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  • The Greening of the Federated Church of Orleans

    The church began in 1646 – That year Pilgrim families from Plymouth Colony moved across the Bay to settle on Cape Cod, and some of the group ended up in today’s Orleans. They quickly established regular patterns of worship and fellowship, and eventually, in 1718, they built their meetinghouse on the site of today’s church – next to the cemetery, on the road to Nauset Beach.

    August 2016 – The church started a new green journey. Federated Church's 10-person Care for Creation Team (aka C4C) began its work. It soon adopted the UCC “Green Congregation Challenge.” Ten months later the church had completed enough environmental-friendly steps in the Challenge’s Level One to be recognized by the UCC Mass. Conference's annual gathering as a “Green Congregation.”

    Now (March 2018) – We anticipate completing enough additional steps to be recognized in June as a Level Two “Green Congregation.” We hope to complete Level Three next year!

  • Solstice Celebration 2021

    June 20, 7:00 PM ET
    FREE EVENT — Registration Required!

    From time immemorial, humans have honored the winter and summer solstices, as sacred and rich times, to align our personal and collective lives with the movement of celestial bodies. Some of us are heading into the darkness of winter while others are headed into summer and longer days. Wherever you are, the solstice is a planetary event.

    A solstice occurs when the Sun reaches its most northerly or southerly excursion relative to the equator. Two solstices occur annually, around June 21 and December 21.

    The term solstice can also be used in a broader sense, as the day when this event occurs. The day of a solstice in both hemispheres has either the most sunlight of the year (summer solstice) or the least sunlight of the year (winter solstice) for any place other than the Equator, where the days and nights are equal in length all through the year.

    Here’s how we’ll celebrate:
    • Experience live music
    • Express and be moved
    • Awaken your senses
    • Discover new insights
    • Connect with others across the globe
    • Celebrate the Sun!

  • The Story of Stuff (Documentary)

    The Story of Stuff is a short animated documentary about the lifecycle of material goods. The documentary is critical of excessive consumerism and promotes sustainability.

    Filmmaker Annie Leonard wrote and narrated the film, which was funded by Tides Foundation, Funders Workgroup for Sustainable Production and Consumption, Free Range Studios and other foundations. Free Range Studios also produced the documentary, which was first launched online on December 4, 2007.

    The documentary is used in elementary schools, arts programs, and economics classes as well as places of worship and corporate sustainability trainings. By February 2009, it had been seen in 228 countries and territories. According to the Los Angeles Times as of July 2010, the film had been translated into 15 languages and had been viewed by over 12 million people.

  • The Story of Stuff Project

    The Story of Stuff Project is:

    Community-Minded
    Our global, online Community of over 1 million Changemakers includes parents, community leaders, teachers and students, people of faith, entrepreneurs, scientists and others interested in creating a more healthy and just world. The interests and needs of our Community members deeply informs our work, and your passion and support enable our small team to have an outsized impact.

    Solutions-Focused
    We know all about the problems — from climate change to income inequality to political corruption. Our movies and other media focus instead on the big, exciting innovations driving the environmental and social change we need, as well as the little things individuals and communities can do to make a difference. We call it ‘Growing Solutions’.

    Action-Oriented
    We believe that dramatically increasing civic participation — not just refining our consumer choices — is the key to unlocking the profound challenges we face. Our four-week Citizen Muscle Boot Camp program equips participants with the basic skills they need to organize and lead a local project. And our campaigns provide diverse, engaging opportunities for our Community members to get involved, from the global level down to where they live and work.

  • The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh

    A collection of spiritual teachings which is intended for all religious persuasions and those who seek a spiritual life. These meditational verses which were composed by Baha'u'allah, about the year 1858, while in exile to Iraq, explore the relationship between God and man.

  • The U.S. Baha'i Office of Public Affairs

    The Office of Public Affairs for the Baha’is of the United States was founded in 1985 to represent the American Baha’i community on the national stage.

    Today, we collaborate with governmental and non-governmental organizations, individuals, and groups to advance thought around our focus areas, which currently comprise racial unity & justice, the environment, economic justice, human rights, the role of media in society, and gender equality & the advancement of women.

    Our Office operates under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States, the elected governing body of the American Baha’i community.

  • Interfaith Rainforest Initiative (IRI) Campaign Videos

    The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative (IRI) creates artistic and well-produced videos that accompany their programs on climate change education and awareness-raising in branch offices around the world.

    These videos are great resources for those looking for multimedia inspirations that amplify sustainability communications efforts.

  • Faith for Earth: A Call for Action

    This book was first published at the beginning of the twenty-first century. A joint project of the United Nations Environment Programme and the Interfaith Partnership for the Environment, it was titled Earth and Faith: A Book of Reflection for Action. The partners printed tens of thousands of copies and gave them to schools, congregations, and communities throughout the
    world. The book described the growing threats to our planet’s life support systems, the reverence all faiths share for life on Earth, and the responsibility that people have to future generations.

