Podcasts about earth week

To the Ends of the Earth | Week 11 | The Gift of Conviction | Pastor Doug Myers | Life Center Tacoma Acts 20:22-25 (CSB) Acts 20:36-38 (CSB) Acts 21:1-14 (CSB) Conviction, commitment and clarity are not personality types. They are fruit of a surrendered life. Conviction doesn't DEMAND agreement - it INVITES witness Acts 4:19-20 (CSB) Commitment doesn't MINIMIZE the cost - it's the willingness to COUNT AND PAY it Hebrews 12:1-2 (CSB) Clarity when lived CONSISTENTLY becomes CONTAGIOUS Proverbs 3:5-6 (CSB) Luke 22:42 (CSB)

To the Ends of the Earth | Week 10 | Who Are You? | Pastor Josiah Thomas | Life Center Tacoma Acts 19:11-15 (CSB) Believe in the POWER of God Acts 19:11-12 (CSB) Know the PERSON of Jesus Acts 19:13-15 (CSB) Matthew 7:21-23 (CSB) Respond with ACTION Acts 19:16-20 (CSB) Luke 9:23-24 (CSB) Acts 19:20 (CSB) 2 Corinthians 5:17 (CSB)

To the Ends of the Earth | Week 9 | I Need All of It | Pastor Tyler Sollie | Life Center Tacoma We will never outgrow our need to be FORMED and FILLED - and the GRACE of JESUS provides both. Acts 18:23-28 (CSB) Acts 19:1-10 (CSB) We need to be FORMED Proverbs 9:9 (CSB) We need to be FILLED The Holy Spirit isn't OPTIONAL... He is ESSENTIAL The grace of Jesus doesn't just "GET us in", it also "GROWS us up" and "FILLS us up"

To the Ends of the Earth | Week 8 | The Unknown God | Pastor Wes Davis | Life Center Tacoma Acts 17:22-23 (NLT) God is the CREATOR of everything God made us for a RELATIONSHIP with Him Our sin is what SEPARATES us from God Level 1: Stranger Level 2: Acquaintance Level 3: Friend Level 4: Close Friend Level 5: Lifelong

To the Ends of the Earth | Week 6 | Praise in the Dungeon | Pastor Karina Torres | Life Center Tacoma Acts 16:16-24 (CSB) Acts 16:25 (CSB) Praise in the DUNGEON is an OVERFLOW of DEVOTION to God Psalm 100:1-5 (CSB) Acts 2:42 (CSB) We can praise in the DUNGEON when we have SURRENDERED CONTROL to God We can praise in the dungeon when we TRUST Him Proverbs 3:5-6 (CSB) We can praise in the dungeon when we SURRENDER our PRIDE 2 Samuel 6:20-22 (CSB) We can praise in the dungeon when we FIX OUR EYES ON HIM Psalm 3:1-8 (CSB) When we praise, others LEAN IN to LISTEN Acts 16:25 (CSB) When we praise in the dungeon, CHAINS are BROKEN Acts 16:25-34 (CSB) Philippians 4:12-13 (CSB)

To the Ends of the Earth | Week 5 | The God Who Guides | Pastor Tyler Sollie | Life Center Tacoma One thing we must settle in our heart: God KNOWS what He is DOING God KNOWS the PEOPLE we need Acts 16:1-5 (CSB) 2 Timothy 1:5 (CSB) God SPEAKS through what He has already REVEALED 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (CSB) God GUIDES through both 'NO' and 'YES' Acts 16:6-10 (CSB) God CALLS us to MOVE when it's CLEAR

To the Ends of the Earth | Week 4 | What Do We Do With Disagreements? | Pastor Tyler Sollie | Life Center Tacoma SHARP WORDS don't have to write the FINAL WORD Acts 15:36-41 (CSB) The TENSION: Who is RIGHT? The REALITY: Jesus' MISSION will move FORWARD The HOPE: The story isn't OVER 2 Timothy 4:11 (CSB)

An exciting and fascinating journey back into deep time to the very beginnings of North America. Celebrated annually on April 22, many organizations, communities, and schools extend the celebration of EARTH DAY into "Earth Week" or even "Earth Month" throughout April to maximize environmental action, community cleanups, and education. Let’s mark this international month of global awareness with the story of North America’s geological and geographical creation. Check out the YouTube version of this episode at https://youtu.be/RgYCm4Js-cs which has accompanying visuals including maps, charts, timelines, photos, illustrations, and diagrams. THE FROZEN RAPTOR by Mark Vinet (Novel mentioned in this episode) is available at https://amzn.to/3xFpY2a EARTH DAY books available at https://amzn.to/4u8LlUP Earth Month items available athttps://amzn.to/4cJ1EAE Plate Tectonics books available at https://amzn.to/3VKKkAE ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's HISTORICAL JESUS podcast at https://parthenonpodcast.com/historical-jesus Mark's TIMELINE video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MarkVinet_HNA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To the Ends of the Earth | Week 3 | What Are You Adding? | Pastor Tyler Sollie | Life Center Tacoma The moment we ADD ANYTHING to the Gospel, we LOSE the Gospel Acts 15:1-21 (CSB) The CLARITY: we are saved by GRACE alone, through FAITH alone, in CHRIST alone The CHALLENGE: CHRIST + ANYTHING = not the Gospel The CALL: keep Jesus ABOVE it ALL Jesus above IDOLATRY Jesus above INDULGENCE Jesus above INDIVIDUALISM

