Green Sanctuary Home Stretch!

Save the date for the Saturday, April 13th Butterfly Hike at Blue Wall Preserve, close to Inman!  Rain or cold date, April 27 –butterflies don’t fly in the rain or cold.

Together with over 200 congregations in the UUA, we work for justice in the natural world through the Green Sanctuary program.    Three years ago, we began this journey, and we will soon be an accredited UU Green Sanctuary.   Our Sunday services include earth-centered themes, and our church yard will soon be a Certified Wildlife Habitat, joining nearly 140,000 sites across the country certified by the National Wildlife Federation.  Individual church members have gotten our yards certified, and you can, too.  By providing food, water, cover and a place for wildlife to raise their young, you help wildlife, and are eligible for certification and a nice sign in your yard!  In the coming year, we look forward to our church and home surroundings becoming more welcoming to birds, insects, and mammals!  Get involved in our activities this spring as we celebrate 40 Days of Earth Day!  Eco-warrior Kits for Kids, April planting, both at church and at homes, butterfly walks and hikes, and much more, will complete our dozen projects. Look up
http://www.nwf.org/Home/How-to-Help/Garden-for-Wildlife.aspx
to learn how to have your own Certified Wildlife Habitat—and be sure to post your accomplishment on FB (church or church youth page).  

Organic Fair Trade Chocolate, Tea, and Coffee Sale:  January 6th, the first Sunday of 2013, we’ll have more cayenne-spicy hot cocoa mix, and several flavors of those great dark chocolate bars.  You can also get your month’s supply of  coffee and tea--if you’re in need of a soothing late night cup, ask for the green or chamomile tea! 

Social Justice Meeting: January 9 th, 7:00 (after WW Supper) to review and revise the Green Sanctuary Plan!   All are welcome—bring your ideas!  We’ve made great strides in this program, but it’s time to look back, see what we’ve done, what we’ve left undone, and decide how we’re going to finish the job!  Here’s a synopsis of our action plan, what’s done and what’s not. 

GREEN SANCTUARY ACTION PLAN
12 projects total required  (10 are in required areas, 2 can relate to the program elements of your choice)
6 1/2 projects done.   

A. WORSHIP & CELEBRATION:  2 PROJECTS req.
1) Project Title: Summer 2011 Worship Service by youth on mountaintop mining & Appalachian trip. completed July 2011
2) Project Title Description:  Justice Sunday 2012:Justice is the Human Right to Water
Not done. Timeline for completion  March 25, 2012
Long-term:  Justice Sunday could become an annual event for Green Sanctuary Program.

3) Project Title Earth Day Service and Church Celebration, (fun)
Description:  A Sunday service preceded by a church clean-up the day or week before,
 and followed by a fun festival. Timeline for completion: April 21, 2013 (may become an annual event)

B.  RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROJECTS:  2, 1 for adults, 1 for youth/children
Adults: Educate congregation on Environ. Issues & events with  Quarterly movie and/or lecture and discussion on Green Sanctuary topics on WW:
4) Winter 2010 and spring 2011, we focused on Coal & Appalachia (Done)

5) For fall 2011 through summer 2012, focus on Central America, birds, butterflies, coffee/organic coffee—incomplete

6) Fall 2012, focus on ethical eating (also falls under sustainable living)
all done but Feb. Vegetarian Cooking Classes for adults and/or youth

7) Youth:  Earth Scouts with adult participation. 
2012 Spring: acquire  and maintain certification for the church by the National Wildlife Federation & Monarch Watch as “Backyard Habitat Garden”: Not Done
 EVENT:  March 2012: Doug Allen’s Lecture /slides on butterflies and native plants for youth and adults, Done
Spring 2012: Visit butterfly gardens and Blue Wall Nature Preserve- Done
Spring: expand memorial garden located on the grounds with addition of native
plants: done
Offer opportunity to plant wildlife garden spots at their homes: not done. 
Assess before and after: How many church members/ youth have planted native plants? Can Earth Scouts do this assessment? 
Timeline for completion: Acquire certification as “backyard habitat in summer 2012; Not Done

C. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: 2 req., 1 long-term that actively promotes justice for those affected by environmental injustices and creates relationships w/ other org**

8) Appalachian Tragedy: Mountaintops and Miners: this year-long project educated and inspired our congregation.  Timeline:  June 2010- July 2011 (completed)
9) UUSC COffee Project—Long term  could be shared w/ other congregatons, either in WCC cluster  or Other Spartanburg congregation

10) NOVEMBER 2011. SMALL Fair Trade Church fair to purchase Christmas presents:
    Completion: December 2011 (done)

11)  Project Title: Service project:  Travel to Nicaragua for adults and youth
Description: Education on environmental issues (maximize people rather than wildlife issues) (e.g. shade grown coffee [organic coffee] vs. industrial coffee);
Education on social justice issues:   Timeline: Education of congregation on Nicaragua, begin Jan 2013
Trip to Nicaragua, Jan 2014; Lead people:  Susan Griswold, Nancy Mandlove

