Daily Practice: A Weekly Reminder

Daily spiritual practice is a way to stay alert to how things truly are, to find sources of wisdom and strength, to let go of what does not serve us, and more.  Here is a new iteration of my daily practice writings – a once-a-week reminder to maintain your own practice. I’ll begin with a new version of a piece I wrote a few summers ago – it still has much to consider:

“We were talking about loss as we walked this morning. About changes in how we work and what is needed now and what to do with feelings of inadequacy. Perhaps these are just small feelings compared to losses of life and housing and jobs, losses of connections to others and daily support from friends and family, losses of habitat and species and wilderness in the world. Nevertheless, they are feelings which shape how we move into the day, and how we face all the other losses and changes.

I have great hope for the future because of how much is changing right now.  And I know for certain that these changes include many, many losses.  This too is part of my daily practice;  to name some of the losses of life and beauty and things I thought I could depend on.  To acknowledge the sorrow and fear, and the challenge of finding new ways to live.  As I breathe in and out,  I let these feelings be present. Sadness and joy move in me and around me, while the breath is steady. Life is moving and changing and also breathing through me in every moment – therefore I am moving and changing. I give thanks for another day given.”  

Sending love to you all – Jill

Rummage Sale

Our Pop-up Parking Lot Rummage Sale is Saturday, September 16, 2023 from 10:00 – 1:00. Look now through your garage, closets, and shelves to find things to sell. We are not having a recycled gifts room at the Holiday Fair, so this is your best opportunity to donate items you no longer need to benefit the Fellowship. Sellers price their own items, monitor their tables, send buyers to the UUFC checkout, and take home anything not sold at the end. Easy-peasy and a fun social event too! Seller/Vendor Registration Link

Volunteers are needed for this event: people to bring tables and chairs from the building and set them up beforehand and take them down at the end, and at least 2 cashiers. Volunteer Registration Link

Contact Bonnie Morihara, moriharb@ wou.edu
or Judy Westlake, judywestlake@ comcast.net.

Faith Based Climate Action 8/12/23

hand holding a sign reading Climate Action Now at a protest

Good news is a powerful motivator  for action, &  there‘s lots of good news  about climate mitigation, adaptation/resilience, and justice.

Biden’s green energy law is turning out to be huge 

133 self-storage rooftops in 3 US states are about to power community solar

Year after Biden’s climate bill sees spike in renewable energy investment, industry says

Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe acquires 855 acres of ancestral lands

Clean energy can fuel the future — and make the world healthier

Solar, wind provided majority of new US generating capacity in first half of 2023

Offshore floating solar on calm seas could provide unlimited energy

Heatwave energy shortages would have been ‘much worse’ without solar power, experts say

Supercapacitor cement could supercharge renewable energy storage

The potential for geologic hydrogen for next-generation energy

Rivian backs massive solar plant atop old coal mine in Kentucky

How a Former Oil Guy Is Using Fracking Tech to Boost Geothermal Energy

Geothermal technology breakthrough in Nevada could boost the nation’s use of renewable energy

Hello Climate Solutions Advocates!

Remember HB 2021, Oregon’s 100% Clean Energy bill, which with your help was passed by the Oregon legislature in 2021?   Among other things, HB 2021 ​created a $50 million fund, the Community Renewable Energy Grant Program, to support projects in Oregon communities that would bolster renewable energy and strengthen resilience in the event of an emergency. 

Recently, the Oregon Department of Energy selected 39 recipients to receive a total of $12 million in round two from the Community Renewable Energy Grant Program funds.   A variety of renewable energy and resilience projects in counties across state were represented – solar, geothermal, biogas, and micro-hydro projects, as well as paired battery storage. 

One example of a funded project was to the Phoenix Talent School District, which will receive $1 million to install a ground-mounted solar installation with battery storage at Talent Middle School.  The installation will act as an operable microgrid in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency, ensuring the building – which will act as a local emergency shelter – retains critical backup power.  

At least half of the $50 million grant funds will be awarded for projects that serve environmental justice communities, including communities of color, lower-income communities, and rural communities.

Together our advocacy actions do make a difference — making life better for us all!

Deborah Clark, member UUFC Climate Action

There is no more important climate work than the influencing of legislation and policy, whether at the national, state, or local level. Climate Action Opportunities, refreshed weekly on Saturdays, provides three or four curated, quick opportunities to do just that.

To help assess the engagement of UUFC members and friends in faith-based climate action and to encourage such action, please anonymously  <Share> the number of the actions below you take this week. Optionally, you may  anonymously also share other recent climate action. 

