Dear Church Community,
We had a great Earth Month with Robin Lewis, Director for Climate Equity at Interfaith Power and Light, preaching on April 23 and Dava Keavney, congregation member and scientist, leading us in a discussion about Climate Hope on April 30. I’ve included Dava’s presentation here. We also had a fun Children’s Talk about imagination and fungi featuring this fabulous video of the world’s most beautiful mushrooms.
If you’re interested in other ways churches can respond to the climate crisis, please check out this list of Practical and Spiritual Responses to a World on Fire. You could also join our Mission & Social Action Committee (email Emily, parkerec@gmail.com). Happily, our congregation has already implemented some of these suggestions, but there’s plenty of room for growth and change!
One easy and effective way to promote change is by writing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in support of climate-friendly rules and regulations. Beginning May 14, pre-printed postcards with the above graphic (created by a UCC teen) will be available for you to sign during Coffee Hour. You’re also welcome to take some for friends to sign and send. Contacting the EPA, an executive branch agency, is an excellent way for DC residents (who don’t have a voting representative) to make their voices heard!
On Wednesday, Bruce Grimes received a Seabury Leadership Award at the Washington National Cathedral for his many years of dedicated service to our congregation. Mike Durst (both a member of our congregation and Associate Pastor at Pilgrim UCC) and Jean-Michel Giraud (Executive Director of Friendship Place) joined me in support of Bruce. The Rev. Susan K. Walker preached a wonderful homily on the challenges and contributions of older adulthood, which I encourage you to read. Congratulations, Bruce!
On May 14, our congregation will assemble 40 Period Packs (menstrual hygiene kits) for women and girls who lack these supplies. “Period poverty affects many in the United States and worldwide who cannot afford menstrual hygiene products,” says the Rev. Monica Dawkins-Smith, executive associate for UCC Wider Church Ministries. Our effort will be part of a UCC-wide project to assemble one thousand Period Packs in conjunction with the UCC’s General Synod this summer in Indianapolis. Please join me after worship on Mother’s Day.
In response to a request for the entire e.e. cummings poem adapted for our Call to Worship last Sunday, I share the following:
i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any-lifted from the no
of all nothing-human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
Just imagine…
Pastor Ellen
Room Needed
An adult female friend of a congregation member is looking for a room to rent. She could provide support services for an older adult if such an arrangement were of interest. Please contact: pastor@cpcchurch.org.