Here’s a video of our Earth Day Celebration! Skyline honored this special Earth Day with music, stories, and tree planting on the beautiful campus of Skyline church in Oakland, using Zoom. Skyline is a green congregation.
We were honored to have Mary Ellen Hill, Storyteller and teacher, Pastor Laurie, Catherine Kessler, and more.
The 50th anniversary of Earth Day is this Wednesday, April 22nd! It’s no coincidence that it coincides with the 50th anniversary of our beautiful sanctuary, high on the Skyline ridge overlooking the East Bay Regional Parks. Please join us as we honor Earth day, this Wed at 12 noon, with storyteller Mary Ellen Hill.
Here are more events, suggestions, and actions for our anniversary:
Back in the fall, plans were being made to pack Earth Day and the following two days with rallies, protest, and nonviolent direct action. With the pandemic, those plans have had to change. Gathering in groups is simply too dangerous for our communities. Now, the actions have gone online.
Here’s an overview of what’s happening each day:
This is all being done online. You can go to the Earth Day Live website to sign up for emails with details about this 3-day live stream and online mobilization. The live stream will include training sessions, performances, and appearances to keep people engaged, informed, and inspired, with speakers including celebrities, politicians, scientists, and youth activists.
Earth Day in California
There are also a whole series of online events happening in California. You can access a pretty comprehensive list of those here. And here is info about some Bay Area events:
April 22: Climate Strike – stories, indigenous voices
April 23: Divestment day – Stop the Money Pipeline
April 24: Political action & voter registration
Bonus Day – Saturday, April 25: Post-Earth-Day Virtual Party
I hope you’ll participate in some of these wonderful events designed to help us celebrate Earth Day and to encourage our continued commitment to caring for the earth.
May we continue to rise up in the Spirit of Easter!
Pastor Laurie
Children’s Time Zoom!Children’s Time Zoom Meeting Sunday, April 19 at 11:30 a.m. (PST)
https://zoom.us/j/241524878
Weds, 4-22, 12-1:30 PM: 50th Anniversary of Earth Day
Sun, 4/26 11:15 AM: The Human Element Film Discussion – view the film this week
Fri, 4/17-Sun, 4/26: Faith Climate Action Week, Pray, Plant a Tree
View The Human Element free between April 17-26; Discussion Sunday April 26 after service.An arresting new documentary from the producers of Racing Extinction and Chasing Ice, environmental photographer James Balog captures the lives of everyday Americans on the front lines of climate change. With rare compassion and heart, The Human Element relays captivating stories from coast-to-coast, inspiring us to reevaluate our relationship with the natural world.
Thanks to a partnership with Earth Vision Film, Interfaith Power & Light is able to offer you this inspiring film. It’s a must see for people of faith concerned about the impact of climate change on human life in the United States.
SIGN UP HERE to view the film April 17-26
Wednesday, April 22, 12:00 – 1:30pm
Skyline honors this special Earth Day with music, stories, and tree planting on the beautiful campus of Skyline church in Oakland, using Zoom to bring you there. Skyline is a very green congregation.
Featuring: Mary Ellen Hill, Storyteller and teacher, Pastor Laurie, Catherine Kessler, and more TBD.
Access the Earth Day festivities on your computer or smart phone via Zoom here, or click this link:
Meeting ID: 921 0997 9060
Password: 018951
One tap mobile +16699009128,,92109979060#,,#,
May you hear the sounds of the eternal in this season of spring, even as we are sheltering in place.
That your glory rises in the morning sun
and sparkles off flowing waters,
that the glory of the everlasting world
shines in this world
growing from the ground
and issuing forth in every creature,
that glory can be handled, seen and known
in the matter of earth and human relationships
and the most ordinary matters of daily life,
assure us again this day, O God,
assure us again this day.
~ by John Philip Newell, excerpt from Sounds of the Eternal: A Celtic Psalter
Holy week and Easter reflections:
It was wonderful to be with so many of you during Holy Week, and Easter, especially this year. My deepest gratitude to each one of you, participating from as far away as Philadelphia, Washington DC, and yes, even Cartagena Colombia! Deepest appreciation for our virtual worship team, of Tom Manley, Ken Medema, Benjamin Mertz, Gabrielle Lochard, for our teamwork and innovation in this transformation process. Special thanks to David Guerra for working with me to create a new virtual worship story time for children. Last week we had 15 families taking part! And deepest thanks to YOU for being with us!
Here are the video services from Holy week as well as previous services.
Here are our online programs – Sunday mornings, Tuesday Bible study, Friday prayer and care.
This Sunday, and for the rest of our shelter in place time, join us as we continue with our uplifting worship services, featuring our extraordinary virtual worship team!
Come along for an adventure with David G and Pastor Laurie! Zoom Link Here’s what’s in store: Story Time: Have you ever had a friend who went away? Best friends Enriquita Kittycat and Edmund Caterpillar have a story to show you! Discover the meaning of friendship and reunions as we watch the tale unfold.
Brain Teasers: Get ready to put on your thinking cap!
Art Sharing Time: Parents, print off these coloring pages for kids to color or decorate, or kids can create their own art. We will share our art at the meeting!
After Service Family Chat: We’ll have a time of sharing to catch up and connect with children and families.
Meet Edmund and Enriquita here!
Here we are, in April, beginning another month of sheltering in place. What a time we are living through!
Even in the midst of this there are blessings. Among them has been the blessing of communicating with you through social media: worshiping, studying, praying and yes, even sharing birthday celebrations and happy hours together.
I am grateful to the virtual teams within our faith community, rising up to offer all kinds of support within and beyond us. I hope you were able to join the zoom crowd who worshiped online this week. If you missed it, you can find it here on our website. Many of us are using zoom for the first time, and here’s a helpful tutorial to get started. You can always call me on my cell phone! All of our computers are facing buffering challenges due to the overload on various platforms and the internet in general, please be patient.
Last Sunday, the 29th of March, I lifted up the theme of grief, so I want to offer a helpful article for you to better understand your own experience of grief.
Please continue to check our weekly email, our Facebook page, and our website for updates.
This Sunday is Palm/Passion Sunday— please find a palm, or a leafy branch, or a symbol of gratitude for praising the heroes of our time, and bring it with you for our service. And, before you sit down to participate in the Zoom service (here’s the link), please have ready nearby elements of food and drink to share in our agape meal, remembering Jesus and all those we love that we wish were here with us, and all those in need, especially during the pandemic. Finally, David G. is leading a Zoom Children’s time at 11:30 – read more here.
Prayer for today:
You have been our strength, O God.
At the beginning of the day you brought us from darkness into light.
At the ending of the day you lead us from busyness into stillness.
In earth’s cycles and seasons you offer us new life and fresh beginnings.
Be our strength this day and the strength of new beginnings in our world.
Be our help, O God, and the help of those who cry out in need.
~ by John Philip Newell, excerpt from Celtic Treasure: Daily Scriptures and Prayer
Prayer in music & videos:
Inspiration