Celebrated annually on April 22, many organizations, communities, and schools extend the celebration of EARTH DAY into "Earth Week" or even "Earth Month" throughout April to maximize environmental action, community cleanups, and education. Let’s mark this international day of global awareness with the story of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan's 1519-22 epic voyage that opened trade routes connecting much of the world, including the North American continent. His monumental expedition was the first known circumnavigation of the Earth. Guest podcaster Charles Kimball of the «History of Southeast Asia» shares his views on the daring feats of this celebrated global adventurer! Check out the YouTube version of this episode at https://youtu.be/SZKSM8ZVxQ4 which has accompanying visuals including maps, charts, timelines, photos, illustrations, and diagrams. EARTH DAY books available at https://amzn.to/4u8LlUP Earth Month items available athttps://amzn.to/4cJ1EAE Ferdinand Magellan books available at https://amzn.to/3IpV5Vf ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's HISTORICAL JESUS podcast at https://parthenonpodcast.com/historical-jesus Mark's TIMELINE video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MarkVinet_HNA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, in honour of Earth Day, we're sharing something a little different on rabble radio: a series of soundscapes, taking you across the world, visiting rabble staff and friends, old and new, in nature.  As the national director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Sandra Schwartz   recently shared on the Courage My Friends podcast series: "There is good scientific evidence to show that time in nature reduces stress. It creates a sense of community. It creates a sense of wanting to protect what's around you too."  We hope you enjoy this week's episode and that it encourages you to get out and appreciate the nature surrounding you—not just this Earth Week, but all year long. Take a listen.  Featured in this week's episode are:  Nick Seebruch, editor Sarah Sahagian, publisher  Gabriela Calugay-Casuga, labour reporter  Karishma Joshi, digital engagement producer  Breanne Doyle, podcast producer  Stephen Wentzell, former national politics reporter  Bridget Potasky, former Jack Layton Journalism for Change fellow (2025/26)  Bryan Carney, technical lead  Mads Bayliss, administrative assistant

Earth is alive with sound. This week on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, we celebrate Earth Week with music that breathes, roams, and takes root. Fourteen artists. One green hour. Let's go. It's the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #756. Subscribe now at CelticMusicPodcast.com! Santiago Molina, The Here & Now, The Irish Lassies, Brad The Piper, Kevin Herron, Cedar Dobson Music, Clare Sands, Chloe Matharu, Ed Yother, Kellys Wayke, Voice of Lir, Bealtaine, Reilly, Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes Marc Gunn, Santiago Molina, The Irish Lassies, Kevin Herron, Cedar Dobson, Chloe Matharu, Kellys Wayke, Bealtaine, Clare Sands GET CELTIC MUSIC NEWS IN YOUR INBOX The Celtic Music Magazine is a quick and easy way to plug yourself into more great Celtic culture. Enjoy seven weekly news items with what's happening with Celtic music and culture online. Subscribe now and get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2026 This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create this year's Best Celtic music episode. You have just three weeks to vote this year. Vote Now! THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC 0:06 - Santiago Molina "Acá y ahora" from Desde un nuevo lugar 3:12 - WELCOME 5:07 - The Here & Now "Three" from Ladybird 9:11 - The Irish Lassies "Redwood Shepherd" from Immigration Stories 12:39 - Brad The Piper "Carswell" from The Forgotten Game 16:24 - Ó hEaráin "On My Mind" 20:44 - FEEDBACK 23:21 - Cedar Dobson "Acapela" from Decade 28:43 - Clare Sands "Abair Liom do Rúin feat. Tommy Sands" from Clare Sands 33:21 - Chloe Matharu "Butterfly" from Sailors and Rolling Stones 38:53 - Ed Yother "Jack Tar" from First Figure 41:19 - THANKS 42:48 - Kellys Wayke "The Wild Rover" from Kellys Wayke 47:52 - Voice of Lir "Achil Aire" from Aislingeach 51:14 - Bealtaine "Be Free" from It's Pronounced Bealtaine 54:38 - Reilly "Man Of Extraordinary Persuasion" from Durty Pool 57:32 - CLOSING 58:33 - Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes "Four Thousand Weeks" from Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes 1:01:38 - CREDITS Support for this program comes from Hank Woodward. Support for this program comes from Dr. Annie Lorkowski of Centennial Animal Hospital in Corona, California. Support for this program comes from John Sharkey White, II. Support for this program comes from International speaker, Joseph Dumond, teaching the ancient roots of the Gaelic people. Learn more about their origins at Sightedmoon.com Support for this program comes from Cascadia Cross Border Law Group, Creating Transparent Borders for more than twenty five years, serving Alaska and the world. Find out more at   www.CascadiaLawAlaska.com The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather and our Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. Visit our website to follow the show. You'll find links to all of the artists played in this episode. Todd Wiley is the editor of the Celtic Music Magazine. Subscribe to get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. Plus, you'll get 7 weekly news items about what's happening with Celtic music and culture online. Best of all, you will connect with your Celtic heritage. Please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor. Clean energy isn't just good for the planet. It's good for your wallet. Solar and wind are now the cheapest power sources in history. Earth Week is a good reminder of what we stand to lose — and what we're fighting to protect. The science is clear. Human activity is driving climate change. Record heat. Rising seas. Disappearing seasons. And yet too many politicians would rather protect billionaire energy interests than help working families lower their bills. Real change starts when we stop letting the ultra - rich write our energy policy. Support clean energy. Reduce your waste. Talk to your elected leaders. Every choice moves us toward a future that's more affordable, more free, and a planet that can actually breathe. The power to fix this is ours. Let's use it. Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/. WELCOME TO THE IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST * Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. I am Marc Gunn. I'm a Celtic musician and also host of Pub Songs & Stories. Every song has a story, every episode is a toast to Celtic and folk songwriters. Discover the stories behind the songs from the heart of the Celtic pub scene. This podcast is for fans of all kinds of Celtic music. We are here to build a diverse Celtic community and help the incredible artists who so generously share their music with you. If you hear music you love, please email the artists to let them know you heard them on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. These musicians are not part of some corporation. They are small indie groups that rely on people just like you to support their music so they can keep creating it. Please show your generosity. Buy a CD, Album Pin, Shirt, Digital Download, or join their community on Patreon. You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes, along with show times, when you visit our website at celticmusicpodcast.com. SPRING CELTIC CHALLENGE The Spring Celtic Challenge started on April 1. That means you are three weeks in — maybe four, depending on how you're counting. Either way, you have been at this for nearly a month. Think about that for a second. Twenty minutes a day. Music in your ears. At least one piece of litter off the ground every time you walked out the door. That adds up to something real. This is the last challenge reminder. No new episode next week, so you are on your own. But the challenge does not pause just because the podcast does. You know what to do. Step outside. Walk twenty minutes. Pick up one piece of trash. Put on some Celtic music if you need a nudge. If you've been working on the community knotwork or sharing your challenge art, keep going. Tag it, share it, celebrate it. You're building something with this community, step by step. Nearly a month down. Finish strong. Let me know how it's going. Email me at follow@bestcelticmusic. I'd love to hear from you. THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST! This show exists because of you. Every episode… the music, the production, the Celtic Music Magazine, the effort to find and support independent artists from around the world. It all runs on the generosity of our Patrons of the Podcast. Your support pays for audio engineering and graphics. It helps us buy music directly from independent Celtic artists. It keeps this community growing week after week. And in return, you get something good. Early access to episodes. Music - only editions. Free downloads. Exclusive content. And the power to vote for your favorite tracks, which shapes the show in a real way. A special thanks to our new and continued patrons: Claire Fitzpatrick, Cecilia LaBonte HERE IS YOUR THREE STEP PLAN TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST Go to our Patreon page. Decide how much you want to pledge every month, $4, $12, $25. Keep listening to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast to celebrate Celtic culture through music. You can become a generous Patron of the Podcast on Patreon at SongHenge.com. TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. Learn more about the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/ #celticmusic #irishmusic #celticmusicpodcast I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? Send me a picture of what you're doing while listening? Or while you're doing your Spring Celtic Challenge. Email me at follow@bestcelticmusic. Richard L Boyce emailed: "Hi Marc, On one of your recent podcasts, you mentioned putting together a show using music by people who just love to get together and play tunes. If you are still serious about that, I'm going to recommend you check out the sets put together by the Riley School of Irish Music (https://rileyirishmusic.com/school - tunes) in Cincinnati, OH. Our school has been going for more than 25 years. We meet on Saturdays in a local church and teach Irish music to both kids and adults. We have long provided the spark that's created local Irish bands that play for listening and for dances in our area. The School's run mainly by amateurs who simply love the music. The sets of tunes on our website are put together each quarter by the teachers at the school. We teach tunes by ear, and so we want our students to be have lots of opportunities to hear them. While they have been recorded for teaching, I think some of them are pretty good! I'm a flute teacher at the school, so I may be biased, as I'm on some the recordings. In any case, take a listen to some of the tracks and see if you like anything. Regards," Justine Mccarthy emailed: "Hello Marc, I recall from a podcast sometime in the past few months,  you asked listeners to record themselves playing music and sending you the recordings: Is this Audio, video or either? We are a humble group but would love to send you a recording of our band "Wild Thyme' for the website. Do we just send it by email to you as an audiophile or video? I've been a Patron for several years, and listen while riding my training bike in the basement! Thank you so much for this priceless resource!"  

