What a gift to have folx from so many communities gathered together, including… 

Congregation Nevei Kodesh, Congregation Har HaShem, Boulder Valley UU Fellowship, Boulder Friends, Boulder Shambhala Center, Eon Zen Center, Upaya Zen Center, Community United Church of Christ, Pine Street Church, Flame and Well Druid Grove, Naropa University, First Congregational Church, Boulder Morningstar Zen Center, Climate Justice Hive, Joanna Macy Center, and more….

Many thanks to everyone who joined.

Shout out also to Micha K. Ben-David with the Climate Justice Hive for helping to guide our group discussion. And many thanks to the Joanna Macy Center and Climate Justice Hive for hosting us at Naropa, to the Mediterranean Market for the nourishing food, and to GreenFaith USA for picking up the tab to support our efforts.

We may have failed to take photos but it was a full room of heart-full people sharing, connecting, and planting seeds for faith-rooted climate action. It was wonderful to be together and combine our lights in these dark times.

Next steps: 

Our goal was to affirm and deepen our relationships and explore ways to develop a stronger and wider network for collective action. 

We will compile the many networks, connections and ideas that were shared and send that out to everyone in the coming weeks.

Our next gathering will be Thursday, January 16th, time TBD — we’ll send out a scheduling poll in early Jan.

If you are connected with someone who came to the gathering and is not on this email list, please forward our gratitude to them as well. They can sign up here to receive these emails.

In the meantime, many blessings to all as we turn toward the winter solstice and enter the holiday season. Please keep sharing here as you are called. 

May we continue to co-create a sanctuary of support and loving action.

Lodi, Sam, mary beth, Pete, Sarah and Monica

GreenFaith Boulder County
greenfaithbouldercounty.org

The post Fall Gathering and Interest Meeting appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.

Learn More and Register Here

Co-sponsored by Trident Booksellers and Cafe, All Souls Church, NAACP Boulder County, Greenfaith Boulder County, The Refuge, The Wesley Foundation at CU Boulder, and the Association for Welcoming and Affirming Baptists

Friday October 25
Public Lecture and Book Signing 
7pm-8pm
Free

Saturday October 26
Life After Doom Workshop
8:30am -11:45pm 
Lectures, Q&A, conversations, light breakfast/coffee provided.

Hyphenated Life Podcast 
Live Audience Interview with Brian McLaren
2pm-3pm
Free

Sunday October 27 
Worship Gathering 9am-10am
Wisdom and Courage through The Arts (Brian McLaren preaching)
Free

This is a wonderful opportunity to gather and discuss these times together as people of faith, with courage and compassion. We hope you can join! 

The post Common Good Forum: Life After Doom appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.

There will be speakers, networking events, food, and drinks – plus the chance to spend the afternoon with your fellow Colorado climate activists … we are expecting upwards of 100 people. Please try to respond to the invitation as soon as possible, so the organizers can make sure adequate beverages are on hand. Although some compostable plates, tableware, and cups will be provided, you are encouraged to bring your own reusable plates and utensils to go with your shared dish.

RSVP here

We are trying to keep this green by establishing carpooling to and from the event. Please indicate in the comment area on the invite if you are interested in carpooling – indicate if you (a) can drive (b) need a ride and (c) your “region” (e.g. Longmont, Ft Collins, Boulder, Denver, Greeley, etc)

Hope to see you there!

The post NOCO Climate Meetup appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.

Third Act Colorado sponsored it as part of the Third Act National’s “Summer of Heat” actions around the country, and Greenfaith Boulder County Circle also joined as a sponsor for the event.

About 25 people came with banners, signs and a polar bear head we took turns wearing. Third Act had a rocky chair for the “old Third Actors” who were part of the protest. It was a successful action on a hot day!

Third Act Colorado is the local chapter of dedicated folks over 60 joining together in creative actions as we work to protect our democracy and save our precious planet. We are committed, in this our “third act” of life, to using our resources and our skills to better the world for those coming after us. Join us as we joyfully work to become good ancestors!

Learn more about how to get involved with Third Act Colorado

Learn more about 350 Colorado

The post 350CO and Third Act Action at Chase Bank appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.

A new film documents the 2018 battle between Colorado environmentalists and the oil and gas industry over proposed fracking regulations.

The film also documents a grassroots effort by Colorado Rising to pass a ballot initiative which would create a 2,500-foot setback for all hydraulic fracturing wells in the state, particularly in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Sarah Schulte, organizing committee member of GreenFaith Boulder County, which recently previewed the film for about 100 members, said the film has a strong message. 

“What probably makes the film pretty dramatic and kind of shocking is the length to which oil and natural gas industries in Colorado set out to thwart them,” Schulte pointed out. “Not only with some of the tactics you might expect, but also some kind of more nefarious tactics sabotaging their signature gathering, for example.”

In the end, the petroleum industry defeated the measure after a $50 million campaign opposing it. Schulte acknowledged Colorado Rising raised only $1 million for its campaign. After the election, the state adopted a 1,000-foot drilling setback from schools and residential property lines.

