From ehoffner at orionsociety.org Mon Jun 1 13:09:31 2009 From: ehoffner at orionsociety.org (Erik Hoffner, Orion Grassroots Network) Date: Mon Jun 1 13:09:39 2009 Subject: [Creation Care] Thomas Berry, green theologian, 1914 - 2009 Message-ID: <878CE516-C1D9-4C41-8BF1-0FC7DD52D505@orionsociety.org> Renowned eco-theologian Thomas Berry died early this a.m. at the age of 94: http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/06/01/article/ thomas_berry_renowned_cultural_historian_dies Send him your prayers and blessings, Erik -- Erik Hoffner Orion Grassroots Network 888-909-6568 http://www.oriongrassroots.org The Orion Grassroots Network provides services and support to grassroots organizations engaged in ecological, social, and cultural change. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.orionsociety.org/pipermail/faith/attachments/20090601/b3bc1225/attachment.htm From ehoffner at orionsociety.org Tue Jun 2 10:19:33 2009 From: ehoffner at orionsociety.org (Erik Hoffner, Orion Grassroots Network) Date: Tue Jun 2 10:19:44 2009 Subject: [Creation Care] Renewal Opportunity for North American Christian Leaders Message-ID: Anyone know of such grants for non-Christian faith leaders? Here's the details on this one, though: Louisville Institute: Sabbatical Grants for Pastoral Leaders Program The Sabbatical Grants for Pastoral Leaders Program, an initiative of the Louisville Institute, provides support for pastors and other Christian religious leaders in the United States and Canada who are seeking a time for study, reflection, and rest for the renewal of their vocations. The program requires pastoral leaders to center on a theme of concern, topic of study, or focus of reflection designed to nourish vocational identity and commitment, refresh body and spirit while renewing relationships, and rekindle habits of heart and mind that sustain one for and in ministry. The Institute will award up to forty grants for eight-week ($10,000) and twelve-week ($15,000) sabbaticals. The program is open to Christian clergy, church staff members, denominational staff, and others regularly employed in positions of Christian pastoral leadership, ordained and lay. The application deadline is August 31, 2009. Visit the website listed above to review the program guidelines and access the application form. Erik -- Erik Hoffner Orion Grassroots Network 888-909-6568 http://www.oriongrassroots.org The Orion Grassroots Network provides services and support to grassroots organizations engaged in ecological, social, and cultural change. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.orionsociety.org/pipermail/faith/attachments/20090602/2b887173/attachment.html From ehoffner at orionsociety.org Wed Jun 3 10:30:30 2009 From: ehoffner at orionsociety.org (Erik Hoffner, Orion Grassroots Network) Date: Wed Jun 3 10:30:27 2009 Subject: [Creation Care] Green Revolution: Coming Together to Care for Creation Message-ID: New book from InterVarsity Press (which I gather is the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship campus ministry folks I was involved with some in college): Green Revolution: Coming Together to Care for Creation "Activist Ben Lowe calls the present generation to come together and care for the earth in a way that recent generations have not. Telling real-life stories of community organizing on college campuses across the nation, Lowe shows us that little things can make a big difference when we all work together. We now have an opportunity to show the world what it looks like when Christians take the lead and partner with others to care for the planet God gave us, so that future generations can live sustainably. This is our moment. This is our issue. Come join the green revolution." It retails for $15.00, but you'll save 30% here: http://www.ivpress.com/likewisebooks/offers/grist_greenrevolution/ Erik -- Erik Hoffner Orion Grassroots Network 888-909-6568 http://www.oriongrassroots.org The Orion Grassroots Network provides services and support to grassroots organizations engaged in ecological, social, and cultural change. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.orionsociety.org/pipermail/faith/attachments/20090603/b6d5a72d/attachment.htm From ehoffner at orionsociety.org Thu Jun 18 15:17:47 2009 From: ehoffner at orionsociety.org (Erik Hoffner, Orion Grassroots Network) Date: Thu Jun 18 15:17:55 2009 Subject: [Creation Care] The Moment We've Been Praying For References: <4b9f6aaa14354d688f5467bbd76cf9dc@sm1.kintera.com> Message-ID: <1D446FBA-F307-4DA8-AFC8-1963A732C718@orionsociety.org> Begin forwarded message: > From: "Sally Bingham, Interfaith Power & Light" > > Date: June 16, 2009 1:31:33 PM EDT > To: "Erik Hoffner" > Subject: Take Action: This is the Moment We've Been Praying For > Reply-To: > > ? > June 16, 2009 > Click here to take action! > > Dear Erik, > > With the introduction