March E-notes

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March 1, 2024

Dear Joan,

As the days lengthen,

we give thanks for this emergence from winter into the gladness and grace and gusty winds of spring –

this never tiring miracle of life re-awakening.

In this emergence,

may we remember, that the quiet and the cold and the stillness were necessary for roots to grow strong, digging deep into the dark, rich earth.

May we remember,

that our spirits too need strong roots that can find water and depths of meaning in thirsty and trying times.

May we be invited,

into the many holy days unfolding around us, celebrating perserverence and pilgrimage; community and liberation, revelation and resilience --

The holy days Ramadan,

The holy days of Lent,

The holy day of Purim,

The holy Feast days of Laguna and Taos Pueblos.

May we trust, like seeds,

in the shape we are becoming as our lives grow in and by and through this Blessed Creation.

With the eruption of new life from the soil, we have so many wonderful, renewing and inspiring events to offer and highlight in March, and beyond as we lead up to the marathon of Earth Month in April! Strap on your roller skates, and check out everything from upcoming events to great resources to job openings to opportunities for prayer and reflection.

You can follow us on Facebook, and check out our online calendar: www.nm-ipl.org.

In gratitude and hope,

Rev. Clara Sims

Assistant Executive Director

"Letters to My Grandchildren:

An Evening Conversation with Author Larry Rasmussen"

Monday, April 8^th 6:00-7:00 pm

Do you have a green justice, creation care, or other environmental oriented group in your worship community? We want to better imagine how we can collaborate and support one another in the work of deepening our relationships of care to creation. For this initial gathering, we will be joined by Larry Rasmussen reflecting on his book The Planet You Inherit: Letters to My Grandchildren When Uncertainty’s a Sure Thing.

Register for the event here

Who are the future generations you are praying for?

In the spirit of Larry Rasmussen's book, while tabling at Environment Day at the state capital NM IPL invited people to write down the names of those they want to hold in prayer. We have gathered their first names below.

Will you help us pray for these future generations?

Dave ~ Oscar ~ Selena ~ Lauren ~ Chris ~ Marta ~ Mariana ~ Brian ~ Mila ~ Kiana ~ Ace ~ Zia ~ Calisto ~ Maddy ~ Jordan ~ Ben ~ Emma ~ Colbey ~ Mateo ~ Stella ~ Barbara ~ Felix ~ Bea ~ Jeff ~ Nancy ~ Nicole ~ Kris ~ Jake ~ Aunie ~ Dane ~ Elizabeth ~ Ian ~ Nathaniel ~ Teresa ~ Marquel ~ Genesis ~ Naomi ~ Eleanor ~ Blake ~ Elliot ~ Teddy ~ Iris ~ Enid ~ the people of southeastern New Mexico ~ all future generations!

Our Sacred Lands: Food, Farming and Fairness

Wednesday, March 6th, 6:00 PM

Virtual and In-Person

Join us for an exceptional panel of local farmers, ranchers, mental health experts, and national advocates moderated by Pam Roy with Farm to Table. We will hear about the multi-faceted challenges facing farmers as well as opportunities for direct action around important Farm Bill legislation like the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act.

Light refreshments included.

Co-hosted by: First Congregational UCC ABQ Green Justice Team; New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light Sacred Land & Water Committee; Interfaith Hunger Coalition; and Farm to Table

For virtual attendance: REGISTER HERE

Hiring Contract Organizer

Do you love Earth? Like people?

Live in S. NM or El Paso area?

NM & El Paso Region IPL is looking to hire a contract organizer who lives in El Paso or Southern NM for 10-15 hours a week.

Responsible for outreach to faith communities, faith leaders, and to work collaboratively to create events, and grow engagement. Spiritual and ecologically motivated. Self starter, work with a great team, and Spanish a plus. Must live in the region. Please contact joan@nm-ipl.or g for job description, and more details and help us spread the word!

We need you!

Join us Wednesday, March 27th at 6 - 7 PM for our monthly online Earth & Spirit Sharing. Sacred grounding and sharing are so important for the long-haul as we endeavor to bring joy and love into our work. Participants have shared how restorative and connecting this time feels, even over zoom! Look out for an email soon to register.

More Events & Save-The-Dates

Sunday, March 3 at 1:00 pm - Climate Change Presentation and Discussion: Causes, Effects, and Solutions New Mexico and the World with Dr. Terry Dunbar. John XXIII Catholic Community (Parish Hall), 4831 Tramway Ridge Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111

Tuesday, March 5 at 1:00-5:00 pm - New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue is hosting an in-person Colloquium on Religion in the Modern World. Find more information in their newsletter.

Come Plant Tress with Tree New Mexico in Albuquerque!

