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June 8, 2023

Blessings these amazing near summer days!

While some vacationing and enjoying our beautiful Earth with gardening, camping, hiking and just sitting in awe----the work of IPL in NM and El Paso region continues---because we love our Sacred Earth Community.

The week of May 22-25 saw letter delivery events to BLM offices asking to stop new leasing of oil and gas. IPL was part of a coordinating team. Pictured here are friends in Las Cruces where Sr. Odile led the organizing effort with friends from Holy Cross Retreat Center. Check out our blog post and media https://www.nm-ipl.org/broad-coalition-in-new-mexico-calls-on-blm-to-end-to-sacrifice-zones/

Kayley Shoup, with whom IPL works through Citizens Caring for the Future on oil, gas, health and concerns in the Permian Basin took part in an announcement by the State Land Office to ensure greater set backs near schools in New Mexico. https://www.facebook.com/reel/6034807036647902

IPL is also engaged in a long-term campaign to address PFA'S, Forever Chemicals that can be found in water and is detrimental to health and earth. Thanks to Ruth Striegel who attended a meeting and delivery of a letter to the State Land Commission office that contained many signatures of faith leaders/groups in the region. Learn more from the report Fracking with "Forever Chemicals" in New Mexico by Physicians for Social Responsibility

We also welcome this month a new part-time Administrative Assistant, Hayley Hathaway. Hayley is working on a Master's in Social Work and previously worked with the national Quaker Earth Care. We are so excited she is with us.

These are just a few recent highlights. Please keep reading for events and loving actions that you can take.

Peace and good,

Sr. Joan Brown, Executive Director

What's Happening:

Sunday, June 11, 2-4

Central United Methodist Church

201 University Blvd. NE

Film, Current Revolution: Nation in Transition

All are welcome. Co-sponsored by Congregation Albert; First Congregational UCC; First Unitarian; La Mesa Presbyterian and ABQ Mennonite.

June-- July on particular evenings

Laudato Si and Climate Change

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Opening keynote: Christiana Figueres,

former Exec. Sec. UNFC Conv. Climate

You may register here at no cost.

You may select specific presentations at no cost. the keynote address will look at the Paris Agreement today. Future event panels cover the 7 Laudato Si Action Platform goals.

Wednesday, June 14, 11 MST

Strengthening EPA Protections in 2023

Sponsored by United Church of Christ

Register now!

The coming months at the EPA present a significant opportunity to save thousands of lives, address societal inequalities, and put the United States on a path to achieve 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2035. How communities of faith can make the most of it? If you cannot make the webinar sign up for link of recording.

Thursday, June 15, 7-8:30 pm

The New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue

Dr. Gordon Bronitsky on "Jews and American Indians.”

If you plan to join this dialogue Zoom call, please register at NMInterfaithDialogue@gmail.com . Please send by June 13th, your name & contact information in which you will be accessing the Zoom link. The link will be sent to you on June 14th in the evening, the day before the Zoom call. 

Saturday, June 17, 1 MST

Braiding Sweetgrass sharing

Facilitated by Arcelia Isais-Gastelum and friends

https://actionnetwork.org/events/braiding-sweetgrass-a-conversation-second-session/ 

Contact Arcelia for questions arcelia@renewmexico.org

Join this one-hour intergenerational focused sharing. It is not mandatory to have read the book. All are invited. For a lovely interview by journalist, Laura Paskus with Robin check out this:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/robin-wall-kimmerer-on-attentiveness-and-alliances/id1478048268?i=1000610990365

Monday, June 19, 6:30 pm

IPL Solstice Seasonal Sharing

Via Zoom and please register--all are welcome

https://tinyurl.com/y4sha64e

Our Solstice Seasonal Sharing will begin with brief overview reflections from Joan Brown, osf, Executive Director of NM & El Paso Interfaith Power and Light around De-colonization and Eco-Spirituality. She will offer some thoughts on the recent Vatican statement on the Doctrine of Discovery, reflections from some contemporary theologians and ideas to reflect upon as we seek to heal past racial, cultural and spiritual wrongs. There will be opportunity for sharing, ideas, and resources to pursue.

The last quarter of the hour gathering will allow for time to overview the current work of IPL and how you might get engaged or invite others into this sacred work.

Wednesday, June 21 12 pm MST

Summer Solstice webinar on solar financing for congregations

Mark your calendars, and register here.

Join us for IPL’s annual Summer Solstice webinar on June 21 to learn about solar financing for congregations featuring the solar financing nonprofit, RE-volv, including a sneak peak at how the new government bonuses will likely be distributed to congregations going solar. Jerry Bernstein, author of IPL’s Solar Financing for Congregations will look at options for financing. Andreas Karelas, Executive Director of RE-volv, will explain how these agreements benefit a congregation and why they are still a good idea, even with the new government support for nonprofits to go solar and will offer a sneak peak at how the new government bonuses will likely be distributed to congregations going solar.

Wed, June 21, 6:30pm

Free film "The Letter" following a salad potluck at 6:00pm.

All are invited contact Donna Detweiler at 505-249-1713 for questions

Albuquerque Mennonite Church, 1300 Girard Blvd. NE, ABQ

"The Letter" is a very moving film telling the stories of people of all ages and faith and no faith who receive a letter to come to the Vatican to share with Pope Francis their concerns from around the globe on climate change. It powerfully links immigration concerns and climate change.

Policy Advocacy Updates:

Federal:

Submit your comment to the EPA urging them to finalize the strongest possible protections from mercury and other toxic air pollution to adequately protect our health and environment.  



Click here to tell the EPA to finalize robust light-duty vehicle standards!

You can help the Climate Forests Campaign and the push for 500,000 public comments to convince the Biden administration to permanently protect mature and old-growth forests (50+ million acres) on federal lands. Both the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service are initiating rule-making processes. Public comment period for BLM ends June 20th, and the comment period for the Forest was just extended until July 20th.  Here is a petions. One link to send a note to both the BLM and Forest Service.

Resources:

Many of us our concerned about Sister Water and are working in various ways with and for Water. Betsy Diaz of La Mesa Presbyterian, ABQ is a huge water advocate and recommends this book. "Water Always Wins:Thriving in an age of drought & deluge", University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637, 2022 " by Erica Gies.

Here is the national IPL June Policy Advocacy Report from DC. Report here . 

Upaya Zen Center News: In a powerful interview for Tricycle, climate change makers Rebecca Solnit and Roshi Joan discuss how the dominant consumer cultural narrative in fact disconnects us from what we most yearn for: 'a broader connection, community, meaning, purpose, hope, and awe.'

Upaya Zen Center, Santa Fe facilitated a powerful annual program: PLANTING LIFE: Sowing and Preserving Native Seeds of Antiquity. You can access the recordings online here, after registration. 

Enjoy reading the mid Rio Grande Times newsletter coordinated by some of our Mennonite friends https://midriograndetimes.org/.

Land Back Movement: The recording of the Creation Justice Webinar on the Land Back Movement is now available on YouTube. Because guidance on land acknowledgments has been a request in the past, we additionally created a short video and resource page devoted specifically to this matter.

Check Out IPL website for latest news and actions.