St. Martin’s News
Advent 2017
Climate Action Team seeks to be a model of parish engagement By Natalee Hill A few months into its unique relationship with Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light, the Climate Action team at St. Martin’s has been working to engage the parish in climate care and self-greening, with the hope of modeling practices that other communities can use. That’s where PA IPL comes in, as executive director Alison Cornish consults with the group and develops resources the agency can share. “We’re trying to actively engage all areas of parish life in a response to this most fundamental human challenge,” said Jess Ballenger, who co-chairs the group with parishioner Kathy Greely. During its August retreat, the team discussed ways it might invite deeper engagement throughout the year in areas such as education, liturgy and rituals, parish-wide recycling and energy use practices, and individual actions. Kathy Greely has been working with the building and grounds committee to encourage green practices, especially as the parish makes plans for its upcoming building campaign. Additionally, she and parishioner Mary Fennelly attended an October advocacy training sponsored by PA IPL, in which they learned how to engage parishioners in political action on climate issues. In anticipation of holiday planning, Kathryn Lewis offered a workshop on decluttering Christmas and planning a greener, simpler, and more spiritual holiday (see article on page 6). As one outcome of the discussion, the group that attended the gathering has decided to hold an informal evening walk along Forbidden Drive to listen for owls on the shortest day of the year on Dec. 21 at 6 pm. While rain canceled plans to remove
invasive species from Buttercup Cottage as part of the service events held during Stewardship season in October, the Climate Action Team will again host clean-up event at Buttercup Cottage on Cresheim Valley Road on Martin Luther King Day, January 15, as part of community-wide service events. “The removal of invasive plants from the little patch of Fairmount Park that the parish stewards has been part of Climate Action Team efforts since parishioner Greg Williams started the group three years ago,” said Kathy Greely. Associate for Spiritual Formation and Care Barb Ballenger, the staff member who liaises with the group said, “Participants have asked us what weeding the area around Buttercup Cottage has to do with combatting climate change. I think it’s one of those practices that ritualizes in a small way what the larger effort of creation care looks like. On one level it’s a small action that allows a little patch of the planet to heal, become stronger and more resilient. On another level it reminds us that our faith calls us to do what is at hand for the care of the world, that collectively we can get a lot accomplished in a little time, and that we are among many, many others who are tending this earth and working for change in so many various ways.” For more information on how to participate in Climate Action Team efforts contact Jess Ballenger at jess. ballenger@gmail.com or Kathy Greely at kathygreely@gmail.com.
Upcoming Events Solstice Walk on Forbidden Drive Thursday, December 21, 2017 at 6 p.m. Buttercup Cottage Clean Up Monday, January 15, 2018
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Parish Forum Sunday mornings, 10 am November 26
Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
Attachment research tells us that there is a science and logic to love and committed relationships. Therapist Lucy Raizman helps us explore ways to move toward safer, secure, and loving bonds of connection in our committed relationships. December 3 Advent Wreath Making and Edible Creches December 10 Mary for Protestants Parishioner Jim Rowley will help us explore how the mother of Jesus can be a source of spiritual support for us in Advent and beyond. December 17 Carol Sing See page 8 January 7, 2018 Epiphany Party January 14, 2018 Being Prophets in These Times In honor of the prophetic role of Martin Luther King, the Rev. Charles Howard, University Chaplain at the University of Pennsylvania, will lead a discussion on how biblical prophets spoke to their time and what it would mean for us to speak prophetically now. January 21 Prayer Book Romp Come discover prayers, early church history and the breadth of liturgies for all life events in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer with the Rev. Anne Thatcher. January 28 Can Christians Really Change the World? Jess Ballenger, a professor of bioethics at Drexel University, will invite us to explore how optimism and pessimism line up with our faith in the world that God calls us to foster. Find full descriptions and updates on these forums on StMartinEC.org under the Spiritual Growth tab.