, hopeless people. Instead, we become people who can see clearly how to contribute in meaningful ways. We discover work that makes a different difference. We contribute meaningfully within our sphere of influence to a person, a community, or a local cause." Meg offers an Intervention in three steps: Step One: Facing Reality. Withdrawing from the drugged haze of hopium, we can see reality clearly. We comprehend the scientific and social dynamics already in motion for the planet, people, and societies that cannot be changed by human will or unified global efforts. Step Two: Discovering Meaningful Work. We cannot change the world at the level of scale that is needed. This is the tragic reality of our time. We still want to make a difference and we can. We learn to look within our circle of influence, in our community, team, and family, and ask new questions. We keep asking these questions with genuine curiosity. We are available to offer our skills and heart wherever we’re needed. What is needed here? Am I the one to contribute to this need? Step Three: We take our place in the family of beings. The antidote to despair is not hope, it is love - love for the beauty and harmony of life even as we despair for the destruction caused by us humans. "We give up control or saving the Earth and join the family of all beings as willing, humble participants. Opened by awe and gratitude, we feel held, supported, and loved in return. We belong here." ~ Meg Wheatly About Meg Wheatley and the Berkana Institute I first became familiar with Margaret J. Wheatley through her earlier books: Leadership and the New Science: Learning about Organization from an Orderly Universe (1992); Turning to One Another (2002); The World Cafe: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter (2005), and Walk Out Walk On: A Learning Journey into Communities Darin to Live the Future Now (2011). There has been a lot of change in the last decade so I am looking forward to reading Meg's latest book, Who Do We Choose To Be?, Second Edition: Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership, Restoring Sanity (June 6, 2023) "Margaret Wheatley began caring about the world's people in 1966, as a Peace Corps volunteer in post-war Korea. In many different roles-- speaker, teacher, consultant, advisor, formal leader--her work has deepened into an unshakable conviction that leaders must learn how to invoke people's inherent generosity, creativity, and need for community. As this world tears us apart, sane leadership on behalf of the human spirit is the only way forward." "Her work now focuses on developing and supporting leaders globally as Warriors for the Human Spirit. These leaders put service over self, stand steadfast through crises and failures, and make a difference for the people and causes they care about. With compassion and insight, they know how to invoke people’s inherent generosity, creativity, kindness, and community--no matter what’s happening around them." She is co-founder and president of Berkana Institute a 501C3 non-profit "concerned with the flow of beings into their new forms through gentle, penetrating, and pervasive action. To promote blossoming, Berkana requires the qualities of modesty, patience, fairness, and generosity:" There are five aspects to Berkana Institute's work: Pioneering a New Paradigm for Leading Change Advancing Community Engagement Processes Sponsoring Trans-Local Learning Invoking Women’s Leadership Summoning Warriors for the Human Spirit" Her website is designed as a library of free resources as well as information about products and her speaking calendar." The YouTube video above, from Michael Dowd's TheGreatStory channel, is a June 2022 "post-doom" conversation between Michael Shaw and Margaret J. Wheatley, titled Finding Solid Ground in 'The Age of Threat..' You might also want to watch the May 2020 YouTube conversation between the late Terry Patton and Meg Wheatley on Michael Dowd's TheGreatStory channel.

Founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007, The Elders is "an independent group of global leaders working together for peace, justice, human rights, and a sustainable planet." They work on existential threats to humanity that require a collective response - the climate crisis, pandemics, nuclear weapons, and conflict - a threat in itself and a risk factor for other threats." Explore Nelson Mandela's vision and legacy. The Elders utilized the southern African concept of 'Ubuntu' - the awareness of our shared humanity. Ubuntu is translated as meaning "I am because we are" or "humanity towards others." The Elders offer publications, speeches, live-stream panel discussions, webinars, a newsletter, press releases, and news commentaries. View their latest social content on Facebook and sign up to get their newsletter. Humanity has a rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future. We have less than a decade left to hold the global temperature rise to 1.5°C and avoid irreversible effects on the planet. The climate crisis is hitting the most vulnerable hardest, and accelerating the biodiversity crisis: we need to halve emissions by 2030 and restore nature." The impact The Elders seek regarding the climate crisis is: "The planetary emergency is contained and the most vulnerable protected through revitalized global cooperation." Specifically, they want to see action on the following priorities to solve the climate crisis: Countries must implement the climate commitments they have made. Lack of political will is the main barrier to making domestic policy changes at the speed and scale needed. While the UN remains the most important multilateral climate space, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), G7, and G20 must also deliver finance and emissions reductions at scale. Big emitters must be held to account for policies that align with the 1.5°C limit and the global nature goal, and accelerate just transitions. Global solidarity mechanisms strengthen the resilience of those most vulnerable. Public and private finance must be aligned with global climate and nature goals. Voices of women and youth leaders must be heard and create the political space for more ambitious action. Learn more about The Elders’ work on the climate crisis.

October 4, 2023 at 4 p.m. is the online national launch of Blessed Americas's One Home One Future movement. Hear from Rev. Dr. Jim Antal, a UCC denominational leader, climate activist, public theologian, and chair of Blessed Tomorrow’s Executive Committee on the importance of One Home One Future. Then listen to what many faith leaders are saying about One Home One Future. All congregations are invited to sign-on, whether new to creation care or quite seasoned. Clergy and faith leaders, especially youth are encouraged to learn more and join the One Home One Future movement. Free banners will be given to the first 1,000 congregations who join the campaign. One Home One Future provides 7 pathways for action for congregations and faith leaders of all ages. Resources from many faith traditions are provided for each pathway from a full resource hub. Everyone who joins will be invited to join a private, online community platform called Mobilize for sharing ideas and inspiration, resources and opportunities, and connections with people of faith from across the country. Register for the launch now.

