What an amazing Earth Day celebration we had last weekend! (Although, I really believe that we should be honoring and celebrating the earth every day, especially now).
Special thank you’s on this Earth Day weekend to:
- Catherine Kessler, Chair of the Green team, for her tireless advocacy for the earth, and instilling best practices in nutrition, recycling, composting, and policy changes, locally & globally.
- Michael Armijo, for his knowledgeable dedication to our campus building and grounds.
- Walter Jones, co-chair of the Green team, for his love of the “Garden of God” and the UCC.
- Our talented musicians, Ken Medema and Benjamin Mertz, for Friday’s “Care for Creation” concert.
- To all of you, for contributing your time, energy, and talents to our advocacy for our precious home, planet earth.
On Friday Night we held a benefit concert featuring two extraordinarily talented musicians, Ken Medema and Benjamin Mertz (see photos and videos below). We partnered with our local climate justice coalitions and supported the efforts of No Coal in Oakland, in their advocacy to keep coal out of the Port of Oakland. Thank you for your generosity. We will donate a part of the proceeds to West Oakland Environmental Indicators, a project begun by Margaret Gordon, a Commissioner of the Port of Oakland.
On Saturday we had a workday, to clear away some of the rapidly growing plant life on our campus.
Then on Sunday, we held an Earth Day service, featuring Oakland’s Major Libby Schaaf. 
After the service we engaged in a conversation with her about our partnership as people of faith, to create local policy changes needed to reduce global warming, and to end environmental racism.
This Friday, April 27th, join us for a potluck movie night, Al Gore’s powerful film, “An Inconvenient Sequel, Truth to Power”, from 7- 9 pm. Here’s a review in The Guardian.
This weekend I will be away in Lake Tahoe, honoring the beauty of the earth and my birthday. Rev Ruth Sandberg will be leading worship.
Peace to you all, with love, Pastor Laurie
