This Season May be Spooky, but Earth’s Not Dead Yet

The skeletons are hugging the trees. Maybe we should too. The future isn’t dead yet. – NotDeadYet.Earth #NotDeadYetLowell

Dear Ones Dedicated to UU Ministry for Earth,

I write to you as October nears its end, with November right around the corner. I feel redundant in a way, always thinking about the seasons changing, the days passing, the wheel of the year turning. And yet, this also always feels new, how Earth is always changing, how the seasons are always coming and going, how new moments of awe greet me daily. And also — how climate problems continue to morph with each passing moment, along with our need to adjust our approaches to them.

I guess that beginning a letter by talking about the seasons changing is really no different than starting a conversation by talking about the weather… and yet, the seasons and the weather are kind of what we at UUMFE are supposed to talk about, right? (This joke is a request for your forgiveness if you find my incessant references to the seasons to be boring, as well as a subtle redirect towards the importance of paying attention to and staying attuned with the happenings of Earth.)

There is much that I could mention about upcoming happenings this month; there are many exciting things emerging from UUMFE, and there are also many important actions and advocacy opportunities worthy of highlighting. However, I’m going to invite you to browse our newsletter for most of those. Highlights include this year’s incredible UUMFE Community Read, Radically Reframing Climate Change by Will Hackman, and a Save-the Date for UUMFE’s upcoming Winter Solstice worship service on Monday, December 21st, 2026. Note: UUMFE’s free annual Winter Solstice worship resources will be available on December 1st.

Instead, I’d like to focus on just one incredible thing that crossed my desk this week: Not Dead Yet, an environmental art installation just in time for Halloween, by Christina Cervantes.

Not Dead Yet
An environmental art installation by Christina Cervantes

In Person: Lowell, Massachusetts · October 23 to November 1, 2026

Online: NotDeadYet.Earth (The skeletons bring people in during October, but this site is meant to stay useful all year.)

The short version

Not Dead Yet is a free, 130-foot outdoor Halloween installation in Lowell. Giant skeletons, two towering pines and dramatic lighting tell a three-act story about climate change, protecting nature and renewal. A QR code at the installation sends visitors to NotDeadYet.Earth, where they can pick one thing to do: find a local group, support restoration, or learn how to vote with the planet in mind.

The story in three acts

Act I: The Warning. A giant skeleton half-buried among dead branches and dry grass, with skeleton animals around it. Song: “The Seed,” AURORA.*

Act II: The Choice. A giant skeleton wraps its arms around a living pine, lit from below. Song: “In My Body,” Bonnie Medicine.

Act III: The Future. A giant skeleton kneels beside a small one watering a sapling as the woodland comes back. Song: “Resilient,” Rising Appalachia.

*Thank you to Christina Cervantes and Not Dead Yet for listing UUMFE’s Climate Grief Support Group as a support resource in Act I. Interested in attending? Register here.

Human beings have so much capacity for creativity, and I experience our generative, creative power to be a quality that we inherited as creatures of Earth. What is life itself, if not raw creativity?

Creativity inherently contains rich potential. And so, when I witness an art installation with this level of mindful intention and tremendous potential to generate positive change, I am more than thrilled. I am filled with hope. I am joyful. I want to spread the good news.

So, here you are — here’s your “treat” for this week, if you’re planning to “trick or treat.” I hope you enjoy!

Until next month,

Rev. Lauren

Rev. Lauren Spivey Levwood, Executive Director, UUMFE (they/she)