It is Earth Week! In this illuminating episode, we sit down with Dr. Christina Rahm—scientist, formulator, and founder of The Root Brands—to explore the powerful connection between detoxification and disease prevention. Drawing from her background in biomedical science and integrative health, Dr. Rahm breaks down how environmental toxins, stress, and nutrient depletion contribute to chronic illness—and what we can do to reverse the damage. She shares her unique approach to cellular regeneration, immune support, and the protocols she's developed to help the body heal at a foundational level. We also dive into the science behind some of her most talked-about formulations, including immune defense and adaptogenic supplements. If you've ever wondered how to truly protect your health in a toxic world—or how to feel vibrant and energized at any age—this episode is your roadmap to prevention, purification, and long-term vitality. For more information about Dr. Rahm: drchristinarahm.com For more information about her company go to: TheRootbrands.com And follow Dr. Christina Rahm on Instagram: @drchristinarahm Follow us on Instagram: @every.body.talks @jenngiamo @schully Subscribe to our YouTube channel! Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening. Apple Podcasts Spotify Be sure to leave a 5 star rating! It really helps grow the show. If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be amazing!

A new CNET survey finds nearly one in four old tech devices are simply thrown away in the trash, which can be dangerous and even illegal... For Earth Day, tips on recycling all of those digital gadgets you probably have lying around (at 14:08) --- What better way to appreciate the significance of Earth Week and protecting the beauty of nature than by getting out there and exploring it for Celebrate Trails Day (at 23:16) --- The Hancock County Common Pleas Court is also holding a Safe Surrender Day of their own this week... With some important differences from the Municipal Court's event (at 43:06)

Bella Pike from Ecolibrium3 talks about the upcoming Earth Week events

04/21/26: Jen Pickett is the Recycling Coordinator for the City of Fargo and Mary Aldrich is the Sales Manager for MinnKota Enviroservices. They're getting ready for Earth Week and join Joel on "News and Views" to speak to the events and promotions, and answer your recycling questions. (Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, “News & Views,” can be heard weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. Follow Joel on X/Twitter @JoelKFGO.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacqui Ulrich, Director of Conservation and Experiential Programming at the Forest Preserves of Cook County, joins Lisa Dent to talk about the events that the Forest Preserves of Cook County are hosting this week for Earth Week.

Earth Day, Earth Week, and my preferred, Earth Year. Let's pretend to join the Artemus II crew for a wild 300,000 mile journey to the dark side of the moon for an Earth rise.

A 25 year old religion accommodation settlement is about to become state law -- Earth Week events -- Window of Officer Eric Estrada thanks community for support

To the Ends of the Earth | Week 2 | Paul's First Missionary Journey | Pastor Eric Boles | Life Center Tacoma Prepare for the JOURNEY Acts 13:1-3 (CSB) Declare the MESSAGE Acts 13:14-41 (CSB) Understand the RESPONSE Acts 13:42-52 (CSB)

Bella Pike from Ecolibrium3 talks about the many upcoming Earth Week events

We are knee-deep in Earth Week and today, we're answering a listener question from our DMs about starting seeds in milk jugs!  From DIY greenhouses to turning other recycling bin favourites into garden tools. Get ready to "reduce, reuse, and regrow".SPRINGO Episode: Click HereDepression Garden Episode: Click HereCONNECT WITH US Show Notes | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.goldenacre.ca/podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thehelpfulgardenerspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a Voice Note: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.goldenacre.ca/podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SPONSORED BY GOLDEN ACRE HOME & GARDEN Golden Acre Home & Garden is open 362 a year for all your home and garden needs. Head online or visit us in store in Calgary, AB. ⁠www.goldenacre.ca⁠  CREDITS Hosted by: Brandi Warren & Colin Hayles Voiceover by: Kaelan Shimp⁠⁠ Music by: Forestmusic 

