This week, as many celebrated the spirit of independence that inspired the founding (by those with relative power and privilege) of this nation, there were also repeated reminders of humanity’s global interdependence in the face of climate change.

We set a new record for the hottest average global temperature ever recorded. The 235 out-of-control Canadian wildfires spewing smoke across the continent show no signs of relenting. Thousand-year-old Joshua trees are dying from unprecedented drought, and extreme weather and climate disasters threaten humanity’s universal right to food.

Yet we started our last Hope for Creation planning meeting with this quote from Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility (2023), edited by Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua:

“The world will change in the coming decades, there’s no doubt about it. Don’t surrender to the disasters and corrupt politicians. No – surrender to the new works of social change already showing us hope and possibility.” (pp. 197-8)

Hope for Creation’s goal is to support the networks and actions in our community that move us toward the kind of transformational change that will allow humanity to find a new and sustainable equilibrium on our one shared planet.

 

Second Wave Media Features Our Work

As part of a series of stories exploring faith-based and faith-inspired works, the people accomplishing them, and the connections with the community they are creating, local news outlet Second Wave Media featured the work of Hope for Creation in its June issue.

Featuring quotes from communications assistant Tanai Dawson, secretary Cybelle Shattuck, and coordinator Joan Hawxhurst, this article explains how Hope for Creation seeks to lift up examples of the creation care efforts of people of faith and conscience in our area. 

We are grateful to the Fetzer Institute for sponsoring this article series.

 

Focus on Native Plantings

One of the four priorities identified at our May Strategy Saturday session is land stewardship. The first effort of our new land stewardship committee is lifting up the July 29 native plant garden tour offered by Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones.

Members of congregations seeking to replace lawn on their properties with native plantings will see five established native plant gardens on this tour. 

Join Hope for Creation’s contingent at the first stop on the tour, the Kazoo School (1401 Cherry St), at 9 AM on Saturday, July 29. We can carpool from there.

 

EPS Foam Recycling Crew Earns Lunch on July 22

As a thank-you for the countless hours of volunteer labor that go into the City of Kalamazoo’s quarterly EPS Foam Recycling effort, Hope for Creation is bringing lunch to the crew! 

                      

From noon to 1 PM on Saturday, July 22, Hope for Creation will provide a free vegan meal to everyone who shows up to volunteer. Our hope is to create space for deeper connections and relationships among the local folks who care about reducing the waste stream in Kalamazoo. Join us!

If you’re interested in the history of our involvement in the EPS foam recycling program, check out this interview with Hope for Creation member Rick Welch.

 

Congregational Spotlight: Milwood UMC Plants A New Garden 

Hope for Creation participant Stephanie Diep shares this recent news:

My husband and I just put in a community garden at Milwood United Methodist Church. We're still planning but hope to involve the Sunday school kids and food bank, as well as families passing through to grab a snack or herbs. We also created a rain barrel to divert roof water for the garden instead of into the storm drain.

Kudos to Stephanie and Milwood UMC for joining the movement to cultivate with care what grows around their building.

To learn more about what other congregations are doing to steward the land, visit our newly expanded Land Stewardship webpage.

 

Want to support what you see in this newsletter?

You can donate to support our efforts anytime, with our gratitude and commitment to careful stewardship of resources.

If you are inspired by what you’ve read, please share this newsletter with someone and invite them to subscribe – we are always eager to grow our network!

 

With hope for Creation,


Joan Hawxhurst, Coordinator of Hope for Creation
https://www.hopeforcreation.net/