Join one of the three upcoming volunteer opportunities:

Jackson Neighborhood: March 16 (NE Heights). Register here.
Mesa Village Neighborhood: April 6 (NE Heights) Register here.
Tuscany Neighborhood: April 27 (NW Westside) Register here.

March 12-14 - A Meeting of Sacred Waters 2024 (save the date, registration opens soon!)

A Meeting of Sacred Waters aims to create connections, build relationships and ignite new ideas for healing our ancestral waters. Join for a conversation about the health and healing of our ancestral waters.This year’s gathering will be held on the traditional homelands of Isleta Pueblo. More information will be updated HERE .

Thursday, March 21 at 6:00 pm - “Living with the Land: Seasonal of Sharings” (virtual) During seasonal transitions like the equinox and solstice, NM IPL is planning to host virtual gatherings that help us return to and reflect upon the rhythms of the earth. In this first gathering we will uplift “The Gift of Tears” as intersections of spring equinox, lunar cycles, and world water day lead us to reflect on the presence and wisdom of sacred waters in us and beyond us. Join us for meditations and sharings led by Lisa Leahigh and Clara Sims. Flyer and zoom link HERE.

Wednesday, April 10 at 8:30 am - “In Uncharted Times: A Sacred Conversation with Creation” (in-person) NM IPL and the NM Conference of Churches is hosting an faith leader breakfast to help us deepen our connections and spiritual sustenance as we respond to the many crises of creation surrounding us. Rev. Talitha Arnold and Bishop Michael Hunn will lead a conversation on our “uncharted times” and we will have time for meditation and connecting with one another. This event is designed for faith leaders, which includes lay people who are or want to be working with green justice and creation care initiatives in their faith communities. A light breakfast of pastries and fruit will be included! Event information and registration will be updated HERE. All will need to register. There will be an option for folks to join virtually for the presentation and discussion portion.

Thursday, April 11^th 6:00-8:00 pm – Green Team Roundtable Launch (in-person). Similar to the event above, we will have an in-person gathering to help increase connections and collaborations between faith communities working with and concerned for creation. More details forthcoming.

IPL’s 2024 Faith Climate Action Week: April 19 - 28, 2024

The theme of IPL’s 2024 Faith Climate Action Week is “Common Ground: Cultivating Connections between our Faith, our Food, and our Climate.” We’ll examine our responsibility to use agricultural practices that safeguard our Sacred Earth and how our faiths call us to respond with just solutions for all. Save the date, April 19-28. Join us to engage your congregation and learn more at www.faithclimateactionweek.org. Let us know if you are planning something and feel free to put it on the IPL national map!

We are also encouraging faith communities to plan screenings of the movie Common Ground. Some videos will be available to order. Here is the trailer. You can also join a free screening sponsored by the NM Healthy Soil Working Group on February 14th in Santa Fe, which will feature a short film about our friends at Spirit Farm. Get tickets here.

For a fun, youth-oriented activity find: Pizza Garden Seed Kits.

NM Advocacy Opportunity

Ask Governor Grisham to veto stripper well severnece tax expemption here

Section 16-22 of the Adjust Income Tax Bracket Bill provides for an exclusion to the Oil and Gas Severance Tax for oil and natural gas that is severed from a stripper well and sold from a production compliance project. This exemption would mean that the public shoulders costs that stripper well operators should be responsible for paying.

NM IPL has signed an organizational letter asking the governor for a veto, and individuals can make the ask also! See email opportunity above.

Resources

The NM legislature just passed some awesome EV Tax Credits! Learn more about them through Electrify New Mexico. Includes information for used as well as new electric vehicles.

Join the National Faith + Climate Forum on April 16th - designed to empower and inform clergy and congregations with actionable and practical guidance. You can find more information here

Learn more about New Mexico Community Solar through these resources.

Unitarian Universal ist Min istry for Earth Community Worship Resources

This group offers free monthly worship and small group ministry resources focused on Earth care and climate justice: and bonus materials: Spiritual Care for Climate Distress, Anxiety and Grief.

Energy Audits for Houses of Worship

Does your house of worship need an energy audit? Is your house of worship in the Albuquerque area? Our Cool Congregations volunteer team of engineers wants to help you get your building more efficient. To get added to our list of future projects, get in contact with us. The first step is to collect two to three years of gas and electric bills and designate a contact person. Email hayley@nm-ipl.org for more.

Money For Your House of Worship or Your Own House

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, you can get a 30% rebate on your house of worship's solar project, Ground Source Heat Pump, and EV charging station. The IRS just updated its information on how the process works: IRS Elective Pay website. Visit IPL's website for FAQ and contact hayley@nm-ipl.org for more information. Also, NM & El IPL has a $10,000 no-interest loan that can be accessed easily for congregational energy projects.

Additional resources that might be helpful:

Cool Congregations website
Denominational sources for financing for energy work/solar are found in IPL’s Solar Financing Guide.

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