It's Earth Week on the pod, and these two peas are on the road at the CORE Shopping Centre in downtown Calgary. We're celebrating our beautiful planet by showcasing ideas and Earth friendly products. What's on Colin's 'favourites' list? Come see Colin with Golden Acre Home & Garden at The CORE in downtown Calgary all this week!CONNECT WITH US Show Notes | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.goldenacre.ca/podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thehelpfulgardenerspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a Voice Note: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.goldenacre.ca/podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SPONSORED BY GOLDEN ACRE HOME & GARDEN Golden Acre Home & Garden is open 362 a year for all your home and garden needs. Head online or visit us in store in Calgary, AB. ⁠www.goldenacre.ca⁠  CREDITS Hosted by: Brandi Warren & Colin Hayles Voiceover by: Kaelan Shimp⁠⁠ Music by: Forestmusic 

To the Ends of the Earth | Week 1 | The God of the Unexpected | Pastor Tyler Sollie | Life Center Tacoma When the UNEXPECTED hits, the Church CLINGS to the God who can be TRUSTED Acts 12:1-11 (CSB) Unexpected PROBLEMS Unexpected PEACE Unexpected POWER Acts 12:24 (CSB)

Earth Week begins next Saturday, but West Side neighbors are already getting into the spirit with a ‘Green Fest' happening this weekend in Wicker Park.

Earth Week begins next Saturday, but West Side neighbors are already getting into the spirit with a ‘Green Fest' happening this weekend in Wicker Park.

Earth Week begins next Saturday, but West Side neighbors are already getting into the spirit with a ‘Green Fest' happening this weekend in Wicker Park.

On today's show, we learn that it's not just voters who aren't turning out to the polls in Arkansas-- it's candidates, too. Also, we explore a new exhibit of facsimiles that allows us to see what texts from hundreds of years ago looked like. Plus, we hear from Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders about her goals for the upcoming fiscal session of the state legislature.

Between Heaven & Earth | Week 3 | From Believer to Disciple | Kevin Brown We are so thankful for all of you who are part of our online family… To connect with Oaks further, please contact us at info@oakschurch.com. Don't forget that we have services every Sunday at 9:30a & 11a CST. You can join us online at https://www.youtube.com/c/OaksChurch/videos or you can come enjoy what God is doing in-person! Don't forget to visit us at https://www.oakschurch.com where you can give towards our mission and learn more about what Oaks is doing to spread the Message of Jesus.

Between Heaven & Earth | Week 2 | Prayer Essentials | Pat Willie We are so thankful for all of you who are part of our online family… To connect with Oaks further, please contact us at info@oakschurch.com. Don't forget that we have services every Sunday at 9:30a & 11a CST. You can join us online at www.youtube.com/c/OaksChurch/videos or you can come enjoy what God is doing in-person! Don't forget to visit us at www.oakschurch.com where you can give towards our mission and learn more about what Oaks is doing to spread the Message of Jesus.

Between Heaven & Earth | Week 1 | Can You Dig It? | Pastor Tyler Wooten We are so thankful for all of you who are part of our online family… To connect with Oaks further, please contact us at info@oakschurch.com. Don't forget that we have services every Sunday at 9:30a & 11a CST. You can join us online at https://www.youtube.com/c/OaksChurch/videos or you can come enjoy what God is doing in-person! Don't forget to visit us at https://www.oakschurch.com where you can give towards our mission and learn more about what Oaks is doing to spread the Message of Jesus.

No one could have predicted that Jesus would come in the way He did. The circumstances surrounding His birth were unexpected, scandalous, and even chaotic. But every detail of His birth was all part of God's plan. The good news of Jesus' birth isn't just that He came but how He came. How Jesus came reveals why He came. The way He came reveals the true character and mission of God. Join us this Sunday for the start of the Christmas sermon series!

No one could have predicted that Jesus would come in the way He did. The circumstances surrounding His birth were unexpected, scandalous, and even chaotic. But every detail of His birth was all part of God's plan. The good news of Jesus' birth isn't just that He came but how He came. How Jesus came reveals why He came. The way He came reveals the true character and mission of God. Join us this Sunday for the start of the Christmas sermon series!

Compassion | To The Ends Of The Earth | Week 3 | Pastor Jared Callahan & Charles Kigotho

No one could have predicted that Jesus would come in the way He did. The circumstances surrounding His birth were unexpected, scandalous, and even chaotic. But every detail of His birth was all part of God's plan. The good news of Jesus' birth isn't just that He came but how He came. How Jesus came reveals why He came. The way He came reveals the true character and mission of God. Join us this Sunday for the start of the Christmas sermon series!

No one could have predicted that Jesus would come in the way He did. The circumstances surrounding His birth were unexpected, scandalous, and even chaotic. But every detail of His birth was all part of God's plan. The good news of Jesus' birth isn't just that He came but how He came. How Jesus came reveals why He came. The way He came reveals the true character and mission of God. Join us this Sunday for the start of the Christmas sermon series!

Dreams of Judea | To The Ends Of The Earth | Week 2 | Jared Callahan

In this episode we explore the Advent theme of Hope. while working through Jonah 1:1-8. This passage explores Jonah fleeing from God's call, and the great storm that Jonah encounters. From our conversation on Jonah 1:1–8, we see that Jonah's limited understanding of God's presence may have shaped his reluctance to respond to God's call. Believing he could escape God, Jonah attempted to flee from the Lord's presence. Yet the hope in this passage is unmistakable: God is ever-present, and God pursues. God pursued Nineveh through Jonah, and God pursued Jonah through the storm. Just as God sought to draw near to Nineveh by inviting Jonah to participate in restoring their relationship through his prophecy, God still desires to draw near to all people today. The question, then, is this: Are we willing to answer God's call in our own lives and allow ourselves to be instruments of relational restoration?

