Earth Days in Rogue Valley and Online
April 16 & 23, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT - Medford UCC celebrates Earth Week at two Services with the theme: "Love of Creation - Our Sacred Home." April 16th we welcome guest pastor Rev. David Brown; on April 23rd Rev. Richenda Fairhurst will lead the Service.
This year you should not miss the Sunday after Easter. You need to know there is more news than that Jesus has risen. Thomas is still around and, like him, most of us have doubts about something. Maybe you have related to Thomas at some time in your life. You have a "Thomas" in your life.
Besides dealing with doubts, the Earth Week Committee (comprised of Spiritual Practice and Justice & Peace Team members) will invite us to deal with our concern and responsibility to care for the earth and each other. You won't want to miss the services and the special booths that are set up after the service. If this is not enough to whet your appetite, then all "Cookie Monsters" need to know you will get a chance to eat the world.
Join us at 10 a.m. in person at Lidgate Hall or online on YouTube or through the link on our website.
April 16, 2023 - Oregonians are calling on Governor Tina Kotek to oppose the GTN XPress fracked gas pipeline expansion, as she promised to do while campaigning for office in Southern Oregon. It's time to ramp up the pressure - will you urge Governor Kotek to keep her promise and publicly oppose GTN XPress?
Communities have been fighting TC Energy's fast-moving and sneaky proposal for months and have gained important traction, and now we need support from our elected officials. Last month, Washington Governor, Jay Inslee, joined Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, and Attorneys General from Oregon, Washington, and California in speaking out against GTN XPress. If approved, GTN XPress would be the equivalent of adding 754,000 cars to the road every year and would severely hinder Oregon’s ability to meet important climate goals. GTN XPress is a dangerous proposal for communities along the pipeline that face increased risks of explosion and air pollution. Time is running out—the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) could decide to approve or deny GTN XPress as soon as next month. Please urge Governor Kotek to stand with Oregon communities by publicly opposing GTN XPress.
April 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 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 25th has both virtual and in-person options. There are also opportunities to attend and 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 -Richenda Fairhurst will lead Climate Cafe MultiFaith and 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 19, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT on Zoom - UMCJ Movement Café meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month. 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 19, 2023, at 2 p.m. on Zoom - Divest Oregon’s Big Report launch of "Oregon Treasury’s ESG Investment Failure PERS Fossil Fuel Investments Fund Human Rights Violations, Community Destruction, and Climate Chaos" - Zoom Link Last week Divest Oregon delivered 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. 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 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."
We will celebrate ministries dedicated to caring for God's creation. This two-and-a-half-hour digital event will feature a keynote address by the Rev. Jim Antal, the author of "Climate Church, Climate World: How People of Faith Must Work for Change." Churches are invited to organize book groups to read this book in the month of April. The summit will also feature:
a panel discussion with Gina Peltier from Honor the Earth, Analyah Schlaeger dos Santos from Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light, and Alexa Horwart from Isaiah
a celebration of our denomination's newest Creation Justice Churches
a recognition of our recent youth and young adult Climate Justice Fellows
the presentation of the Dollie Burwell Prophetic Action Award to a congregation or green team that has distinguished itself in taking public action for environmental justice
Sign-up today for this free event! If you are unable to join at the scheduled time, still register and a link to the recording will be sent to you following the 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 23, 2023, at 10 a.m. PDT - Richenda Fairhurst will lead worship at Medford UCC in person or on YouTube.
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.
April 30, 2023, at 11 a.m. after Medford UCC worship service - Justice and Peace meeting.