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, involves drillers injecting a mixture of chemicals underground to break up the shale and free the oil. The chemicals used in the process, which are sometimes toxic, can pollute groundwater and make the surrounding land unstable.

Schulte emphasized the movie had a powerful effect on the group’s members.

“I think most people were pretty angry and maybe even a little sad after seeing how these kinds of politics play out in Colorado,” Schulte observed. “They asked questions like what can we do next? How do you keep going when it’s so difficult to fight such a big and powerful industry?” 

The film, Fracking the System: Colorado’s Oil and Gas Wars, is currently being previewed by select audiences. It has won the “Spirit of Activism” award at the Colorado Environmental Film Festival
and the “Environmental Award” at the 2024 DOCUTAH International Film Festival. 

…..

View this article online

Disclosure: GreenFaith contributes to the Public News Service fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Energy Policy, and Environmental Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.

The post Film Documents Environmental Battle with Oil, Gas Industry appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.

Read the Public News Service article on the event here.

And check out the photos below from the screening — what a beautiful gathering with a full sanctuary of 100 people!

Reverend Nicole LeMarche, senior pastor at Community United Church of Christ, opened and closed the event calling us to loving action.

Sarah Schulte, First Congregational Church and GreenFaith Boulder County Organizing Committee member, moderated an excellent panel discussion with local activists from the film — Patricia Nelson, Suzanne Spiegel, and Russell Mendell — along with director Brian Hedden, Thomas Weiler from Together Colorado and Micah Parkin from 350CO. 

Deep Deep bows of gratitude to everyone who came, to Community United Church of Christ – Boulder for hosting in partnership with First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ. 

Thank you as well to everyone the GreenFaith Boulder County Circle and Naropa’s Joanna Macy Center who helped to spread the word. 

May the seeds planted here find good soil for a just transition away from fracking.

🙏🌱

Speaking of…. some of you may have heard of the recent “oil and gas truce in exchange for transit funding” brokered by Governor Jared Polis. Obviously, this changes the legislative landscape drastically, and the implications are still being digested by many of us who have been working on policy issues.

With that in mind, may we embrace Fracking the System’s message — that people, working together with love and dedication, can make a huge difference. 

To keep going, even when the going gets tough!

The post Fracking the System Film Screening appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.

• Virtual Climate Lobby Day trainings Feb. 5th and Feb. 19th
• A last-minute day-of training will occur the morning of Climate Lobby Day
• Climate Lobby Day 2024 is Friday, March 1, 8am-2pm
• Meet with legislators to advocate for climate-friendly bills
• Meet activists and organizers from lots of great groups across Colorado! (Climate action is more fun with friends 🙂

We’ll hold a final crash course lobby training at the First Baptist Church of Denver 1373 Grant Street, Denver, CO and provide an overview of bills from 8-9:30am, before heading over to the Capitol (9:30-noon or so). There, you will have the opportunity to speak with Colorado lawmakers, urging them to pass legislation to reduce emissions and promote solutions to the climate crisis.

CLIMATE LOBBY DAY 2024 
Friday March 1st
8am-2pm
RSVP here

View Facebook post with more details
Join Facebook event

Thank you! Please RSVP here and invite friends!

The post 2024 Climate Lobby Day Mar 1 appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.

Also, some Colorado School districts are off school this day, so we are encouraged to consider inviting youth and young people from your congregation to join in the event. 

What: Faith Climate Lobby Day!

When: Friday 2/16  8am-12pm

Where: Colorado State Capitol 200 E Colfax Ave, Denver CO (meetup location TBA)

 RSVP at bit.ly/COFaithLobby. 

We look forward to a powerful day of influencing our legislators and showing up for climate!

The post Faith Climate Lobby Day Feb 16 appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.

Please RSVP here if you can attend & invite friends here on Facebook. 

• Can’t make it on such short notice? Click here to send a message to your legislators today asking them to sign this open lettersupporting a phase out of permitting for oil and gas wells by 2030 and a just transition to a clean renewable energy future and to speak out against more fracking permits in our local communities NOW.
• Immediately after the rally, Thursday at 1 pm, the group will hand deliver a petitionto Governor Polis’ office asking him to reject the inadequate new rules that the AQCC passed for reducing emissions from manufacturing. If you haven’t signed it yet, you can sign the petition here.

With 2023 confirmed as the hottest year on record, let’s call on our state leaders for meaningful action. We need a rapid, just transition off fossil fuels to a clean energy future and to end permitting for new oil and gas wells. Click here to learn more.

The post State of the Climate Rally Jan 11 appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.

Please join GreenFaith US for one or both of these upcoming programs focused on grief.

NOVEMBER 20 and DECEMBER 18, 2023

5-6:30 PM PT/ 6-7:30 MT / 7-8:30 CT / 8-9:30 ET

Each program will be participatory and therefore uniquely shaped by who is in the room. Together, we will witness our individual and collective grief and discover new ways of living and being in relationship to our beautiful planet. We’ll root in our unique faiths and cultivate collective resilience and hope — and remain ever committed to taking action.

RSVP NOV. 20

RSVP DEC. 18

The post Climate Grief Circles Nov 20 & Dec 18 appeared first on GreenFaith Boulder County.