Storytelling
Winter 2011-2012 Earth Letter
Recent News
Autumn 2011 Earth Letter
To celebrate the beauty of the season's colorful transition and Earth Letter’s new design, we chose to center this issue around the theme of God's divine artistry reflected in the world around us and our response to this wonderful gift.
Did Francis Have a Weed Whacker?
by Rev. Paul Graves, Sandpoint, ID
Changing Forms of Light
by William Scarvie, Bainbridge Island, WA
Margins and Hope
by Dr. Gil Waldkoenig, Gettysburg
Winner of the People's Choice Award
Abundance
by Rev. Stephanie Johnson, New Haven, CT
Winner of the Franciscan Philanthropist Award
Turning weeds into natural beauty
Shoreline Area News
July 31, 2011
Eagle Scout candidate Max Herzog of Shoreline Troop 853 recently completed a project in Shoreline to return a large plot of land overgrown with weeds and invasive plants back into the Northwest natural environment.
Summer 2011 Earth Letter
As summer approaches, we feel the desire to rest and renew, to draw in breaths of fresh air, to center ourselves and reconnect with God. To move us into that reflective place, we bring you an excerpt from Nancy Roth’s newest book, Grounded in Love, and a reflection by Clare Brauer-Rieke on I Thessalonians 5:16-19. Turan Kayaoglu offers praise for Christian churches providing shelter to Muslim communities in need of sacred places to pray. Marcus Borg reminds us to work for justice in the here and now. Lastly, Jessie Dye brings us an exclusive “behind the scenes” recap of how our Coal-Free Future for Washington bill became a law. We hope that this issue of Earth Letter refreshes and inspires you.
Legislature passes landmark legislation to transition Washington off polluting coal-fired power
Apr 21, 2011
OLYMPIA – Today, the Washington State Legislature put its final stamp of approval on a plan to responsibly transition TransAlta Corp.’s Centralia, Wash., power plant off of coal. The state Senate approved technical changes made in the House and sent the Coal-Free Future for Washington bill to Gov. Chris Gregoire for her much-anticipated signature.
Touching the Resurrected Christ
by Tanya Marcovna Barnett
Text: John 20:19-31
Focusing on the question, where is hope, this sermon turns to the resurrection of Jesus for answers.
Spring 2011 Earth Letter
Spring in Seattle has been a welcome change from the storms and cold of last winter. Daytime temperatures now rise up into the forties and there are fewer rain showers. It is a time of rebirth and renewal, and, in that vein, this issue begins with a thoughtful essay “For Our Children” by Sarah Holmes. Spring also brings the Washington State Legislature back into session, in a time of national (and global) belt-tightening and economic uncertainty. Jessie Dye asks Chris Olson, a former Lutheran Volunteer Corps staffer at Earth Ministry, why he’s an environmental advocate.
House approves landmark legislation to transition Washington off polluting coal-fired power
Apr 11, 2011
OLYMPIA – The state House of Representatives today approved the Coal-Free Future for Washington bill to responsibly transition TransAlta Corp.’s Centralia, Wash., power plant off of coal. This landmark legislation – representing an historic agreement between Washington environmental leaders, TransAlta, unions and Gov. Chris Gregoire – now goes back to the Senate, which approved an earlier version of the bill last month, for final passage.
Living Waters
By Doug Thorpe
Soujourners Magazine
April 01, 2011
I lay myself down in the Dead Sea waters. It's the middle of January and I’m travelling with a group led by Earth Ministry, a nonprofit based in Seattle that works in the area of faith and the environment. We're in Israel/Palestine for the usual reasons -- a pilgrimage to holy sites -- but also to learn more about the water situation.
Sacred places can be important venues for interfaith dialogue
By Turan Kayaoglu
The News Tribune
March 16, 2011
Mike Huckabee has started a debate that paradoxically reveals the depth of religious tolerance in America as well as how far apart some evangelicals can be from mainstream Christians. This time it involved Heartsong, a small church in Tennessee.
A warrior for children’s health and safety
By SARAH HOLMES
The News Tribune
March 06, 2011
My first career was in the Army. I served a year in Iraq and 15 months in Afghanistan, where I worked as a combat medic with the Infantry and Special Forces in their mission to rebuild the remote villages along the Pakistani border.