Our Relationship to the Earth

Today is daffodil blooming day at our house! Those bright yellow spring flowers are finally peeking out of their green casings. I am always interested in how micro-climates change in significant ways even by ten miles. The daffodils at church bloomed over a week ago. And this year our flowers are a couple weeks later than they were a few years ago—as evidenced by dated photo records on my laptop.

Thinking about the climate makes me think about climate change, and the activists who are working to change our relationship to the earth from that of “maximum extraction and destruction,” to that of “mutually beneficial partnership.”

This week in Washington DC, a group of ranchers and indigenous people from western states, called the “Cowboy Indian Alliance,” are bringing a message against the Keystone XL pipeline which would transport Tar Sands Oil from Canada down to Texas for processing. When I was a kid, we played battles as cowboys and Indians—though in our family we thought it was funny because my dad was sometimes a cowboy and my mom was part Indian—but now they are working together to protect the earth. Aside from the environmental hazards of a pipeline, the message is that we can't take that oil out of the sands if we want to preserve a climate that can support human life. You can find out more, and see photos of the teepees on the mall at http://rejectandprotect.org/

It was recently announced that President Obama is delaying his decision about KeystoneXL, probably until the fall, so that gives us more time to keep working against it. Some of us at A2U2 have signed on (with 100,000 others) to the Credo Pledge of Resistance. It says, "I pledge, if necessary, to join others in my community, and engage in acts of dignified, peaceful civil disobedience that could result in my arrest in order to send the message to President Obama and his administration that they must reject the Keystone XL pipeline."

I have participated in civil disobedience before in my life, though it was a long time ago. I was inspired by the groundswell of resistance to KeystoneXL, and the terrible importance of this work on behalf of the future of our planet and all its creatures. I am attending a training on the morning of May 3^rd (before coming down to Ferry Beach for our retreat days) to participate in the civil disobedience, should it be necessary. If you are interested, email me at revmyke at a2u2.org if you'd like more information.

In the meantime, work is continuing at A2U2 on our own relationship to our land and its structures. Tonight is the final meeting of the group of 20 or so members of A2U2 who have been part of the Permaculture Design Short Course with Lisa Fernandes. Mini-groups have been doing research about various areas that were identified as priorities in the congregational survey a few months ago. Issues like how to fix the parking lot, improve our air quality, and improve the bathrooms, along with hopes about how to use more renewable energy, increase energy efficiency, and how to create earth friendly habitat in our landscaping. I am sure that work will continue, and you'll hear more about it as we come up with some viable ideas. But you don't have to wait—if you want to get more involved, you are always welcome. Contact me, or even better, contact Harold McWilliams, at haroldmcwilliams at gmail.com, who has been doing a great job of coordinating our efforts. A great big thank you to Harold!

Happy Spring,

Rev. Myke