of the American Clean Energy and Security Act > (H.R. 2454) in the House of Representatives, we are very close to > the clean energy revolution that we have been working and praying > for. In order to get to the finish line we need to increase our > efforts to push this legislation through in its strongest form. > > Breaking News > The most comprehensive assessment of the impacts of climate change > on the U.S. to date was just released: "Global Climate Change > Impacts in the United States" > > The bill has faced an onslaught of attacks by interest groups > trying to weaken it at every turn. But the faith community has been > calling on Congress to do the right thing. On May 6, 50 IPL state > leaders descended on the Capitol to deliver our message of support > for strong and fair climate legislation. In addition, IPLs in five > key states ran ads in local newspapers urging fence-sitting > Congressmembers to pass the bill out of committee. > > The bill is now almost to the House floor, and we are inviting you > to contact your representatives. We know they are hearing from the > opposition, which is generating thousands of calls and letters. Now > more than ever, we must make sure the voice of the faith community > is heard loud and clear! Don't forget to mention the moral > obligation that every one of us has to leave a healthy future for > the least among us and the people that come after us. > > Yes, I will tell my representative that global warming is a moral > issue and we must pass effective and equitable climate policy this > year! > > Keep the Faith, > ?? > The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham > > P.S. Please forward this message to your friends! > > > > Interfaith Power & Light is a national campaign with affiliates in > 29 states. Our mailing address is 220 Montgomery Street Suite 450, > San Francisco, CA 94104. Our phone number is (415) 561-4891. > > Remove yourself from this mailing. > > Remove yourself from all mailings from The Regeneration Project. > > Modify your profile. -- Erik Hoffner Orion Grassroots Network 888-909-6568 http://www.oriongrassroots.org The Orion Grassroots Network provides services and support to grassroots organizations engaged in ecological, social, and cultural change. -------------- next part -------------- Skipped content of type multipart/related From ehoffner at orionsociety.org Wed Jun 24 11:28:49 2009 From: ehoffner at orionsociety.org (Erik Hoffner, Orion Grassroots Network) Date: Wed Jun 24 11:28:59 2009 Subject: [Creation Care] Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility Message-ID: The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility pioneered shareholder activism and is celebrating 40 years of service. Interesting interview and kickoff of yearlong podcast series on Sea Change Radio: http://www.cchange.net/ Great to hear these faith leaders talking about how to make change thru this effective activist technique. Sign up for the podcast while you're there, if you do that sort of thing. Hope you're well, Erik -- Erik Hoffner Orion Grassroots Network 888-909-6568 http://www.oriongrassroots.org The Orion Grassroots Network provides services and support to grassroots organizations engaged in ecological, social, and cultural change. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.orionsociety.org/pipermail/faith/attachments/20090624/442c8c0e/attachment.htm From ehoffner at orionsociety.org Thu Jun 25 13:09:19 2009 From: ehoffner at orionsociety.org (Erik Hoffner, Orion Grassroots Network) Date: Thu Jun 25 13:09:23 2009 Subject: [Creation Care] Support the work of Maria Gunnoe In-Reply-To: <1102570356820.1101382620895.14321.6.211640FF@scheduler> References: <1102570356820.1101382620895.14321.6.211640FF@scheduler> Message-ID: <46818AE0-D5F1-4241-9D21-550A3D220EF3@orionsociety.org> Maria Gunnoe is an organizer for Orion Grassroots Network member group Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition in West Virginia. You may recall that she was nominated for the Goldman Prize for her work on mountaintop removal coal mining, which she won, and which she accepted in DC in April. Maria is back in DC today to testify at a Senate hearing on this issue, the only activist alongside a list of officials, so perhaps we can credit her new visibility for that. Such trips aren't paid gigs, so it's a good moment to help us spread the word about this new system that the Goldman Prize has developed that allows individuals, grantmakers, and other donors to contribute directly to the work of the 2009 Prize recipients. Please help us spread the word about this so that others can have the chance to donate to the work of the Prize recipients. This is an important way that we can continue to support the Prize recipients and their work by letting people know about this opportunity. Contributions can be made directly to support Maria's work here: http://www.goldmanprize.org/recipients/donate Please pass it on. Erik -- Erik Hoffner Orion Grassroots Network 888-909-6568 http://www.oriongrassroots.org The Orion Grassroots Network provides services and support to grassroots organizations engaged in ecological, social, and cultural change. