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Palisades wildfire in Topanga CA May, 2021. Photo by Amir AghaKouchak/UC Irvine. A study released June 12 2023 by a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists shows that Anthropogenic climate change impacts exacerbate summer forest fires in California. The research appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "Nearly all the recent increase in summer wildfire burned area is attributable to human-caused (anthropogenic) climate change. The team modeled the climate drivers of summer wildfire activity in California and found that "the drivers of increasing summer burn area are all anthropogenic."Anthropogenic simulations yielded burn areas an average of 172% higher than natural variation simulations." Although repeated wildfires consume fuel and limit the activity of subsequent fires in the same area, the team estimated that "the next decades (between 2031 and 2050) may see a further increase in the average summer burn area in California of up to 52% more than current average burn areas." Insurers are rethinking property coverage in areas of California. As of this writing, The Guardian reports "huge swaths of the US continue to face extreme weather as temperatures persist into the triple digits in the south and south-west while smoke pollution is blighting the midwest.... [and] This year’s wildfire season is the worst on record in Canada, with some 76,000 sq km (29,000 sq miles) burning across eastern and western Canada. With much of Canada still experiencing unusually warm and dry conditions, “there’s still no end in sight”," On the positive side, on December 5, 2022 LLNL finally achieved fusion ignition via lasers, perhaps opening the way for an unlimited, clean energy source, less than a decade away, with resources of deuterium and tritium in the ocean. Fusion drives the sun and stars. This effort over decades involving thousands of brilliant minds around the globe represents an expression of the expansion of the noosphere or planetary mind. LLNL's Earth and Atmospheric Science research teams also tackle complex issues related to national security challenges such as ensuring the resilience of energy delivery systems. They do atmospheric modeling and "risk assessments that enable public safety personnel to effectively respond to atmospheric dispersions of hazardous chemicals." Techno-optimists are encouraged that science and a technology-enhanced global mind might still avert an environmental catastrophe.

Science informs us that climate change is happening, it's human-caused, it's getting worse and it is causing disruption and suffering. The climate crisis is the most urgent, but long problem humanity has ever faced. It is an existential threat to human civilization and all living creatures in the biosphere. There are several very effective non-sectarian, non-profit, climate activist organizations based in the Rogue Valley or with local chapters here such as SOCAN, Ashland Climate Collaborative, Rogue Climate, Pachamama Alliance, Citizens Climate Lobby, Some are focused on practical, science-based technical solutions; some are education-oriented, intended to raise awareness of global climate issues; some are intended to build local community activism; some support youth and BIPOC activism; while others are primarily political advocacy and lobbying efforts at the state and federal level. There are also many state-oriented climate advocacy groups addressing specific issues such as the preservation of old-growth forests, State legislative agendas; and divestment from fossil fuel investments., etc. Drawdown, "the world's leading resource for climate solutions," catalogs and prioritizes the impact of the myriad of actions that can help reverse global warming. Regeneration, the latest iteration from Paul Hawken "puts life at the center of every thought and action." It offers "a punch list of personal, group, or institutional actions that you can, want to, and will do." Some movements such as the Human Energy Project want to influence a transition into a new, positive, emerging, evolutionary, science-based cosmology and global worldview of the noosphere - a third story. This effort is aimed at restoring a long-term vision of the future - a vision of hope about our potential as a human species to penetrate into ideas beyond our experience and improve our conscious response. So what special contributions do spiritual communities bring to climate solutions? Foremost is our calling to love our neighbors and future generations and be good stewards of all of creation. It is our moral and ethical responsibility to protect those who are most vulnerable and disadvantaged and don't have a voice - climate injustice is a force that amplifies every other social injustice. We need to incarnate the changes we long for and proclaim truth in the public square. Faith-based groups are certainly not unique in recognizing and responding to this global, ethical challenge, but they must contribute to solutions, as an important part of their witness. Nationally, there are faith-based organizations such as Interfaith Power & Light, GreenFaith, Creation Justice Ministries, and ecoAmerica. At the state level, there are interfaith organizations such Oregon Interfaith Power & Light (OIPL) and Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO). Numerous denominational and non-Christian religious organizations are also focused on Creation Justice. Faith communities need not reinvent the wheel in coming up with ideas to spread awareness of Creation justice actions appropriate for their congregations. Here are some examples of organizational practices from the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement; Unitarian Universalists; and the United Church of Christ. Top Twelve Actions Elizabeth Williams of the United Methodist Greater Northwest Conference Earthkeeper developed a list of the Top 12 Actions for the UM Creation Justice Movement, broken down into examples for individuals, faith communities, and governments, as well as examples of organizations working in those areas. Facilitate Motivate Educate Advocate Reallocate Detoxicate Anticipate Accentuate Eliminate Contemplate Rejuvenate Activate Creation Justice Tips - Free, monthly tips for churches to use in their worship bulletin, church newsletter, weekly emails, and more. Creation Care Network - Join others who are engaged in environmental justice and build your local grassroots community - this is an online platform to help members of The United Methodist Church and established ministry partners put creation care and environmental justice values into action. Join the UM Creation Care Network here. Movement Cafe - This is a UM informal, virtual space to facilitate connection and conversation about creation care and justice issues. Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth is "a seedbed for spiritual grounding and education that inspires deep practices of Earth care, justice and flourishing for all." They have a Newsletter; Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram pages. Embodiment - Spiritual Gatherings; Recordings; Worship and Small Group Resources; and Food For the Spirit. Empowerment - Workshops; Recordings; Curriculum; Young Adults; BIPOC Enagement - Support for Activists; Resources; Actions; Partners; and a Blog. United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Ministries - Learn more about their history, the Creation Justice Church program, Earth Day resources, the Pollinator Newsletter, Creation Justice Webinars, and the work of the UCC Council for Climate Justice. Environmental Minister Brooks Berndt. has written the book Cathedral on Fire - a climate crisis handbook that focuses our attention on the vitally needed gifts that churches can offer for the climate crisis. Three Great Loves is a resource document for pastors and churches.

