Message from Margaret...

Dear friends,

This is my last newsletter before I retire on July 1. Thank you for reading it month by month, and thank you for sharing in the great work of healing the Earth and honoring her Creator.

After retirement, I will continue to post articles and sermons on my RevivingCreation website. If you’d like to subscribe, simply head to the website and click on the pop-up link. As always, I’ll post retreats and other public events in the schedule. If you’d like to reach me, feel free to email mbj@revivingcreation.org.

I encourage all my readers in Massachusetts to join Creation Care Justice Network and to receive its monthly newsletter, Green Justice News. Please sign up here. We’re building a network of informed and active Episcopalians in Massachusetts and we’re growing connections with other dioceses and provinces across the Church.

• An Episcopal Path to Creation Justice

Now that the pilot phase is complete, we’re revising and finalizing our website and curriculum. We anticipate with excitement opening the enrollment on October 5 to churches throughout Province One (location and details to follow). An Episcopal Path will also be available for adaptation and use across The Episcopal Church. We trust that the Path will galvanize and support many congregations across the Church to take their next steps in living more gently and justly on God’s good earth. Questions? Contact the Coordinator, the Rev. Rachel Field (episcopalcreationpath@gmail.com)

Bishop Doug Fisher has kindly submitted a Memorial to General Convention that commends the development of the Path. Thank you, Bishop! 

LOOKING AHEAD TO CREATION SEASON (Sept. 1-Oct. 4)

• Season of Creation 2024: A Celebration Guide for Episcopal Parishes

Last year’s version of our Creation Season worship guide was endorsed by 28 dioceses in The Episcopal Church. This year’s version includes these changes:

• New lectionary (Year B) with a preaching guide and many new reading suggestions
• All new Daily Office guide
• Newly reorganized, and much diversified section of Readings, with bio’s

The Rev. John Lein and I are thrilled that so many congregations are exploring faithful new ways of praying with and for God’s good Earth.

This year we’re giving congregations plenty of time to make plans for Creation Season! The new worship guide is already posted at NewCreationLiturgies, and the initial list of endorsing dioceses will be added shortly before General Convention begins on June 23.

John will update the list of endorsing dioceses until Sept. 1, the Feast Day of Creation (and the first day of Creation Season). If your congregation uses these prayers, please tell us how it goes! Send stories, photos, and feedback to season@newcreationliturgies.org.

• The ecumenical Season of Creation has chosen the 2024 theme: “To hope and act with Creation.” Sign up here to receive ecumenical resources and news, and to view a festive international webinar at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern) on Wednesday, June 5.

• Ecumenical Feast Day of Creation

As a follow-up to attending the historic ecumenical gathering in Assisi, Italy, I helped to write a resolution for General Convention: Support the Adoption of an Ecumenical Feast Day of Creation in Our Liturgical Calendar. You can read the text of the resolution, and its explanation, here. If you’d like additional background, check out the beautiful report from the meeting in Assisi. The Most Rev. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, has warmly endorsed this significant ecumenical initiative:

“The Feast of Creation is an opportunity to celebrate the Triune God as Creator, reflecting on the mystery of Creation as the foundational event of salvation history... Creation Day has inspired us to come together in prayer and action – to safeguard, sustain and renew the life of the Earth. That is why, inspired by the Orthodox Church’s leadership, the Anglican Communion enthusiastically supports this ecumenical process to explore adding the Feast of Creation to our liturgical calendars." 

Resolution #D041 on adopting an ecumenical Feast Day of Creation will receive an open hearing from Prayer Book, Liturgy, & Music Committee on Saturday, June 8, 2:30-4:30 p.m. (Eastern). If you’d like to speak to the resolution (remarks are limited to 2 minutes), please sign up here.

Photo: submitted

PRAY

• Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul

Saturday, June 1

12:00 noon • Online ($20)

The American Teilhard Association’s annual event features speaker John Philip Newell, Canadian and Scottish teacher of Celtic spirituality. Register here and scroll to the $20 Zoom option.