Jerusalem First | To The Ends Of The Earth | Week 1 | Ryan Gray

Talking about your faith can feel intimidating, especially when you're worried about being misunderstood, sounding pushy, or not knowing what to say. Many of us hesitate in moments that actually matter because we're unsure how to bring up spiritual things in a way that feels natural and respectful. This message explores how to approach those conversations with clarity, compassion, and confidence. You'll learn how to recognize when the moment is right, how to begin without pressure or awkwardness, and how to talk about what you believe in a way that others can genuinely hear.

It's not always easy to tell what God wants you to do, especially when you feel a nudge or idea but can't tell if it's from God or just from yourself. Most of us want clarity about our purpose, but we aren't always sure how God actually guides regular, everyday people. In this message, we look at what the Bible shows about how God leads us—how to discern the difference between our own desires and His prompting, how the people around us help bring clarity, and how our experiences and opportunities might be pointing toward the next step He has for our lives.

The Book of Acts- To the Ends of the Earth (Week 9 - Acts 3:17-26) by North Valley Church

The Book of Acts: To the Ends of the Earth (Week 8: Acts 3:11-16) by North Valley Church

As a lay leader of Traverse City Presbyterian Church, Linda Racine and a team of enthusiastic congregants prompted her church to start on a journey toward effective climate action. You can read about their commitment to creation care and learn about their 3 bright ideas for reducing carbon emissions in this congregation-led video. Traverse City Presbyterian took advantage of tools like the Interfaith Power and Light Carbon Assessment to understand their own energy use.Learn more about how Linda's denomination, the PCUSA, has committed to climate solutions in their Earth Pledge.Linda is also part of the Michigan Citizens Climate Lobby, which has local chapters all over the country.Many thanks to Linda and all the other terrific people who graciously hosted us when we visited Traverse City!Linda RacineTRANSCRIPTLinda Racine In 2022, there were multiple policies or overtures passed focused on creation care, and it really put out an alarm, saying “It's serious, folks, the Earth is really in trouble. So we need to take strong action.” And they were encouraging all churches to reduce their carbon emissions by at least 25% in the next four years and get it down to net zero or net positive by 2030.Debra RienstraWow. That's ambitious.Linda RacineVery ambitious. But a group of interested folks at church looked at that and said, “Let's do it. Let's go for it.”Debra Rienstra Welcome to the Refugia Podcast. I'm your host, Professor Debra Rienstra. Refugia are habitats in nature where life endures in times of crisis. We're exploring the concept of refugia as a metaphor, discovering how people of faith can become people of refugia: nurturing life-giving spaces in the earth, in our human cultural systems, and in our spiritual communities, even in this time of severe disturbance. This season, we're paying special attention to churches and Christian communities who have figured out how to address the climate crisis together as an essential aspect of their discipleship. Today, I'm talking with Linda Racine from the Presbyterian Church in Traverse City, Michigan. Linda happens to be Michigan co-coordinator for Citizen Climate Lobby, a role she adopted after a long career in academia. But I'm talking with Linda today in her role as a lay leader at the church. Traverse City Presbyterian, in many ways, is an ordinary congregation, but they are doing extraordinary work, integrating climate action into every aspect of church life. They have heat pumps, solar panels, native plantings, a pocket forest, educational programs and more. Their story demonstrates the importance of active pastoral and lay leadership, broad community buy-in, and denominational commitments. Linda will tell us their story. Let's get started.Debra RienstraLinda, thank you for talking with me today.Linda RacineOh, glad to be here.Debra RienstraIt's great to be here in your beautiful home, here in Traverse City. Thank you for your hospitality today, and I'm really excited to talk about the work of Traverse City Presbyterian Church. So I know you've been involved in the church for a long time. Maybe tell us a little bit about your personal background and how long you've been involved in the church.Linda Racine Oh, I think I joined about 25 years ago. We used we had been members at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church just down the street here, and it was actually our oldest son who was in high school at the time, going through confirmation class, and a lot of his friends were going to the Presbyterian Church, and he really wanted to go, and for a variety of reasons, we said, “Let's check it out.” And we've been members since. That was 25 years ago.Debra Rienstra Yeah, so you have been around for all of the adventures that your church has had in their creation care work. Yes, so let's start with that spark point. We're really interested in finding how these things begin with a church. So can you think back to the moment when something happened at the church that people began to work in earnest to respond to climate change as a community. What was that spark point for Traverse City Presbyterian?Linda Racine The thing that really kicked it off was Laura Jacobson, who manages/schedules things for our Wednesday night adult education, came to me because she knew I was really involved in Citizens Climate Lobby, which is a non-partisan volunteer organization. And, “Would you do a session on climate?” I wanted to, but I was also a little hesitant, just because, sadly, climate has become so politicized, and our church has had a long history—we're a purple church, check your politics at the door, and I was concerned about how people might receive it. So, I put together a presentation very thoughtfully about “How do I make this as non-political as possible?” But the heading for it was “Caring for God's Creation: a faith based approach to climate change.” I wasn't sure how it would go over. And at that time, we were getting maybe 20 people coming on Wednesday nights. 65 people came. The room was packed. So clearly there was a lot of interest.Debra Rienstra What year was this?Linda Racine It was like January of 2020, right before Covid hit.Debra Rienstra Goodness.Linda Racine So anyway, the evening went really well. Kind of started with a very broad based, here's what Scripture says. Here's what—oh, we did the Katharine Hayhoe video, which—she takes such a broad view of every faith tradition has something important to say about our responsibility to care for creation and for one another. So Katharine Hayhoe, then the Pope, and you know, went through some different traditions and how they're responding. And then did some information about what PCUSA was doing, which was new to me. I didn't really know what all our denomination—because it had never been talked about in our church. So went through that and offered the idea that our denomination has a certification process for creation care teams. And by the end, people were saying, “Let's do this!” There was an impromptu—somebody grabbed a piece of paper and pen, and “Who wants to be a part of the team?” And we got, I don't know, eight or 10 names on that list. Quickly got together and said, “Well, what do we want to do? Let's pitch it to our session.” So February's meeting, we had a proposal, and they all said, “Absolutely, let's go for it.” So that's what started