A study by Berkeley researchers Christoper Jones and Daniel M. Mammen studied the Spatial Distribution of U.S. Household Carbon Footprints Reveals Suburbanization Undermines the Greenhouse Gas Benefits of Urban Population Density. They found consistently lower HCF in urban core cities and higher carbon footprints in outlying suburbs. Their study used national household surveys to develop econometric models of demand for energy, transportation, food, goods, and services. The models were used to derive average household carbon footprints (HCF) for U.S. zip codes, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas. The figure above shows the relative proportion of HCF due to travel, home, food, goods, and services. Use their calculator to modify your personal HCF. Even if car fuel is reduced by having an electric vehicle, other factors remain. Carbon footprint profiles of almost all U.S. zip codes, cities, counties, and states are available on the project Web site, http://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/carboncalculator, and an interactive mapping Web site, http://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/maps. The December 13, 2022, New York Times article The Climate Impact of Your Neighborhood, Mapped notes: "A map of emissions linked to the way people consume goods and services offers a different way to view what’s driving global warming. Usually, greenhouse gases are measured at the source: power plants burning natural gas or coal, cows belching methane, or cars and trucks burning gasoline. But a consumption-based analysis assigns those emissions to the households that are ultimately responsible for them: the people who use electricity, drive cars, eat food, and buy goods." As previously noted, Molly Kawabata says, "The fossil fuel industry has promoted the "individual carbon footprint" to deceive the public and turned the table of responsibility from those who are causing the problem onto individual users. Meanwhile, The Guardian reports that a "lawsuit – filed in the US federal district court of Puerto Rico – evidence of the conspiracy dates back to 1989 when the defendants, which include ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Rio Tinto, individually and through trade association formed the Global Climate Coalition (GCC) as a “not-for-profit corporation to influence, advertise, and promote the interests of the fossil fuel industry by giving false information to their consumers and the public at large”.

From 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! When you register you will receive a link to screen To The End on your own any time between June 20–22. Watch with your children and (older) grandchildren, friends, and neighbors. This film captures the rise of a new generation of leaders behind the most sweeping climate change legislation in US history. Filmed over the course of four years, the documentary includes up-to-the-minute footage of last year‘s historical climate bill, the Inflation Reduction Act. Following four important changemakers—including: Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Varshini Prakash, climate activist Rihana Gunn-Wright, climate policy writer Alexandria Rojas political strategist "This film allows us to witness the fear, struggle, and desperation youth are feeling in their fight for a livable future amidst the challenges of politics, power, and climate change." The open screening will be followed on June 22, 2023 at 4 p.m. PDT by an intergenerational panel discussion. Because this panel involves youth, this discussion will not be recorded so plan to attend virtually. After the panel discussion, participants will have the opportunity to join breakout rooms and discuss personal reactions and strategies for action in small groups. "Our youth activist allies will discuss what it takes to push through their fears to protect their own future, and the tactics they are using to raise their voices and make change. They will discuss why elders have a duty to the youth to stand with them in this fight." Elders Climate Action (ECA) is a project of Elders Action Network based in San Jose, CA. They "are determined to do all they can to leave a sustainable planet for future generations. ECA is non-partisan, and does not support, endorse, or advocate for any political party or candidate." They "work to inform, inspire, and engage others to take action on the climate crisis." They "actively support the youth movements springing up in the United States and throughout the world."