• Lament with Earth

Wednesday, June 12

7:30-8:30 p.m. • Online (free)

I warmly commend these beautiful, seasonal gatherings sponsored by the BTS Center. Savor original music, poetry, rituals, images, scripture, and videos that reflect different seasons of loss through the liturgical year. Come to pray, lament, and find new strength.

 • Climate Preaching

Lexington Theological Seminary has received a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. for their project, “Compelling Preaching for a Climate-Changed World.” LTS will partner with The BTS Center and Creation Justice Ministries on the initiative that aims to equip preachers with training, resources, support networks, and research for addressing the urgency of the climate crisis and other environmental issues. Learn more here.

The next Eco-Preacher Cohort will begin in September. If you’re interested in applying for this year-long program, learn more and apply here.

• Spiritual resilience in days of trouble: A Creation Care retreat & conference co-sponsored by Provinces IV and V of The Episcopal Church

September 12-15 • Nazareth Retreat Center, Nazareth, KY (Fees vary, depending on what you sign up for)

Retreat leader: The Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas

This will be the first event that I lead post-retirement. Here’s a description: The cry of the earth cries out for prayer. It cries out for the recognition that we belong to the Earth and that the web of life is holy. Spiritual resilience requires that we hear this voice among the clamor of our day and gain clarity about how to act. How does God speak to us through the natural world? What gives us energy and hope as we strive to repent and reconcile with that holy web? How do we move through denial and despair into the joy of resurrected living?

Join with your fellow seekers, activists, and people of faith as we gather to pray, learn, fellowship, and clarify our resolve to live and act faithfully on earth. This retreat will explore a theological framework for “holding” our concern for the Earth, its creatures, elements, and people. The weekend will include presentations, guided meditation, small and large group conversation, singing, and free time.

Registration opens on June 1. Click here for more details and to register.  

LEARN

 • Lament and the Longing for Life: Stories of Climate Grief and Hope

Sunday, June 16

2:00 – 4:00 p.m. • Free (Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, 10 Church St., Gloucester)

Keynote speaker: The Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas

Climate change is not only a collective event – it also touches us personally. What emotions are stirred up as we face the challenges of a changing climate, from extreme weather events to rising seas? What helps us to maintain courage and hope? How do we turn concern and grief into productive action?

This will be my last public event before I retire. In my keynote, I will reflect on what decades of climate activism have taught me about emotional and spiritual resilience. Panelists will respond with their own stories and reflections. There will be time for discussion with the audience.

This free event is sponsored by the Interfaith Committee of the Cape Ann Climate Coalition and funded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For more information, please contact Rev. Gail Seavey at gailcv@outlook.com. Everyone is welcome.

 • “Cooked: Survival by Zip Code”

Interfaith Power & Light is partnering with Bullfrog Films to bring the documentary film, “Cooked: Survival by Zip Code”, to your attention for your summer film screenings.

This summer is predicted to be the hottest on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with temperatures 30 to 50 percent above normal in much of the United States. Extreme heat harms human health, especially the elderly and outdoor workers, with 2300 deaths nationwide in 2023, a number that is increasing annually.

Cooked: Survival by Zip Code delves into the story of the worst heat disaster in U.S. history in 1995 in Chicago, when 739 residents—mostly elderly and black—died over the course of one week. The film links the deadly heat wave's devastation back to the manmade disaster of structural racism, shining a light on the issues of poverty, race, class, and education that underlie how natural disasters take lives.

Bullfrog Films is offering a 50% discount for IPL congregations to screen the film between June 15 - July 15. The license, valued at $100, is available to IPL congregations for this limited time for only $50.

Purchase your license to screen the film with Bullfrog Films. This film screening license allows you to charge admission! If you decide to charge admission, consider sharing some of the funds you raise with Interfaith Power & Light so we can continue negotiating quality film screening deals for you. Donate here.

