Climate Change Colloquy Series
All of Creation: From Crises to Transformation
The earth, lovingly created as an environment for life to flourish, shudders in distress because creation’s natural and living systems are becoming exhausted from carrying the burden of human greed and conflict. Humankind must awaken from its illusion of independence and unrestrained consumption without lasting consequences.
Doctrine and Covenants 163:4b
Register here for this free Climate Change Colloquy series. Sponsored by the Greater Pacific Northwest Mission Center of Community for Christ.
To support this effort, please see Support Climate Series
To support this effort, please see Support Climate Series
Join Us For
Our Presentations and Conversations
Upcoming Events: Fall 2024 / Spring 2025: Climate Action: Restoration of Right Relationships
Welcome to our Climate Crisis website! We are now over four years into an ongoing series of sessions dealing with various aspects of the Climate Crisis. If this is your first visit to our website, you can watch past years' sessions in our Archive Tab, which brought some highly-regarded climate experts to share their insights on the broad contours of the climate crisis, as noted further below.
Our series continues this year under a new theme - "Prophetic Courage for a Just Transition". It arose out of our feelings that the term "Just Transition" is not easily understood, and hence becomes an obstacle rather than a signal of a well-grounded, just, path forward for all, for it must include everyone - yes, definitely the Global South, but even in the Global North as well. For the latter it must include all those currently reliant on fossil fuels for a living, and an avenue the ensures the transition charts a path for them that will continue suitable, dignified work.
In addition, given that we will have our next triennial World Conference in June 2025, we will explore Climate Resolutions and implications for that gathering, starting with the following, highly significant initial session:
September 22, 2024: President-Designate Stassi Cramm: "At the Crossroads: Igniting Faith and Justice in a Time of Change"
- Don't miss the stunning opportunity! We change Presidents roughly only every 20 or more years. So don't miss this chance to catch Stassi's views on such an all-encompassing issue! Remember that you only need to register once, and you will get the ZOOM link for every session thereafter. You can also view this session and all previous sessions, in our Archive Tab whether you are registered or not.
Past Events: Fall 2023 / Spring 2024: Climate Action: Restoration of Right Relationships
Our series continued in 2023-2024 under a different theme - "Climate Action - Restoration of Right Relationships". It makes explicit two themes that have been woven through the series. First, is that we have been bending the arc from gathering information, and while that will continue, we bend the arc more towards climate action. Secondly, we want to take part of our legacy of a "Restoration Movement", specifically restoring right beliefs, and broadening it to focus on restoring right relationships - among all humanity, and all creation.
In addition, given that our triennial World Conference in April 2023, voted to declare a Climate Emergency, we explored that notion during the fall, as noted below:
- October 1, 2023: Climate Emergency! (Now What?);
- November 12, 2023: Climate Emergency: Responding with Power and Light;
- December 3, 2023: Advent, Climate & Non-Violent Action: Igniting Fire in our Bones;
- January 7, 2024: Climate Emergency: Support Groups;
- January 28, 2024: Support Groups Creation;
- February 25, 2024: Dani Lindamood: Grassroots Organizing for a Sustainable Water Future;
- March 17, 2024: Kelda Lorax: Permaculture: A Design for Living;
- April 7: Dr. McLeman: Migration and Displacement in a Changing Climate;
- April 21: Dr. Phoebe Barnard & Special Film Screening: The Climate Restorers PART 1;
- May 5: Dr. Ruth Valerio: Live Simply, So Others Can Simply Live;
- June 9: John Buckley: Defending Forests: A Spectrum of Strategies;
Past Events: Fall 2022 / Spring 2023: Deepening Crisis, Deepening our Response
Our series continued during the fall of 2022 and spring of 2023, continuing both to focus more on what we can do to lower carbon emissions individually and on a systemic basis; and also to help us all to (Restoration movement)envision and find our appropriate place in the complex web of life. The basic topics have been the following ( you can watch any session in the Archive Tab):
- September 18, 2022: Climate Impact and Sacred Spaces: Our Campgrounds?
- September 25, 2022: Discussion on Solutions and Innovative Uses, from September 18 Session;
- October 16, 2022: Deep Gladness Meets Climate Action;
- November 13, 2022: Talking Turkey About Climate Policy;
- December 4, 2022: Vision, Venn and Voices for Change;
- January 29, 2023: Global Weirding and Non-Violent Conversation;
- February 26, 2023: Experiencing the Re-enchantment of the World;
- March 26, 2023: Climate Impacts on Global Security;
- April 22-28, 2023: World Conference: We had a few seminars, plus an exhibit table;
- June 11, 2023: Climate Impacts on Global Security, Going Deeper;
Past Events: Fall, Winter 2021 / 2022: Deepening Crisis, Deepening our Response
Our Climate Crisis series continued during the fall of 2021 and spring of 2022, as noted below. While no single event can prove anything, the Washington Post noted that for the summer of 2021, one in three Americans were directly affected by disastrous weather-related events [Washington Post]. Plus, while temperatures are normally well below freezing on the summit of Greenland's huge ice cap, rain fell for the first time on record. [Guardian, Aug. 20, 2021]. These continuing patterns are ominous.