The Institute on Religion in the Age of Science is having its 2023 IRAS Conference at Star Island, NH, from June 25–July 2, 2023: The Wizards of Climate Change: How Can Technology Serve Hope and Justice? According to Roger Brown, it will be streamed for the cost of IRAS membership e.g. you must join ($40 for first-time members). This conference will "critically examine how technology can be developed, deployed and governed responsibly, to address climate change in ways that foster hope and justice. We will respectfully engage a multiplicity of world views, including religious perspectives, as we learn how countries throughout the world determine and apply climate and technology policies." Monday, June 26 – Technology and Religion: Wizardry and Prophecy Tuesday, June 27 – Public Engagement around Climate Change and Intervention Wednesday, June 28 – Uncertainty about the Future of Climate and Technologies Thursday, June 29 – Responsible Development and Regulation of Technology Friday, June 30 – Deploying Technologies to Foster Justice and Equity Saturday, July 1 – Curating Sources of Hope in Regard to Technology The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is a co-sponsor of the conference. AGU members will receive a discounted registration rate. Read for more details.

"My conversation with Greta Thunberg brought together scientists and spiritual thinkers to take a fresh look at the environmental crisis that we are all facing. From this came 'A Future We Can Love'—a book offering hope to all. Join us in creating a brighter future." ~ June 13, 2023 Tweet from Dalai Lama. A Future We Can Love: How We Can Reverse the Climate Crisis with the Power of Our Hearts and Minds "shares the words of these two great figures, generations apart, bringing them into dialogue with dozens of visionary scientists, activists, and spiritual luminaries." These include: Dalai Lama (Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader) Greta Thunberg (Swedish environmental activist) Joanna Macy (environmental activist, author, and scholar of Buddhism) Vandana Shiva (Indian scholar, environmental activist, food sovereignty advocate, ecofeminist and anti-globalization author) Paul Hawken (environmentalist, entrepreneur, author, economist, and activist) Katharine Hayhoe (Canadian atmospheric scientist, political scientist, science communicator, and Christian) Matthieu Ricard (French Buddhist monk, writer, translator, and photographer) Lyla June, (indigenous scholar, community organizer, and artist) Diana Beresford-Kroeger, (medical biochemist, polymath and author) Kritee Kanko, (climate scientist and Zen teacher) Dekila Chungyalpa, (interfaith environmental leader) Willa Blythe Baker, (Buddhist teacher) Rabbi Steve Leder ( In an excerpt from her June, 2023 book, A Future We Can Love: How We Can Reverse the Climate Crisis with the Power of Our Hearts and Minds, Susan Bauer-Wu explains that "in order to find solutions to the climate crisis, we must first prioritize compassion." "More than a feeling, compassion is a call to action because it taps into a sense of responsibility and requires us to think beyond the immediate and beyond ourselves. It takes courage to open our eyes and unplug our ears to hear this call, let alone answer it." ~ Susan Bauer-WuFutue

On June 7, 2023, UCC is launching The United Church of Christ + Blessed Tomorrow Climate Ambassador On-Demand Training. The United Church of Christ is partnering with the Blessed Tomorrow Ambassadors Program to offer training that will equip you with the knowledge, hands-on experience, and resources to feel comfortable talking about climate change and act confidently on climate solutions. With this online training and a network of like-minded leaders, you will be able to engage your community, the public, and policymakers to inspire climate solutions that help protect our families and communities now and ensure a prosperous, just, and secure future. You will have 6 weeks to complete this 4 hour class of video presentations. Upon completing the training, you will be invited to sign the Ambassadors agreement, to become a Climate Ambassador. Signing up gives you access to tools, resources, and events to act and advocate for climate solutions. It also gives you access to a private online community of Ambassadors from across the nation who are passionate about being a voice for climate solutions. This online community is for sharing and collaboration and is also where you will access the support and resources for the Climate Ambassador program including the slides from the training and talking points to use in your own climate action. Register here with the code UCCBTAmbassador