• Climate Resiliency as an Act of Love: Webinar

Thursday, June 20

2:00 – 3:00 p.m. • Free (online)

One Home One Future and The Mennonite Church, USA Climate Justice Ministry, invite you to Climate Resiliency as an Act of Love. Climate change is already impacting our congregations and local communities. It is important for congregations to be prepared for likely impacts and resilient in order to serve the wider community. There has never been a more important time for faith communities to visibly live out their faith in action. This webinar will help participants understand weather and disaster risks, learn ways to reduce their risks while promoting physical and spiritual resiliency, and provide resources to start preparing. Learn more and register here.

 • Convocation 2024

Hope in Small Places: Becoming People of Refugia Faith

Thursday & Friday, September 26-27 • In person (Maple Hill Farm Inn & Conference Center, Hallowell, ME) and online

The annual BTS Center Convocation is not to be missed! I plan to attend in person – please join me in person or online! Registration opens on June 1. Note: In-person registrations will be limited to 100 participants. Plan to register early to reserve your spot! Fees vary depending on when you register and whether you plan to attend in person or online. The online offering will include livestreams of the plenary sessions, as well as exclusive online conversations and opportunities to connect with other members of the online community. Click here for more details and to register.

“I know from the broad sweep of Scriptures, from history, and from my own experience that God is always at work somehow and that God loves to work in small, humble, hidden places. The more I think about it, the more I realize that God loves refugia. The refugia model calls us to look for the seed of life where we are, concentrate on protecting and nurturing a few good things, let what is good and beautiful grow and connect and spread. Trust God’s work.”  

— Debra Rienstra, Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth

ACT

 • For a limited time – MassSave will pay for 100% of insulation and air sealing in houses of worship!

Mass. Interfaith Power & Light (MassIPL) is partnering with MassSave and Advanced Green Insulation to make it easier to access a new incentive covering 100% of the cost of insulation and air sealing in houses of worship.

“Weatherization is always the first thing to do to lower carbon emissions and reduce energy costs, often reducing heating costs by 20% or more,” says MassIPL president Jim Nail. "And with MassSave's unprecedented incentive paying 100% of the cost, houses of worship will begin saving on the first day of the next heating season." 

Here's how to participate:

1. Email Jim Nail at MassIPL, jnail@massipl.org, and provide the house of worship name and address, and a contact name, email address, and phone number.
2. Jim will forward the information to Advanced Green Insulation (AGI).
3. AGI will reach out to the contact to schedule the assessment.
4. AGI will send the proposal, including the MassSave incentive amount, likely within 2 - 4 weeks in Eversource territories, 4 - 8 weeks in National Grid territories.
5. Review, sign and return the proposal to AGI, and they will contact you to schedule the work.

Worship buildings, rectories, social halls, schools, and other faith community-owned buildings are eligible. If you haven't had an energy assessment in the past two years or more, you can schedule another. Take action now to make next winter's heating bills more manageable.

• Massachusetts wins $156 million Solar for All grant

MassIPL reports that on Earth Day, the Biden Administration and the EPA announced winners of the Solar For All competitive grant program, part of the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act. Gov. Healey provided details in this announcement.

The program will focus on expanding access to solar energy for low-income residents and environmental justice communities. The state's application described offering zero interest loans, competitive leases, and community shared solar developments. While the application focuses on installations on residential buildings and affordable housing sites, we have heard that non-profits and houses of worship will be able to apply.

The state is planning a series of stakeholder input sessions as they finalize the program design. Dates have not been announced yet but will be posted at this page -- you can also sign up on that page to be on the Solar for All mailing list. The state expects to begin awarding projects this fall.

If your house of worship is in a low-income community, or has members in one (check this tool if you are unsure), this program could help lower their energy burden and improve access to affordable clean energy. Sign up for MassIPL’s monthly newsletter to receive more information as details emerge.

ADVOCATE

We have a few short months before this fall’s election. What will you do to protect democracy and the hope of stabilizing the climate?

• Faiths United to Save Democracy (FUSD)

FUSD is a nonpartisan, multi-racial, multi-faith, and multi-generation 2022-2024 voter protection campaign focused on the states of AL, AZ, FL, GA, MI, NC, OH, PA, TX, WI. It is rooted in the belief that everyone is made in the image of God and deserves the freedom to vote. Download the 2024 Voter Toolkit (How to Prepare Your House of Worship for the 2024 Election) and review the resources for clergy.

