|
VT Faith Community's
Online News -August 2011
Other Faith
Common Articles
Faith Common is the email
newsletter of the Vermont Ecumenical Council & Bible
Society (VEC). PLEASE POST IT in your house of worship.
To be added to this newsletter mailing list or to submit
news, please send an email to the VEC office at info@vecbs.org.
PRAYER
When you sit happy in your own fair house,
remember all poor men that are abroad,
eternal dwelling in the house of God.
Alcuin of York, 8th Century
10th ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11th
The anniversary will be upon us in about a month, and it falls
on a Sunday. Many churches will include in their services
prayers, liturgy, hymns that reflect on the Sept. 11th tragedy.
SHARING THE GIFTS CONFERENCE
This free conference will be from Sept. 26 - 28 at the Camp at
the Eastward in Starks, Maine. It's for ministers, lay pastors,
and other church leaders. The conference is made possible by
a grant from the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary's
College of Pastoral Leaders program for Pastoral Excellence.
The theme is shared (cooperative) ministry – participants will
learn about shared ministry, collaborative parishes, multi-church
ministries, and pastoral staff groups. Held in a beautiful setting
in rural Maine, the conference will also include good food and
fellowship. Lodging and meals are included. The keynote
speaker will be The Rev. Scott Planting, Executive Director
of the Maine Sea Coast Mission. The registration deadline is
Sept. 1, 2011. For more information and/or to register, contact
Ann Marie Simone: pastorannmarie@gmail.com or 207-779-7305.
FACING ISLAMOPHOBIA WORKSHOP
NOTE:
The TIME for the workshop HAS CHANGED. It will
run from 10 am - 2:30 pm at Washington Unitarian Universalist
Church (on Rt. 110 near Barre) on Sat., Aug. 13th. Teams from
different congregations are encouraged to attend. The workshop
will happen during the month of Ramadan and is organized by
PeaceBridge, a project of the Washington UU Church dedicated
to cultivating friendship and understanding between Muslims
and non-Muslims. To find out more or to sign up, contact the
Rev. M'ellen Kennedy at mellenken@aol.com or 802-453-5469.
NEW BOILER REGULATION BEGINS IN SEPTEMBER
The EPA informed us that a new regulation under the Clean
Air Act dealing with emissions of hazardous air pollutants will
go into effect on Sept. 17, 2011. Gas-fired boilers and the ones
in residences are excluded from the rule, but it applies to all
other boilers, including ones in churches and other religious
buildings. To find out about what's required and compliance
dates, go to: http://www.epa.gov/region1/boilers/ The “Initial
Notification” to EPA (indicating that you have reviewed the
requirements and the conditions at your facility) is due at the
Boston EPA office by Sept. 17. Under the regulation, a boiler
tune-up is required by 3/21/12 then a “Notification of Compli-
ance” is submitted. George Frantz is Compliance Assistance
Coordinator. His email address is frantz.george@epa.gov.
AMPLE HARVEST
Garden Produce for People in Need
At this time of year, many gardens are producing a bumper
crop of veggies. Gardeners can share the extra produce with
food pantries. One in every six people in the U.S. goes to bed
hungry. AmpleHarvest.org helps to connect gardeners with
a nearby food shelf. If your local food shelf hasn't registered
yet, encourage them to sign up with AmpleHarvest.org. Find
out more at the website: http://AmpleHarvest.org
HUNGER FREE VERMONT'S ANNUAL HIKE for HUNGER
Join in the 15th annual Hike for Hunger to raise awareness of
the issue of hunger and to raise funds for Hunger Free Vermont.
Schools, churches, and community groups can pick a date in
October and a place to have their Hike. The event not only
fosters community stewardship across the state, but also serves
as an educational tool. Leading up to the Hike day, participants
use materials provided by Hunger Free Vermont to learn about
hunger and the importance of healthy lifestyles. They then share
what they've learned with their community and collect pledges
to support Learning Kitchen, a Hunger Free Vermont program
that teaches low-income youth and adults how to prepare health-
ful meals on a budget. If you'd like to organize a Hike in your
community and/or to find out more, email hike@hungerfreevt.org
or call 802-865-0255.
JUSTICE and CLIMATE CHANGE – FAITHFUL ACTION
Vermont Interfaith Power and Light will be holding this confer-
ence on Sun., Nov. 6 from 1:15 – 5:45 pm at the Chase Center
at Vermont Law School. It will be followed by a light supper
(optional) for those who can stay longer. The keynote speaker
will be Professor James Gustave Speth. Here's Dr. Speth's bio:
http://www.thebridgeattheedgeoftheworld.com/james-gustave-spethr.php
Professors Michael Dworkin and Amy Seidl will also speak.
The conference will provide participants with information and
offer opportunities to work together on actions to address global
climate change. Shyla Nelson, of Good Earth Singers, will lead
the group in song. A number of non-profit organizations and
businesses with energy expertise will have exhibits and provide
resources and information. A time for small-group discussion,
books for sale, refreshments and more will round it out. Please
register for the conference. The flier and registration form are
here: http://www.vtipl.org/node/176 To find out more, send an
email to Betsy Hardy at info@vtipl.org.
|