  • Cincy MultiFaith Calendar

    The Cincy MultiFaith Calendar empowers multi-faith learning and experiences through sharing traditions celebrated by different faiths with the wider public.

    "This project was inspired by the inaugural Cincinnati Festival of Faiths held on June 24th, 2018, on the campus of Xavier University. That amazing event, which attracted 25 faith communities representing 13 world religions, was the most inclusive gathering of faith traditions ever assembled in the region’s history. Within days of that historic event, ideas for more multi-faith learning and experiences emerged, among them the idea of producing a multi-faith calendar. The purpose and hope of the calendar are that people of different faith traditions, or without a faith tradition, might learn more about one another. We all hold the hope that we could create a tool to help open the eyes of young people who could understand one another and break down those silos that segregate our world."

  • Zoom Events: Greening the Bible

    The goal of this short course is to read the Bible afresh: to reinterpret texts of terror (for other creatures) and to reclaim passages that show the importance and agency of nonhuman persons. It is intended as a tool for forming earth-inclusive Christians.

  • Profile: EquaSion (Equality, Spirituality, Inclusion)

    EquaSion, formerly known as the Bridges of Faith Trialogue, is a non-partisan civic organization founded upon interfaith dialogue that works to develop educational and community service programming to foster greater understanding, respect, compassion, inclusion, and engagement for all people and faith communities in Greater Cincinnati and beyond.

  • Religious Affiliation and Environmental Challenges in the 21st Century

    This paper researches the relationship of religion and environment in the 21st century. They do this by studying religious affiliations from all over the world, and comparing and contrasting their results to examine the impacts those affiliations have on the environment.

  • Lessons from Islamic Environmentalism: Interconnection, Structural Change, and the Limitations of Religious Environmentalism

    In this article, Rosemary Hancock explores the lessons of religious environmentalism within the Islamic faith and discusses how these lessons were impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and the current environmental crisis.

  • The Top Five Regrets of the Dying

    "After too many years of unfulfilling work, Bronnie Ware began searching for a job with heart. Despite having no formal qualifications or experience, she found herself working in palliative care.Over the years she spent tending to the needs of those who were dying, Bronnie's life was transformed. Later, she wrote an Internet blog about the most common regrets expressed to her by the people she had cared for. The article, also called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, gained so much momentum that it was read by more than three million people around the globe in its first year. At the requests of many, Bronnie now shares her own personal story.Bronnie has had a colourful and diverse past, but by applying the lessons of those nearing their death to her own life, she developed an understanding that it is possible for people, if they make the right choices, to die with peace of mind. In this book, she expresses in a heartfelt retelling how significant these regrets are and how we can positively address these issues while we still have the time.The Top Five Regrets of the Dying gives hope for a better world. It is a story told through sharing her inspiring and honest journey, which will leave you feeling kinder towards yourself and others, and more determined to live the life you are truly here to live. This delightful memoir is a courageous, life-changing book."

  • Tisha B'Av Renewed for Temple Earth

    "To start with what is new yet ancient: The Shalom Center welcomes you to the sad obligation to mourn for the continuing destruction of our universal Temple Earth, just days before Tisha B’Av, and to bring active hope to protect and heal the universal Temple of all life on Earth.

    We will gather by Zoom at 7:30pm Eastern on Sunday, July 23, to hear chants in English, created as a 'Lament for Earth' by Moving Tradition’s Rabbi Tamara Cohen, newly honored by the Covenant Foundation for her innovative work in Jewish education; suggestions for action to protect Temple Earth by The Shalom Center’s Rabbi Arthur Waskow; reflections on the unique role Jews have in showing up for climate justice by Jewish Youth Climate Movement’s Madeline Canfield; songs and teachings of hope and determination by Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA)’s Joelle Novey; and a call for specific pre-Tisha B’Av actions by Jewish Earth Alliance’s Dr. Mirele Goldsmith. A complete list of organizational co-sponsors and full speaker biographies can be found below the registration form at the bottom of this page."

  • In Deep Waters: Spiritual Care for Young People - an author conversation with Talitha Aho

    "Join us for a captivating webinar as author Talitha Aho engages in a thought-provoking conversation about her book, 'In Deep Waters: Spiritual Care for Young People in a Climate Crisis.'

    Discover how the climate crisis impacts the younger generation and the importance of offering ecologically informed spiritual care. Talitha will also discuss practical ways to care for and respect God's world, drawing on science, Scripture, and her expertise.

    Whether you are a caring adult, a member of Generation Z, or simply interested in the intersection of Christianity and the environment, this webinar is not to be missed. Join us for an enlightening dialogue that will deepen your understanding, provide actionable strategies, and ignite hope in the face of our planet's challenges."