"Love is the most powerful and still most unknown energy in the world." ~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Here's a brief list of online and Rogue Valley in-person activities that may be of interest to you. Check back as this post will be updated as we get additional information. August 1, 2023, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. PDT - SOCAN's Talent Team will meet at the Talent Public Library, 101 Home St., Talent, OR. This group will work to develop a Strategic Plan focused on accomplishing climate actions in Talent. SOCAN Calendar Event. - Contact Eleanor@SOCAN.eco August 3, 2023, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. PDT - SOCAN's Ashland Team will meet in the Gresham Room in the Ashland Public Library. "Current projects include Compost, Electrification (School buses), and Small Engine Conversion. We will continue to plan actions related to these projects as we discuss ways we can help the city of Ashland move forward on action to address climate change. SOCAN Calendar Event. Contact Kathy@socan.eco. August 4, 2023, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. PDT via zoom - SOCAN's Medford Team will meet to "focus on supporting the Medford Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Planning (CCARP) and other activities to support Medford's efforts to address climate change." Click here for a link to the draft plan. SOCAN Calendar Event with Zoom link - Contact Alan@SOCAN.eco August 8, 2023 at 5 p.m. PDT - The Shift Network presents a seven-week live stream course with Matthew Fox and Brian Thomas Swimme on Science, Spirituality & the Noosphere: Hope for Humanity’s Future. Join the live stream, or stream later to watch at your convenience. Register here for $349. Register by August 4 to unlock a limited-time bonus. Module 1: (August 8) - Explore the “Mind” of the Universe to Expand Your Capacity to Consciously Create a New Form of Cosmological Intelligence. Module 2: (August 15) - How Human Creativity & Cosmological Intelligence Intersect to Birth Divinity and a Unified Humanity Module 3: (August 22) - Discover the Nervous System of the Earth & the Cosmic Dimension of Humanity That Exists in Symbolic Language Module 4: (August 29) - Recover the Sacredness of Earth, Her Creatures & Humanity as an Antidote to Climate Change & Extinction Module 5: (September 5) - Experience Unity Through Symbolic Language — a Spiritual & Scientific Tool That Catalyzes Noospheric Consciousness Module 6: (September 12) - Take Part in the Birth of a New Renaissance & Civilization to Reclaim a Sense of Meaning in Your Life Module 7: (September 19) - The Noosphere, the Rebirth of Humanity & the Healing (Tikkun) of Mother Earth to Empower Your Neotenic Nature August 9, 2023 - IRAS will present a webinar with Rabbi Igael Gurin​, ​TBD August 10, 2023, at 11 a.m. PDT - Richenda Fairhurst's Climate Cafe "gathers for something new - jumping into a ‘summer reading’ vibe with an uplifting book read: Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation by Paul Hawken." Register. August 17, 2023, at 4 p.m. PDT on Zoom - Faith in Place is having a webinar: Leveling the Field: Sustainable Agriculture & Climate Justice. On this monthly call you will learn more about the role of sustainable agriculture in the climate justice movement, and how we can take action to reduce carbon emissions, increase food access, and promote ecosystems and human health through advocacy. Register here. August 20, 2023 - Sustainable Rogue Valley is continuing its film/conversation series - next up is Symphony of the Soil. August 20, 2023, at 4 p.m. PDT - Deeptime Network is offering a free book celebration of Jeanne Clark's, ALL THE WAY IN: A Story of Activism, Incarceration, & Organic Farming Registration is required here. August 22, 2023, at 4 p.m. PDT - UU Ministry for Earth Climate Justice Action-Reflection is having their Climate Justice Action Reflection Circle - "a place where we can take risks, make mistakes, learn together, and deepen our engagement of justice work, spiritual growth, and the connections between the two. If you are engaged in climate justice, join with other UUs on a regular basis to reflect on your actions, restore, build resilience, and connect in community." Register here. August 29, 2023, from 4:00 - 7:30 p.m. PDT - SOCAN's monthly meeting will return in August with an in-person program at the Medford Public Library on the alarming demise of Douglas fir trees in the region. Other Summer Eco-Spiritual Events September 5, 12, and 19, 2023 - Water Action Community events at the Bellview Grange. September 7, 2023 - IRAS will present a webinar with Ursula Goodenough, TBD September 21-23, 2023 - The Center for Process Studies, Center for Christogenesis, and Villanova University in Pennsylvania are presenting a conference on Whitehead & Teilhard: Convergences, Divergences, Integrations. "This conference draws together Whitehead and Teilhard scholars to advance the possibilities and relevance of process philosophy and theology through an integrative encounter between these two foundational figures." A virtual-only registration ticket is $100, which grants virtual, simulcast access to the conference and edited recordings. Deadline for Registration: August 10, 2023 Register here. September 28-29, 2023 - BTS Center is hosting Convocation 2023: Kinship: Re-Weaving the Great Web of Belonging. The gathering will be held in person at Hallowell, Maine with a hybrid, hosted, live-stream option for some of the Convocation sessions. Presenters will include: Victoria Loorz, author and co-founder of the Wild Church Network: John Bear Mitchell, musician; and storyteller; and Rev. Liz Fulmer, a queer pastor and musical storyteller ritual; Register here. September 20, 2023 - Deeptime Leadership & Wellbeing (nine-month) Program: Life and Leadership that Start with an Evolving Universe starts Sept. 20, 2023. Presenters included: Stephan Martin, Brian Thomas Swimme, Mary Evelyn Tucker, Jennifer Morgan, Matthew Fox and adjunct faculty. An installment program in three modules is offered. More information here. October 10, 2023 - OLLI at SOU is having a 3-session, weekly, online class taught by Anita Dygert Gearheart on Making Sense of the Climate Crisis. Registration for unlimited OLLI classes for the next three semesters is $150 October, 2023, - IRAS will present a webinar with Bradley S. Artson, Sinai, Stars, & Synapses: Science and Judaism As Partners In Wonder November, 2023, IRAS will present a webinar with Frank Schaeffer, artist & theologian, TBD

Project Drawdown is having a webinar: The End of Normal: Understanding and Correcting Earth's Troubling Climate Trajectory, on August 23, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. PDT Register here. "Join Dr. Kate Marvel, Senior Climate Scientist at Project Drawdown, as she draws on her own experiences as a scientist and vocal advocate for climate solutions to explore the science behind current climate changes and future projections. They will discuss the science of attributing extreme weather events to our warming climate, the different ways humans affect climate, and the things science doesn’t yet understand. This webinar is part of Project Drawdown’s new monthly Drawdown Ignite webinar series. Drawdown Ignite provides information and inspiration to guide your climate solutions journey. "Project Drawdown is the world’s leading resource for climate solutions." Their mission is "to help the world stop climate change—as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible." Updates on future webinars can be found by visiting drawdown.org/events

Programs in Earth Literacies and Imogene Drummond will be presenting Art Sparks' Cosmic Creativity & Well-Being Program on twelve Tuesdays - Sep. 5 to Nov. 28, 2023, from 12 Noon - 2 p.m. PDT "Tap into your hidden potential and ignite your personal creativity while connecting to the Universe! In Art Sparks’ 12-week holistic program, you are invited to explore and develop your creativity through artwork embedded in the context of the Cosmic Story. By aligning your imagination with the larger whole, the program helps you experience the joy of accessing your inner artist." Registration is $275 before Aug. 15 (Early Bird Price).

The BTS Center is offering an eight-week online course EcoSpiritual Leaders: Encounters with Wholeness on Thursdays, 10:00 - 11:30 p.m. PT from April 20, 2023 - June 15, 2023. This course will consist of five live sessions, asynchronous learning activities, and an optional half-day online retreat. The course is divided into four sections, each consisting of two weeks. Gratitude & Grief - exploring The Work That Reconnects by Joanna Macy Forest Bathing - introduction to Forest Bathing/Nature Therapy EcoSpiritual Practices - thresholds & thin places; creating contemplative and creative spiritual practices Creation Care - synthesizing our learning and serving Creation Every two weeks participants will engage in reading to pique their curiosity; watch a video to expand their understanding; experience embodied practice to connect us with nature; craft a prayer to nourish our spirits, complete an invitation; and participate in a conversation to collaborate in our interdependent growth. The anticipated time commitment outside of the live sessions is 2-3 hours per week. The Course fee is $125. Click to Learn More or Enroll

"Thích Nhất Hạnh was a Vietnamese Thiền Buddhist monk, peace activist, prolific author, poet, and teacher who founded the Plum Village Tradition, He was exiled from South Vietnam in 1966 after expressing opposition to the war and refusing to take sides In 2018, he returned to Vietnam to his "root temple"... where he lived until his death in 2022, at the age of 95." His book Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet was published in 2021. From May 21 to July 2, 2023, Plum Village will offer a 6-week online learning journey "to nurture insight, compassion, community, and action in service of the Earth" - "bringing to life teachings in this book". Learn more here. Photo credit: Duc (pixiduc) from Paris, France., CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons The course promises to "share Thich Nhat Hanh’s engaged Buddhism teachings and "feature new talks from monastics and lay teachers, specially-selected videos from the Thich Nhat Hanh Archive, and a range of powerful practices from our Zen tradition to help you:" Nourish a profound relationship with the Earth Breakthrough habitual ways of thinking, seeing, and acting Master strong emotions and develop inner resilience Cultivate a spiritual dimension to balance personal well-being and engaged action Train in deep listening and compassionate communication Respond to challenges with freedom, equanimity, and non-fear Connect with like-minded change-makers "The course will feature 4-6 hours per week of teachings and practices, with at least one live session each week, as well as tailored opportunities to cultivate community and share insights and experiences with other participants." Plum Village, near Bordeaux in southwest France, is the largest international practice center in the Plum Village tradition, and the first monastic community founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in the West. "Plum Village began in 1982 as a small, rustic farmstead, and has today grown into Europe’s largest Buddhist monastery, with over 200 resident monks and nuns, living and practicing in four different hamlets spread out across the French countryside. It is a continuation of the original “Sweet Potato Community” that Thay founded near Paris in the 1970s, soon after being exiled from Vietnam. "We face a potent intersection of crises: ecological destruction, rising inequality, racial injustice, and the lasting impacts of a devastating pandemic. The situation is beyond urgent. To face these challenges, we need to find ways to strengthen our clarity, compassion, and courage to act." "Beloved Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is blazingly clear: there’s one thing we all have the power to change, which can make all the difference, and that is our mind. Our way of looking, seeing, and thinking determines every choice we make, the everyday actions we take or avoid, how we relate to those we love or oppose, and how we react in a crisis." "When you wake up and you see that the Earth is not just the environment, the Earth is us, you touch the nature of interbeing. And at that moment you can have real communication with the Earth… We have to wake up together. And if we wake up together, then we have a chance. Our way of living our lives and planning our futures has led us into this situation. And now we need to look deeply to find a way out, not only as individuals but as a collective, a species."