it.Debra Rienstra What do you think prepared people to be that enthusiastic after one session? What was going on in the church? What are the congregation members like that makes you look back on that and say, “Yeah, we were somehow primed or prompted or ready for that moment.”Linda Racine I think that's hard to say. Our church has always—I guess what drew me to the church initially is it was really clear this was a community that really walked the talk. It wasn't coming on Sunday to check a box, but really genuinely living their faith. And people of faith were called to care for creation. And so I think that was a strong ethic that people had anyway. And clearly, by 2020, we're seeing, “Oh my gosh, this earth is in trouble.” That was pretty clear. And so, just to have a topic on—let's gather on Wednesday night and talk about it. I think people were ready.Debra Rienstra Fascinating, yeah. And I wonder if, because up north here in Michigan, this beautiful area of Michigan, people are very aware of the outdoors. So many people care a lot about the natural world around here and enjoy it. Summer up here is so beautiful. So I wonder if it was just a little bit of a more natural leap there.Linda Racine I think you've got a point there. People are drawn to this area because of its natural amazingness. And so there is a strong environmental ethic here. I mean, look at the land conservancy: all the explosion since that launched back in the 90s, I believe. The number of just natural areas that have been preserved, the whole Sleeping Bear sand dunes could have been development, but that has been preserved. There is a strong environmental ethic here. No question.Debra Rienstra Yeah, yeah. So what happened next? How did you go about inviting the whole congregation into a process that—you didn't know what was going to happen next. You have this spark moment. But then what happened?Linda Racine I think the structure of the certification process really drove that. It's so solid. When a church decides to do that, you're committing to really look at how you manage your facilities, how your worship embraces this, how your education programs, and advocacy—that's always been the toughest one. But those four areas. First you assess, where are we now? And then, what are your church's goals? And so that involved, in order to do that and to get all the committees in the church involved: what are you doing currently, and what would you like to do? What would you like to see happen in the next year? So every committee was involved in setting goals. The pastor support was critical. Oh my gosh, without that, this wouldn't have gone anywhere. Pastors have been, right from the beginning, very supportive. One Sunday, the whole church read the pledge.Debra Rienstra The Earth Care Pledge from the Presbyterian Church, okay.Linda Racine Yeah, yeah. So people were aware that that was going on. And then people have different interests. “I'm really excited about this piece of it or that piece of it.” So always open to anyone who wants to jump in and get involved to do that. But I think it's the discipline, the structure and the discipline, of that certification process that keeps us on track.Debra Rienstra Okay, yeah, and it sounds like you were able to get that certification pretty quickly, because you've had it since 2020, so pretty quickly you got the certification.Linda Racine Yeah, I think that first year, we filled out all the forms and sent goals, and then you submit that and get the certification, they review it at the denominational level,Debra Rienstra Yeah. So it seems, from all the conversations I've had with church folks this weekend that the physical plant aspects became a big part of it, first, as well as the landscaping and grounds aspects. So talk a little bit about the processes of those things happening.Linda Racine Well, one of the first projects that first year was converting pieces of ground. We had a bed out front that was dying. Some of the bushes were dying. And a couple of our church members, Gary Richardson and Cheryl Gross, were aware of a National Wildlife Federation grant opportunity. And so Gary was a member of Building and Grounds and took the idea to that committee, and they were all supportive of it. So we submitted the grant. We got $1,500 to get us started. And so work crews showed up. We ripped out the old plants. Then that also connected to the education piece. That's one of one of those other four areas. Our children's education person was absolutely passionate. So the Vacation Bible School that summer focused on pollinators. So we did a whole education piece on the role of pollinators and their importance, and then the kids helped plant the new pollinator garden.Debra Rienstra Yeah, awesome.Linda Racine Yeah. It was fabulous.Debra Rienstra So it sounds like what we need is enthusiasm across the leadership. Yeah. And the leadership working together.Linda Racine Absolutely.Debra Rienstra And I think you folks at this church have so many—not only enthusiastic, but really skilled leaders. You have organization experience. You have Cheryl, who does native plants as a passion. I had a wonderful tour today with Randy, who was excited about boilers and transferring those to heat pumps, which was so delightful to hear about. And at some point, the church made this wonderful video, which we'll link in the show notes, explaining the goals—the three bright ideas, goals. So talk about how that happened.Linda Racine That was triggered by our denomination's policy, where, as a denomination, delegates meet every two years to look at policy for the church. And in 2022, there were multiple policies or overtures passed focused on creation care, and it really put out an alarm, saying, “It's serious, folks. The earth is really in trouble, so we need to take strong action.” And they were encouraging all churches to reduce their carbon emissions by at least 25% in the next four years and get it down to net zero or net positive by 2030.Debra Rienstra Wow, that's ambitious.Linda Racine Very ambitious. But a group of interested folks at church looked at that and said, “Let's do it. Let's go for it.” So you need to start—understand where you are first before you can reduce something. So we use the Interfaith Power and Light carbon assessment. And Chris Wendland, who you met, really drove that train, and she and Randy both worked with staff to gather all the—here's our electric bills and our gas bills and all the stuff needed to submit that. And so then we got this feedback about, “Here's where you are.” And then it was, “Okay, now what do we do?” And so another church member said, “Let's talk with Tim Pulliam,” who was—he's the owner, executive, I don't know what his title, but he runs Keen Technical Solutions who, for I don't know, 25 years have been really focused on clean energy transformation.Debra Rienstra This is also a member of the church?Linda Racine Tim Pulliam is not, but it was a church member who recommended him. So Tim brought a team of folks in and looked at all this stuff, and they said, “Well, the thing you could—that would make the biggest impact the quickest would be changing all your lighting to LED.” So that seemed like a no brainer. We also had this ancient boiler that was ready to die any minute, and people were starting to panic about that. And so, okay, we got to do something there. And then there were a lot of people in the church saying, “Can we put solar panels up?” Because there's so many great things about the solar. Not only is it good for the clean energy, but it's also a public statement. It really is a public witness, and it helps normalize, because there's still so many people out there who think, “Oh, this is Northern Michigan. You