Sacred Earth Project
The Episcopal Diocese of California has started the Vital+Thriving Congregations program (www.vitalthriving.org) for church innovation with a focus on the vitality practices of collaboration, invitation, embeddedness, diversity, and sustainability. We see “sustainability” in its broadest sense as a container for all the other practices, believing that the church is being called at this very moment in time to understand climate justice and racial justice as mutually interconnected and both as central to our work of growing God’s beloved community.
In conjunction with the Vital + Thriving program, we are calling this new sustainability-focused work “Sacred Earth: Growing Beloved Community” as the strands of climate justice, racial justice, evangelism, and church vitality are woven together. We are starting with a monthly streaming video series on climate change and spirituality featuring climate justice leaders and their stories.
Check out previous webcasts
Sacred Earth: Growing Beloved Community through the Power of Story with Kim Stanley Robinson
Kim Stanley Robinson is acclaimed as our greatest living science fiction author, with 20 novels addressing how we can get to a better relationship with the Biosphere. His recent novel, The Ministry for the Future, projects how a climate-disrupted near future might unfold and how the world might respond with an empowered United Nations Minister enacting a best-case scenario for dodging the mass extinction event. Stan writes: “Until the tap runs dry it’s hard to imagine climate change as a lived experience. I try to write for when it really strikes you…the power of imagination is strong enough to change our behavior in the present…the world is a science fiction novel that we are all writing.”
Invited to address the world’s leaders at the United Nation’s Glasgow COP meeting, and the forthcoming 2024 UN Summit of the Future: Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow (where the General Assembly is also likely to establish a UN Special Envoy for Future Generations, inspired by his writing), Dr. Robinson is respected for his knowledge of the intersectionalities among political theory, science, economics, finance and history. He writes: “We need to employ a kind of eco-realpolitic that refrains from too much rigorous judgment… There are roughly 2,600 gigatons of fossil fuel assets. If they are burned into the atmosphere, we are dead. Biophysical reality says those assets must be stranded, and economic reality says that can’t be done without causing a super-depression. As part of saving civilization, you have to keep money stable. It’s as simple as that.”
We welcome Aisea Taimani as our guest musician. Aisea is a Tongan American Creative Artist based in the Bay Area. He works alongside the love of his life, Elmira Taimani. Aisea is the Minister of Music at New City Church, Oakland, and is Curator of Arts and Worship at Valley Presbyterian in Portola Valley. He writes: “SPEAK what you BELIEVE like you BE-LOVE it. BE the LOVE that you BELIEVE before you SPEAK it. No one is an island. We’re a part of the whole.” Aisea and his band, Minor Islands, have released three full albums exploring themes of faith, justice and cultural identity.
October 24, 2023 - Sacred Earth: Growing Beloved Community Honoring Indigenous Wisdom, with Val Lopez. “Creator gave us a responsibility to take care of all living things...It’s our culture, it’s who we are” says Valentin (Val) Lopez, Chair of the Ahmah Mutsen Land Trust. Bishop Marc Andrus and Dr. Paloma Pavel will interview Val Lopez on Sacred Earth: Growing Beloved Community on October 24th at 6pm Pacific. We will hear of opportunities to support the preservation of sacred lands from extractive quarry plans, a site that is one of only two places in the Santa Cruz Mountains where wildlife can connect to other populations in the state, making it a critical migratory corridor. We will learn of a new government/ tribal band partnership engaging ancient Ohlone wisdom to prevent massive forest fires and examine a new culturally-informed curriculum written by their community and introduced into the Santa Cruz, California school district.
As part of their ongoing restorative vision, the Ahmah Mutsen tribal band is delivering trauma-informed training sessions to their members, resulting in intergenerational healing. The youth are now engaged with their elders in preserving their sacred sites, culture and language. Val will share a ceremony for keeping balance with our Sacred Earth.
Our musician is Ronald Braman who serves as Lay Minister and Director of Music at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church on the Shoshone-Bannock Indian Reservation in Fort Hall, Idaho. Ron is Shoshone and he serves as one of the church’s indigenous representative to the United Nations. Click here to read a recent article about his work in Episcopal News Service. He studied music at Idaho State University and has won several singing awards.
September 13, 2023 - Sacred Earth: Growing Beloved Community through Environmental Justice, with Peggy Shepard. Bishop Marc Andrus and Dr. Paloma Pavel interview Peggy Shepard, Co-Founder and Executive Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice, the first Environmental Justice organization that empowered communities of color in the fight for environmental health and justice.
Peggy Shepard is co-chair of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council to President Biden. She was also chair to the EPA on Force 40 guidelines, which aimed to deliver 40 percent of the benefits of federal investments in climate and clean energy to disadvantaged communities hurt first and worst by the climate crisis.. She says: "We are in the midst of a racial pandemic, a COVID-19 pandemic, and a climate crisis…so the concept is that we’re advising the White House directly, and the White House staff instead of just the EPA.”