March 7, 2023, at 11 a.m. PST - Climate Cafe Multifatih will host a zoom presentation Africa’s Youth Raise a Global Voice to Shape a Just Future. Pato Kelesitse will share her vision and passion for sustainable and just development in Africa, including the empowerment of women and the importance of developing just economic systems. Register here. March 7, 2023, at 4 p.m. PST - Unitarian Universalist Ministry For Earth (UUMFE) will have its Monthly Spiritual Gathering on Zoom. Register here. March 9, 2023, at 11 a.m. PST - Organizing Skills Workshop - Part 1. From Climate Reality's Climate Speakers Network, Broderick Bagert, lead organizer at Together Louisiana and Together New Orleans, will lead the first of two workshops that center on building relational power and organizing together in your local community to learn more about individual meetings and why they are considered key components of building relational power. You’ll have opportunities for practice and feedback. Register here. March 21, 2023, at 11 a.m. PDT - Climate Cafe Multifatih will resume part II of a zoom conversation about Sea Level Rise & Coastal Congregations with David Herring, Chief of the Communication, Education, and Engagement Division within NOAA's Climate Program Office. Register here. March 30, 2023, at 11 a.m. PDT - Organizing Skills Workshop - Part 2. Broderick Bagert will continue with his workshop on engaging in individual meetings and the next steps in the organizing process. They will explore ways that you can talk with others in your faith community about how these practices might further your efforts to work for justice. Register here.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days is a virtual gathering scheduled for April 25-27, 2023 from 5:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.PDT. This "annual gathering of Christian advocates and activists who worship, delve deeply into the pressing issues of the day, and lift our voices by speaking truth to power on Capitol Hill" is sponsored by Church World Service and the National Council of Churches. The theme of this year’s virtual conference is "Swords into Plowshares: Achieving Enough for All & Pursuing Peace." Workshops will include several related to creation care and climate justice." Click here for their schedule. Registration is $50-75. The $75 fee includes a donation to support EAD and provide scholarships plus full access to all live presentations on the Main Stage, Workshop selections, Virtual Exhibit Hall, and Recorded Sessions, Post-Event. Register here. Learn more here. Contributing sponsors and partner organizations include: Africa Faith & Justice Network Alliance of Baptists American Baptist Churches USA American Friends Service Committee Bread for the World Catholic Climate Covenant Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Christian Reformed Church Church of the Brethren Churches for Middle East Peace Community of Christ Conference of Major Superiors of Men Creation Justice Ministries Disciples Center for Public Witness Episcopal Church Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Faith in Public Life Franciscan Action Network Franciscan Friars Friends Committee on National Legislation Global Ministries Interfaith Power and Light Jubilee USA Network Just Faith Mnistries Latin American Working Group Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns Mennonite Central Committee Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate Missionary Society of St. Columbam National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd National Religious Campaign Against Torture Pax Christi USA Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. Salvation Army Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Societies of the Divine Word United Church of Christ United Methodists Caretakers of God's Creation United Methodist Church United Women of Faith

July 18, 2023, at Noon PDT - Interfaith Power and Light is having a webinar briefing with the U.S. Department of Energy on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): Climate & Energy Resources for Faith Communities: Learn more about direct pay, tax credits, programs, and the role faith communities can play in helping our country address the climate crisis and ensure that all communities are supported. Register here. "The IRA and the IIJA created the largest climate and clean energy investment America has ever made. These bills provide federal funding for energy and climate resiliency improvements that can be used in houses of worship and our individual homes. This historic legislation provides people of faith and conscience with an opportunity to live our values of caring for one another and for our Sacred Earth." "The IRA included clean energy tax credits for wind and solar, EVs, efficiency upgrades, heat pumps, and much more. It also made it easier for nonprofits and houses of worship to access clean energy funds and tax credits through a program called “direct pay.” Before the IRA, only homeowners and commercial entities with some tax liability could claim tax credits when installing solar panels or other eligible technologies on an eligible property. Now, the “direct pay” option means non-taxable entities can also benefit from these credits." If you aren't able to attend, you can still register, and IFPL will send the recording out to everyone who registered. Sign up for updates from Pastor Richenda Fairhurst: Just Creation on Substack.

