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Eric Goplerud
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I'm proud to share this news from Faith Alliance for Climate Solution (FACS), a hardworking interfaith group founded at UUCF. Many of you are aware of the organizing they've been doing. The group's leader, Eric Goplerud, gives some details in his wonderful blog that follows. I also wanted to let you know that the national advocacy group, Interfaith Moral Action on Climate recognized FACS with a significant financial grant to support their organizing work. As Eric said in an email announcing the grant, "These funds are welcome, but totally unanticipated and not requested. The funds will come with some expectations that we move and connect with faith communities across Virginia. That will be a stretch, as are all good things."
Congratulations to all of our climate solutions advocates. I hope you will be inspired to support them as well. (Watch this blog Thursday for practical, everyday solutions all of us can do.) Now, I'll hand it off to Eric ...
Mary KatherineThis week, we celebrate Earth Day and the 50th anniversary of the passing of Rachel Carson, author of the landmark book
Silent Spring. So much has been happening at UUCF as we get organized to address climate change. I want to tell you about our progress.
Last October, there was a great turnout by the congregation as UUCF passed a
Resolution on Climate Change that established our principles. Earlier this year, our committee worked on strategy and renamed our group Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions or FACS. A website was created at
faithforclimate.org and we posted our Action Plan for Fairfax County.
New Partnerships
We formed a partnership with
Interfaith Power & Light - a national organization that helps to green congregations. We've networked statewide and spoken with elected officials. This week, we sit down and talk with a Fairfax County deputy county executive.
We believe in building strength through alliances. After all, the word is part of our name. So, we've been reaching out to religious and secular communities that believe climate change must be addressed. We've found Lutherans, Baptists, Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopals, Muslims and Jews - a wide range of people of faith in Fairfax County who believe that addressing climate change is an urgent spiritual responsibility.
Perhaps people of faith can convince government leaders to listen. After all, environmental issues are currently not a priority in Fairfax County, as all funding for environmental initiatives has been cut from next year's budget.
Rachel Carson 50th Anniversary Events on April 26!
This Saturday, Apr. 26, 1-3 p.m., FACS and Interfaith Power & Light will host an organizing event - Fairfax Congregations: Partnering for Climate Change Solutions - in the UUCF Sanctuary. We're meeting with representatives of congregations from throughout Fairfax County to explore opportunities to work together, create hope and pursue practical solutions, like those in our Action Plan. Come help our visitors feel welcome!
On Saturday night, 7:30- 9:30, we'll host an
Earth Day Cabaret & Jazz Concert, also in the Sanctuary. The evening will begin with everyone's favorite jazz pianist and composer Dave Anderson, singer and songwriter Kim Scudera and percussionist Mike Wingo. Jim Scott, a founder of the UU Green Sanctuary movement and an original member of the Paul Winter Consort, will bring a
Musical Celebration of the Earth to our concert stage. Jim is a renowned acoustic guitarist, singer and composer of music that furthers ecology and justice. You're sure to go home singing! Click
here and on the "Earth Day 2014" tab to learn more.
EarthCircles Rising
We've also been developing a new program with Mary Katherine's guidance called EarthCircles Rising that will debut at UUCF this weekend. We will ask members and friends to put spirituality into practice and care for the earth every day by participating in a fun, challenging game that makes us think about our impact.
That's just some of what's going on. Join us!
Eric Goplerud
Executive Director
Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions
(FACS meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Next meeting is Apr. 23, 7 p.m., in the Program Building.)