D. SUSTAINABLE LIVING: 4 req, 1 that addresses energy conservation*
    **6) (also under RE)  Fall 2012, focus on ethical eating: almost complete

12) Green Sanctuary Team will establish a presence on UUCS website to encourage participation in home and church projects to reduce energy use
Timeline: NOT begun in 2012

*13) Long range: Incorporate Green Practices into UUCS’s Master Landscape Plan
Timeline:  2012- 2014

14) Host church collection of members’ recyclable electronics, educate church members on how to recycle these safely
Timeline:  Complete in 2013

15) Energy and environmental improvements to the buildings
Timeline:  Ongoing

Outreach to LGBT Teens and More

Summer brings new experiences and new ideas!   Alice visited UUC Ogden in Utah, a breakthrough congregation with a 7-year old drop in center for GLBTQ teens and friends, seen above.   Housed in the church’s “lower level,” this bright and friendly place welcomes about 50 teens each week!   The volunteer coordinator, 21 year old Jackson, has been coming here since he was fourteen.    It’s open two afternoons a week, one including supper.  A relaxed atmosphere, comfortable chairs, and casual supper together all promote friendship and a feeling of community.   A resource center full of books, newspapers and magazines is much appreciated by teens.    Occasionally, the group presents a program at the public library.

At our July Social Justice Meeting, Alice shared information and pictures from this visit and the group seriously discussed the possibility of partnering with other groups in Sptg and also of applying for grants to fund a drop-in afternoon program.  This might begin with once or twice a month rather than weekly.  We will continue to gather information, discuss with incoming minister, and bring our findings to the Board in the coming months for their discussion.  Look for more on this at our next meeting, Aug. 22, 7:00.

Big Brother/Big Sister:  An excellent presentation from BB/BS staff focused on the needs of hispanic children in Spartanburg.   “You can make a difference for just one child in a few hours a week.”  Presenters passed around a sign up sheet for those who wanted additional information.

Recent Share the Plate  For June, we collected $220 for Spartanburg Habitat for Humanity.
In May, collections totaled  $280  for MSU CARES.   Thank you to all for your contributions!
Money in SJ budget for UPSTATE PRIDE   $200  for ad & donation to upcoming Pride Festival.

Freedom To Marry movie Coming Soon!

April 25th, 7:00 Freedom to Marry will be shown at the Social Justice meeting. “This uplifting and poignant documentary, shown in film festivals around the world, highlights a momentous, historical milestone when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom engaged in ground-breaking civil disobedience as he allowed same-sex couples to marry at San Francisco City Hall.”

At the May Congregational Meeting, we wil vote on the second Social Justice focus of the year, either Marriage Equality or Immigration Reform. The movie, the March 25th Justice Sunday on marriage equality, and an article coming in the May Unison are our congregational education on this issue. We have sent an invitation to everyone on the PFLAG mailing list to join us for the movie.

Our May 6th service is on immigration, and the May 2nd, 7 pm Book Club meeting hosts author Michel Stone talking about her new book, The Iguana Tree, a novel about a young Mexican couple trying to make a new life in the US. All are welcome to attend.

Below are some excerpts from the Justice Sunday sermon: Here is what Massachusetts supreme court chief justice Margaret Marshall said during the MA decision: "Without question, marriage enhances the 'welfare of the community.' It is a 'social institution of the highest importance.' ... Marriage also bestows enormous private and social advantages on those who choose to marry. Marriage is at once a deeply personal commitment to another human being and a highly public celebration of the ideals of mutuality, companionship, intimacy, fidelity, and family…. Because it fulfills yearnings for security, safe haven, and connection that express our common humanity, marriage is an esteemed institution, and the decision whether and whom to marry is among life’s momentous acts of self-definition..."
and a quote from a new bride:
"Being able to marry the woman I love was (and still is!) an amazing experience. As we stood up front with the minister, I could feel the love and support coming from our friend and family, and I knew that even as my love and I were pledging ourselves to each other, they were also pledging themselves to us. That's part of what makes a wedding so important: it's publicly asking your community to support the two of you in your journey together. I think that's why it's so important that we have the right to marry: so that we can publicly ask for the support and recognition that every couple needs. And in a world that has so many challenges, I think it's important to share our love with our community, too."

And Green Sanctuary news: Doug Allen led youth and adults on a wonderful hike at Blue Wall Preserve. We saw about a dozen species of butterflies, along with dragonflies, birds, two lakes, and a waterfall! Watch for May dates for a walk at Hatcher Gardens and a “Hilltopping Hike.” We are so lucky to have a resident butterfly expert!

Green Sanctuary April Dates

Plan ahead to participate in these intergenerational activities:
Butterfly Talk and Pictures with Doug Allen
Wednesday, April 11, at 7 PM & repeated Sunday, April 15, 12:15.
Easy Butterfly Hike at Blue Wall Preserve, Saturday, April 14, meet at 9 am at the church.