Here is a list of some summer activities that may be of interest to climate concerns, particularly among spiritual communities. July 6, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. PDT - Faith in Place is having an EPA Advocacy Workshop: We Deserve Clean Air & Water. "Together, we can demand clean air and water for our communities by submitting impactful comments to the EPA during public hearings and comment periods. Learn how to submit comments and testimony to the EPA and take action on two rules currently under consideration regarding coal ash ponds and power plant pollution! Register here July 10, 2023, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. PDT - Rogue Climate is hosting a community event at the Geos Institute in Ashland, gathering community members to learn about the Ashland Electrification campaign that Rogue Climate Action Team (RCAT) is working on, have group discussions, ask questions and identify ways to take action. July 11th to September 12, 2023 - Human Energy Project's Science of the Noosphere Master Class will "investigate the relevance of this deep evolutionary perspective to the social, technological, and ecological challenges humanity faces in the contemporary world." This project is "directed by David Sloan Wilson, one of the foremost living evolutionary scientists who, like Teilhard de Chardin, includes all aspects of humanity in addition to the biological world within his scientific purview." More information regarding the class can be found here. July 10-14, 2023 - The Center for Open and Relational Theology is having its ORTCON23 at Grant Targhee Resort in the Grand Teton mountains of Wyoming, This in-person conference "brings together scholars, leaders, pastors, and activists... providing workshops, lectures, and social activities to deepen relationships and present new ways of imagining God and the universe. ORTCON23 features Ilia Delio, Tripp Fuller, Eka Tupamahu, Bruce Epperly, and more. Registration: https://c4ort.com/ortcon/ July 11-14, 2023 - Climate solutions seekers will be converging on Detroit July 11–14 as TED hosts its second Countdown Summit. The event will bring together leaders from around the world to hear more than 40 speakers, including Project Drawdown Executive Director Jonathan Foley. He will share the latest ideas for turning the vision of a stable climate into reality. Project Drawdown is also a strategic partner for the TED Future Forum, a TED Countdown initiative that will bring together business leaders to explore ways to accelerate climate solutions. Drawdown Labs Director Jamie Beck Alexander and Project Drawdown Managing Director Elizabeth Bagley will lead a Breakthrough session entitled “Emergency Brakes: Bending the Emissions Curve.” Though in-person TED Summit attendance is by invitation only, videos of the TED Talks will be available later in the year. Learn more and register to receive updates here. July 11, 2023, at 2 p.m. PDT​ - IRAS will present a webinar with Tom Atlee: The Wisdom and Resourcefulness of the Whole​. Tom Atlee is a former peace activist and founder (in 1996) of the nonprofit Co-Intelligence Institute (CII). He lives a simple life in a Eugene, Oregon co-op, is concerned about existential risks, and gifts almost all his work, supported by CII. Register here. July 12, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT - UCC Creation Justice, co-hosted by the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt, is presenting a webinar Seeing through the Smoke: Wildfires, Climate, and a Path Forward. This webinar will feature John Vaillant, who authored the acclaimed new book Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World; Shana Udvardy from the Union of Concerned Scientists; and Rick O'Rourke, who practices fire stewardship on the Yurok Reservation. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time on July 12th at 1 pm ET, still sign-up, and we will send you a recording. Register here. July 13-16, 2023 - Wild Goose Festival in Union Grove, NC is "a transformational community grounded in faith-inspired social justice." July 14, 2023 to August 4, 2023, on Fridays, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. PDT - Deeptime Network is presenting QUANTUM WISDOM: An Inquiry into the Nature of Time. more information and registration here. Registration without PD Hours: $195/$150 (Early Bird till July 10th); with 8 PD Hours: $295/$250 (Early Bird till July 10th.) Premium members receive a 10% discount. Become a premium member and save. July 19, 2023 at 12 p.m. PDT - Pachamama Alliance is presenting a webinar Resilience and Possibility in These Times: Work in the Amazon, with Bill Twist and Amazon Watch founder and Director of Global Strategy of the Amazon Sacred Headwaters Initiative, Atossa Soltani. Register here. July 22, 2023, from 10-11:30 am. PDT - SOCAN's Sustaining Climate Activists focus on supporting and sustaining climate activists. Meetings during the summer are at Blue Heron Park on the fourth Saturday All are welcome. July 22, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT - The Shift Network is presenting a free webinar Discover Hope for Humanity’s Future: Science, Spirituality & the Noosphere with Matthew Fox & Brian Thomas Swimme. If the following two broadcasts have already occurred, this link will give you access to the event recording as well as any further live events that may be scheduled. This webinar will encore Tuesday, July 25, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. PDT Click here to access the event. Other Summer Events August 9, 2023 - IRAS will present a webinar with Rabbi Igael Gurin​, ​TBD August 20, 2023 - Sustainable Rogue Valley is continuing its film/conversation series - next up is Symphony of the Soil. August 22, 2023, from 4:00 - 7:30 p.m. PDT - SOCAN's monthly meeting will return in August with an in-person program at the Medford Public Library on the alarming demise of Douglas fir trees in the region. September 5, 12, and 19, 2023 - Water Action Community events at the Bellview Grange. September 7, 2023 - IRAS will present a webinar with Ursula Goodenough, TBD September 21-23, 2023 - The Center for Process Studies, Center for Christogenesis, and Villanova University in Pennsylvania are presenting a conference on Whitehead & Teilhard: Convergences, Divergences, Integrations. "This conference draws together Whitehead and Teilhard scholars to advance the possibilities and relevance of process philosophy and theology through an integrative encounter between these two foundational figures." A virtual-only registration ticket is $100, which grants virtual, simulcast access to the conference and edited recordings. Deadline for Registration: August 10, 2023 Register here. September 28-29, 2023 - BTS Center is hosting Convocation 2023: Kinship: Re-Weaving the Great Web of Belonging. The gathering will be held in person at Hallowell, Maine with a hybrid, hosted, live-stream option for some of the Convocation sessions. Presenters will include: Victoria Loorz, author and co-founder of the Wild Church Network: John Bear Mitchell, musician; and storyteller; and Rev. Liz Fulmer, a queer pastor and musical storyteller ritual; Register here. October, 2023, - IRAS will present a webinar with Bradley S. Artson, Sinai, Stars, & Synapses: Science and Judaism As Partners In Wonder November, 2023, IRAS will present a webinar with Frank Schaeffer, artist & theologian, TBD

September 1, 2022, 1 p.m. PDT on Zoom - Joanna Macy and co-author Chris Johnstone have a newly revised edition of Active Hope How to Face the Mess We’re in with Unexpected Resilience and the book will be reviewed by Creation Spirituality's Creation in Crisis team. September 4, 2022 - Season of Creation. From the beginning as an Eastern Orthodox day of prayer, the Season of Creation has become an ecumenical effort of the World Council of Churches to bring a full season of liturgy to the church that honors the creation. The Season comprises 5 Sundays, and 2022 starts on September 1 with a World Day of Prayer for the Care of the Creation (read a letter from Pope Francis) If you haven't already, you can find the main Season materials at the primary website. Other churches and denominations can also create liturgy specific to their own traditions. One such effort comes from the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement, that liturgy is available online here. September 6, 2022, 11 a.m. PDT on Zoom, - Spirituality & Science: Eco-Chaplaincy, Buddhism & Climate Modeling, with Richenda Fairhurst and Ram Appalaraju at Climate Cafe Multifaith. Register here. September 7, 2022, 5:30 p.m. PDT on Zoom - Multifaith Prayer & Story Service for the Earth with four stories four traditions. Come, share the stories. And feel free to have something nourishing near you for the service, such as bread or fruit, tea or water, oil and herbs. Register here. September 7, 2022, 7-8:30 p.m. PDT on Zoom, - Climate Action Starts at Home: Our Plan for Ashland's Success with Ashland Climate Collaborative gathering Ashlanders together to lay out our pathway to meaningful local climate action. Register here. September 11-14, 2022 - 3 p.m. PDT on Zoom - Rooted Together 2022 Green Team Summit by Faith in Place in Chicago.. Explore diverse spiritual practices, environmental justice & policy, community healing, and more over 4 days.. Register here. September 12 to October 17, 2022 - 6:30 p.m. on Zoom - Getting Into Action - a 5-session, facilitated, interactive workshop series by Drawdown British Columbia. This "free online course supports participants in identifying, supporting, and initiating climate change solutions at the household, community, and policy levels. Participants will explore proven climate solutions, be mentored by experienced climate leaders, develop personal climate action plans, network and connect with other course participants, and join a community, of course, alumni doing exciting climate work across British Columbia and Canada." Register here. September 13, 2022, 11 a.m. PDT on Zoom - Water Crisis: A Conversation with the USGS. Dr. Olivia Miller, Water and Climate scientist with the USGS joins Richenda Fairhurst's Climate Cafe Multifaith for a conversation about water and climate change. Register here. September 14, 2022, 6-8 p.m. PDT on Zoom - Water Solutions Summit - A 6-part series hosted by the Southern Oregon Pachamama Alliance held on Wednesday evenings of Sept. 14 & 18, Oct. 12 & 26, and Nov. 9. A final session will be a longer in-person gathering on Saturday, Nov. 12, time and location to be announced. This Summit is an overview of our regional watersheds and water issues. Call 541-530-8454 or email info@southernoregonpachamama.org for more information. Register here. September 17, 2022, 5 p.m. PDT in person - SOCAN's 10th Anniversary Celebration held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1000 Welcome Way , Medford, OR. Link to buy Tickets ($25) September 20, 2022, 11 a.m. PDT on Zoom - The State of the Planet: A Climate Science Update. Climate and Environmental Scientist Jamie Trammell returns to Richenda Fairhurst's Climate Cafe Multifaith to walk us through where things stand for planet Earth in the lead-in to COP27. Register here. September 24, 2022, 10 a.m.-Noon PDT in person - Sustaining Climate Activists - A facilitated monthly support group addressing the fatigue, distress, and grief of those engaged in climate action. Held on the 4th Saturday of each month at Medford Public Library (Adams Conference Room), followed by time for snacking and schmoozing. Facilitators: Liz Olson (Clinical Chaplain) and Ken Deveney (Trainer of Re-Evaluation Counseling). September 28, 2022, 5 p.m. PT - Third Act’s monthly all-in event with Ronnie Cohen, music, and movement highlights. They’ll share campaign updates, what’s up next, and how you can plug in over the coming weeks. Register here.

