For the latest list of accredited congregations, see the Green Sanctuaries list on the UUA website.
Need ideas for actions in the Environmental Justice section of your Green Sanctuary application? To help you get started, here is a spreadsheet of environmental justice projects from recent applications. You may search/sort this data base by the following key words: Community Outreach, Energy Conservation, Environmental Advocacy, Ethical Eating, Habitat Restoration, Micro-financing, Mountain Top Removal, and Water Rights. It also includes links to congregational websites where you can find more information on the projects. The list was compiled by Emily Kao, an Environmental Intern in the Advocacy & Witness Washington office this winter, based on information provided by Robin Nelson, UUA Green Sanctuary Program Manager in the office of Congregational Stewardship Services.
from the Green Sanctuary Program Manager, Robin Nelson (April 2, 2010)
Green Sanctuary program accomplishments in January, February, and March include:
1) The Green Sanctuary activities of two congregations were featured on the Congregational Stewardship Blog –– read about the "Ripple Effect" at South Church in Portsmouth, NH and environmentally and socially responsible electronics recycling at the Unitarian Church of Hinsdale, IL.
2) Morristown Unitarian Fellowship has become the first congregation to engage in the Green Sanctuary Re-Accreditation Process. It’s clear that the designation as a Green Sanctuary has given the members of the congregation the energy and enthusiasm for continued commitment to environmental practices.
3) We are continuing to review resources for Green Sanctuaries including green books and films. You can find a review of the children’s book The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales and a review of the film ‘Til the River Runs Clear on the Congregational Stewardship Blog. On the resources page of the Green Sanctuary section of the UUA website you can find a short paragraph summarizing the content and a 1-5 star rating of over fifty children’s books and over fifty films. Check back in the future for additional films, books, and websites.
4) The Green Sanctuary Program is encouraging congregations to participate in Earth Day 2010: 40/40/40. 40 Years of Earth Day, 40 Days of commitment, 40 UUs in your congregation stand up for environmental justice. Remember to register your congregation’s participation with the UU Ministry for Earth (UUMFE).
5) Partnering with UUMFE to support UU congregations, the Green Sanctuary Program encourages you to use the Earth Day 2010 resources compiled by the UUMFE.
6) Renewal and the companion screening guide were originally sent to all UU congregations. If you would like an additional copy or you have not received the original packet, email greensanctuary@uua.org with your request along with your current mailing address. If you have received the packet, please take a quick survey about its usefulness.
7) In partnership with the Renewal Project, we invite UU congregations to participate in the Renewal Web Festival by submitting your own personal stories (videos, photos, graphics, writings…) about engagement in the religious-environmental movement, specifically focusing on how commitment to the environment has affected your experience of faith.
Green Sanctuary Statistics on March 31, 2010: 126 Accredited Congregations, 116 Candidate Congregations, and 1 Re-Accreditation Candidate Congregation. In FY 2010 3rd Quarter, eleven congregations were accredited and six were recognized as candidates. A total of 243 congregations are participating in the Green Sanctuary program.
*Reminder: Green Sanctuary candidacy, accreditation, and re-accreditation applications are accepted year-round. Please send an electronic version of your application to greensanctuary@uua.org or Rnelson@uua.org whenever your application is ready. Turn-around time for applications is approximately one month.
Green Sanctuary Program Accomplishments include:
1) Two congregation’s Green Sanctuary activities have been featured on the newly launched Congregational Stewardship Blog. Read more about these amazing congregations at http://congregationalstewardship.blogs.uua.org/.
2) We are in the process of reviewing resources for Green Sanctuaries including green books and films. In addition to reviews of Children’s Books you can now find reviews of over fifty films on the Green Sanctuary web pages at http://www.uua.org/greensanctuary . Check back in the future for additional films, additional books, and websites.
3) In partnership with the UUMFE and the State Action Networks over 100 UU congregations participated in the International Day of Climate Action-October 24, 2009.
4) In partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth (http://uuministryforearth.org/) and the Statewide Advocacy Networks (http://uustatenetworks.org/) we encouraged congregations to participate in a Weekend of Climate Action, December 11-13, 2009. 350.org is organizing candlelight “Vigils for Survival” around the world on Friday, December 11, or Saturday, December 12. Go to 350.org (http://www.350.org/weekend) to explore the vigil action pages, including Bill McKibben’s invitation to join the world in lighting candles of hope, guidance on hosting a vigil in your own community, and links to other participating organizations. On Sunday, December 13, faith communities were once again invited to “sound out” the 350 call to action through ringing bells, beating drums, and making all kinds of noises 350 times.Information about “Sounds of 350” events can be found at http://www.350.org/sounds.
5) Renewal and the companion screening guide were sent to congregations who requested the packet because they did not originally receive the mailing. If you would like an additional copy or you have not received the original packet, email greensanctuary@uua.org with your to request it along with your correct mailing address.
Important Dates
February 13th-14th – National Preach-In on Global Warmingsponsored by Interfaith Power and Light. Check out http://interfaithpowerandlight.org/ for more information.
April 22nd – Earth Day– Individual congregations may choose to celebrate Earth Day at services on either the weekend before or after the “official” Earth Day (April 18th or April 25th). The UU Ministry for Earth will be producing resources that your congregation can you to help plan your worship service/celebration.
Green Sanctuary Statistics for 2Q: •117 Accredited, 122 Candidates. •Total congregations participating 239.
Accredited in 2QFY2010: Total congregations accredited in FY10 2nd Quarter = 7