Peggy also serves on the Executive Committee of the National Black Environmental Justice Network and the Board of Advisors of the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. She was awarded the Jane Jacobs Medal from the Rockefeller Foundation for Lifetime Achievement in 2008, the 10th Annual Heinz Award for the environment in 2004, the Dean's Distinguished Service Award from the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, and Honorary Doctorates from Smith College and Lawrence University. In 2021, she was made Knight of the French National Order of Merit.
Our guest musician is jazz phenomenon Ben Flint, Director of Music at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in Oakland. Ben traveled the world as keyboardist for Isaac Hayes and has appeared with Mr. Hayes on shows such as Good Morning America, the Today show and Late Night with David Letterman. He teaches jazz choir and jazz combo at Diablo Valley College and has been the Artistic Director for the Oakland Jazz Choir for the past 8 years.
June 8, 2023 - On this webcast, Dr. Mary Evelyn Tucker, Co-Director of the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale and global visionary, hosted by Bishop Marc Andrus and Dr. Paloma Pavel, will explore the Universe Story, the Cosmic Walk, and Eco-Confirmation. Professor Tucker has joint appointments at Yale’s School of the Environment and the Yale Divinity School. She convened ten Harvard conferences on world religions and the environment and recently authored a definitive biography of her mentor, “geologian” Thomas Berry (Thomas Berry: A Biography). She co-authored Journey of the Universe, a book and film that offers an outline of “the universe story”—a moving narrative of cosmic evolution from the origins of the cosmos until our present moment. This project, drawing inspiration from the vision of Teilhard de Chardin and Thomas Berry, awakens a sense of wonder and awe in the face of cosmic processes, and evokes an ecological consciousness that inspires our commitment to the flourishing of a vibrant Earth community. Thomas Berry called this “the Great Work” of our times. Click here for a recent article about Mary Evelyn and her husband John Grim and their work with the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology.
Mary Evelyn currently works with the United Nations Faith for the Earth Program and on Laudato Si in integral ecology. She writes: “The Environmental Crisis…calls the religions of the world to awaken to a renewed appreciation of matter as a vessel of the Sacred. (This) implies a decentering of the human and recentering our lives within, not apart from, the myriad species with whom we share the planet”
Our guest musician is Benjamin Mertz, who was raised in the Episcopal Church and has served as music director in many congregations. Benjamin is a composer, performer, and song leader who specializes in music of the Black Spiritual tradition. Benjamin's most recent album of Black Spiritual music is called "Climbing Up the Mountain."
May 18, 2023 - With Dr. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, a renowned global scholar, and Professor of Theological and Social Ethics who holds a joint appointment at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP). Dr. Moe-Lobeda founded the Center for Climate Justice and Faith at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary to empower leaders in cultivating moral, spiritual, and practical power for the work of climate justice in communities of faith and in collaboration with others.
Dr. Moe-Lobeda’s current writing project is a series of seven volumes addressing the urgent need for a new economic system, one which heals from predatory economic life to an economy of life abundant for all, for which she will write the introductory volume and engage other authors in the subsequent six. The title is “Building a Moral Economy – Equitable, Ecological, and Democratic: Roadmaps for People of Good Courage.”
We are also joined by returning, three-time Grammy-nominated musician and vocal activist, Melanie DeMore, who states: “Life is for the seeking and sharing of light, joy, and deep love for what moves you.” Melanie has a remarkable voice, weaving the fibers of African American folk music with soulful ballads, spirituals, and her own original music. DeMore has served on the faculty of St. Paul's School in Oakland, and is a founding member of the critically acclaimed vocal ensemble Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir.
April 27, 2023 - In honor of Earth Week, we welcome the Rev. Canon Gilbert Otuo-Acheampong from Mampong-Ashanti, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Gilbert is the Canon Theologian of the Anglican Diocese of Asante Mampong in Ghana and is in the Bay Area pursuing his Ph.D. at the GTU in Berkeley. Together we will explore the topic of Radically Re-thinking Sustainability and the Church’s Mission to put the needs of people and the earth at the heart of church life. Gilbert’s degree in Agriculture and his love of theology and the Bible come together in his work which explores what Hebrew scriptures can tell us about sustainable agriculture today. And in this exploration of scripture, sustainability, and ecology, Gilbert is looking at how the church as a whole and we as people understand our connection to the earth. Come join us to hear how closely our concerns and questions about the planet echo with those of this area of Ghana and how we might learn from one another as we seek to reconnect to the earth as our mother.
Our Guest Musician, Betsy Rose, is a singer, songwriter and activist, whose music blends compassion and mindfulness, depth and humor, passionate activism and spiritually grounded perspective. In 2016, Betsy embarked on a 6 month solo journey through Asia and Africa, including Kenya and Liberia. singing with grassroots women’s and social justice projects, and with children. Betsy lives in Berkeley California with her partner; their son Matthew is an organic/regenerative agriculture farmer.
