Clergy:
Preach-In: On the weekend closest to Valentine’s Day, hundreds of faith leaders of different religious traditions from around the country will express their love of Creation and their concern about climate change. The New England Regional UCC Environmental Ministries joins with Interfaith Power and Light (IPL) to encourage you to give a sermon on the environment or climate on February 12, Click  here to sign up and receive a variety of resources as soon as they become available:
• Denomination-specific liturgical and thematic notes
• Ready-to-go sample sermons on global warming
• Global warming fact sheet and bulletin insert
• Selected DVDs on request with companion discussion guides

Clergy and Lay people:
Conference on Global Warming: The Preach-In will serve as a great motivator and segue for RI-IPL’s “Ethics of Climate Change” conference to be held February 28th at the Open Table of Christ Methodist Church, 1520 Broad Street, Providence, RI.
The conference will feature as keynote speaker, world-renowned philosopher, author, Prof. Roger S. Gottlieb (for more information about Prof. Gottlieb, click here.) Prof. Gottlieb, a clear, dynamic and engaging lecturer, will develop a convincing argument that the sacred teachings of the world’s major religions compel an ethical response to the climate-change problem. The conference will include informational exhibits, interactive workshops and a low-carbon-footprint fair (for more conference information, and to register click here).

The professional staff focuses on environmental/social justice news and issues which provide strong informational resources for those involved in environmental stewardship projects.    GreenWays, individual parishies, and the Diocese of RI can all benefit from the offerings of the ecoRI news agency.  Click on the link above to see for yourself.   Their mission, as stated on their website, may be a secular one, but it fosters the care of God’s Creation.  You might want to sign up for their weekly e-mail publication.

For a calendar of RI environment related events there is What Grows on in RI.    Check to see what’s coming up and click on the event for a more detailed description.  Or add your own event, free of charge, when you go to this site. 

For the past 4 years here in RI  the faith community has had the support offered by a local interfaith group (with a national affiliation), RI Interfaith Power and Light  – RI IPL*. RI IPL offers workshops and materials, DVDs and websites, along with an annual statewide conference that can help individuals and congregations find ways, large and small, to learn about and care for God’s Creation.  Their website www.riipl.org and joining their e-mail list offer ongoing ideas and opportunities.

In recent months we at GreenWays have learned about a new opportunity offered through GreenFaith, an interfaith organization also dedicated to promoting environmental stewardship. The GreenFaith program involves a rewarding 2 year process during which a congregation becomes a GreenFaith Sanctuary.  ” Participating congregations undertake a range of environmental initiatives in areas of worship, religious education, spiritual practices, ‘greening’ of the buildings, and environmental justice.”…leading to a deeper level of environmental leadership, a reduction in operating costs,  the attraction of new, often younger members, and the availability of extensive resources and support.

The GreenFaith Certification Program in collaboration with the Episcopal Church is offering supplemental grants to congregations willing to make a serious commitment bearing in mind “the interdependent issues of environmental, economic and social injustice and how these three factors subvert the dignity of those most adversely impacted by their affects.”

To learn more about this opportunity, and to access a recording of an introductory webinar on the Certification Program, visit http://greenfaith.org/success-stories/episcopal-church-partnership-certification.  To learn about future webinars, or to ask questions about this program, contact Mike Schut at mschut@episcopalchurch.org or Stacey Keneally at certification@greenfaith.org.  May 1st is the application deadline for the next round of parish grants.

*not to be confused with People’s Power and Light-PPL, a different, non profit group that promotes renewable energy

At 7 PM on Thurs., Feb. 27, 2011 at Transfiguration in Cranston there will be a GreenWays meeting to discuss the upcoming plans for Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, RECREATE, a Diocesan-wide Environmental project intended to celebrate God’s Creation with activities which RECREATE some of what has been “left behind” into works of art and creativity.  Join us as we discuss and develop plans and publicity for this ongoing effort.  Click on the “Events” section of this website blog for more details.

Carbon Nation , a new film documentary by Peter Byck, will be shown at several locations around the state locations during the weekend of February 11-13th.  Byck, whose film credits include the show “West Wing” and film “The Matrix,” set out to create a “tent film where folks of all political stripes could find common ground.”

Carbon Nation is a feature length documentary about climate change SOLUTIONS. Even if you doubt the severity of the impact of climate change or just don’t buy it at all, this is a compelling and relevant film that illustrates how SOLUTIONS to climate change also address other social, economic and national security issues.

As the film-featured interviews and projects demonstrate, we already have the technology to combat most of the worst-case scenarios of climate change, and it is very good business as well. Carbon Nation is an optimistic discovery of what people are already doing, what we as a nation could be doing and what the world needs to do to prevent (or slow down) the impending climate crisis.

Peter Byck, who has over 20 years experience as a director and editor, won the South by Southwest Film Festival for his first documentary “Garbage”.  (It screened in scores of festivals in the U.S. and Europe and played at the Museum of Modern Art and Lincoln Center).

Rhode Island Interfaith Power and Light (IPL) has organized the film screenings as part of IPL’s National Preach-In on Global Warming (Feb. 11 – 13).  The film, followed by a discussion, will be shown at the following times and locations:

Check times, places, and bus connections listed below for the Carbon Nation screening nearest you. Plan on staying for the discussion following the film.  Find out from this “non-preachy, non-partisan, positive primer about why it is incredibly smart to be part of the new, low carbon economy:  It’s just good business.”

	Friday, Feb. 11, 2011 at 8:00 PM at Brooklyn Coffee Tea House, 209 Douglas Ave., Providence.  On RIPTA bus route # 50.
	Sunday Feb 13 at 1:30 PM at Mediator, a UUA Fellowship, 50 Rounds Avenue, Providence, RI.  Closest buses: # 20 and # 22.
	Sunday Feb 13 at 1:30 PM at Newman Congregational Church, 100 Newman Avenue, Providence, RI.  On RIPTA bus route # 78.
	Sunday Feb 13 at 3:00 PM at Peace Dale Congregational Church, 261 Columbia Street, Peace Dale, RI.  Closest bus: # 66.
	Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011 at 7:00 PM at St. Andrew Lutheran Church at 15 East Beach Road, Charlestown, RI. No buses.

-holding a daylong event on Sat., April 2nd at Synod Hall where people will be invited to use recycled materials (provided and brought from other sources), to create a 2 or 3 dimensional piece of art,

-considering the format and layout for the day (stations for each category?),

-deciding which categories of art will be included this year- among some of  the choices? automotive, jewelry, mural or wall art (graffiti?), endangered animal creations, wearable art, environmental messaging, scarecrows (a community garden focus?), hardware and electrical, masks, paper productions, board games, local images of nature, microart, miscellaneous – create your own category,

AND

-deciding how to publicize this event, incorporating a time line, developing a strategy to engage more participants and appeal to different age groups, and discussing what forms of recognition will be given….all the while keeping the main focus of this endeavor which is to care for God’s Creation.

All persons, new ideas, considerations, feedback, and inspirations are welcome.  And….we are looking for a catchy title for our event if you have an inspiration….

You are welcome to request a more detailed agenda for the GreenWays by e-mailing Katherine Gibson at kmg4612@verizon.net

*For directions to All Saints Memorial go to episcopalri.org , find “Who We Are” on the side bar, click on “parishes” then scroll down to All Saints Memorial.