"I'll lift you and you lift me, and we'll both ascend together.
~ John Greenleaf Whittier
Facing up to the full scope of the planetary crisis we are now facing can be heartbreaking. The facts we face come with feelings--of sadness and guilt, outrage and powerlessness, fear and even despair. The sheer magnitude of the problem can overwhelm our capacity to take action and cause us to question our very faith. These feelings may be too much to deal with alone, yet it can be hard to find others with whom to share them, even within our own families or in our Meeting communities. That's the bad news.
The good news is that there are now more and more places to take these conversations. Within Pacific Yearly Meeting and among the thousands of organizations working on climate concerns, we can find companions to help us break through the overwhelm and grief. And that is often just what happens: in the midst of our breaking out, some kind of unexpected joy or gratitude comes through, along with better answers and a path forward. And almost always, we find a deeper sense of hope and connection with others.
Traditional Quaker processes such as clearness or anchoring committees, threshing, worshipful discernment and seeking unity will be particularly useful for us as Friends in our climate work. But we can also bring these processes into service for our communities and others in our networks who can use (and give) support in facing the climate crisis, which the United Nations has called "an immediate existential threat to lives and livelihoods." This section of the website offers queries and links to resources to support Friends and Meetings, fellow seekers, and climate activists in seeking discernment for what is ours to do--to change all we must, save all we can, achieve what we still might, and live into spiritual fulfillment no matter what we face.
The good news is that there are now more and more places to take these conversations. Within Pacific Yearly Meeting and among the thousands of organizations working on climate concerns, we can find companions to help us break through the overwhelm and grief. And that is often just what happens: in the midst of our breaking out, some kind of unexpected joy or gratitude comes through, along with better answers and a path forward. And almost always, we find a deeper sense of hope and connection with others.
Traditional Quaker processes such as clearness or anchoring committees, threshing, worshipful discernment and seeking unity will be particularly useful for us as Friends in our climate work. But we can also bring these processes into service for our communities and others in our networks who can use (and give) support in facing the climate crisis, which the United Nations has called "an immediate existential threat to lives and livelihoods." This section of the website offers queries and links to resources to support Friends and Meetings, fellow seekers, and climate activists in seeking discernment for what is ours to do--to change all we must, save all we can, achieve what we still might, and live into spiritual fulfillment no matter what we face.
Queries
Do I allow old paradigms to dominate my understanding and thereby prevent progress to a just world?
How do we give each other—and our communities—support for the feelings that surface when we face the full impact of these realities?
By what processes—Quaker and other—do we find the clarity, courage and compassion to act as led—no matter what the cost—in service to all Life and our beautiful planet?
Am I prepared to join Friends and others as we discern paths to transform the harm resulting from human over-consumption of Earth's gifts?
Do we believe, as New England Yearly Meeting has minuted, that "it is incumbent upon every Friend and every Friends Meeting to discover how God is leading us to do our part to reverse this great threat"? If so, how can we, together, discern what is ours to do?
How can we organize our lives and our Meetings in witness to our right relationship with the Earth, and join with others in active stewardship now and in the future?
Do I allow old paradigms to dominate my understanding and thereby prevent progress to a just world?
How do we give each other—and our communities—support for the feelings that surface when we face the full impact of these realities?
By what processes—Quaker and other—do we find the clarity, courage and compassion to act as led—no matter what the cost—in service to all Life and our beautiful planet?
Am I prepared to join Friends and others as we discern paths to transform the harm resulting from human over-consumption of Earth's gifts?
Do we believe, as New England Yearly Meeting has minuted, that "it is incumbent upon every Friend and every Friends Meeting to discover how God is leading us to do our part to reverse this great threat"? If so, how can we, together, discern what is ours to do?
How can we organize our lives and our Meetings in witness to our right relationship with the Earth, and join with others in active stewardship now and in the future?
Connections, Inspiration and Solutions
Inner Activism
While there is much that is beyond our individual control, what we can do is cultivate the inner resources needed in this time of dissonance and spiritual challenge. In doing our own inner work we'll open still more fully to what Spirit is calling upon us to do, regain our joy in living, and be that much more of a loving and effective resource for all that is needed. Explore this page for some ways to prepare. |
What is ours to do?
How might we, as individuals and as Quakers, be of particular service to the personal, political, strategic and spiritual challenges that accompany the climate crisis? As Friends, we know that we are not necessarily called to be successful--we are called to be faithful, and that hope is a brave act of faith requiring courage and commitment in the face of uncertainty. Explore how we might each discern what is ours to do, and inspire one another to do it. |
friends and meetings
Individual Friends, along with Meetings and Worship Groups around the world, are greening their homes and places of worship, advocating for policies and lifestyles that protect the planet and its most vulnerable inhabitants, taking steps to become climate resilient hubs, and looking toward a fossil fuel free future. See what Pacific Yearly Meeting Friends are doing, and share how you and/or your Meeting or Worship Group are engaging with climate concerns. |