Citizens Climate Lobby December Climate Conference: December 2, 2022, 4-5:45 p.m. PST: Reception & Action Team Fair December 3, 2022, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. PST: Main Day of the Conference December 4, 2022, 10 a.m. PST: Sunday Seminars Free. Register here. December 2, 2022, 5:30-7 p.m. PST on Zoom (audio only). Deeptime Network presents Contemplative Cosmology: Moonbathing with Stephan Martin and Marianne B. Rowe $20 - Register here. December 5, 2022, from 12 to 1 p.m. PST. Team Global HOPE at UCC National Ministries is hosting a Blue Christmas virtual worship service. Register here. December 6, 2022, 11 a.m. PST on Zoom. Richenda Fairhurst will discuss community organizing in green, urban spaces. Register here. December 8, 2022, from 6-8 p.m. PST on Zoom. Rogue Climate is continuing Community Conversations on Floating Offshore Wind Energy by hosting a virtual session for South Coast community members. Register here. December 12, 2022, at 3 p.m. PST on Zoom Institute For The Future is offering a free to the public behind-the-scenes look at how New Zealand is supporting the design of an aspirational framework for future food systems. Click here for more information and registration. December 14, 2022, at 6 pm. PST Rogue Climate is having a Fossil Fuel Fighters Kickoff: Stop the GTN XPress at their office in Phoenix (205 N. Phoenix Rd, Suite G.) There will be food, art, information, and action steps to help Stop GTN XPress and build community with other folks in Rogue Valley interested in helping save all we can, by fighting new fossil fuel infrastructure in our region. Register here. December 14, 2022, 10 a.m. PST on Zoom - Creation Justice Webinars presents The Midterms and Beyond: A Path for Climate Justice. Register here. "When it comes to climate justice, how do we make it out of the wilderness and arrive at the promised land? In this webinar, we will discuss the results of the midterms with an eye to what is possible in 2023 and beyond. A full discussion of the midterms entails more than looking at a final scorecard of congressional contests. It entails assessing the power of young voters and voters who care about the climate crisis. It entails tracking the successes of state ballot initiatives. It entails bringing a lens of justice to multiple, overlapping struggles in our society. A full and broad conversation of the midterms is needed in order to cast a vision and a plan for how our movement can grow and thrive."

January 3, 2023 at 1:00-2:30 p.m. PST - Medford UCC will be having an ongoing book study and discussion of Cathedral on Fire: A Church Handbook for the Climate Crisis by Brooks Berndt, at Lidgate Hall, 1801 E. Jackson St., Medford, OR. This gathering will continue on Tuesday afternoons in January and February. Contact Diane Ware booshu@aol.com for more information. January 5, 2023, at 4 p.m. PST - Elders Climate Action is hosting a Zoom Conversation with Authors Madeline Ostrander and Bill McKibben, who will be discussing "what it means to live in America in a time of climate disaster and unruliness—and how we might build resilience and re-examine the nature of home." The discussion will be moderated by Valerie Schloredt from Yes! Magazine. A suggested donation of $10 per session is requested to support ECA's programming and events. Register here. January 11, 2023, at 10 a.m. PST - UCC Creation Justice Webinars will feature Edith Rasell discussing What is a sustainable economy? Ms.Rasell recently authored “The Way of Abundance: Economic Justice in Scripture and Society.” Even if you can’t make the scheduled time, still sign-up, and they will send you a recording. Register here. January 11, 2023, at 11 a.m. PST - Interfaith Power and Light is presenting a webinar: EV 101: How to get started with Electric Vehicles. Learn More/register. January 12, 2023, at 4 p.m. PST - Green Chalice (Disciples of Christ) will have a Gathering to hear stories about eco-justice ministries Register here. January 17, 2023, at 11 a.m. PST - Climate Cafe Multifaith meets on Tuesdays twice a month, with extras on occasion. They share topics, inspiration, and friendship at the intersection of faith and climate change. Find more about the Climate Cafe Multifaith at faiths4future.org/climate-cafe. January 22, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. PST - Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) is hosting on Zoom an Interfaith Legislative Forum - a panel of legislators discussing their priorities for the 2023 Oregon Legislative Session on topics of interest to the faith community. Legislators - bills they support, the must-do bills for the 2023 Session and the prospects of passage. Following the panel discussion, the Zoom meeting will allow for a half-hour discussion with the legislators. Register here. January 28, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. PST - The Work that Reconnects network is having a Zoom webinar and Conversation Cafe Resilience for the Great Unraveling with Richard Heinberg and Silvia Di Blasio The suggested requested donation for this webinar is between $25-$35 USD. Register here. January 28, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 am PST on Zoom - Ken Deveney and Liz Olson will facilitate a monthly gathering of Sustaining Climate Activists. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6509798112?pwd=VlVGOHpSWm5IRWQ0bEJOck90cWo5dz09 January 31, 2023, at 11 a.m. PST - Climate Cafe Multifaith meets on Tuesdays twice a month, with extras on occasion. We share topics, inspiration, and friendship at the intersection of faith and climate change. Find more about the Climate Cafe Multifaith at faiths4future.org/climate-cafe. January 31, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. PST - SOCAN monthly meeting.