The organizations whose calls to action we amplify, and the number from each organization, are listed <here>

Sat 12 Aug

EarthJustice

Restore the Endangered Species Act. The Biden administration just moved closer to undoing the Trump administration’s unprecedented damage to the regulations that interpret the Endangered Species Act. For 50 years, the Act’s served as the last line of defense for countless species and habitats. Today, it is our strongest tool for tackling the worsening biodiversity crisis, which is why the Biden administration must fix the rules that implement it.

Take Action

Native Organizers Alliance

Protect the Grand Canyon. The Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument Act has been introduced in the U.S. House and Senate to protect the Grand Canyon region’s sacred and natural resources, manage hunting and grazing, and establish a 12-member tribal commission to ensure tribal co-stewardship. Despite a 20-year uranium mining moratorium, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected claims by Tribes and environmental groups attempting to stop Energy Fuels Nuclear Inc. from mining the Pinyon Plain Mine on this land. It’s critical we fight for the permanent protections granted by designating more than 1.1 million acres within the Grand Canyon as a new national monument. Send a message to your U.S. Senators & Representative 

Sierra Club

Stop Yazoo Pumps Project. Yet again, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced an unprecedented move to resurrect the destructive Yazoo Backwater Pumps in Mississippi’s South Delta by fast tracking efforts to approve the project. If allowed, the Yazoo Pumps project would drain and destroy up to 200,000 acres of wetlands, some of our nation’s richest habitat that supports over 450 species of birds, fish and wildlife. Even worse, the project would not protect communities and only benefit a small number of wealthy agricultural corporations. Communities plagued by flooding in the Mississippi Delta deserve smart safeguards that keep people and property out of harm’s way, such as elevating homes and roads, and compensating farmers to restore cropland to wetlands!  Submit your comment

American Prospect

Article: The Unholy Alliance Between ‘Certified’ Clean Natural Gas Producers and the Certifying Companies

Citizens Climate Lobby

Webpage: Why Put a Price on Carbon? Because it’s the single most powerful tool available to reduce America’s carbon pollution.

 Native News Online

Article: The Fight for Oak Flat: Indigenous voices in the green energy transition

Washington PostArticle: Is it cheaper to refuel your EV battery or gas tank? We did the math in all 50 states. Spoiler: In all 50 states, it’s cheaper for the everyday American to fill up with electrons — and much cheaper in some regions such as the Pacific Northwest, with low electricity rates and high gas prices.

Sun 13 Aug, 5:30 – 6:30 PM, Common Fields, 545 SW 3rd St

Finding Fish in the Willamette River: Do you wonder what is swimming below the surface as you fish or float the Willamette River? Learn about the native, invasive, rare, and cryptic species in the fish community, and what they tell us about the ecological health of a Corvallis water source. Presented by Dr. Brooke Penaluna, a Research Fisheries Biologist with the Forest Service. All day (11 am – 8 pm), enjoy tasty food and drink, and Common Fields will donate 10% of dine-in & takeout sales to support Willamette Riverkeeper.

Contact/Info: linktr.ee/500WomenScientists_Corvallis

Sponsor: 500 Women Scientists Corvallis

Thu 25 Aug 7:00 – 8:00 PM 

Share and Discuss:  Postponed

Thu 7 Sep, 4:00 – 5:30 PM, online

Inflation Reduction Act Resources to Help You Electrify Your Home Interfaith Power and Light Webinar. Jamal Lewis, Director of Policy Partnerships and Equitable Electrification for Rewiring America, joins us for a conversation on electrification, what it looks like, and what federal resources are available to help you do it. Learn more about the incentives that will be available to help make your home healthier and more efficient.  Register

Behind the Music: To everything there is a season

A heartfelt farewell took place today as the Fellowship gathered to say bid adieu to some of our beloved trees which have graced the grounds for generations. The three solo piano works played were selected for their messages of gratitude, closure, and acceptance.

Today’s prelude was Ombra Mai Fu, a well-loved classic from Handel’s opera Serse. Serse, the king of Persia, sings this aria at the opera’s beginning to express his thanks and admiration for a plane tree and the shade it provides. Our feelings for the UUFC trees are mirrored in this aria’s lyrics:

Tender and beautiful fronds
of my beloved plane tree,
let Fate smile upon you.
May thunder, lightning, and storms
never disturb your dear peace,
nor may you by blowing winds be profaned.

Never was a shade
of any plant
dearer and more lovely,
or more sweet.