Our series continued to have highly-respected experts, but it will also focused more on what we can do to lower carbon emissions individually and on a systemic basis. The topics were:
- September 19, 2021: Systemic Issues: Consumerism
- October 17, 2021: Systemic Issues: Climate Policies 101
- November 14, 2021: "Making a Difference, Part 1"
- December 5, 2021: Climate Prayer Vigil
- January 9, 2022: IPCC Report, Glasgow COP26, and Policies 201
- Feb. 13, 2022: Poetry & Story at the Intersection of Climate & Race
- Mar. 20, 2022: Eco-Racism - Going Deeper
- Apr. 03, 2022: Eco-Justice - Going Deeper, Part 2
- Apr. 24, 2022: Providing Beyond The Walls Worship Service
- Jun. 05, 2022: Superheroes Can’t Save Us – How I Can Make a
Difference Today
Past Events: Summer 2020: The Sacredness of Creation
In the midst of a global pandemic, how does one stop to consider an even greater looming crisis - climate change? Every person is in a different state: for some, the pandemic has not changed much - we can work from home or are retired. Others may now be unemployed, sleepless at night. And what of the homeless? Or juggling frantic days of work-at-home, kids to be schooled at home, worry about parents in long-term care facilities, and so on. We know the mental health profession has seen a large spike in cases due to the pandemic.During the summer and fall of 2020, we explored ways nature can be a refuge or solace; how quickly water and the air cleared when things ground to a stop in the early weeks of the pandemic; or as we saw eco-racism laid bare. There are many dimensions to our current reality.
Perhaps the only thing we know for sure is that coming together in a safe forum that values you wherever you are in all this, is a good place to start. And that is what the summer sessions were created for - to explore together, from all our varied current circumstances, where you will be valued for simply being you, and in doing so, we can hear and value each other and support each other as we explore ways to move through this pandemic and learn enduring lessons for future crises.
There were four Conversations in this initial phase, which you can now find in our Archive Tab:
1. Nature as a Refuge and Solace, especially during this Pandemic
2. Exploring the Sacredness of Creation . . . And Why it Matters
3. Holy Attention to Awaken the Heart
4. Envision Hope, Build Bridges to the Future
Past Events: Fall, Winter 2020 / 21 ------ Start of Main Series ------
The Unraveling and Reweaving
of Creation
The Unraveling and Reweaving
of Creation
Starting Sunday November 15, 2020, the series continued with a more detailed look at the Climate Change crisis itself - how we got here, the current status, and how to move fiercely toward a resolution of the core issues.
This phase started with Princeton- and Harvard-educated climate scientist Prof. Richard Gammom, who helped author the first IPCC (*) report in 1990. After 30 years of watching events unfold, you won't want to miss his views today! For details, download the Nov. 15 Flyer ; the video of his session can be found in our Archive section.
(*) IPCC: is the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It is the umbrella body which collects and diseminates the research of 1000's of scientists. Every five years it puts out a report, and a select group is chosen to write it, such as Dr. Gammon.
The series recommenced on January 10, 2021 (see Jan. 10 Flyer), followed a week or so later with a deeper discussion, which is the pattern for the remaining series.
The entire series can be viewed at: Series Schedule, going through to the end of the summer 2021. The final sessions have not yet been confirmed, and will be posted as they become firm dates.
"Know, O my people, the time for hesitation is past. The earth, my creation, groans for the liberating truths of my gospel which have been given for the salvation of the world."
Doctrine and Covenants 155:7
"Lift up your eyes and fix them on the place beyond the horizon to which you are sent. Journey in trust, assured that the great and marvelous work is for this time and for all time."
Doctrine and Covenants 161:1a
In-Person Colloquy(originally set for October 29-31, 2021;to be re-scheduled )
Are we too late to act on Climate Change? Marginalized people around the world are already suffering, both from climate change, from the pandemic, and reinforced with the latest eruption, from racism.
Stay tuned for the full in-person Colloquy at Samish Island, WA.
Keynote speakers will include world-class climate scientists and Community of Christ President Steve Veazey.
In addition, there will be 20 or more break-out sessions, where people with wide-ranging backgrounds will share their experiences in helping tackle the various issues of climate change.
This is a world-class event you will not want to miss! More details later.
Our Phase 2 Series, plus a future Colloquy will include these and other incredible world-class keynote speakers!
Professor Richard Gammon
was a co-author (Carbon Cycle) of the first Scientific Assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 1990).
As Chief of the Carbon Dioxide Program, he directed the US program to globally monitor atmospheric CO2 (NOAA Environmental Research Laboratories, Boulder, 1982-84).
He is Professor (Emeritus) of Chemistry and Oceanography, and Adjunct Professor (Emeritus) of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington.
He is a former Co-Director of the UW Program on the Environment (2004-2007). Richard received his BA in Chemistry from Princeton University (1965), and his MA and PhD in Physical Chemistry from Harvard University (1970).
Professor Phoebe Barnard
is an Affiliate (full) Professor at the University of Washington, Chief Science and Policy Officer at the Conservation Biology Institute, and Honorary Research Associate of both the Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology and the African Climate and Development Initiative, at the University of Cape Town.
Through her company "Biodiversity Strategy," she also recently supported the work of the IUCN Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group via the Center for Large Landscape Conservation on matters of global ecological connectivity, marine conservation and evidence-based decision-making. She's written three books, numerous book chapters and over 100 scientific and semi-popular papers.
President Stephen M. Veazey
is President of Community of Christ. Prior to his ordination on June 3, 2005, he served as a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles, the leading missionary quorum of Community of Christ.
He is the eighth president of the church.
Some of his past assignments have included the Southern USA Mission Field; the Africa/East Central Field; the Ontario, South Central, and East Central Regions; and African American ministries, among many others.
President Veazey holds B.Sc. degree from the University of Tennessee, a Master of Arts in Religion from Park College, Parksville, Missouri, and Advanced Leadership Studies at International Headquarters.
Support for Climate Series
We value diversity, and appreciate support from a variety of perspective and abilities, such as artist Marie Skoor, who has created a limited edition Giclee Print, pictured on the right. A portion of any sales made through this website will go to support the sponsorship of this Climate Series.
To see the current variety of supportive works and possibilities, click the link below which also gives guidelines for submissions.