We just returned from a trip driving through some northern California redwoods, impressed by the stunning beauty and majestic grandeur of these old-growth survivors. As rays of light shine through the darkness, so too are movements and actions that bring hope that help us face our climate crisis. These are but a few that have come to my attention: April 4, 2023, at 11 a.m. PDT - Richenda Fairhurst of Climate Cafe Multifaith will have a conversation with Dr. Rohany Nayan Fostering Friendships for People and Climate: Ramadan and Right Intention. "Dr. Nayan founded the Jariyah Foundation and invites us to hope together in the effort to build legacies with a positive and ongoing impact in local and global communities." Register here April 4, 2023, at 5 p.m. PDT - Ashland Climate Collaborative is having a Ride For Safe Streets and the Climate. Meet at the Plaza and ride your bicycle to the Ashland City Council Chambers to show support for a safe bicycle network in Ashland, OR. April 4, 2023, to May 2, 2023, from 4-7 p.m. PDT - Deeptime Network is hosting a 4-week course on Tuesday afternoons: Creating Ecozoic Practice with Margie Abbott, RSM, "This experiential course contributes to a growing understanding that all life is interconnected and part of an evolving universe. It’s an invitation to fall in love with Earth, enter more deeply into relationships, and ignite sparks of compassion that lead to action." These practices contribute to Goal Six of Laudato Si’ (Ecological Spirituality) which invites changing language and developing prayer and ritual to mirror the interconnectedness of everything and the Spirit of Love permeating all matter. Register here. April 6-20, 2023 - Climate Reality Project is offering online video training Power Up Training: From Acts to Action, to leverage the IRA and Infrastructure Act. "I really recommend this training!! The information is invaluable, and you get connected to the hub and others both locally and internationally who are doing this work." ~ Richenda Fairhurst April 6, 2023, at 1 p.m. PDT. - Global Kinship, a project of Creation Spirituality, will present a Zoom webinar entitled Cosmogenesis and the Noosphere. This will be an interview by Jennifer Morgan of Brian Thomas Swimme, author of the 2022 book Cosmogenesis, Unveiling the Expanding Universe. Register here. April 8, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT -Southern Oregon Citizens' Climate Lobby meets at Pony Expresso in Ashland, OR. 175 Lithia Way, Ashland, OR 97520. The Speaker this month on the national call is Kajsa Hendrickson, the director of Future 500. To learn more and download the CCL April Action Sheet by clicking "Get the Action Sheet", click here, April 10, 2023, at 7-8 p.m, PDT on Zoom- Oregon Interfaith Power & Light Advocacy Team is having a monthly gathering. Guest speaker, Chris Smith, from the Just Crossing Alliance will be sharing about the I-5 bridge replacement project over the Columbia River. Click here for the Zoom link. If you haven't already, please fill out this form to indicate the virtual and in-person advocacy opportunities you want to and are available to participate in this month. April 10-16, 2023 - Food Waste Prevention Week is a nationwide event designed to raise awareness and engage with folks about solutions. Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality is a Sponsor of this campaign. Flavia Franco of Southern Oregon Food Solutions is leading the Composting Action Team at Ashland Climate Collaborative. April 12, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT -The next UCC Creation Justice Webinar is entitled Getting Ready for Earth Sunday: Resources for Congregations." will bring the lens of justice to food, the most immediate and tangible way that we connect with the natural world around us. In this webinar, Karyn Bigelow will introduce the resource and talk about specific ways churches can deliver a powerful message and experience on Earth Sunday. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time still sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording of it. Register here. April 13, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT - Divest Oregon will deliver a Stop the Money Pipeline (STMP) petition to the State Treasurer in Salem demanding that he vote PERS shares at banks and insurance companies in favor of resolutions to stop funding fossil fuel companies. Divest Oregon will be meeting at 10 a.m. at 3155 Ryan Drive, Salem (Denny’s) to walk over to the new Treasury building together. Contact Gary before April 12 via email or phone to get more info. Over 40,000 people have signed a petition to ask Treasurers around the country urging them to vote YES on climate and Indigenous rights resolutions at banks and insurance companies. April 14 - 23, 2023 - Faith Climate Action Week is ten days in April during "Earth Month" when Interfaith Power and Light congregations focus on how we can all take action to protect our climate. This year's theme is Living the Golden Rule: Just Transition to a clean energy economy. Click here for a link to Oregon Ecumenical Ministries and Oregon Interfaith Power and Light. April 17-28, 2023 - Oregon Interfaith Power & Light (OIPL) Earth Week Advocacy meetings will be joining an IN PERSON advocacy day with the Building Resilience coalition on April 20, 2023. The Community Resilience Hubs coalition lobby day on April 25 has both VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON OPTIONS. There are also opportunities to attend and/or speak up to the Ways & Means Committee through their "road show" at locations around the state (mostly in person; the Salem event will be virtual and in person) April 18, 2023, at 11 a.m. PDT on Zoom - Climate Cafe MultiFaith will focus on Land Stewardship in Urban Community Settings and Beyond with guest Tiffany Jones. They will discuss "habitat-sustaining green design in urban landscapes, in unactivated city lots, community centers, and outside churches, temples, and other places of worship." Register here. April 18, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. PDT - Deloitte and Insider Events are presenting For a Better Future: Bridging Culture, Business, and Climate. "You’ll learn how the concepts of empowerment and circularity inspire climate action in the world of business and the larger culture. The speaker lineup will be a diverse set of cross-sector climate champions, such as climate justice advocates, circular fashion heroes, and businesses. Register here for the multi-session editorial conference to learn more about: -Sustainable style and how circular fashion is changing the fashion industry. -How businesses are partnering to impact the climate. -The role of biodiversity in coming together for a greener tomorrow. -How the sports sector is impacting the environment. April 18-26, 2023 - Heart Mind Institute LLC in partnership with Neurodynamic Institute LLC will present the Expanded States of Consciousness World Summit. with an interesting lineup of 60 video presentations over 8 days. Psychedelics, Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy, Plant Medicine, Breathwork, Meditation, Shamanism, and more… Dr. Fleet Maull, Ph.D. is the Founder of Heart Mind Institute LLC, a Master Trainer, Author, Consultant, and Executive Coach, steeped in contemplative wisdom traditions, the psychology of self-actualization, and current neuroscience, Previous Global Resilience Summits were held in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Maull also has created a membership Heart Mind Community. All this might be a little far out for most folks, but the thought of an emerging global mind intrigues me. April 19, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT on Zoom - UMCJ Movement Café meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month and this April meeting will discuss innovative creation justice activities happening in the United Methodist Annual Conferences. Come to learn more about the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement and share your own stories. Recordings and notes from previous Cafés can be seen here. Register here. April 20, 2023, at 4 p.m. PDT - Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth is hosting Earth Day Worship (live-streamed). The theme is Active for Earthcare! There will be meditation, song, and stories to honor the natural world and become Active for Earthcare – a call to engage in the face of the climate crisis. Register here. April 21, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. PDT - Rogue Community College is celebrating Earth Day 2023 at the Riverside campus (HEC) in Medford and the Redwood Campus in Grants Pass April 21, 2023, from 3:30-6:30 p.m. PDT - Earth Day Extravaganza at The Farm at SOU (next to ScienceWorks). There will be exhibitors, entertainment, an ecoquest adventure, educational mini-workshops, games, and more, all in celebration of the 52nd Earth Day. Sign up to volunteer. April 22, 2023, at 8 a.m. PDT - Join the UCC's first Earth Day Summit featuring the Rev. Jim Antal and an array of uplifting panelists and presentations focused on the theme "What's Possible?: Earth Day Stories of Hope. During this two-and-a-half-hour event a panel of grassroots organizers will share their success stories.Sign-up today for this free event! April 22, 2023, from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. PDT - SOCAN's Sustaining Climate Activists Project hosts monthly gatherings with social time as well as circling up and checking in with each other. Their April meeting will be in-person at Blue Heron Park, 4385 Pacific Hwy, Phoenix. Masks optional. Facilitated by Ken Deveney and Liz Olson. April 22, 2023, at 12 p.m. PDT on Zoom - Creation Spirituality Communities will host an Earth Day Labyrinth Walk. Mary Ann Wamhoff will lead us on a virtual labyrinth walk to apply Creation Spirituality to an ancient practice of moving meditation. No need to pre-register; Zoom Link here. April 25, 2023, from 6-7:30 p.m. PDT - SOCAN is having its monthly meeting in person at the Medford Public Library, 205 S. Central Ave, Medford, OR. Featured speakers will be members of the SOCAN Federal and State Project Team on the topic Salem 2023: What's up? April 25, 2023 - Oregon Just Transition Alliance is gathering Oregonians from all over the state to meet in Salem with our lawmakers to urge them to create Community Resilience Hubs to protect our communities before, during, and after climate emergencies. Register here. April 25-27, 2023 on Zoom - Ecumenical Advocacy Days is "an annual gathering of Christian advocates and activists who worship, delve deeply into the pressing issues of the day, and lift our voices by speaking truth to power on Capitol Hill. The theme of this year’s virtual conference is "Swords into Plowshares: Achieving Enough for All & Pursuing Peace." Workshops will include several related to creation care and climate justice." Learn more here. April 27, 2023, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. PDT - Citizens Climate Lobby Co-Leader Linda Tetreault will present a free talk on “Living and Working on the Front Line of Climate Change” at Gambrel Annex, 2082 East Main St., Ashland, OR.