The anthem “Time to Say Goodbye” seemed appropriate for an offertory following the honoring of the trees. This powerful anthem, made famous by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman, encourages us to embrace life’s inevitable changes with courage and grace. With tomorrow’s cutting of the trees, this work is also a gentle reminder that while farewells can be bittersweet, they also pave the way for new beginnings.

As the service drew to a close, we adjourned to the timeless tune of “Turn, Turn, Turn” by The Byrds. This adaptation of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 beautifully illustrates life’s ever-changing rhythms, urging us to find peace and acceptance in the ebb and flow of existence. The song’s poetic verses remind us that there is “a time to plant, a time to reap, a time to gain, a time to lose.” We have celebrated and said goodbye to the trees…let us now celebrate the new birth of plants, flowers, and trees that will begin their time with us.

~ Lauren Servias

Faith Based Climate Action 8/5/23

hand holding a sign reading Climate Action Now at a protest

Good News

Climate-action Opportunities

Of Note

Save the Date

Group Camping at Cascadia

group camping at cascadia

Come and join in fun and fellowship while camping at Cascadia State Park. A group site has been reserved with a limit of 25 campers. Plans include group meals on Friday and Saturday evening, time for hiking, exploring, building community, and much more. Only tent camping is available at the site. Bring your own tent, personal gear, and food. Carpools are encouraged. Cascadia State Park is about 50 miles from Corvallis.
September 14th – 17th, (Thursday – Sunday)
Come out for all or part of the event. More information will be available with registration confirmation. 
Completion of registration form and payment of $15 per person (max $45 for family) is required. Space is limited.

Questions: contact Julie Halter or Nancy Gill
Payment by check to UUFC with “Cascadia Camping” in the memo line.
Click here to register: Registration Link

camping poster

Faith Based Climate Action 7/29/23

hand holding a sign reading Climate Action Now at a protest


Faith-based Climate Action for July 29, 2023

Good News

Climate-action Opportunities

Of Note

Save the Date

Tuna Roast

tuna roast

Join us on Labor Day – Monday, September 4th for the return of the Tuna Roast. This is a family friendly picnic gathering at the Lions Shelter in the SE corner of Avery Park. Come for games and visiting at 4:00 pm, food at 5:00 pm.

Grilled Fresh Tuna, potatoes and corn on the cob will be provided. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. You are also encouraged to bring your own picnic plates, silverware and cups to reduce waste, along with lawn chairs. There will be games and activities for all ages! 

There will be no Sunday service on August 3 – the Tuna Roast therefore serves as a kind of in-gathering. Reverend Jill will lead us in song and words of intention around 5:00 pm.

Volunteers are needed in a variety of roles: help marinate and grill tuna, clean and cook corn on the cob, help with set up, pick-up truck(s) needed to haul tables and extra grill, assist with activities, help with tear down and clean up. 20-30 people will be needed to help make this event the best one ever! Set up begins at 3:00 pm.

Sign up to Volunteer

Email greet@uucorvallis.org with any questions.

This event is for UUFC members, friends and their loved ones. We welcome a small donation of $5 per person, although no one will be turned away.

Faith Based Climate Action 7/22/23

hand holding a sign reading Climate Action Now at a protest

Good News

Climate Action Opportunities

Of Note, This Week

Save the Date

Good News

Weekly Serving of Good News, July 22, 2023

Good news is a powerful motivator for action, & there‘s lots of good news about climate mitigation, adaptation/resilience, and justice.
Here are a few recent examples, refreshed weekly on Saturdays.

Biden making $20 billion available from ‘green bank’ for clean energy projects

European Union Approves Ambitious Nature Restoration Law

Renewable deployment surge puts world on track for net zero pathway

Decarbonization Is Happening Faster Than You May Think 

Cambridge University solar farm to boost net zero target 

Old electric vehicle batteries now store solar power

Oil Field Company Leads Innovation To Power Homes With Geothermal Energy In Oklahoma

‘Breakthrough’ geothermal tech produces 3.5 megawatts of carbon-free power

Western governors push for geothermal energy to be another boom in renewables 

Scientists Are Growing Sustainable Buildings From Fungi Now 

Regenerative agriculture offers sustainability, climate resilience to local ranchers 

How A Swedish Tech Company Is Making Renewable Energy From Abandoned Mines 

Genetically edited wood could make paper more sustainable

Harnessing Bacteria and Sunlight: A Revolutionary Path to Sustainable Energy

VW’s US Innovation Hub just revealed 4 EV breakthroughs

Compiled stories

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Faith-based Climate Action Opportunities

To help assess the engagement of UUFC members and friends in faith-based climate action and to encourage such action, please anonymously  <Share> the number of the actions below you take this week. Optionally, you may  anonymously also share other recent climate action. 