April 20, 2023 - In honor of Earth Week, we welcome the Rev. Dr. Rachel Mash from Capetown, South Africa, Coordinator of the world-wide Anglican Communion Environmental Network. Honored as a presenter at the United Nations and Parliament of the World Religions, she co-founded Green Anglicans, the Care for Creation movement of the Anglican Church, resourcing churches with liturgical and educational materials grounded in earth and justice theology. And she has been instrumental in the creation of the Communion Forest initiative to plant, protect, and restore forests globally.
Our guest musician for the evening is Kele Nitoto, a second generation African-American percussionist and singer. Born and raised in the Oakland Dance Culture, Kele Has studied with masters of many styles, becoming proficient in West-African, Congolese, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Peruvian, and Afro-Haitian traditional music. He is a full-time teacher of traditional music to at-risk youth of incarcerated parents. Currently Kele performs with Wildchoir, and he is spearheading Oakland Hand Drums, an organization focused on rhythmic education and performance through a cultural and creative lens, which is currently holding classes and drum circles online.
March 1, 2023 — Leading spiritual teacher John Philip Newel is in conversation with Bishop Marc Andrus and Dr. M. Paloma Pavel and shares how Celtic spirituality—listening to the sacred around us and inside of us—can help us heal the earth, overcome our conflicts, and reconnect with ourselves.
His latest book, Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul: Celtic Wisdom for Reawakening to What our Souls Know and Healing the World, reflects on the long, hidden tradition of Celtic Christianity. He explains how this earth-based spirituality can help us rediscover the natural rhythms of life and deepen our spiritual connection with God, with each other, and with the earth.
The music of Cameron Newell, son of John Philip Newell, graces the webcast, providing traditional Scottish fiddle music inspired by the land and history.
October 13, 2022 - Inaugural Video with the Rev. Dr. Ambrose Carroll, the founder and president of Green the Church - , a national non-profit charged to educate the Black Church and lead in the creation of sustainable programs to undergird the work of creating green and efficient church buildings. Our guest musician is Benjamin Mertz who was raised in the Episcopal Church and has served as music director in many congregations. He is the Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute (BECI), on the board of directors of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, and the founder/director of the Joyful Noise! Gospel Singers.
November 10, 2022 - Voices from COP27. In this webcast, Bishop Marc Andrus and Dr. Paloma Pavel, who are both part of the official delegation to COP27 from the Episcopal Church, interview other attendees from the global community sharing their passion for environmental justice, racial justice, and the Spirit.
Our musician will be Ronald Braman who serves as Lay Minister and Director of Music at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church on the Shoshone-Bannock Indian Reservation in Fort Hall, Idaho. Ron is Shoshone and he serves as one of the church’s indigenous representative to the United Nations
March 22, 2023,: Sacred Earth: Growing Beloved Community in an Expanding Universe with Brian Swimme. Bishop Marc Andrus, Dr. M. Paloma Pavel, and Professor Brian Swimme, Cosmologist and Astrophysicist, explore RELATIONSHIP being the fundamental building block of an ever more diverse cosmos. His newest book, Cosmogenesis: An Unveiling of the Expanding Universe, reveals the completely giving nature of the Universe, a cosmic love that allows the future to emerge, and our alignment with that nature as we give ourselves completely to whatever service we provide for our fellow beings. We learn that there is no such thing as “lifeless matter.” Matter, in its very structure and dynamism, generates life. As Brian’s mentor Fr. Thomas Berry stated: “The universe is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects.” Our guest musician and vocal activist is Melanie DeMore, who states: “Life is for the seeking and sharing of light, joy, and deep love for what moves you.”
January 26, 2023 - Anne and Terry Symens-Bucher, Co-Founders of Canticle Farm will be our featured guests as well as members of their community in conversation with Bishop Marc Andrus and Dr. M. Paloma Pavel. Canticle Farm in Oakland is an urban garden, educational center, and community of intention experimenting at the intersections of faith-based, social-justice-based, and Earth-based nonviolent activism. As the founders acquired surrounding houses, they removed fences in the inner city, providing living spaces and work for activists, asylum seekers, recently incarcerated people, and many interested in community, justice, and growing food for their neighbors. They are growing food and faith while growing Beloved Community.
The featured musician is Poet/Musician Lu Aya who uses music and poetry in the struggle for human rights and justice in Colombia, Sudan, Palestine, Afghanistan and the US. He performs at rallies and in streets, in hospitals and on stages, inside prisons and in front of precincts. Lu’s work is to sing truth to power.
December 13, 2022 - What arose from the UN COP27 meeting in Egypt? Justice was mobilized into action. Specific accountability and funding began for Loss and Damage reparations for those nations who are now suffering most from our global climate crisis. Join us as we explore our part in this historic advancement of race and justice with Bishop Marc Andrus and Dr. Paloma Pavel, who were both part of the Episcopal Church’s delegation. In this webcast they will share some reflections as well as additional interviews from their time at COP27. Also, Bishop Marc Andrus interviews Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Rt. Rev. Michael Curry about the radical theological implication of God’s family including all of creation.
Our musician is Dent Davidson who is the Chapel Musician and Lecturer in Church Music at CDSP, and Associate Minister for Music at All Souls Parish, Berkeley.