By Cybelle Shattuck
When thinking about the climate crisis, I often feel like a deer in the headlights, paralyzed by dread as a terrible danger rushes toward me. I find that the best antidotes to climate anxiety and paralysis are being part of a community that shares my concerns and engaging in collective action. But there is another necessity: a vision of a just and joyful future. So often, it seems as if climate action is simply a way to make things slightly “less bad.” How different would it feel to be striving toward a beautiful, inclusive, sustainable future instead?
That is the goal of the nation-wide UU Climate Justice Revival, which we will participate in this September. People’s Church and the Unitarian Universalist Community Church will collaborate to re-imagine what it would mean to shift from our Extractive Age toward a New Era of community care and wellbeing.
We will gather together to learn and reflect as a community. Facilitated discussions for adults and age-appropriate activities for children and youth will deepen our understandings about climate change, social inequities, community needs, personal strengths, and collective capacities. And the kids don’t have a monopoly on fun activities: the adults will get to create maps and use art (no talent required) to augment exploration of how the effects of climate change intersect with justice issues in our community.
This Revival is not just about seeing problems, it is about deepening our understanding so we can better identify ways to take meaningful action. We cannot transform the world by ourselves, however, we can discern what our congregations have to offer to address our community’s most pressing needs. And together, we can reflect on the diverse skills, experiences, knowledge, and innate gifts that individual members of our community can contribute to our combined efforts. No one person can do it all, but together we can envision what it would mean to transform our community into a place with a thriving ecosystem where all people are cared for.
Please come and participate in the climate justice discussion and celebration Sept. 28-29.
Saturday, 12:00-1:00 Potluck
1:00-5:00 Facilitated Discussions for Adults (in-person and virtual)
Revival Activities for Children and Youth (in-person)
Sunday, Multigenerational Worship Service