The organizations whose calls to action we amplify, and the number from each organization, are listed <here>.

Ban toxic seeds that kill birds and bees. Just one small seed has deadly consequences for birds and bees. Millions of seeds are treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, contaminating the entire plant as it grows. Plus, most of the pesticides on the seeds don’t stay there — 95% gets rubbed off or washed away, contaminating the surrounding environment. That turns a cornfield into a toxic minefield for a tiny bee or a hungry bird. Tell Gov. Kotek to ban toxic seeds that kill birds and bees.

Environment Oregon 

Environment Oregon 

Save our oldest forests. Logging and other threats are encroaching on what little mature and old-growth forests we have left. Our oldest forests support a vast network of plants, animals and insects, sheltering the diversity of nature. And trees grow even faster the older they get, storing more carbon from the atmosphere and acting as a natural climate solution. Protecting our old-growth and mature forests is one of the best things we can do to help tackle climate change, save wildlife habitat, and keep our country beautiful. Tell the Biden administration: Save our oldest forests

Nature Conservancy

The climate emergency demands an emergency-level response. The devastating effects of the intertwined crises of climate change and rapid biodiversity loss are here and affecting everyday life in stunning and undeniable ways. The United States must meet this moment and lead with unprecedented urgency to collectively steer the fate of life on Earth back to safety. We cannot meet the essential climate targets unless we leverage the power of nature to restore and protect lands and waters. Send your message to Congress

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Of Note This Week

Of Note This Week is a source for current climate-change information at the local, state, and national levels.  It is refreshed weekly on Saturday.

Friends of the Earth

Article: Gulf and Environmental Groups Call on Interior Department to End Routine Fast-Tracking of Offshore Oil Drilling Projects

Inside Climate News

Article: ‘Giant Methane Factories’: Hydropower Has Long Been Touted as Clean Energy. But Is It?

The Colorado Sun

Editorial: Scientists have given the ultimate warning on climate change. Will we finally listen?

UU Service Committee

Indigenous Lives and The Climate Crisis: A Photo Essay Series

Part 1,   Part 2,   Part 3

Vtdigger

Article: Vermont’s flooding this week is historic. What role did climate change play?

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Save the Date

Thu 27 July 7:00 – 8:00 PM Zoom
Share and Discuss: The Climate Action Team invites UUFC members and friends to share and discuss actions we are taking to reduce our personal carbon emissions and to influence local, state, and nation policy and legislation. Questions: michael.a.hughes1951@gmail.com

Mon 31 Jul, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Franklin Square Park
(Between 15th and 16th Streets, and Polk and Taylor Avenues)

Home Energy Fair – Funding & Support for Everyone: This festive event is a great opportunity for both homeowners and renters who want to save money by lowering their monthly utility bills. Fair
exhibitors will help attendees find out about state and federal money that’s available now to make homes more energy efficient. Cool off with your friends and neighbors at one of our community’s loveliest parks to enjoy snacks and conversations with nonprofits and businesses who will be there to support you. Sponsors: Jobs Addition Neighborhood Association (JANA) and Corvallis Sustainability Coalition Energy Action Team.
Contact: greenstevens@gmail.com

Mon 7 Aug, 6:30 – 7:30 PM, In person, UUFC social hall, or Zoom

Home Retrofit Clinic: The Climate Action Team invites UUFC members and friends to participate in a Home Retrofit Clinic, presented by Nancy Everson, that will focus on the benefits, logistics, and incentives available for switching from fossil (aka natural) gas to electricity for heating, cooling, cooking, and water heating.
Questions: michael.a.hughes1951@gmail.com

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Faith-based Climate Action 7/15/23

hand holding a sign reading Climate Action Now at a protest

Good News

Climate Solutions Happenings 

Climate-action Opportunities

Of Note

Save the Date

Good News

Weekly Serving of Good News July 15, 2023

Good news is a powerful motivator for action, &  there‘s lots of  good news  about climate mitigation, adaptation/resilience, and justice. Here’s a sample…

The Oregon legislature delivered big for the environment in 2023

Oregon State scientists find better way to capture carbon from industrial emissions 