"Le gout de vivre" or zest for life is a theme frequently used by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin to refer to the life force that animates evolution. It is a generative idea that as Paulo Freire puts it, "can touch people so deeply that it can stir them into effective action for creating profound social change." It refers to great enthusiasm and energy and a quality of excitement and piquancy - eagerness, keenness, and drive. It is a dynamic energy and movement, an aliveness that spurs us on, nourishes and sustains human attitudes, inspiring further action, growth and development. In the 2014 book From Teilhard to Omega: Co-Creating an Unfinished Universe (Ilia Delio, editor) Ursula King wrote chapter 11 titled The Zest for Life. This chapter explores Teilhards "large vision of hope, a new understanding of the Christian faith, a world in evolution, a passion for looking toward the future, and a conscious commitment to take on the responsibility of working toward a greater unification and higher evolution of the human species... a 'response-abilility' toward ourselves and others, the environment, nature, the earth, the human community, and Ultimate Reality, however named, often called the Spirit, or in theistic traditions, God." Ursula King writes "It was Teilhard's particular passion to draw special attention to the spiritual energy resource that we need to draw upon in order to feed the zest for life. Nowhere is this more strongly expressed than in his 1950 essay "The Zest for Living." "The zest for life - the will to live and love life to the full, and contribute to its growth - is an indispensable requisite for the continuity of life, especially in the form of a higher, more conscious, and spiritual life. It also shows itself in the development of a more integrated, stronger global human community that will give priority to promoting more equity, justice, and peace as well as a planetary ethic." One hundred years ago in 1923 Teilhard spoke of the Noosphere (the emergent world of global thought) and his absolute belief in the forward march of thought ("or of Spirit, if you like.). In his 1937 essay "Human Energy" Teilhard discusses the significance, organization, and maintenance of human energy, The Human Energy Project portrays a Third Story in the YouTube video above. It draws upon First Story sensitivity to the sacred; the Second Story of scientific processes and modern technological solutions; into a Third Story which "aims to find the common bond between the First and Second Story and create a meaningful direction for our shared future." Our human energy, thoughts, and activities influence the direction that the world takes. A few days ago I was contacted by filmmaker Alan Honick, who is currently developing a major documentary project based on the Human Energy Project's Science of the Noosphere; it will investigate the relevance of this deep evolutionary perspective to the social, technological, and ecological challenges humanity faces in the contemporary world." Honick told me about this project, "directed by David Sloan Wilson, one of the foremost living evolutionary scientists who, like Teilhard, includes all aspects of humanity in addition to the biological world as within his scientific purview." Honick also mentioned plans for an online course in July and a Human Energy Project Conference in Berkeley later this year as part of the 100th Year Celebration. Is anyone interested in participating as part of a small team of 3-5 people? Find out more information about the Master Class to be led by David Sloan Wilson from July-September here. According to the Liturgical Calendar May 28, 2023 is Pentecost Sunday or Whitsunday - a story of a sending by the Spirit with "tongues as of fire" to the ends of the earth with vision and prophecy about a new reality, where people of all nations are fully communicating and understanding one another. Marcus Borg saw Pentecost as an upending of the story of the Tower of Babble where people were divided against one another. I choose to interpret the Pentecost story through the lens of a Third Story worldview - "a dynamic energy and movement, an aliveness that spurs us on, nourishes and sustains human attitudes, inspiring further action, growth and development." What feeds your zest for life? Note: Ursula King is also the author of Spirit of Fire: The Life and Vision of Teilhard De Chardin, a book on the spiritual power of Teilhard's vision of divine presence in matter and the evolving universe." This is a book about "one of the true prophets of our age, bringing Christian theology into creative dialogue with the new cosmology, expanding the dialogue between religion and science, and opening up profound dimensions of the human condition." Another Ursula, (Ursula Goodenough) wrote the 2023 book, which I have yet to read: Sacred Depths of Nature: How Life Has Emerged and Evolved. "The book presents an accessible and engaging account of our science-based understandings of Nature, with a focus on biology and ecology, and then suggests ways that this account can elicit abiding and enriching non-theistic spiritual responses, generating a religious naturalist orientation."

Global Kinship will present a Zoom webinar entitled Cosmogenesis and the Noosphere on April 6, 2023, at 1 p.m. PDT. This will be an interview by Jennifer Morgan of Brian Thomas Swimme, author of the 2022 book Cosmogenesis, Unveiling the Expanding Universe. This Zoom gathering "addresses the phenomenon of the complexification of human creativity, technology, and consciousness that has evolved within our species." Register here. Global KInship, Exploring the Emerging Noosphere, is sponsored by Creation Spirituality Communities and meets every first Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. PDT, Creation Spirituality is "about reawakening mysticism and protecting our planet." Creation Spirituality Communities (CSC) is a non-profit, "community of people working to integrate human existence with a healthy, sustained planet" - "a network of individuals and communities who experience our own spiritual paths in connection to the evolving paradigms of the universe." Through study, community, and practice, Creation Spirituality Communities create opportunities to deepen our compassion, justice, creativity, and vision for cultural transformation so that we all might experience our sacred connection to the Spirituality of Creation. Creation Spirituality "envisions a world where all humans live in an aligned and healthy relationship with Creation. We have an evolving and common global consciousness and practice of a loving & respectful relationship with Creation. By honoring all spiritual traditions, we enliven the interconnected web of life. We model open, and emerging perspectives by focusing on Creation itself and advocate for justice for all forms of life. We reclaim our original blessing." On February 2, 2023 Matthew Fox spoke on a Creation in Crisis Zoom webinar about Jung, Teilhard, and Creation Spirituality where he shared some lessons he learned when he wrote "Gifts from Teilhard to Jung and Further Convergences.” Teilhard de Chardin considered modern religion "enfeebled." He extends some needed medicine from the Creation Spirituality lineage to address humanity's need to evolve further - and in the process, reinvent religion. Teilhard calls for the “divinization of the universe," the sacredness of matter, and the naming of the Cosmic Christ. Teilhard de Chardin coined the term Noosphere. Christ is not Jesus's last name. The Cosmic Christ refers to the one through whom “all things hold together” (Col 1:17). This understanding is embraced not only by some Catholics but also by various Protestant denominations including some Episcopalians and even some Baptists. From The Human Energy Project: "The Noosphere is a layer of thoughtfulness enveloping the Earth. The word comes from the Greek noos (mind) and sphaira (sphere). The Noosphere is the third stage of Earth’s development, after the geosphere (think rocks, water, and air) and the biosphere (all living things). The three spheres build on each other: For example, life in the biosphere needs the geosphere to survive (matter, water, and air), and thinking needs to be embodied in the biosphere, via the living brains of human beings and our technology. So the Noosphere can be seen as the rise of a planetary superorganism integrating all geological, biological, human, and technological activities into a new level of planetary functioning."

