Rev. Douglas McCusker (he/him) is a retired Unitarian Universalist minister and cartographic systems engineer. As a volunteer with the Southeastern UU Summer Institute (SUUSI) he is on the Nature Staff as a Shin-rin Yoku (Forest Bathing) guide and on the Nurture Staff as a conflict mediator of the Healthy Relations Team. He is also an assistant trainer at the School of Outdoor Mindfulness at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. He lives with his spouse, Marie Lipscombe in North Adams, MA., and is a member of the UU Fellowship of Bennington, VT. Learn more about Doug here.
What inspired you to join the UUMFE board?
“…it is imperative that we maintain the ancient knowledge of our ancestors who lived close to nature and felt a spiritual connection with the life energy flowing through all beings.” – Rev. Doug McCusker
I have been a recipient of the good work of the UUMFE for a long time. As a lay person, my church went through the Green Sanctuary program and as a UU minister, I often used the UUMFE monthly worship materials in the worship services that I led. Now that I am retired, I felt that I had the time to devote to being on the board of this inspiring organization that blends my theology, recreation, and civic focus for the betterment of our planet. I am passionate about stewardship and advocacy for the more than human natural world. As a life-long hiker and backpacker, I feel at home when I am immersed in the splendor of the forest, or gliding down a river in a canoe, or hunting morels in the Spring.These days, with most of our everyday interactions migrating to screens, I feel it is imperative that we maintain the ancient knowledge of our ancestors who lived close to nature and felt a spiritual connection with the life energy flowing through all beings. I want to be on the Board of UUFME so that I can participate in a revival of spirit centered on our interdependence and Love of our one common home – Earth. As a practitioner of Shin-rin Yoku (forest bathing), it is my calling to bring human people back into communion with the natural world and to advocate for the sustainability of the balance of life on Earth for future generations of beings.
What is one program or strategic goal that you are most excited about in the next year?
Before I joined the Board, I was a regular attendee of the Full Moon Gatherings. The services are so uplifting and meaningful to me as a way to honor our existential connection to the Moon, which helps uphold life on this planet. And now that I am on the UUMFE Board and have started to get a glimpse into the needs of the organization for our long-term stability, I am excited about helping us connect with the people we serve so we can establish a long-lasting community that is fiscally healthy. We have a new forward-looking fundraising strategy that builds for the future while embracing those who already support the work that we do together. l think this will be a great vehicle for outreach and community building.
What does climate justice mean to you?
“As a species, we need to have a planetary consciousness that emphasizes reciprocity with the other-than-human natural world rather than the extraction-centered economy that has caused so much harm.” – Rev. Doug McCusker
I believe that climate justice encapsulates how we care for the common home that us humans share with all other beings. As a species, we need to have a planetary consciousness that emphasizes reciprocity with the other-than-human natural world rather than the extraction-centered economy that has caused so much harm. But this doesn’t happen overnight. We must spend more time outdoors immersed in the natural flow of the universe. That is why I have become a mindful outdoor guide to help people re-establish that spiritual connection with nature. I believe that people will protect what sustains them. I am also involved locally in a group called Green North Adams that is looking for ways for our city to care for our natural resources and promote greater interaction between its citizens and the natural beauty all around us. We recently got the city council to create a Sustainability Commission. I look forward to working collectively with my neighbors to develop a grassroots environmental strategy that brings businesses, consumers and leaders together for a more sustainable future.