can't— solar is worthless here.” Well, actually, it's not.Debra Rienstra Actually, it's not, especially because we have such very long summer days.Linda Racine Yes, yeah. And so anyway, there was a lot of enthusiasm around that. So kind of gathered after Sunday, after church on Sunday, anybody who wanted to come and talked about, “Well, here's what the report said, and what do we think?” And so there was interest in all three of those ideas. So we created task forces. People said, “Yeah, I'll work on this.” And everybody, the groups, had about three months to do their homework, come back with, “Here's what we think the options are and what it's going to cost.” And that in about April of that year, we heard what people had to say, and people wanted to do all three.Debra Rienstra Yeah, that's just amazing. Was there resistance at all? Were there people who were resistant?Linda Racine I'm not remembering that. Maybe they weren't showing up at the meetings. Are they quiet? I don't know. I don't remember. I mean, there's always questions about, “Well, will solar really work?” There were questions about, “Well, can we afford it?” And that was maybe the biggest concern. But people had done quite a bit of research on that, and between the very low interest loans that our denomination offers—that was huge, the potential for grants. And we did end up getting an $80,000 grant from our local utility. And then at that time there were IRA dollars available. That's a question mark right now, but the combination of that, and then when you look at the energy savings, it's like, “Okay, what we're going to save in electric bills is probably going to be pretty darn close to covering our monthly loan payment.” So when people saw that, it was like, collective, “Okay, sure, this is doable.”Debra Rienstra So at that point was the video made at that point?Linda Racine Yes, because the next step was, “Okay. So we've got maybe 50 people in the room. We've got 600 people in the church. How do we get everybody involved?” So putting together a strategy for really getting everyone enthused about it. And so the idea for the video came up. And Ray Starkenberg and her dad are professional videographers.Debra Rienstra Once again, talent in the congregation.Linda RacineOh my gosh. And so they took that project on. And you've seen the video, it's just amazing. The storytelling is so well done.Debra Rienstra It's playful, it's persuasive, it's full of facts. And I love the theme, you know, “the time is now” is the theme of the video, and the involvement of kids in the video saying their piece, saying, “This is about me and my future. Please help.” It's just—and that combined with the playfulness, it's just brilliant.Linda Racine It's a good balance, isn't it? Yeah. And a couple things about that. One member of the church, after seeing the video, said, “If this was just about buying a new boiler, I wouldn't be that enthused. But this is about the future. There was so much enthusiasm in the church after really hearing the whole story and the possibilities there. I do want to mention, that theme, “the time is now,” that's right out of the overture that was passed by our general assembly.Debra Rienstra Yeah. Once again, that denominational leadership is so important.Linda Racine Yeah, that was in that very first overture in 2022 talking about how serious this moment in time is and the time is now to act.Debra Rienstra Hi, it's me, Debra. If you are enjoying this podcast episode, go ahead and subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. If you have a minute, leave a review. Good reviews help more listeners discover this podcast. To keep up with all the Refugia news, I invite you to subscribe to the Refugia newsletter on Substack. This is my fortnightly newsletter for people of faith who care about the climate crisis and want to go deeper. Every two weeks, I feature climate news, deeper dives, refugia sightings and much more. Join our community at refugianewsletter.substack.com. For even more goodies, including transcripts and show notes for this podcast, check out my website at debrarienstra.com. D-E-B-R-A-R-I-E-N-S-T-R-A dot com. Thanks so much for listening. We're glad you're part of this community. And now back to the interview.Debra RienstraSo how was the video used and disseminated?Linda Racine We started doing some meetings, just in homes, small groups, eight or 10 people. Showing the video, and then having a discussion. And that was the first step, and getting people's questions answered, and then Sunday morning it was in the service. And, wow.Debra Rienstra So it worked, so to speak, yeah.Linda Racine And then it's been on our website ever since. The thing is that video has gone—I wouldn't say viral, but it has been broadly, broadly disseminated.Debra Rienstra Oh, I can see why. I think every church should imitate it as best they can. Yeah, I mean the statistics—the numbers are specific to you folks.Linda Racine Yeah, the storytelling though, the power of that, are things that other churches can use, yes.Debra Rienstra And it stars many people from your church. So the stars of the show are your fellow congregants.Linda Racine And they're all people who have really stepped up and wanted to be and are a key part of this.Debra Rienstra So at this point you have—the heat pump system is well underway. Solar panels are sitting on the roof waiting for installation when the snow melts. You have education programs going. Maybe we'll come back to that. Quite a lot of landscaping work, quite a lot of native planting done, really neat native gardens. You have a pocket forest going. So as far as the four things, the four elements of earth care congregation: it's the building, the landscaping...Linda Racine Well, those are kind of together, so how you manage your facilities.Debra Rienstra Okay, what are the other three again?Linda Racine Worship. And pastors lead that, and they do that beautifully. That first year that we received certification, we had a kickoff celebration in the prayer garden that was just lovely. And so that theme gets worked into the worship by the pastors.Debra Rienstra Yeah, give some examples of how that happens in worship. Are there sermons? Is it in the litanies, in the music?Linda Racine Hmm, probably all of the above.Debra Rienstra Yeah. Okay, and you have two worship services. So this has to be done in two different ways, so it requires a little creativity.Linda Racine Yeah, although often in the spring, especially around earth— there can be combined services. We do a combined service once a month anyway, and so there have been a couple earth care themed services, that way it was one service.Debra Rienstra Yeah. And then do you have anything special for Earth Day or Season of Creation?Linda Racine Usually, yes, on like Wednesday, well, that would be more the education piece, but usually on the Wednesday nights, we've done something big related to earth care. This year, we're telling our story. We've got a thing planned for that Wednesday of Earth Week. We're inviting every church in the region to come and hear the story. Our contractor will be there to answer questions, and resource people, the Light and Power folks will be there. So if they have questions about, “Well, what programs do you have?” And there are other churches in the area also that are doing similar things. So it'll be a good chance to share stories also and learn from one another. So we're doing— that's the plan for this during Earth Care Week.Debra Rienstra So just to make the refugia connection there, as Traverse City Presbyterian is operating as a refugia place, a refugia space, doing their work, modeling that work, with this idea of getting other churches