Active for Earthcare
March 19 – May 22, 2023
Spring for Change: a Season of Sacred Activism — from the evening of Sunday, March 19 (the night before the Spring Equinox on Monday, March 20th!) through May 22nd (International Day for Biodiversity) — is an invitation to the Unitarian Universalist faith community to embody the transformational, regenerative power of Spring through sacred activism for Earth and all our relations.
The 2023 Spring for Change theme is Active for Earthcare!
Together, we will get active in our faith communities, our spiritual practices, and our relationships to the ecosystems we are home to. We will practice Earthcare by facing the facts and forecasts of our climate and ecological crises with courage, moral clarity, and a commitment to justice, equity and compassion.
This season ahead, join us for –
World Water Day Concert with Aly Halpert- Sunday, March 19, 8pm EST/7pm MST/6pm CT/5pm PST
Earth Day Service- Thursday, April 20, 8pm EST/7pm MST/ 6pm CT/5pm PST
Biodiversity Sunday– May 21
UU Young Adult for Climate Justice Movement Workshops
Full Moon Monthly Spiritual Gatherings– and more!
Read on and register for upcoming opportunities to be galvanized during this season of sacred activism! Download this PDF of 2023 Spring for Change Events to share with your congregation!
Aly Halpert: A World Water Day Concert
March 19 @ 5pm PT / 6 MT / 7 CT / 8 ET
Let us sing! Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth is excited to partner with the dynamic musician, Aly Halpert (she/her)!
Aly is a young adult queer Jewish musician, educator, and activist living on Lenni Lenape land in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Aly leads music and prayer for Jewish community, including Kol Tzedek Synagogue, Eden Village Camp, Let My People Sing, and Linke Fligl. Her songs have been sung in national gatherings, song circles, and quiet moments of personal prayer, and have moved people all over the world.
Her first full-band album Loosen was released in April 2022 with Rising Song Records. Whether her songs are serious or seriously goofy, Aly believes deeply in the power of music to awaken us to the loss and hope we carry, expand our sense of possibility, and connect us to each other and our collective strength. For more info, go to www.alyhalpert.com.
Join with us Sunday March 19 to be galvanized for the work ahead!
Register today for Aly Halpert in Concert!
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Write Here- Write Now
A Call For A Climate-friendly Farm Bill in the US Congress!
Share and sign this petition from Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice to advocate for a Climate-Friendly Farm Bill in the US Congress, and work to sustain our sacred and precious waterways. Together, we can make a difference!
“Active for Earthcare!” Earth Day Worship Service
Thursday, April 20th –
& Available for Congregational Use
Earth Day is a special tradition at Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth. Join us for this special online worship service- whether at its premiere or for use in your congregation! Together, let’s be “Active for Earthcare!”
This service is being developed with “Earth Sunday” (April 22) in mind, but can be used on whatever Sunday works best for your congregation’s worship calendar. Once your congregation is registered, the videos will be sent to you on April 7, 2023.
Read our 2023 Earth Day Order of Service and contributor biographies here!
Biodiversity Sunday
May 22
Biodiversity Sunday 2023 is on May 22, directly following Endangered Species Day on May 21, and on the International Day for Biodiversity. This is a day for honoring, celebrating, and committing to restore and protect the Web of Life. It is also the final day of Spring for Change: A Season of Sacred Activism.
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Unitarian Universalist Young Adults for Climate Justice- Movement Workshops!
Saturdays in March – Join us on 4th, 11th, 18th, and/or 25th at 12 pm PT/ 1 pm MT/ 2 pm CT/ 3 pm ET for an hour and half of connection, creativity, and growth!
UU Young Adults for Climate Justice (UUYACJ) is hosting its second annual movement training workshop series! This workshop series seeks to support, resource, and empower young adults by offering tangible organizing skills, collective knowledge, and sustainable care practices.
Our workshops will include:
an intro to grassroots organizing in community (March 4);
comprehensive info on maintaining online security (March 11);
a hands-on workshop on art in movement spaces (March 18);
and an exploration of the transformative power of mutual aid (March 25th).
These workshops will be happening every Saturday in March on Zoom. They’ll start at 12pm PT/ 1pm MT/ 2pm CT/ 3pm ET, lasting for an hour and a half. Justice work asks so much of organizers and UUYACJ is grateful that we get to offer these free workshops as a gift in return.
Note that these workshops are only open to young adults (18-35). And while attendance is limited, we encourage our supporters to share this with all of the young adults in your life!
Register here for UU Young Adult Movement Workshops!
Ecology As Scripture with Rev. Dr. Leonisa Ardizzone
As our planet nears the brink of environmental catastrophe, the pace of humanity’s desire to make meaningful change remains woefully inadequate. Gaining the human momentum necessary to halt climate change will require a massive reordering of our values and motivations. Spiritual beliefs and teachings to do the ‘right thing’ are valuable and necessary, but if we are to change hearts and minds, religious and spiritual leaders and activists need to link our ‘calling’ directly to good science that will help underscore and organize our choices and actions. People from all faiths must become voices for change and climate action using a framework that connects science to spiritual practice and peace education. This ongoing series invites participants to an exploration of climate change and how connecting that to religious beliefs, teachings, and practices can inspire local and global actions.
Participants will develop a sacred activism plan that embodies Rev. Dr. Leonisa Ardizzone’s Four E’s:
Entry: examine various wisdom traditions’ root callings and responses to environmental justice
Empathy: explore ways of bringing Climate Change data, urgency, and Planetary Stewardship into religious settings
Evidence (data): increase understanding of Climate Change and Ecology
Engagement: accountable action steps
Rev. Dr. Leonisa Ardizzone is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister. She holds a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary and an Ed.D. in Peace Education from Columbia University’s Teachers College. {Additional degrees include BA in Biology (Ithaca), Ed.M in Science Education (Western Washington), M.A. in Comparative Education (Teachers College).} Rev Leonisa specializes in Buddhist, interfaith, anti-oppression, and earth-based spiritual work. Working as a scientist and science educator before becoming a UU minister has given Rev. Dr. Leonisa a unique and well-rounded perspective on how best to engage congregational members, religious educators, lay leaders, and community activists in discussions about Global Climate Change. In this area of her work, she aims to help Clergy, Religious Educators, and Lay Leaders engage with the scientific and spiritual aspects of climate change fostering an ethic of planetary stewardship.
Registration for “Ecology of Scripture” Full! (Thank you for your interest!)
Monthly Spiritual Gatherings
Meets on the Full Moon each month
4 pm PT/ 5 pm MT/ 6 pm CT/ 7pm ET
In 2023, UUMFE continues our Monthly Spiritual Gatherings so that we may all find time 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, we will follow the Lunar Calendar. We will gather each month, via Zoom, on the Full Moon to nourish our spirit. Our next gathering with be on March 7th. We hope you join us!
Register Here for Full Moon Monthly Spiritual Gatherings!
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For questions and inquiries about how to participate in Spring for Change 2023, contact Daniel Lawlor (daniellawlor@uumfe.org).