On May 1, 2023, the New York Times reported ‘The Godfather of A.I.’ Leaves Google and Warns of Danger Ahead. "Dr. Geoffrey Hinton said he has quit his job at Google, where he has worked for more than a decade and became one of the most respected voices in the field, so he can freely speak out about the risks of A.I. A part of him, he said, now regrets his life’s work." "“It is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things,... the race between Google and Microsoft and others will escalate into a global race that will not stop without some sort of global regulation.” Dr. Geoffrey Hinton In the March 23, 2023 YouTube video above, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is interviewed by Walter Isaacson about A.I.’s impact on life, politics, and warfare, as well as what can be done to keep it under control. Schmidt thinks "We are on the cusp of a new revolution that is going to change our world in a really profound way - much more so than people think," and "at a pace faster than we have ever seen." Schmidt, together with Henry Kissinger and Daniel Huttenlocher wrote the 2021 book The Age of AI and Our Human Future. We now have OpenAI with ChatGPT-4; Google with Bard and its new Magi Project; Microsoft's new AI-powered Bing search engine chat mode for Edge browser; and Elon Musk is ramping up his efforts to compete with OpenAI, the ChatGPT developer he helped found, even as he calls out the potential harms of A.I. In a 2023 TED Talk, computer scientist Yejin Choi "demystifies the current state of massive artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT, highlighting three key problems with cutting-edge large language models: Extreme-scale - "AI models are so expensive to train, and only a few tech companies can afford to do so. So we already see the concentration of power." Safety. - "We are now at the mercy of those few tech companies because researchers in the larger community do not have the means to truly inspect and dissect these models." Their massive carbon footprint and environmental impact. "We need to make AI smaller, to democratize it. And we need to make AI safer by teaching human norms and values." ~ Yejin Choi "AI is trained on: raw web data, crafted examples custom developed for AI training, and then human judgments." It is the human feedback on AI performance that is essential to input. Government regulation to control AI is the appropriate, immediate, actionable, coordinated, global response, but where to get the political will to do so? And what are the human norms and values that need to be taught to AI? How can we encourage a long, "deep time" view of human's role in evolution, and accelerate a unified global worldview and the noosphere? How do we quickly mobilize an evolutionary hope for the future? The challenge appears to be even more immediate than the global climate crisis. Maybe the superior "intelligence" of generative AI can be harnessed to save humanity from extinction if the international community can add guardrails to prevent bad actors from exploiting the new technology. As Dr. Goeffrey Hinton said on PBS Newshour May 5, 2023 "We should realize that we are probably going to get things more intelligent than us very soon and they will be wonderful. They will be able to do all sorts of things that we find difficult, so there is huge positive potential in these things, but of course, there are also huge negative possibilities and I think we should put more or less equal resources into developing AI to make into making it more powerful and into keeping it under control to minimize bad side effects."

“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late... Over the bleached bones and jumbled residue of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words: ‘too late.’ . . . Now let us begin. Now let us rededicate ourselves to the long and bitter—but beautiful—struggle for a new world.”~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Cherice Bock of Oregon Interfaith Power & Light (OIPL) Advocacy is inviting people in Representative Pam Marsh's district to a virtual meeting with her scheduled for Friday, April 21, 2023 at 11:00 a.m, PDT with a prep meeting right beforehand at 10:45 a.m. Here is the meeting link for both meetings. Please let Cherice know if you're available and plan to attend cbock@emoregon.org or 503.314.7908. You can also invite others you know in her district to attend. This is only a 15-minute meeting, so EMO will mainly emphasize that we want her to focus on pending climate and environmental justice legislation. Depending on where certain bills are at this point, OIPL advocacy may emphasize one or another of their priority bills more strongly. Richenda Fairhurst says: "Sometimes I think I get happy and comfortable resting in the good fortune I feel to have Rep. Marsh as our representative when it comes to issues like climate justice. Yet, at the same time, I think it helps to have opportunities to share our thanks (if we are thankful) our support (if we are supportive) our concerns (whatever we feel is important to share) and any questions we have as constituents in constituent meetings. This Friday is an opportunity for such a meeting: 10:45 prep and 11:00am meeting." Wednesday, May 10, 2023 - Oregon Interfaith Advocacy Day will be in Salem, OR. "There is power in knowledge and strength in numbers. Attend issue briefs and workshops on advocating for compassionate legislation followed by meetings with state legislators. Talking points and legislative appointments will be provided. ISSUES Climate & Environment, Criminal Justice Reform & Gun Violence Prevention, Healthcare, Housing & Homelessness, Hunger, Immigration & Refugees SCHEDULE Morning Session: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Afternoon meetings with State Legislators: Times will vary. LOCATION St. Mark Lutheran Church, 790 Marion St. NE, Salem, and the Oregon Capitol Building. QUESTIONS Learn more at emoregon.org/events or contact EMO at emo@emoregon.org, (503) 221-1054. LEARN MORE & REGISTER Please register by April 28th. Use EMO's secure registration form. General registration is $20, students $10 (to cover the cost for lunch); scholarships are available.

