Earth Care Summit a Success!
submitted by Vern Groves:
“Environmental Justice and Faith” was the theme of the 3rd Annual Earth Care Summit attended by 8 members of our Planet Church committee on January 30th. They were part of a packed house of over 200 persons from a great variety of religious groups. Sponsored by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, the event began at 5:30 with a delicious meal of locally grown vegetables and fruits.
It moved quickly into a powerful keynote presentation by Dr. Leroy Haynes, a well-known civil rights leader and now pastor of Allen Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. He fired up caring about our Mother Earth who is dying, but he says, “It is still not too late.” His presentation included both information and poetry regarding degradations of the earth for all its creatures as well as the injustices commonly being suffered by minorities and poor people.
Participants then had an opportunity to sharpen their earth caring skills by choosing to attend two of eighteen workshops offered on everything from current solar electric opportunities to the challenge of changing the politics of pollution. The evening closed with an inspiring blessing by Mike Branch from the Muslim Educational Trust.
Hopefully, the renewed vision of our delegation will enrich Planet Church leadership as they make plans to enable our congregation to be better stewards of our planet as we move into the future.
Planet Church will make Chinook Books available in the Commons after worship on December 4th, 11th and 18th.
