August 2024 e-notes

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August 1, 2024

Dear Joan,

"This unique privilege of the cosmic sense expressed in love is a bottomless ocean into which we can plunge indefinitely." from Teilhard de Chardin Book of Hours

We hope these summer days are bringing you into the felt experience of wisdom of Love alive in our World.

The past month has been very busy with usual work of IPL and sponsoring, co-sponsoring and tabling at many events including:

*Speaking Up for Water and several water hearings with requests for your action. See more below.

*Amazing Quintessence Concert--The Lost Birds: An Extinction Elegy

*Red Water Pond Commemoration of Uranium Spill

*Commemoration of Trinity Site First Nuclear Bomb

*A trip to NM Permian Oil and Gas Basin meeting with Franciscans in Roswell and journeying for prayers to the site of the first oil and gas well in the Permian. See photo here and link to story.

One of the invitations when we table is to offer folks an opportunity to list the first name of their children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, young friends or children around the world to be named as we offer prayers for them as we move into a warming and challenging world. We have a number of precious ones to pray for and with this month. Our prayers are also for our own wisdom as we walk each day and into the future with actions for loving transformation. Here is a document that you can print with a prayer and names, if you choose for your altar and prayers. Link.

Please continue reading for news events, resources, etc. Thank you for being part of our IPL Community!

For all offerings and timely updates, please see the "events" page of our website.

Peace and blessings to all,

Your IPL Team

Upcoming Events

Water Planning Open House

Wed., August 7, 3-7pm

1634 University, UNM Continuing ED Building

The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission has been hosting regional water planning meetings around NM. The ABQ region meeting invites your insights and concens for our sacred waters. Doors open at 3pm. Drop in anytime between 3-7pm.

Everyone is invited until August 18 to answer questions and offer thoughts on line at mainstreamnm.org/online-open-house..

Please see talking points from Amigos Bravos HERE.

NMED-Reuse Water Hearing

Aug. 5- 9, 2024--on-line https://www.env.nm.gov/events-calendar/?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D175169930

Please consider making a comment to care for sister water in this Produced Reuse Water Hearing addressing the creation of regulations. Or send a written comment to Jones, Pamela, NMENV pamela.jones@state.nm.us. Talking points.

The Covenant will be hosting a film discussion on August 13 from 7-8 P.M. ET to discuss Teilhard: Visionary Scientist. We strongly recommend you watch it ahead of the discussion here. Distinguished Teilhard de Chardin expert, Sr. Kathleen Duffy SSJ, will lead us in an online conversation exploring the life and theological and scientific contributions of the famous Jesuit. You can register for the webinar here.

"Defending the Sacred: Oak Flat - An Apache Sacred Site Under Threat"

Wed., Aug. 14, 11 MT

Sponsored by United Church of Christ

https://bit.ly/DefendingTheSacred

Dr. Wendsler Nosie, leader of Apache Stronghold, Sarah Augustine, Executive Director of the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery, and Rev. Carol Rose, co-pastor of Shalom Mennonite Fellowship in Tucson, AZ. are speakers with update on Apache Stronghold's legal case. This case seeks to stop transfer of sacred land at Oak Flat from the Tonto National Forest to Resolution Copper Company (a subsidiary of multinational mining corporations Rio Tinto and BHP). The mine violates Apache religious freedom and would destroy Oak Flat while using billions of gallons of water and creating 1.4 billion tons of toxic mine tailings.

NM Water Advocates Monthly Educational Webinar

August 15, 6:30-8:00

Registration https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81125216990?pwd=Y0E1RHFaK1FGMGthYVNBUlNFWFF5dz09

Join Bruce Thompson on New Mexico Water Resources for a very informative evening on conventional sources of water, how we use them and issues of sustainability.

"Rio Unidos"

Sat., Aug. 24, 8:30 - 10:30 am (La Ramada Hiking Trail, ABQ)

shelter at end of Campbell street approaching river

Rev. Ryan Tate is organizing a wonderful day to celebrate the Rio Grande and all southwestern waterways. Our local waterways are deeply impacted by federal rulings regarding weltands and waterways, with all of our rivers being named endangered this year. Centering indigenous voices and perespectives, join us for activities, rituals, and prayers celebrating our connectedness and unity to the sweet waters which give us life. Contact Ryan Tate rtate@firstuccabq.org

Monthly Earth Spirit Sharing

August 28, 2024, 6 pm

on-line https://actionnetwork.org/events/monthly-earth-spirit-sharing-6/

Join IPL folks and Lisa Leahigh, a Buddhist practitioner who masterfully leads this hour long session. They really are wonderful and very nourishing with meditation, reflection, sharing and offering of intentions for the world. Earth and Spirit sharing supports us as we work to love and care for community and our Earth. Sacred grounding and sharing are so important for the long-haul as we endeavor to bring joy and love into our work.