April 26, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. PDT - Pachamama Alliance will present a webinar Resilience and Possibility in These Times: Solving the Climate Crisis with Per Espen Stoknes. Per Espen Stoknes is an internationally recognized climate psychologist, author, and economist, he has devoted his career to exploring how humanity can build a better future for the planet and its people. His work has been featured in Pachamama Alliance programs and in the recent book, Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity, Per embodies grounded optimism which is a commitment to actually ending the climate crisis. Pers will "discuss the psychology of climate action; his vision for a regenerative economy; and the way out of the climate crisis that reboots our global economic system so it works for all life. Click here to register to:JOIN THE CALL

Cosmologist, Dr. Brian Swimme's 2022 book Cosmogenesis: An Unveiling of the Expanding Universe is the story of an unfolding universe, one that inspires awe, wonder, and mystery. From the publisher's book description: "From the host and cocreator of PBS’s Journey of the Universe, [the book is] a fresh look at how the rich collision between science and spirituality has influenced contemporary consciousness." "The understanding that the universe has been expanding since it's fiery beginning 14 billion years ago and has developed into stars, galaxies, life, and human consciousness is one of the most significant in human history. It is taught throughout the world and has become our common creation story for nearly every culture. In terms of the universe’s development, we humans are not only economic, religious, or political beings. At the most fundamental level, we are cosmological beings." "Cosmogenesis is one of the greatest discoveries in human history, and it continues to have a profound impact on humanity. And yet most science books do not explore the effects it has had on our individual minds. In Cosmogenesis, Brian Thomas Swimme narrates the same cosmological events that we agree are fact but offers a feature, unlike all other writings on this topic. He tells the story of the universe while simultaneously telling the story of the storyteller. Swimme describes how the impact of this new story deconstructed his mind and then reassembled it, offering us a glimpse into how cosmogenesis has transformed our understanding of both the universe and the evolution of human consciousness itself". Listen to Ilia Delio and Gabi Sloan's February 23, 2023 podcast interview of Brian Swimme on Cosmology and Evolution. They discuss the potential of matter in relationships, Teilhard de Chardin’s vision of the noosphere, technology’s role in human evolution, the development of consciousness, and planetary life. Listen to the Reimagining Podcast with Dr. Brian Swimme, a pioneering cosmologist and mathematician. Dr. Swimme converses with Dr. Theodore Richards, the Co-Director of Wisdom Projects. Dr. Brian Thomas Swimme is the Director of the Center for the Story of the Universe and a professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Mathematics at the University of Oregon in 1978 for work in gravitational dynamics. He brings the context of story to our understanding of the 13.7 billion-year trajectory of the universe. Such a story, he feels, will assist in the emergence of a flourishing Earth community." Swimme was also host and cocreator of PBS’s Journey of the Universe, a fresh look at how the rich collision between science and spirituality has influenced contemporary consciousness Swimme is the author of several other books in addition to Cosmogenesis, His other published works include The Universe Is a Green Dragon (1984); The Universe Story (1992, written with Thomas Berry); The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos (2019); and.Journey of the Universe (2011, with Mary Evelyn Tucker). “We belong to a dynamic unfolding universe that inspires wonder, awe, and creativity.” ~ Brian Swimme

Deeptime Network will be offering a 4-week Zoom course on Creating Ecozoic Practices, on Tuesdays, April 4 - May 2, 2023, from 4-6 p.m. PDT. Participants in this course, led by Margie Abbott RSM, "will experience that sense of communion with the larger creative field and develop practices that are needed for our time." Margie is the author of four Earth ritual books all of which show how her understanding of science, theology, and cosmology have evolved over the years between 1996 and 2022. Her 2020 book is Cosmic Sparks: Igniting A Re-Enchantment with the Sacred. "This course will bring to life Goal Six of the Laudato Si’ Seven Year Platform: ECOLOGICAL SPIRITUALITY." The Power of Practices that foster Cosmogenesis in Our Lives The Components of Practices How to Reframe Traditional Forms How to Create Unique Practices Practices for Eco-activism Practices to Evolve Consciousness "Thomas Berry created the term "Ecozoic" to describe an era following the current Cenozoic Era, one in which humans have a mutually enhancing relationship with Earth. How do we tap into the deepest part of ourselves to create personal and communal practices that will help birth an Ecozoic Era? Registration fee (without PD Hours) is $195 with Early Bird pricing of $145 until March 28th Click here for info and to register