A Big Step Forward: New Breakthrough Could Lead to Cleaner Hydrogen Energy

Utah’s FORGE geothermal site proves it’s more than just wishing wells 

New Iceland Tech Shakes Up Global Geothermal Energy

France boosts tidal sector with €65m and revenue support for FloWatt

Amazon has 5,000+ Rivian EV delivery vans on the road 

‘Revolutionary’ solar power cell innovations break key energy threshold

TURBINES IN SSJID CANALS COULD GENERATE POWER

US approves construction for Orsted offshore wind project off New Jersey coast 

Sustainability: New catalyst makes chemical processes more efficient and less harmful to the environment

Norway’s new phosphate deposits are so massive they could guarantee solar power and electric cars keep running for the next 50 years

This Shell station removed all of its gas pumps

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July Climate Solutions Happening

The Oregon Climate Resilience Package! Deborah Clark

 The bipartisan Climate Resilience Package, which was recently passed by the 2023 Oregon legislature, is chock-full of climate solutions that will make life better for all Oregonians! Heat pumps powered by renewable energy will be more accessible. Homes and buildings will be safer and more energy efficient. Electric trucks & buses will replace diesel ones on our roads. Solar and storage will be more affordable for homes and businesses. Resilience hubs will be created by and for frontline communities. Farmers, ranchers, and forest owners will be able to adopt more sustainable practices. Our air will be cleaner. Jobs in the clean energy economy will flourish across the state.

The Climate Resilience Package incorporated climate solutions from about 20 climate bills.  The package included prioritization of Oregonians most vulnerable to climate change: people of color, low-income families, individuals with disabilities, and residents in rural areas.  By investing approximately $100 million, the Climate Resilience Package will enable the state to leverage at least 10 times that amount in federal funding.

This legislative success reflects the hard work of countless advocates such as you, volunteers, and of course, legislative champions.   Together we make a difference!

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Faith-based Climate Action Opportunities

To help assess the engagement of UUFC members and friends in faith-based climate action and to encourage such action, please anonymously  <Share> the number of the actions below you take this week. Optionally, you may  anonymously also share other recent climate action. 

The organizations whose calls to action we amplify, and the number from each organization, are listed <here>.

Sat 15 Jul

Citizens’ Climate Lobby  The PROVE IT Act

The bipartisan PROVE IT Act requires the Department of Energy to study the carbon emissions of certain goods produced in the U.S. compared to other nations.  You can think of this bill as step one in getting a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) in the U.S. We need to show a huge wave of support now to bring CBAMs across the finish line later so they can drive down emissions around the globe. Send a short, customized message to your House Representative and Senators asking them to cosponsor it. 

EarthJustice  Electric Grid

As we move towards a 100% clean energy future, we need to urgently build more power lines to move clean energy across the country. Thousands of solar, wind, hydropower, and geothermal projects in various stages of development are waiting years for approval to connect to the U.S. electric grid. More than 2,000 gigawatts of solar, wind and battery storage projects are languishing in the queue, according to the Department of Energy. That’s more power than the U.S. currently generates. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has a critical role to play in accelerating the transmission infrastructure we need to meet U.S. climate commitments. Call on FERC to act. 

Interfaith Power & Light  2023 Farm Bill

Urge Congress to prioritize the needs of communities and the climate, not corporate profit margins. These include:

  • Expand access to SNAP and other nutrition assistance programs 
  • Fund small-scale farmers, regenerative agriculture, and climate-friendly practices, from planting to packaging to delivery;
  • Eliminate food waste and invest in urban agricultural projects that allow all people access to locally-grown, sustainable fresh food; and,
  • Protect the dignity, health, and safety of those responsible for working the land.
  • Fund international programs that train farmers to adapt to climate change and provide emergency and developmental support to more than 4 billion people around the world.

This is our chance to improve this crucial legislation. It’s time for Congress to invest in long-term solutions that address hunger, food access, and climate resilience.  Petition Congress

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Of Note This Week, Sat 7/15/23

US DOE

Website Investments in American-Made Energy

UUA

Article UUA Board Statement, Post-General Assembly 2023, Regarding Divestment Reparations

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Save the Date

Sun 16 Jul, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Avery Park (exact location TBD)

Whole Food Plant-based Picnic Potluck & Lawn Games: We are vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores attempting to eat and/or learn more about the health benefits of a whole food plant-based diet.  First time attendees do not need to bring a dish.  Bring your favorite lawn game. RSVP for more details about this monthly potluck; usually the 3rd Sun. 

Contact: 541-908-0864 or wfpbcorvallis@gmail.com

Sponsor: Corvallis Whole Food Plant-Based Support

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