By:Gail Denemark
THIS is what COMMUNITY looks like!
In the little town of Milford, NH, we organized a three-part Step It Up event that was titled: "Many Faiths Under 1 Sky - Interfaith Step It Up Day". Beginning at 10am the Rev. of the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Milford hosted six area clergy and their congregants in a beautiful interfaith service that emphasized coming together to save the earth.
The service included inspirational words from each of the clergy, much singing with beautiful guitar accompaniment, and even an amazing original environmental rap performed by the youth group of the UU church.
At the end of the service, we all gathered our banners, homemade signs and green stop global warming flags and joined in a processional from the UU church into the heart of the town in Milford and on to the nearby First Congregational Church. With a drum accompaniment, we all sang an earth hymn while the clergy's robes, the green flags and the fall leaves swirled in the gusty winds of off-shore hurricane Noel.
As we arrived at the second church location, (The First Congregational Church, Milford) a closing prayer ended the religious portion of the event. We listened to multiple speakers and enjoyed live music, signed petitions to get our legislators to legislate 1 Sky priorities, got all kinds of info. from environmental orgs., purchased books from our local bookseller on related topics, and of course did the GREEN FINGER THING!
Hopefully this coming together of so many faith communities will foster a much more broad, unified voice, sending out the bold, clear message to STEP IT UP! Furthermore, I hope this coming together of people of faith underscores that the climate crisis is not predominantly a political issue, but rather a moral and spiritual challenge to us all.
For “What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when we bring what is within out into the world, miracles happen". Henry David Thoreau
(see photos below)
Deep gratitude to the following area clergy for coming together to speak: many faiths with one, unified, impassioned voice to save our earth. Thank you to the Souhegan Valley Interfaith Council for cosponsoring this event.
Rev. Elizabeth Foster, Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Milford
Rev. Don Keegan, S.J., St. Patrick's Church, Milford
Rev. Dick Leavitt, The Congregational Church, UUC, Amherst
Rev. Barbara McKusick Liscord, Unitarian Universalist Congregation,
Milford
Rev. Chip Robinson, Church of Our Savior, Milford
Rev. Sheila Rubdi, First Congregational Church UCC, Milford
Rev. Dr. David Smith, Church of Christ, Brookline
(other clergy were also invited, however were not able to attend due to other obligations)
In addition to the clergy who participated, a big thank you to the following speakers who helped us understand and further impassioned us with their words.
Thanks to:
Lisa Beaudoin of the Herban Living Farm
John David co-organizer of Step It Up Day
Christy Day (reading letter from Governor Lynch)
Gail Denemark co-organizer, Step It Up Day
Rep. Betty Hall - NH State Legislature
Lee Kass (reading statement from Obama campaign)
Rev. Dick Leavitt, The Congregational Church, UCC, Amherst
Dr. Stephen Nodvin Chief Academic Officer & Assoc. Professor , Wentworth Institute of Technology
Erin Placey - American Friends Service Committee
Thanks also to:
Amy Conley, Joe Pollack, Linda Goodman, Julie Corey & Tara Greenblatt for providing music and inspiration
The Unitarian Youth group: (performers of "The Bell Bird Rap" by Marna Franson) Kassie Foulkes, Amanda Wight, Luke Nevrla, Elizabeth Bryan, Tory Guilfoyle, and youth leaders George Carvill and Donna Riley. Thanks to UU Youth Group for poster-making : Linnea Rolfhamre,
Ian Sawyer, the rap performers above, and Youth Advisors, Lynn Coakley & Scott Wegener.
Melissa Bernardin - grassroots director Priorities NH
Holly Claymor - American Friends Service Committee
Emily Rocheleau - Carbon Coalition
Dave Momenee - Sierra Club
Andrea Baver & Mary Jean MacGillivary, Mt. Vernon Open Space Comm.
WOMEN MAKING A DIFFERENCE - Nan Stearns, Lee Kass, Betty Hall, Ruth Heden, Mary Anne Conaway, Barbara Smith, Pauline Boggis, Nancy David, Christy Day, Charlotte Locke, Andrea Baver, Jane Kronheim, Deb Gibbons, Sally Stevens, Nancy Iannuzzelli, Gail Denemark, and Executive Councilor, Debora Pignatelli
Toadstool Bookstore, thanks Brian and Regina!
Thank you for your kind donation: Shaws, Lull Farm, Dunkin Donuts
Thanks for all your help: John David, Jane Jones,
Christy Day, Marcus Cobleigh, Sharon Cobleigh,
Cathy Goldwater, Gary Ksander (photography), Ross Glover (videography), Quinn Glover and a
SPECIAL HEARTFELT THANKS TO REV. BARBARA McKUSICK LISCORD of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Milford for bringing together all of the area clergy and organizing the beautiful "Many Faiths Under 1 Sky" Interfaith service. Thanks to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Milford and the First Congregational Church, Milford for hosting this event.
THIS is what community looks like!!!
Thank you ALL!
Gail Denemark
