Participant Contribution

The following post is a contribution from one of our conference participants, Yale alumna Katharine Preston.

As a graduate of both the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (’74) and Andover Newton Divinity School (’00), concentrating in ecology ministry, I look forward with special delight to the upcoming conference.

I offer an expansion of the blog discussions in two directions:

First, I want to reassure others that there are now many, many people out here in the non-academic world that are already working on these concerns on a weekly basis in churches (and synagogues and mosques). I guest preach in small, rural congregations in northern New York. Each time I am encouraged by the response of folks working hard to green their sanctuaries and change their ways of thinking about how humans fit into the greater scheme of God’s creation. Interfaith Power and Light groups, now in 25 states, are just one national effort illustrating this phenomenon. (www.theregenerationproject.org)

Second, it seems to me that ecojustice is the primary nexus between ecological and theological concerns, particularly in light of climate change. We are surely invited to notice, love and celebrate the beauties of God’s creation, but for many right now (and for even more to come), it is about survival, not aesthetics. All people of faith are called by their various traditions to care for the poor and marginalized. Working to prevent and mitigate the catastrophic effects of climate change on “the least of these” must become a priority for all of us. So I do hope that we will not relegate our discussion on ecojustice issues simply to one breakout session on Saturday.

Katharine Preston

Ecology Ministry

Essex, NY

katharine.preston@gmail.com

Paul Winter Wins Grammy Award!

We are pleased to congratulate Paul Winter on his latest achievement! He was awarded a Grammy this past Sunday for his 2007 album, Crestone. According to his website:

The primary recordings for this new release were done in the natural acoustics of North Crestone Lake, at an altitude of 11,800 feet in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The album introduces to the world the voice pow-wow drum and cedar flute of John-Carlos Perea, a young singer of Apache heritage, who sings in the Northern Plains Indian tradition. The album also features the voices of Mountain Bluebird, Red-winged Blackbird, Whooping Crane, Meadowlark, Sandhill Cranes, Coyotes, and Buffalo. http://www.livingmusic.com/catalogue/albums/crestone.html

Paul Winter will be performing solo at the Renewing Hope gala dinner that will be held on Saturday, March 1^st at the Omni Hotel. He will also be providing music for the interfaith service at Marquand Chapel on Sunday morning, March 2nd.

In Stillness: Are We One or Two?

Sandy Smyth, a student at Yale Divinity School, has been so kind as to share some more of her poetry with us. To offer a word of explanation, she states "they are how I feel when I am still and aware of God's creation..."

Church Outdoors

In the woods

Among the pines

I feel alive and energized;

Though chill is in my bones, 

I feel whiskey warm inside,

Lit by a red coal fire.

Awaiting heavy snow,

I huddle under blankets worn,

Feeling safe in this still peace;

Embraced by Love so wide

I feel no longer torn;

My church is the outdoors;

My poetry, my song.

In Stillness: 

Are We One or Two?

In Stillness,

When I have

No thought,

The woods and I are one;

Frost-laced leaves

On the ground,

Icy boughs above,

Landscape the inner me.

The body furry warm,

Lying by my side,

Reminds me I

Am not alone

When deeply steeped

In Thee.

So knit together

By Your Love,

Are we one or two?

We regret to report that due to an overwhelming response
the Renewing Hope conference is officially full,
and we are not able to accept further registrations at this time.

We thank everyone who has expressed interest in the event.

To be placed on a waiting list (in the event of cancellations) please email
Tara C. Maguire Knopick of the Forum on Religion and Ecology at
tcmk@aya.yale.edu

Please remember that there are two events of the weekend that are open to the public
and do not require registration:

Thursday, February 28, 6:30 p.m.:
Evening lecture by Sallie McFague:
“A New Climate for Theology: God, the World, and Global Warming”

Friday, February 29, 7:00 p.m.:
Screening of the new documentary by Marty Ostrow and Terry Kay Rockefeller

Renewal: Inspiring Stories from America’s
Religious Environmental Movement

In addition, the talk by Sallie McFague on February 28th at 6:30 p.m. and the opening panel on February 29th at 1 p.m. will be streamed live on the web from the Yale Divinity School website. Further details and the exact URL will be posted as they become available.


All speakers and panels will be taped and available for archived viewing from the Yale Divinity website.