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.orionsociety.org/pipermail/faith/attachments/20090625/81b116f1/attachment.html From ehoffner at orionsociety.org Fri Jun 26 15:48:14 2009 From: ehoffner at orionsociety.org (Erik Hoffner, Orion Grassroots Network) Date: Fri Jun 26 15:48:14 2009 Subject: [Creation Care] Eco-Justice Notes: Creation Stories References: <1102623534232.1100784797664.2478.4.211545FF@scheduler> Message-ID: <124D12CE-ABEB-4350-826F-3EF417936FD3@orionsociety.org> A good one... > > > > Creation Stories > Copyright ? 2009 - Eco-Justice Ministries > > > A Jewish friend startled me into a new way of thinking about > creation stories. > > We were talking about ways that the faith-based environmental > movement looks at the stories which begin the book of Genesis. She > pointed out that -- for Jews -- the real creation story is the > Exodus. Earlier pieces of biblical history are just prologue. It is > the Passover that is enacted in a yearly ritual, and which > solidifies the creation of the Jewish people. The Exodus is the > story that tells of their birth. > > The creation stories we tell to ourselves and our friends are > narratives that describe who we are, and what is most important > about our world. When we stop to consider our roots, we'll discover > that there are stories of "creation" in many places beyond a cosmic > Big Bang and the biblical passages of humanity's entry into the > world. I'm certain that we all have many stories of origins and > identity, a jumbled collection of emotionally powerful accounts > which shape our personal, social and ecological understandings. > > Environmental theology that ponders creation only in terms of > ancient cosmic events will not catch the richness and complexity of > who we are. There are other creation stories that may speak to us > more vividly and more frequently about our core identity and > values. Realizing the diversity of those stories can enrich and > expand our thinking. Reflecting on those stories may show us places > where the compelling narratives of our origins do not speak > truthfully for our current situation. > > Dealing with creation stories isn't just about the environment. A > church that seeks to do faithful ministry and responsible ethics > will help its members sort out foundational questions of identity: > who we are, and whose we are. One way to do that is to explore the > mix of creation stories that inform us -- in our relationship with > the whole Earth community, as nations, and as individuals. > > > + + + + + > > My own family's Exodus happened over 20 years ago when we moved to > Denver. Every November, we schedule a family dinner around the > anniversary of our move to celebrate the creation of our new lives > here. When we speak of who we are as a family, and how we have > chosen to live, the story begins in November, 1988. > > For a decade before our move, my wife and I were co-pastors in > parish ministry. Coming to Colorado was a vocational shift for both > of us -- I became a student, and Allyson shifted into work with non- > profit agencies. We entered into new communities of school > (graduate studies for me, and kindergarten for our son), a > radically different sort of local church context, a physical > geography with both mountains and urban sprawl, and a network of > new friends. The move to Denver started a series of insights and > transformations that led me to start Eco-Justice Ministries. > > My 35 years of life before we moved to Denver are not forgotten or > insignificant. In terms of how I now understand myself as an > "ecological evangelist", though, the earlier stages of my life > journey are prologue. The new creation story, starting in 1988, is > the one that tells me who I am. > > Many of us can tell personal creation stories about life-changing > events. I've often heard people speak of the birth of a child or > grandchild as a transformational moment that broke open a new sense > of responsibility for the future, and began a commitment to work > for ecological health. Marriage and other committed relationships > create new families and new life paths. Job changes, voluntary or > not, can be the door to a new identity. People in recovery from > addiction can pinpoint a moment of new creation -- and celebrate > their anniversaries of being sober. Our personal creation stories > may be far more important in shaping who we are and how we live > than the biblical account of Eden or language about "have dominion." > > > + + + + + > > We also have a variety of collective