Here's a brief list of online and Rogue Valley in-person activities that may be of interest to you. Check back as this post will be updated as we get additional information. May 2, 2023 at 11 a.m. PDT - Climate Cafe Multifaith digs into the funding and resources available through government grants and mandates to address environmental injustice and climate change. Within the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) $369 billion dollars is allocated to address environmental justice, energy solutions, emissions reductions and climate change resilience. Register. Click here for a link to the Vimeo recording if you missed the in-person gathering. May 4, 2023 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. - Rogue Climate is having Cinema Project - an in-person, free event at the Rogue Climate Office (205 N. Phoenix Rd. Suite G, Phoenix, OR, 97535). Click here to RSVP "The Rogue Climate Cinema Project is a series of film screenings about climate justice, hosted in collaboration with Working Films. This screening features the film We Still Here, which tells the story of young residents from Comerío, Puerto Rico, who take action in their community in response to their government’s poor emergency relief management during Hurricane Maria." "After the film, there will be a panel discussion about experiences with community organizing and disaster relief efforts in the Rogue Valley over the last couple of years–and current opportunities to get involved in Southern Oregon." May 5, 2023, at 4 p.m. PDT - Unitarian Universalists Ministry For Earth's online monthly Spiritual Gatherings help us ground, recenter, and imagine what is possible in a world in need of repair. To draw us more closely into alignment with Earth-based philosophies, UUMFE follows the Lunar Calendar. They gather, via Zoom, on the Full Moon to nourish our spirit with a time for reflection and small group sharing. Bring a pen and some paper. Register here. May 8-11, 2023 - GreenFaith is presenting No Faith in Fossil Fuels, A Climate Finance Summit. "From May 8-11 people of faith will gather to learn about how banks and asset managers continue to invest in the fossil fuel industries that are destroying communities in the U.S. and around the world – and then find out how to hold these financial institutions accountable. Together, we can commit to taking the bold steps necessary to effect real change." Find the complete agenda here. Register here. May 11, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT on Zoom - Join Rev. Allen Ewing-Merrill, Executive Director of The BTS Center, for a lunchtime “Let’s Talk!” conversation with Rabbi Natan Margalit, author of the 2022 book The Pearl and the Flame: A Journey into Jewish Wisdom and Ecological Thinking and founder of the non-profit Organic Torah. Register here. May 10, 2023, at 4 p.m. PDT - Unitarian Universalists Ministry For Earth will celebrate International Biodiversity Day with a new curriculum: “May You Survive and Thrive” - a multi-generational, arts-based family ministry curriculum designed to cultivate and sustain ecological awareness within and between congregations and communities. Join in to learn more about how you can use this in your congregation, family, and community. Register here. May 13, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT - Southern Oregon Citizens' Climate Lobby will be meeting at Pony Expresso in Ashland for their Monthly Meeting and to hear the national call with Adam Simon, Professor of Earth & Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan. Each month volunteers around the world gather locally for group meetings to do four things: Learn, Celebrate, Practice, and Act. Learn more and download the CCL May Action Sheet by clicking "Get the Action Sheet", click here May 16, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. PDT - BTS Center is having an online gathering for trained spiritual directors and spiritual companions: Spiritual Direction for a Climate-Changed World with Justin Ferko, Rev. Dr. Stephanie Perdew, and Rev. Dr. Wanda Stahl. Stephanie trains other spiritual guides through the Spiritual Guidance Training Program of the Siena Center of the Racine Dominicans, Racine, Wisconsin. Most recently, Wanda served on the faculty and as Director of Contextual Education at Boston University School of Theology where her favorite moments were engaging with students exploring questions of meaning, purpose, and vocation. There is a $35 fee with scholarships available. Register here. May 16, 2023, at 11 a.m. PDT - Climate Cafe Multifaith discusses Sacred Sanctuary: The Fight to Save Oak Flat (efforts of the San Carlos Apache and other tribal leaders to stop a proposed open-pit copper mine.) Register. May 18, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT - Artis Imogene Drummond presents Walking and Wandering: An EcoSpiritual Journey, sharing her three-month pre-pandemic “walkabout” in Scotland and Spain. Register here. May 23, 2023, at 4 p.m. PDT - Deeptime Network presents The Sacred Depths of Nature, a free book celebration with eminent biologist and religious naturalist Ursula Goodenough upon the release of the new edition of her classic book, Click here for info and to register! May 30, 2023, at 6-7:30 p.m. PDT - SOCAN's Monthly Meeting (at the Medford Public Library) will focus on what other climate change groups in the area are doing. They plan to offer a panel with one representative from each of the invited groups. The program title is - Climate Action in the Rogue Valley: What are regional organizations doing?