together, you're creating those corridors and creating that whole network to let these life giving capacities spread and grow. That's brilliant. Really great idea.Linda Racine Another thing that we've done, we've got a racial justice task force that has, over the last several years, made a very focused effort to build relationship with the local tribe. And so the last, I think, three Lent seasons that we've had a Lenten series where inviting tribal leadership into talk about the—to educate us about the history of the tribe and practices and beliefs, and whereas much of that is focused on caring for the earth, caring for Mother Earth, it's central, yeah. So we've learned a lot and helped make a connection with that.Debra Rienstra I noticed in your bulletin, there's a land acknowledgement. And also I noticed you have a garden specifically co-cared for with the indigenous folk around.Linda Racine Not yet.Debra Rienstra Okay, that's in the plans.Linda Racine Yes, it's on the plans to—because in one of the sessions where a tribal leader was talking about...it was right after the land acknowledgement had been created. And the talking through that, someone at the end asked, “So, what's next?” You know, we really, our heart is in this land acknowledgement, what's next? And her response was, “When you care for the earth, you care for the Anishinaabek and what we believe in.” So that sparked this thing in my head of, “Oh my, here's a beautiful opportunity.” And we followed up, thinking, if we could learn from tribal leadership on how to create a healing garden, we'd love to do that. And so we have had one of the tribal leaders come and help educate us about a healing garden, what all it involves. And we've created a space. It's all smothered and ready to go. And the first thing that we would like to plant there is a plum tree. Because what we learned from her, I had no idea, but apparently, the plum tree is a has a very special place in the Anishinaabek story, where—my understanding is that plum trees were very prevalent in the Grand Rapids area, and when the Dutch came and settled that area, the plum trees were taken out. And so, in fact, it was hard when she came to meet with us, she had brought a plum tree as a gift, and we didn't have a place to put it. Broke my heart. But we so would love that to be the center of this healing garden. So we've got, you know, ground is all ready. We weren't even sure where it ought to go. And so anyway, so we've got a spot, because she helped us find a place for the healing garden. So as soon as we can reconnect, and they have the time, though, we're going to get that garden launched.Debra Rienstra Wow, that's beautiful. And will it be medicinal plants?Linda Racine That's the thought, yes.Debra Rienstra So healing plants, but also healing a relationship.Linda Racine Both, yes, all three, yeah, all three things.Debra Rienstra Beautiful. So a lot of churches struggle with—I've been sort of calling it the “boutique issue” problem, which is to say, you have, you know, your creation care folk, and they have a green team or something, and they kind of do their little thing off to the side, and other people have other issues that they're dealing with, and it's really hard to get that creation care work to infuse through, to diffuse through the whole congregation's life. And it sounds like that happened fairly organically. So what advice would you have for other churches that struggle with that boutique issue problem?Linda Racine Well, I think the strength of the PCUSA certification process is what allowed that to happen or fostered that. Because when you've got—you're required or expected to set goals in very comprehensive list of how the church functions, it really requires everybody to be involved. And so right from the beginning, pretty much every committee was asked to look at, what are we doing related to creation care, and what do we want to do? And every year that gets repeated. So there's a clear—we've got a pace of it. It's built into the planning structure. Every fall, the committees are looking at their goals around everything but creation care is on the list, and they're looking at their budgets to submit for the final reports and what happens next year. So it's really built into the fabric and structure of how we operate. So if it weren't for that, it would be a committee off to the side doing whatever it does. But really, everyone in all committees are involved.Debra Rienstra So it sounds like that answers my next question too, which has to do with the problem of “fade.” So by that, I mean everybody gets excited. You replace the boiler, you replace the LED lights, or replace lights with LED, and then...yeah, this enthusiasm sort of fades. But it sounds like that annual goal-setting process with an indefinite horizon, like there's no end point to that, right? So that annual goal-setting process also helps with that fade problem.Linda Racine I think it's key.Debra Rienstra One last question, what has been most challenging and most joyful about the transformation that Traverse City Presbyterian has gone through in a mere five years?Linda Racine I don't know that anything has been particularly hard, but oh my gosh, the joy. Ah. Just so many examples. When we decided that there was this huge section of lawn that was totally unusable as lawn, let's turn it into a pocket forest. And we were able to get a local tree trimmer to donate the wood chips to smother it. And we have this huge group of people with two truckloads or three, I don't know how many truckloads of stuff. We're out with the wheelbarrows spreading stuff. We're having so much fun. Jordan is sliding down it like it's a ski slope. We're just having a great time, and I'm looking around and thinking, “I absolutely love this community.” They're so committed to being the best stewards of creation and one another. Yeah, it's not hard, it's just wonderful.Debra Rienstra Linda, it's been such a pleasure to talk to you. There's been joy in this conversation, too. Thank you for your time. Thank you for all that you do and blessings on Traverse City Presbyterian.Debra Rienstra Thanks for joining us for show notes and full transcripts, please visit debrarienstra.com and click on the Refugia Podcast tab. This season of the Refugia Podcast is produced with generous funding from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Colin Hoogerwerf is our awesome audio producer. Thanks to Ron Rienstra for content consultation as well as technical and travel support. Till next time, be well. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com

The Book Of Acts: To the Ends of the Earth (Week 7: Acts 3:1-11) by North Valley Church

It's Day 5 of WeWow Earth Week! Dennis and Reggie play Treasure or Trash plus an encore episode, “A Diaper Home for Gforce!” Originally aired 4/26/24.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's Day 4 of WeWow Earth Week! Dennis tells Reggie how he cleaned up the whole neighborhood plus, an encore episode, “Spider Mindy to the Rescue!” Originally aired 4/25/24.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's Day 3 of WeWow Earth Week! Dennis shows Reggie how he's been saving water, plus an encore episode, “Painting the Town Cool!” Originally aired 4/24/24.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's Day 2 of WeWow Earth Week! Dennis and Reggie snoop through the neighborhood's recycling, plus an encore episode, “Plastic Eating Pets!” Originally aired 4/23/24.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to WeWow Earth Week! Dennis and Reggie discuss growing birds from bird seeds plus, an encore episode, “Save Our Parasites!” Originally aired 4/22/24.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.