Lisa Leahigh, a Buddhist practitioner who is in a chaplaincy program through Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, and focusing on eco-chaplaincy, is leading the monthly evenings.

Hold the date for the IPL Annual Fall Gathering

Wednesday, October 16, 5:30--7:30

First Unitarian Church, ABQ

In-Person and possibly on-line

Faithful Advocacy Education & Action

IPL Faith Votes Actions

As we approach fall elections national IPL has on-line information and a discussion voting guide that can assist you, your community and congregation. https://interfaithpowerandlight.org/faithvotes/

Call for Federal Budget Advocacy

As people of faith, we believe budgets are moral documents. Our faith traditions call us to care for our neighbors and to protect our climate for current and future generations. We must do all we can to maintain strong funding levels for climate action and environmental justice, while also protecting our neighbors who are most at-risk.

Please urge your Members of Congress to pass a CLEAN budget and protect climate funding in the FY25 budget.

More Resources

Our Land on PBS

Sister Joan Brown, Executive Director of NM & El Paso IPL was part of a featured story by journalist Laura Paskus on Our Land on NM PBS in July. Here is a link

https://sourcenm.com/2024/07/19/being-one-with-everything/

Christians Celebrate Creation Day, Sept. 1 and Season of Creation through Oct. 4

This year, September 1 falls on a Sunday. Numerous resources can assist with special worship and events for the month.

**September 1: “Ideas to celebrate Creation Day”

***Season of Creation: “Celebration Guide”

From Catholic Climate Covenant

“Let Us Sow Hope,” the 2024 Feast of St. Francis program is now available. This year’s program is designed to assist you to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis (October 4^th or another date that works for you and your community), become instruments of God’s peace and commit to climate actions as a way to avoid climate despair and sow climate hope.

From Creation Justice Ministries:

Faithful Resilience Collection, a six-part Story Map series that promotes place-based awareness for communities of faith. As climate change illuminates our interdependency with Creation, it compels us to prioritize the healing of our imbalanced relationships with Earth and one another. We are called to actions of resilient care for human and non-human communities, actions that recognize Creation for its inherent dignity and honor our own belonging in the web of life.

The Film "Common Ground" now available to non-profits for FREE

This phenomenal film from makers of "Kiss The Ground" brings to light the extraordinary power of the soil to heal our planetary systems and human health. If your faith community or non-profit organization would like to show the film, the screening rights are now free. IPL's faith climate action page takes you through the simple licensing steps.

2024 Faith Votes Campaign & Voter Reflection Guide

Interfaith Power & Light's national office has created a faithful voter reflection guide for their 2024 Faith Votes campaign. This reflection guide is intended to spur discussion and discernment and is on-line or printed in English and Spanish. Let us know if you want copies and we will order and get to you FREE.

Learn more about New Mexico Community Solar through these resources.

Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth Community Worship Resources

This group offers free monthly worship and small group ministry resources focused on Earth care and climate justice: and bonus materials: Spiritual Care for Climate Distress, Anxiety and Grief.

Energy Audits for Houses of Worship

Does your house of worship need an energy audit? Is your house of worship in the Albuquerque area? Our Cool Congregations volunteer team of engineers wants to help you get your building more efficient. To get added to our list of future projects, get in contact with us. The first step is to collect two to three years of gas and electric bills and designate a contact person. Email clara@nm-ipl.org for more.

Also, IPL is pleased to share that Community of Joy Lutheran Church in Rio Rancho is taking advantage of our no-interest loan fund to assist with installation of solar! Congratulations!!!

Money For Your House of Worship or Your Own House

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, you can get a 30% rebate on your house of worship's solar project, Ground Source Heat Pump, and EV charging station.

Here's how it works: Fact Sheet for Houses of Worship

Additional resources that might be helpful:

Cool Congregations website
Denominational sources for financing for energy work/solar are found in IPL’s Solar Financing Guide.

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