This week marked one year since Hurricane Helene ravaged the East Coast of the US, causing record-breaking flooding in North Carolina and beyond. In the words of our former Executive Director, Rev. Kelly Dignan, “Climate change and disruption is real. And it creates anxiety, distress and grief. Part of our mission at UUMFE is to offer spiritual support to you during times like these.”

We are here to hold the grief with one another, both as we remember hardships past and as we brace ourselves for the climate chaos that we’ve yet to experience. UUMFE offers resources on how to manage anxiety and grief caused by climate change, including our current Community Read “What If We Get it Right?” by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. If you have the energy to review our resources on climate distress, here they are. Know these materials are here for you whenever you need them.

As we hold space for the grief and the pain this week can bring, we also hold love for our faith tradition and hope for our Earth. In times of extreme uncertainty and tension, faith is what helps us keep moving forward, telling us to act in line with our values. Spiritually grounding our climate justice work gives us the strength we need to continue—and to remain in community with one another. 

We also wanted to share this video that highlights the story of a small ceramics studio in Asheville, NC who lost everything in the floods and has spent the past year re-building from the ground up. One of the co-owners, Sarah Wells Rolland, passed along an affirmation from her friend that we would like to share with all of you. “We’re always stronger than we think we are.” Always. And, in community, that strength multiplies.

Our hearts are with you.

With love from the UUMFE team