Need plants?
Hatcher Garden Plant Sales April 6-7, Fri & Sat (definitely want to go on Friday for best choice);
Spartanburg Men's Garden Club Plant Sale April 14
Upstate Chapter of SC Native Plant Society Sale April 28

March Social Justice Schedule

Love, Knit, Crochet Etc Friday Mar. 16, 9:30-11:30 am. All are welcome to join us for handwork,conversation, and a little meditation in the middle! We’ll finish current projects and plan our next ones. We’ve made baby clothes for Haiti and Spartanburg Children’s Home, scarves for the homeless, and shawls for our church members unable to attend Sunday service due to illness. If you'd like to learn knitting or crochet, we can teach you-- bring needles size 12 or J hook (we have yarn to learn on).

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER FOR March 31st annual gathering of the Western Carolinas Cluster of the Southeast District, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville. This is a special opportunity to share in a reunion of UU Civil Rights veterans of the 60’s! We are all invited-- register by March 15th.

Learn from our UU Civil Right Veterans and Prepare to lead your congregation forward in Immigrations Rights and Marriage Equality

Morning session with Civil Rights activist and dynamic speaker Dorothy Cotton who will involve UU ministers who served in southern congregations.
Afternoon: choose between two workshops for leading your congregation in social justice for Immigration Rights and Marriage Equality

Registration: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BVY7GX6
Cost of $25.00 includes lunch

Here’s just a little background on Dorothy Cotton (born 1930) from wikipeidia: She was a leader of the 1960s African-American Civil Rights Movement[1] and a member of the inner-circle of one of its main organizations, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). As the SCLC's Educational Director, she was arguably the highest ranked female member of the organization. This meeting would be worthwhile just for the opportunity to hear her speak!


Marriage Equality. Sunday, March 25th, is Justice Sunday, and we’re planning a service about marriage, and what marriage means to all of us, including LGBT folks, families, and friends.
We invite YOU to contribute and to participate—this opportunity is open to all our congregation, gay & straight alike -please talk to Rev Linda or send thoughts and ideas you would like to share to minister@uucs.org Be sure you indicate whether or not you would like your ideas to be acknowledged by name.
Have you attended a gay wedding yet? Do you have photos to share at our service? Please send your photos of GLBT weddings, commitment ceremonies, anniversary celebrations, and similar to socialjustice@uucs.org and Alice will weave them into a slide show for us to enjoy at the beginning of the service.

And regular Soc Jus meeting on March 28th, 7 pm-- again, all are welcome!

It's Official! Green Sanctuary Update!

The Green Sanctuary Accreditation requires completion of an application, 12 projects, and report of program. Although we had completed 3 projects and were in the middle of others, we had not completed the official application. That was submitted in January, and below is our acceptance letter! Now, on with the projects...

February 17, 2012

Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg
Green Sanctuary Team
210 Henry Place
Spartanburg, SC 29306


Dear Committee,

With this letter, the Unitarian Universalist Association, Office of Congregation Stewardship Services is very pleased to formally welcome the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg as a candidate to the Green Sanctuary Program. A Green Sanctuary Review Team has examined your application and is impressed with your plans for meeting the program goals.
Your environmental assessment format is adequate. We are excited to see that you have included an audit of households in addition to your audit of the church facilities. And we encourage you to re-do your congregational behavior survey after you complete or make significant progress on your Green Sanctuary projects as this will help you see what changes people have made in their lives. Additionally, we would love to see your congregation use Energy Star for Congregations (a free, on-line tool that helps you track/manage your energy usage) and find out what your base score is and then what your score is after implementing sustainable living projects
Your proposed projects for the Worship and Celebration focus area are appropriate for meeting the Green Sanctuary requirements. We hope to see the Earth Day service become an annual event in your congregational calendar. In addition, we encourage you to add more environmental themes to your worship on a regular basis – this might be by adding songs, readings, candles, reflections etc and might involve working more with the worship committee and minister.
We are excited to hear about your Religious Education projects. We encourage you find children’s films that you can show in conjunction with the adult environmental films..
We are excited to hear that you will be working on the issue of Mountain Top Removal, you may want to contact the Charlottesville, VA congregation for some additional ideas on how to engage in this effort. We encourage you to have those who participate in the trip to Nicaragua to lead a lay-led service about their experiences to share with the larger congregation.
Your sustainable living projects are well conceived and straight-forward. We encourage you to monitor results and share the results with your congregation and perhaps offer your Master Plan ideas to other area congregations. Additionally, you may want to consider using the program Energy Star for Congregations (available free, online) to continue to track your usage patterns and to get an Energy Star rating or to show your congregation how simple changes have improved your rating.
Overall, your program looks diverse, well balanced, and exciting. We look forward to your continuing progress as you work towards becoming a Green Sanctuary. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns as you move forward. Congratulations and welcome to the Green Sanctuary Program!

With Hope for the Earth,

Robin Nelson

Robin Nelson
Environmental Stewardship Manager, Congregational Stewardship Services
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108

Congregations and congregants working together to restore Earth and renew Spirit.