• Episcopal Election Activators 2024-2025

The Episcopal Church is inviting Episcopalians to join this year’s cohort and to encourage voter engagement. Episcopal Election Activators is an Episcopal Church program, run by the Office of Government Relations, that seeks volunteers to help promote and facilitate local non-partisan election engagement efforts in their state or region of the U.S. Applications are open for the 2024-2025 cohort, which will run until December 2025 with varying levels of engagement based on the election calendar. Individuals may apply at any time. You will receive training in voter registration and other engagement strategies, while benefiting from the support of network peers and Office of Government Relations' staff.

• Faith in Elections Playbook

Interfaith America and Protect Democracy have created a free Faith in Elections Playbook. To help churches and faith-based organizations do their part to ensure a smoothly run election in 2024, this playbook provides how-to guides, FAQs, templates, and other helpful materials that outline ways you can take nonpartisan action to support your state's election system.

• Sign the GreenFaith Multi-Faith Climate Finance Pledge

GreenFaith is asking all of us to sign their Multi-Faith Climate Finance Pledge, calling on banks and asset managers to commit to phase out finance for fossil fuel projects and to accelerate investments in equitable climate solutions by 2030. Progress must be verifiable and consistent with a 1.5 degree future. If these banks and asset managers fail to progress towards or meet this goal, we (as individuals and institutions) pledge to move our funds to another bank/asset manager whose financing is aligned with this goal.

“Avoiding climate disaster requires an immediate end to new fossil fuel development, but the world’s banks and asset managers continue to funnel trillions into new coal, oil, and gas projects, creating humanitarian and ecological devastation,” says GreenFaith. “Religious institutions’ financial assets are in the trillions of dollars. They have an ethical duty to align these holdings with their commitment to protect people and the planet.”

If you represent a religious institution, sign the pledge here. Individuals can sign the pledge here. Questions? Email amy@greenfaith.org.

• Save the date! September 21 (during the 2024 Season of Creation) has been declared a global day of action to join the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. “This symbolizes our unwavering commitment to accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels, uniting in hope for a fossil fuel phase-out and a clean energy future,” says Dr. Lindlyn Moma, Director of Advocacy, Laudato Si’ Movement. Have you signed the call for a fossil fuel treaty? If not, please do so today!

All Saints, Worcester displays the One Home One Future banner. Photo: submitted

SO MANY FINE GROUPS!

If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while, you know how much I value the many faith-based groups that work on Creation care. To name just four, I hope you’ll consider connecting with and supporting The BTS Center, whose pioneering, creative exploration of hope in action never ceases to amaze me; Creation Justice Ministries (check out their “Faithful Resilience” collection to help congregations anticipate and prepare for disasters, and bounce forward into just, sustainable, and resilient communities); GreenFaith, which is leading the way in mobilizing a global, multifaith climate justice movement; and Mass. Interfaith Power & Light, our local interfaith hub for Creation-centered prayer and action. Join One Home One Future (a project of the wonderful multifaith group, Blessed Tomorrow, which is focused on climate solutions) and receive free access to climate action guides, training, and events (check out the “Disaster Preparedness Checklist”). I can’t help adding one more cherished group that I track, ThirdAct.org, which harnesses the power of people over 60 to safeguard our climate and democracy. You’ll find me showing up in its Faith Working Group. Circling back to where this newsletter started, if you’re in MA, please join Creation Care Justice Network (CCJN).

I wish you joy, purpose, and resolve in the days ahead. May our prayers and actions proclaim God’s good news to the whole Creation.

Blessings,

(The Rev. Dr.) Margaret Bullitt-Jonas

Missioner for Creation Care (Episcopal Diocese of Western Mass. & Southern New England Conference, UCC)

Creation Care Advisor (Episcopal Diocese of Mass.)

Red-tailed hawk. Photo: Robert A. Jonas

Join our diocesan Creation Care Facebook group!

If you've enjoyed this newsletter, please feel free to forward to one or two friends you think may be interested.

Blessings!