Unitarian Universalist Ministry For Earth (UUMFE) will have its Monthly Spiritual Gathering on Zoom on March 7, 2023, at 4 p.m. PST. Register here. "This is a time for us all "to ground, recenter, and imagine what is possible in a world in need of repair." This year to draw us more closely into alignment with Earth-based philosophies, UUMFE will follow the Lunar Calendar. Disaster Response: Community Care and Climate Adaptation "How have congregations in California, New York and Louisiana responded to the reality of extreme weather and climate disruption over the last ten years? How can the UUA assist during a disaster crisis? Click the YouTube video below to learn more! “We need to put greater emphasis on what it means to be bound to one another in an interdependent web.” ~ Widening the Circle of Concern's Report of the UUA Commission on Institutional Change

United Church of Christ's monthly Creation Justice webinar on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at 10 a.m. PST will be: Leaky Stoves and Deadly Gases. Register here. "After the health and climate effects of gas stoves received scrutiny and discussion in recent months, a "culture war" erupted. In the media and social media, gas stoves became a "hot topic." In this webinar, we will seek to put this "heated debate" within its proper ethical context in terms of environmental justice, public health, and concerns about methane pollution." Annie Carforo from WE ACT for Environmental Justice and Michael Johnson from Berkeley Air will talk about what was learned from a pilot program that documented what happened when public housing apartments in the Bronx had their gas stoves replaced with electric induction stoves. Anne Mellinger-Birdsong from Mothers and Others for Clean Air will talk about the threats posed by methane pollution and what must be done to regulate emissions. Ultimately, this webinar will prepare faith communities for informed action in caring for our neighbors and our planet. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time, sign up, and UCC Environmental Ministries will send you a link to a recording. This monthly installment of Creation Justice Webinars is co-hosted by the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt who serves as the Minister of Environmental Justice for the United Church of Christ and the Rev. Michael Malcom who serves as the Executive Director for Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People's Justice Council.

In 1967, when I was just entering graduate school at UCLA, history professor Lynn White Jr. had his article The Historic Roots of our Ecological Crisis published in the magazine Science. White claimed that the source of the environmental problems is religious in nature: “Since the roots of our trouble are largely religious the remedy must also be essentially religious. We must rethink and re-feel our nature and our destiny." Ilia Delio says in her 2019 website post: Warming, Warming, Gone! Who Will Survive Climate Change? "The problem lies as much within us as outside us. Indeed, the problem in the public forum begins in the personal arena. If it is a problem of politics and public policies, it is also fundamentally a problem of religion." "We need structural and pastoral changes in religious practices and worship, essentially a renewal of religion for a planet in crisis and in evolution. Basically, we need a 'new religion of the earth', one that celebrates interdependency, divine immanence, mutuality, and shared future (among other values.)" ~ Ilia Delio Although Delio has hope for the future she is not optimistic about the likelihood of religion transforming humankind with sufficient rapidity to address our current climate crisis. "The internal theological divides (translate=internal wars) of both Catholic and Protestant churches preempt a renewed religious sensibility which leads me to suggest that the future looks grim for the western world which is fundamentally built on Christian principles" "I do not think the first world will survive the dire consequences of global warming; however, I do think the third world will survive and rebuild." ~ Ilia Delio Our Western way of life is not sustainable, but perhaps countries in the southern hemisphere may lead the way to sustainability while they will also have to adapt to the reality of an increasing ecological imbalance they did not create. So what is the basis of this "new religion of the earth?" Explore Ilia Delio's Center for Christogenesis - an "online educational resource and a spiritual organization that serves an axial role in our time, bridging faith, science, culture, and community... The Center builds on the ideas of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and seeks to actualize his vision of emerging wholeness for a new vitality of the spirit. Ilia Delio, OSF is a Franciscan Sister of Washington, DC, and American theologian specializing in the area of science and religion, with interests in evolution, physics, and neuroscience and the import of these for theology. Click here for an interesting story on her personal evolution. Delio is the author of over twenty-three books including The Unbearable Wholeness of Being: God, Evolution (2013), Making All Things New: Making All Things New: Catholicity, Cosmology, Consciousness (2015), Re-Enchanting the Earth: Why AI Needs Religion. (2020), and The Hours of the Universe: Reflections on God, Science, and the Human Journey (2021). Delio's 2014 book, From Teilhard to Omega: Co-creating an Unfinished Universe, is "an edited volume of essays by 13 of the finest scholars on science and religion. She challenged each writer to apply Teilhard's insights to the needs of the current age." The Teilhardian concept of “Omega”—upon which our Center’s vision and work is based—is understood not as destination, but as deepening toward a more unified future. Omega is the revelation of God as the fullness of love, the dynamic center at the heart of all Creation." ~ Ilia Delio New Creation is "the Center for Christogenesis online magazine dedicated to deepening our awareness of God, Cosmos, and Humanity in a scientific age." “What is God Today?” is "an Omega Center video series featuring interviews with Ilia Delio on the meaning of the divine in the 21st century and what God is doing in our midst. Ilia explores major themes of her work and shares a vision of God, cosmos, and humanity that can help heal our troubled world and reveal religion as the most exciting energy of our time." Hunger for Wholeness is a podcast with Ilia Delio and Gabi Sloan. "Together we can change the direction of this world by revitalizing our essential religious roots and orienting human evolution toward the fullness of love and justice, toward Omega." ~ Ilia Delio January 23, 2023