Here's a brief list of various online and Rogue Valley in-person activities this summer that may be of interest to you. Check back as this post will be updated as we get additional information. June 1, 2023, at 1 p.m. PDT - Global Kinship is presenting Towards A Global Ethic with Stephen Avino, Executive Director of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, and Kusumita P. Pederson, author and UN advocate. Register here. Global Kinship Webinar happens on the 1st Thursday of the month and is sponsored by CSCommunities.org The purpose is to "explore the emerging Noosphere as it emerges through us." "Global Kinship, Exploring the Emerging Noosphere addresses the phenomenon of the complexification of human creativity, technology, and consciousness that has evolved within our species - from the first "Aha!" moments of the earliest tribes to this rapidly rising consciousness and interconnectivity among humans around the world." "Through technology, culture, arts, economics, medicine, sociability, the human heart, and a shared concern for our ecological fragility, we are quickly becoming a global community." One hundred years ago, Pierre Teilhard and Vladimir Vernadsky predicted that Earth, through us, would grow a new layer beyond the geosphere and biosphere. They named this layer the Noosphere. To participate in this meeting of the minds, we need to pay attention to what is happening both inside and outside of us. June 1, 2023, from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. PDT - SOCAN's Ashland Climate Action Team will learn more about Ashland’s Climate & Energy Action Plan (CEAP), review the projects we identified last month and talk about our meeting format as we go forward. June 2, 2023, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. PDT. - SOCAN’S Medford Climate Action Team meeting will focus on supporting the Medford Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Planning (CCARP) and other activities to support Medford’s efforts to address climate change. June 6, 2023, at 11 a.m. PDT - Climate Cafe Multifaith discusses "When your neighbor says No" - The Yakama tribe fight to save Goldendale, WA, from constructing a hydroelectric pumped-storage energy project. Addressing climate change is a moral imperative. Register. June 5, 2023, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. PDT - SOCAN's Talent Climate Action Team meets monthly on the 1st Tuesday at the Talent Public Library or Talent Community Center. The meetings include a short presentation on issues of interest to those living in Talent followed by updates from the Talent Action Groups. June 6, 2023, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. PDT - Medford UCC has a newly formed Creation Justice Team. Find out what's happening with the Team in the Fireside area of Lidgate. June 6, 2023, at 5:45 p.m. PDT - Rogue Climate is inviting people to attend the Ashland City Council Meeting at the Council Chambers, 1175 E Main St., and support youth organizers who are advocating for the city to adopt an “emissions standard” ordinance that puts a limit on the amount of harmful emissions that new residential buildings can produce. Rogue Climate is bringing communities together to stop the Jordan Cove LNG export terminal and transition to renewable energy. You can connect with Rogue Climate on Facebook or follow the campaign to stop Jordan Cove LNG on Facebook at No LNG Exports. Rogue Climate is also on Twitter and Instagram. Please consider becoming a monthly donor to keep this rural movement for climate justice strong and growing. June 7, 2023. at 10 a.m. PDT - Climate Central is presenting a media briefing "Using Attribution Science to Cover Weather/Climate Connections." Want to know the climate connection to your weather? This media briefing will bring together experts to help journalists understand the advancements in attribution science and resources to incorporate in your reporting. Recordings will be provided to all registrants. Register here. Speakers will include: Anthony Leiserowitz, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication Friederike Otto, Imperial College of London, World Weather Attribution Roop Singh, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre Andrew Pershing, Climate Central June 7, 2023, from 6-7 p.m. PDT - Rogue Climate is inviting community members to their office (205 N. Phoenix Rd., Phoenix, OR) to 1) give testimony at the virtual public hearing about Avista (the gas utility company that services most of Southern Oregon) hope to raise the rates of customer energy bills by 8.1% starting this November 2023; 2) to attend the virtual public hearing on zoom; and 3) submit a written comment by email to the Public Utility Commission by filling out the form at the end of their webpage linked here. June 10, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT - Southern Oregon Citizens' Climate Lobby meets Saturday at Pony Espresso in Ashland, OR. All are welcome. The Speaker this month on the national call is Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350. To learn more and download the CCL June Action Sheet by clicking "Get the Action Sheet", click here June 11, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. PDT - Deadline to sign up for Pachamama Alliance's Game Changer Intensive, "an 8-week online course that will prepare you to engage in effective collective action toward a just and sustainable future; transform your concern for the world into action." Orientation will begin June 13th and the course will continue through the week of August 8th. Register here. June 17, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PDT - The Great Turning Summit - inspiring stories from the movement toward a life-sustaining society. This is a doorway to "pivot toward a livable future, a collaboration between millions of people and the more-than-human world. This summit will offer up a healthy dose of honoring and inspiration, highlighting the good works of communities from all over the world. Featuring Joanna Macy, Lyla June, Pat McCabe, brontë velez, Lydia Violet, John Seed, Vahisha Hasan, MaMuse, Leilani Navar, and more!" Register for free. June 19, 2023, at 4 p.m. PDT - SOCAN's Jacksonville Climate Action Team meets monthly on the 3rd Monday in the Jacksonville Public Library Community Room. Anyone interested in climate action in Jacksonville is invited to attend. June 20, 2023 - Klamath-Siskiyou Wildland Center reports that June 20th is the deadline for the public to make public comments, regarding President Biden's mature and old-growth Executive Order. Both the Forest Service and BLM have announced a proposed pathway for protecting our remaining ancient forests once and for all, This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to call for permanent protections for federal mature and old-growth forests from logging. June 20-22, 2023 - Elders Climate Action is hosting an open screening of the documentary film To The End. Limited tickets are available for this event so reserve yours today! June 21, 2023, at 11 a.m. PDT - Interfaith Power & Light is having a webinar Learn How to Finance Solar at Your Congregation. If you aren't able to attend, you can still register, and IPL will send the recording out to everyone who registered. REGISTER HERE "Learn more about the different ways congregations can finance solar from Jerry Bernstein, author of IPL’s Solar Financing for Congregations. Then we’ll take a deeper look at one of the options that allow a congregation to install solar with no up-front costs, called power purchase agreements." "Andreas Karelas, the Executive Director of RE-volv will explain how these agreements benefit a congregation and why they are still a good idea, even with the new government support for nonprofits to go solar. Andreas will also offer a sneak peak at how the new government bonuses will likely be distributed to congregations going solar." "RE-volv is a climate justice nonprofit that helps nonprofits in underserved communities across the country go solar while raising awareness about equitable climate solutions and training the next generation of clean energy leaders." "Then we’ll hear from an IPL solar congregation on how they got started, overcame challenges, and successfully cut their energy use with solar." June 25–July 2, 2023 - The Institute on Religion in the Age of Science is having its 2023 IRAS Conference at Star Island, NH: The Wizards of Climate Change: How Can Technology Serve Hope and Justice? According to Roger Brown, the Conference will be streamed for the cost of IRAS membership e.g. you must join $40. June 26, 2023, at noon - The Oregon Chapter of the Illinois Valley Sierra Club, Williams Community Forest Project, Sustainable Rogue Valley, and RCC Earth Club are inviting everyone to join them at Alba Park, 301 E. Main Street, Medford, to help protect our climate forests from logging. "Keeping our older trees in the ground is a critical climate solution! Your presence will make a difference. Let’s gather a big crowd to raise up the message to the public and the media: Bring a picnic, enjoy live music, and get updated on forest protection efforts. Celebrate the forests that provide cooling shade and clean water for all creatures!" "Forest-themed costumes and colorful signs are encouraged. Also, sign this petition (to be delivered at the rally to staffers for Senators Wyden and Merkley) asking for funding for proven community-based wildfire safety solutions instead of backcountry logging." https://www.cascwild.org/take-action-call-on-senators.../ June 27, 2023, at 4 p.m. PDT - Elders Climate Action is having their National Call with Our Children's Trust: Climate Justice in Hawai’i: Youth Have a Right to Live Healthful Lives in a Sustaining Climate. Hear from Rylee Brooke, a plaintiff in Navahine F. v. Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation and attorneys, Kimberly Willis and Joanna Zeigler, to learn about this landmark climate lawsuit. Register Now June 27, 2023, at 4 p.m. PDT on Zoom - Join Matthew Fox, Skylar Wilson, Mariko Middleton, and others from the global Order of the Sacred Earth as we come together to listen, share, and support one another within this growing movement. There are many ways to plug into our network as we create more avenues for cross-pollination and community support so please come with an open heart and mind! Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88665302478 June 27, 2023, from 5-6 p.m. PDT on Zoom - Ashland Climate Collaborative is having a webinar: Are We Moving Toward a 100% Electric Ashland? The Rogue Climate's youth-led Action Team and their supporters filled the City Council Chambers on June 6th. Ashland youth climate activists are pushing the City to restrict "natural" gas (methane) hookups in new homes. At the same time, more and more residents are converting their homes to 100% electric, eyeing the financial incentives coming our way through the Inflation Reduction Act. Register Here. June 27, 2023, at 6 p.m. PDT on Zoom - The June SOCAN monthly general meeting will focus on the efforts of Divest Oregon to bring the Treasury more in line with the wishes of the majority of Oregon citizens. The program will feature Rory Cowal from Divest Oregon who will discuss the reasons for divestment, the efforts of Divest Oregon to achieve it, what the next steps will be subsequent to the failure of HB2601 during the 2023 session; and what we can do individually to invest conscientiously. There is no charge for joining the ZOOM meeting, but participants must register at the link on the SOCAN calendar event: https://socan.eco/event/divest-together/ June 28, 2023, at 4:45 p.m. PDT - IRAS is presenting a webinar: Overshoot: The World beyond 1.5°C​. Presenter Wake Smith is a Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is also a Lecturer at Yale, where he teaches a course on climate engineering. That course material was published in book form in March 2022: Pandora’s Toolbox: The Hopes and Hazards of Climate Intervention. This IRAS webinar is FREE, but registration is required. Register here. Register for June 28 We Other Summer Events of Interest July-September 2023 - Human Energy Project's Science of the Noosphere will investigate the relevance of this deep evolutionary perspective to the social, technological, and ecological challenges humanity faces in the contemporary world." This project is "directed by David Sloan Wilson, one of the foremost living evolutionary scientists who, like Teilhard de Chardin, includes all aspects of humanity in addition to the biological world as within his scientific purview." Apply to the class by filling out this application form. Space is limited to 100. They are "looking for participants who are eager to learn and reflect upon the noosphere and their own worldview." More information regarding the class can be found here. August 14–18, 2023 - The 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions will be held in Chicago, August 20, 2023 - Sustainable Rogue Valley and RCC Earth Club will host a film/conversation event. Also scheduled for October 15, 2023.

In this YouTube video on emergent spirituality, stand-up philosopher and prolific author Tim Freke presents a new worldview in which God is not the source, but the destination. He opens with the radical idea that time does not pass, but accumulates, and with characteristic energy and passion, he suggests that reality is information, emerging first as matter, then as biology, and now as a distinct immaterial level – as spirit. Meaning, volition, magic and immortality belong exclusively to this level. This Emergent Spirituality offers a life-enhancing understanding of the deep purpose of existence, and can heal our modern soul crisis. The talk was given at SAND 2017. Science And Nonduality (SAND) "is a community inspired by timeless wisdom, informed by cutting-edge science, and grounded in personal experience. We come together in an openhearted exploration to further our individual and collective evolution. New "ways of being" emerge. We embody our interconnectedness and celebrate our humanity."