YOUR FOOTPRINT

Would you like to help your congregation measure its carbon footprint? Interfaith Power and Light is pleased to share with you our brand new carbon footprint calculator designed specifically for congregations and congregants. It allows you to input basic information about energy use, and then provides a total "footprint" in pounds of carbon and acres of land. This tool will help your congregation find out where its emissions are coming from and identify steps you can take to significantly reduce energy use. Then, you will be on the path toward saving money and saving Creation at the same time. To further entice you to participate, we are offering $10,000 in cash prizes to congregations that make the most progress in shrinking their footprints. But to enter the contest, you must measure your footprint before the end of the year. Visit CoolCongregations.com today to measure your footprint.

www.actioncenter.org

TINA FEY - Action Center to end world hunger. Tina Fey has a great video on Utube - It will be added to the blog this week. Tina's appeal - "Let's work together to make hunger a thing of the past. Let that next step start with you." Please contact newsletter@merycorps.org

Goals 2008

OUR VISION: The Unity EarthCare International Team co-creates a spiritual consciousness that manifests as loving co-existence with all creation and care for our Earth home. OUR MISSION: The Unity EarthCare International Team supports the Association of Unity Churches International in fostering the awareness of our spiritual oneness with our Earth home and promoting active care of creation.

Unity Churches International Earthcare Team is committed to sharing information and growing Earthcare through Unity worldwide, using the media and events.

2008 SPIRITUAL ACTION GOALS.

WE BELIEVE… We believe in the power of Life. It expresses itself in myriad ways and is sacred in all forms. Our unity and interdependence evidences itself as the diversity of life, intelligence, and substance. We seek to understand divine design. Immersed in the growing consciousness of our true nature, we align our desires, actions, systems, and vision with the principles of universal law.Ideas of entitlement, domination, profiteering, exploitation, and hierarchy are now erased from human consciousness. We atone for the senseless neglect, misuse, and abuse of our mother earth and her majestic inhabitants. Ideas and ideals of collaboration, innovation, sacred awareness, and discernment replace old ways of being as we collectively establish dominion over obsolete, limited,and myopic perspectives. As ambassadors of wisdom, we steward our earth and all of its living inhabitants. With spiritual integrity, we embody compassion acknowledging that animals are worthy of each dignity we seek for ourselves. From the core of the earth to the expanse of our atmosphere, polar regions to national parks, waterways to farmlands, marketplace to dining table, we consciously create a world that works for all. Harmony is our intention, wisdom our currency, discernment our path, integrity our foundation, and unity our inheritance. We immerse our word in gratitude as we release it unto law. 2008 Spiritual Action Goal: To actualize the stewardship and well-being of our sacred Earth and it’s diverse inhabitants through our collective vision of a new consciousness.

Goals for Earthcare in Unity.

Dear friends, It occurred to me that Kym asked us to think about our goals for EarthCare in Unity. Well, the Daily Word prayer of Monday, August 25, 2008, touched my heart. Again, "My loving heart and powerful mind direct me in caring ways toward all life." The Institute knows that EarthCare and our interests are organic and thriving. My goal is to add an EarthCare affirmation to the five currently listed as monthly affirmations. I believe this is possible as a Daily Word World Peace affirmation has been a happy addition. With God, all things are possible. Loving Grace, Ron.

The new artwork......

coming soon!

THANKS....

to the many contributors to this site - which is still a work in progress! The Blogmaster would like to especially mention Kathy O'Connor whose guidance and contributions have brought the Blog to where it is.

SHARING

Sharing our ideas and successes, through word-of-mouth, presentations, and news media, is important for fostering the work within our congregations and the larger community. Networking with other groups and programs reminds us that we are not alone in the task of caring for creation. Unity ministries may network with local conservation groups, interfaith creation care centers, and spiritual centers of other denominations with creation care programs. As we become aware of the work within Unity and elsewhere, our common ground—Earth—becomes a sacred home for unity. By raising awareness of our common cause, we can unite our actions to care for humanity and the planet that sustains us.

Our next meeting on Saturday September 20th, 2008.

Conference call at 12.00 EST. Know that anyone in our group can post something on the Blog if they have the link that was sent - comments are open to everyone, but will be censored beforehand. Please contact Cheron should you require the link again.

Unity People's Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Convention was held at the Wigwam Resort, Litchfield Park from June 9 - 14th, 2008. This is an annual gathering of Unity people from around the world - ministers, spouses, licensed teachers, musicians, laity and all those who help the Association be it's best. It is a time of joy, celebration, connection, exploration, education and renewal. BE THE HEART CENTRE - CELEBRATE TRUTH - BE THERE! We enjoyed connecting with you at any one of the many workshops, meetings, services, concerts and forums presented during the week. The invitation to attend a workshop facilitated by Jane Simmons on Tuesday June 10th at 2 pm called "Creating a Greener Unity" was well attended and gave all of us a new insight into the wholeness and wellness of our entire planet. The forum focused on simple and effective strategies to support the greening of your church and a healthy planet, also raising the visibility of your church in a positive way and help you be a better steward of your church's resources. Please see www.unity.org

Artwork Vote

Our discussion this morning was inspiring, thorough, and moving. I think we are beginning to move this thing, and I look forward to using both the blog and our Face Book page to increase the movement – and to provide a point for new arrivals to attach and get into the conversation. We need that. Here in Portland I am constantly confronted by the Unitarian-Universalist effort, which is now headquartered in a new, LEED-gold building attached to their old downtown church. They are putting out research, certifying congregations, and building awareness rapidly and effectively. They are cooperating with – even spearheading – Interfaith Power and Light, and they have reached a point where they are making a difference in the world at large. I look forward to us moving down this road with speed and urgency even as I realize that we have our own road first to discover and then to travel. I know we will do that with integrity and effectiveness for our own community world-wide. Jim

Unity Churches International Earthcare

go to /programs/earthcare

Save money by changing your old energy habits...

75 % of the power used by home electronics is consumed while they are switched off - prevent this by plugging them into power bars and flicking the off-switch to cut power to the appliances. Unplug battery-chargers when batteries are fully charged or aren't in use. Install white window shades or blinds to reflect summer heat from your house. A well-positioned tree can save up to 25% on cooling costs by shading windows. These ideas from the The Office of Energy Efficiency - Ontario, Canada.

Unity Northwest Region’s “Earth Care” Program From 2002-2004, the Northwest Region of Unity Churches identified a seven-step plan for adopting earth care. Although we list these in a particular order here, we emphasize that they may occur in almost any order in practice; we encourage all groups to begin with Prayer and Visioning. PRAY VISION INSPIRE LEARN ACT SHARE RENEW These steps are described in our brochure Path to Earth Care (http://www.unitynwregion.org/, go to /Programs/Earth Care). Extracts from work done by Kathy O'Connor and Kathy Long.

Significant Sustainable Living issues:

Recycling, Energy Conservation, Waste Minimization, Natural Resources, Social/Environmental Justice. Examples of activities include taking positions and urging action on important non-partisan issues such as global warming, reducing carbon emissions, alternative energy, save the Rain Forest, river/coastline protection, endangered species, etc......