“Resilience Hubs are community-based locations that nourish existing relationships and trust in the community to help prepare for the impacts of climate change and other disruptions.” For those who attended EMO's Oregon Interfaith Earth Summit 2023, you might remember a brief discussion of Resilient Communities Cohort for Congregations. Links were listed at the bottom of my Recap, but you may have missed it or are still not sure what it's all about. Cohort teams from across the state will be meeting via Zoom on the third Tuesday of each month from 6:30–8:30 p.m. from February through June 2023. The first Zoom gathering is coming up on Tuesday, February, 21, 2023, so please let Cherice Bock know if you are interested in participating in a local group of 3-7 people. Click here to send her an email. The following is information from Cherice: Why? Our wisdom traditions affirm the sacredness of the Earth. Yet today, our hearts ache alongside the Earth and our neighbors, as communities across the Pacific Northwest face ever more frequent and severe disasters: wildfires, floods, extreme drought, 100-year storms, and heat waves. To what new forms of grieving, living, and being does this destabilizing reality of climate breakdown call us as people of faith and fierce love? How might we prepare, protect, and regenerate our communities in the face of such threats? How can our faith communities, congregations, and faith-based organizations participate in hubs and networks for resilience in our communities? Join us as teams across our region come together to explore these questions and begin the work of building resilience alongside our broader communities. What is the Cohort? What will we do together? We will listen to the stories of ourselves, our ancestors, our communities, and the land. What do these stories unveil about how we got to where we are today? Why do others amongst us find themselves in such different circumstances? What might these stories reveal about how we can move, together, toward greater resilience in the face of climate breakdown and disasters? We will learn practices and postures that nurture collective resilience. The health and well-being of ourselves, our congregations, our neighbors (human and other species), our shared watersheds and waterways, and our common home, Earth, are inextricably intertwined. We will name and work to unlearn ways of working, worshiping, and consuming that makes us all more vulnerable to disasters — and especially those ways of acting and relating to one another and the earth that result in disproportionate burdens and impacts most often to poor and working-class people, Indigenous people, racialized communities, and immigrants and refugees. We will discern and traverse pathways to greater resilience — identifying, advocating for, and beginning to implement concrete changes to the physical-material, spiritual, and relational infrastructure of our communities in support of equitable mitigation and adaptation. Along the way, each team will develop and start to implement a context-specific plan of action for how your particular community can become a stronger node of resilience within a growing network of resilience hubs across the region. What is the commitment? Come as a team. Register at least 3 (and up to 7) members of your congregation or community to participate together as a team. Two gatherings a month. Cohort teams from across the state will meet via Zoom on the third Tuesday of each month from 6:30–8:30 pm from February through June 2023 (2/21, 3/21, 4/18, 5/16, 6/20). One gathering a month in-person or online with just your team. Contribute to sustainability. A suggested contribution of $100 per person. Funds will be used to pay for honorariums for our guest speakers and to reimburse various facilitation costs. Our Cohort Design Team will provide: Community, Connection, & Content. The first hour of each gathering will focus on stories, as we learn about resilience and the impact of climate change from members of immigrant and Black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous communities in our region. During the second hour, we’ll share practices we can use to build more positive resilience in our own communities. Accompaniment. Each Cohort Team will be matched with a Companion who will meet with and walk alongside your team as you translate and practice what you are learning through the Cohort into your own local context. Opportunities for Ongoing Support. Teams that complete the Cohort will have the opportunity to access a mini-grant to support a Resilience project in their own community. Next Steps: Register: Fill out this form. Along with simple information questions, there are four questions that require a short response (you might plan 15-20 minutes to fill this out). We know many of you are still in the process of building your team. As you confirm participants, please forward this link and have each person fill out the registration form. This will help us streamline communications and plans. Form Your Team: As you pull together your team to engage in this work (at least three people from each community) consider who could serve as host or co-host. This point person (or people) will take responsibility for convening your team as needed, coordinating with your Companion, and communicating with the Cohort Design Team. Questions? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to SarahL@OregonSynod.org or cbock@emoregon.org