creation stories that tell us > who we are as a nation, or as members of a group. In the 1950s and > early 60s, when I was a grade-school youngster in Nebraska, history > classes taught us a "manifest destiny" story about the birth and > growth of our nation. We learned that European explorers charted > the coastline of America, and glorious colonies were established, > most notably in Virginia and Massachusetts. From there, > civilization and commerce spread west, providing opportunity to > pioneering folk. > > I came to critique that creation story because of the summer > vacations my family took to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Along the Rio > Grande, there was a world that my history books mentioned only in > passing -- a city founded by the Spanish 13 years before the > celebrated landing at Plymouth Rock, Pueblo communities that have > been continuously inhabited for 800 years, and an archeological > history that goes back over 10,000 years. A walk across the Plaza > in Santa Fe exposed me to a tri-cultural heritage where Native, > Hispanic and Anglo cultures all shape a diverse and pluralistic > society. What I encountered in the desert southwest told me a > different creation story, and provided a different message about > "who we are." > > The two conflicting creation stories that I heard about the United > States both contain truth. (Maybe that's why it is so easy for me > to find both truth and difference in the two stories at the start > of Genesis.) Each of those stories gives a distinctive spin to the > message about who we are as a country. Being aware of both stories > provided an opportunity for me to reflect about the messages they > convey, and to make choices about how I would weave those meanings > into my own life. > > We all can claim opportunities to compare and contrast stories, and > to make choices. In a week, the United States celebrates its > "birthday" with the Fourth of July, and our creation story will be > told in many different forms. Listen carefully to the way various > leaders speak about our nation's creation and growth. Some will > spin an ongoing tale of movement toward rights and equality, noting > the expansion of meaning in the self-evident truth that "all men > are created equal." Others will assert that the Founding Fathers > created a "Christian nation" of unchanging virtues, where > faithfulness and citizenship are almost identical. Others will > frame the ongoing creation in terms of economic prosperity, > technological innovation, or global influence. > > Each of those creation stories has an implicit assertion about who > we are (joyously diverse in race, gender and beliefs; centered in > transcendent values that all should accept; or defined by the > things around us), and what forms of progress will continue our > chosen path. The stories that we chose to tell to ourselves will > shape the way that we live and act. > > > + + + + + > > The very-start-of-it-all creations stories told by science and > faith traditions are immensely important in shaping our self > understanding. Especially as we try to renew our ecological > identity, we need to study and evaluate those stories. > > My Jewish friend helped me realize that we also need to study and > evaluate the other creation stories that shape our individual and > collective lives. I encourage church communities to take that on as > a part of their ministry. It can be done in a multitude of settings > -- in classes and fellowship groups, in preaching and liturgy, and > in pastoral care. Within the context of a faith community, we can > explore how our many creation stories help and hinder us as we live > in relationship with God, and Earth community. > > Shalom! > Rev. Peter Sawtell > Executive Director, Eco-Justice Ministries > > We welcome your comments and feedback on these newsletters. Peter > Sawtell reads all of the responses, and tries to reply to all > substantive comments. > > Eco-Justice Notes is only one of the e-mail publications from Eco- > Justice Ministries. Use the Update Profile option below to sign up > for other mailings, or to selectively unsubscribe from them. The > Safe Unsubscribe link will end all of your subscriptions. > > > Forward email > > > This email was sent to ehoffner@orionsociety.org by ministry@eco- > justice.org. > Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with > SafeUnsubscribe? | Privacy Policy. > Email Marketing by > > > Eco-Justice Ministries | 400 S Williams St | Denver | CO | 80209 > -- Erik Hoffner Orion Grassroots Network 888-909-6568 http://www.oriongrassroots.org The Orion Grassroots Network provides services and support to grassroots organizations engaged in ecological, social, and cultural change. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.orionsociety.org/pipermail/faith/attachments/20090626/6076c91e/attachment.html