  • UN Environment Programme Faith-Based Activities Compilation

    "The World Environment Day is a UN day celebrated to promote awareness and inspire action. It has been celebrated since 1974. The event has grown to become a global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated in over 100 countries...In the celebration of World Environment Day, 482 faith-based related activities were organized all around the world"

  • Compassion, Pollution & Community Health

    This event was created to help people learn about and discuss the health impacts of methane pollution and how to create positive change with the environment and community.

  • Magic Mushrooms in Religion and Alchemy

    This book discusses the roles that the fly agaric mushroom played in human perceptions of God through many religions. The same religious practices and stories present in some of the most prevalent religions of today can be explained by the beliefs held about Amanita muscaria. As it was thought to be eaten by the Gods, when humans consume it, they become closer to the divine.

  • A Glimpse at the Reality Existing After Ours through Near-Death Experiences

    This chapter from the student-written book “Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America” explores the phenomenon of near death experiences through several first-hand accounts. The author explores the spiritual aspect of these experiences and compares and contrasts each instance. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.

    "Near-death experiences (NDEs) are gateways for the soul—a profound, transformative experience that has taken place for some who have kissed death and returned. It is estimated that NDEs affect 1 in 10 people (The European Academy of Neurology, 2019). At best, these experiences are dismissed as wild dreams or hallucinations, but we struggle to make sense of what they are. One way some scientists have been trying to explain the reality of near-death experiences is in the connection between psychedelics and psychology. Dr. Rick Strassman (2001), a psychologist who has done extensive research on the topic, is one among many hypothesizing that NDEs are a result of the hallucinogenic chemical dimethyltryptamine, or DMT for short. He suspects that DMT is produced in the pineal gland of the brain, which is an area of the brain we still know little about. Because of the pineal gland’s connection to light (what we do know is that it produces melatonin, a hormone that regulates both the reproductive system and the circadian rhythm), it has been spiritually associated with many ideas of a higher conscious and enlightenment such as the third-eye, crown chakra, and the seat of the soul. Strassman infers that DMT is produced in times of birth, near-death, death, and intense pain."

  • Humans as Part of Nature: The Benefits of Time Spent Outdoors for Mental Health

    This chapter from the student-written book “Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America” explores the impact of connecting with nature and the environment on mental health. The author describes their own experiences with mental health problems and healing through activities in nature to frame this issue. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.

    "In the summer of 2019, I was a high-school junior going to be a senior the coming year, going on a SCUBA trip out of state with my specialized environmental science class so that I could finish up my certification. This time in life at the end of high school but before college is widely regarded as the most fun and free time for a young person. A time where you’re so close to the end of the life that your parents and the state have laid out for you and still far from the stresses of choosing for yourself in life and dealing with the repercussions of those choices. This expectation was far from where I was at that point in my life."

  • Near Death Experiences and their Implications for the Afterlife

    This chapter from the student-written book “Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America” explores the science as well as the spirituality behind near-death experiences. The author assesses hypotheses behind this phenomenon and describes some examples of them occurring. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.

    "What happens after death is a mystery that humans all over the world have speculated on since the beginning of time. In many religions, there is a sense of certainty among the followers regarding what to expect when they pass, as promised by God or a higher power they worship. Although no one really knows for sure, the closest we have come to proving the reality of the afterlife are the stories told by people who have had near death experiences, or even died temporarily and came back to life. Spiritual revelations during these incidents are a cross-cultural phenomenon felt all over the world, with details that overlap and hint at the answer to this unsolved mystery."

  • An Insight into Wilderness Therapy

    This chapter from the student-written book “Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America” explores the benefits of nature and being in the wild for mental health. The author uses research on wilderness therapy as well as her own experiences to discuss this relationship. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.

    "Nature has so many captivating qualities. Whether it be the rustle of summer green leaves, the indescribable blue of the sky on a clear day, or the countless creatures that scurry across the earth’s floor, I always find myself amazed by its peculiar yet familiar structure. Nature is something that is often taken for granted. Yes, individuals are constantly reminded of its presence, but do we often think of its value? For me, the wilderness has been a place of refuge and comfort. Somewhere that I look to when I am feeling lost and confused."

  • St. Francis of Assissi Novena

    This novena from the autumn of 2022 contains nine days of prayers to St. Francis of Assissi.

    "Though he chose not to be ordained a priest, St. Francis is one of the most revered saints of the church. The great respect accorded to St. Francis is primarily due to his life of service, insistence on the practice of absolute poverty, and great humility. He founded the Order of the Friars Minor, co-founded the Poor Clares, and the Order of St. Francis...He is renowned for his love of animals, the environment, and his desire for peace."

  • Nativities and the Natural World

    Housed at the University of Dayton Roesch Library Building, this exhibit is available Nov. 20, 2023 through Jan. 12, 2024.

    "Explore the intersection of Christmas and nature through the Marian Library’s Nativity sets, artwork and more. In this exhibit, artists incorporate plants and animals from around the world into the Christmas story. Gourds, straw, wood, mother-of-pearl and beeswax are among the materials used to create Nativity sets that reflect the natural world in which Christ was born."