Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Harvest Dinner - planning meeting notes 10-27-15

Vegetarian Pot Luck to celebrate our new Giving Garden's first growing year!
Nov 21   5:00PM-7:30PM
Vegetarian / Local / Sustainable / Low impact. Green team provides desert and drinks.
-          bring: list of ingredients / what makes it green?
o   At dinner: fill out a card with cook’s name / ingredients / what makes it green – Fran
Promotion
-          Publicity – Bill – church weekly newsletter “The Buzz” (join us for a night of good food and friendly fellowship)
-          Church announcements – (Mark – talk to Dana)
-          Fellowship hour – signup table (main/side) – Mark Nov 8th, Candy Nov 15th
-          Invite your friends! :)
-          Deserts and drinks – Green team – Candy, Fran, Mark
o   Cider, water
o   coffee, tea - Fran
Setup (4:30PM)
-          long tables for displays, serving, round tables for diners
-          use church plates and silverware, plastic table clothes
-          Coloring materials - Fran

Welcoming time (5:00 – 5:30PM)
Displays / Tables
-          Giving garden – Emily, Cindy (Fran)
-          Church Solar panels – Bill
-          Bees – Fran
-          Cover crop – Mark Aude (Fran)
-          MIPL and Faith based climate action – Mark
o   Pope, Jewish congregations, etc, carbon pricing, testifying on the carbon tax
o   Postcards for our state and national representatives

Greeting Prayer (5:30PM) – Mark – invite Alex to do this
Song before dinner
Garden Song (“Inch by Inch” ) – ask Steve Longo to play (Candy)
Dinner time (5:45- 6:30)
Speakers (6:30 – 7:15)
-          AHS intern – (Steve) will contact
-          ? Linda Z or Emily – to talk about farms supporting needy in Merrimack Valley  (Mark)
-          ? Mark Aude – (Fran will contact?)

Closing (7:20) – possibly Alex (Mark)

Thursday, October 15, 2015

SC Green Team – meeting notes – 10/15/15

Who’s was there: Mark, Candy, Bill, Steve, Fran, Iric
We missed you: Janet, Terry

2nd Church Newton Session on Green Activism
Discussed Rev Antal's sermon and Q&A on climate change – focus of lunch audience questions was on fossil fuel divestment
ACTION – Bill – send copy of text of Jim’s sermon
Here is summary of event & link to our presentation:
Fossil Fuel Divestment 
Bill talked with Dave Floreen on Trustees of Trust Funds – Bill plans to attend their next meeting (which is not currently scheduled)
-       Trustees of Trust Funds are Dave Floreen, Mike Hawkins, Jane Ingram
ACTION: Bill (with assistance from Steve) – create a 2-3 page handout on divestment to share with church membership
-       this may encourage  church membership to consider fossil fuel divestment, and may also lead Trustees of Trust Funds to consider it, or to be ready to recommend it.
-    plan to share information and educate the church - and when ready, to lead to annual meeting item?
Green Messages in the Church Service
-       Sunday Nov 15th
o    Children’s talk - Candy – ideas/theme for talk: doing a big difficult task is easier together (think of clapping – one kid first, then all kids, then congregation), a big difficult task is easier with God, doing it makes God smile
o    Green offering - Same Sunday - Have a card in the bulletin for "Your Green Offering" check-off items and/or fill in spots of what you do, and what you will do.
Harvest Dinner - Let's celebrate the giving garden!  Target for Saturday 11/21
-       invite the giving garden group and do in conjunction with them.
-       ACTION: Fran – contact garden group to see if they are interested - invite them to nexxt meeting on 10/27
-       Theme of local food, vegetarian & low impact cooking. Feeding the poor.
-       Cookoff event with recipe sharing – with voting by attendees (similar to Chili Cookoff)
-       ACTION: Steve – contact student intern Oceana and Anne Knowles – to ask if Oceana would like to give her talk on local food and feeding the poor
-       Garden group may have information to share that night too
-       ACTION: Candy - Invite Alex to talk more about social justice – he could take part in the dinner - social justice as seen through feeding the needy

Next meeting will be 10/27 – all about planning the Harvest Dinner

Parking Lot
-       Activities/Events
o   Show video "Merchants of Doubt", documentary on oil and gas company's misinformation campaign.  Options include movie night at South Church for youth or other churches.
-       LEDs (notes from August)
o    Bill and candy to follow up about LED lights.
o    Candy to find list, Bill to research NGrid deal, Steve to talk w Georgia Rex about helping us

Monday, October 5, 2015

Environmental Speaker Series - Presentation for 2nd Church in Newton UCC

On Sunday Oct 4th, we took part in an environmental program at 2nd Church in Newton. Candy, Bill Schroeder and I were there to represent the South Church Green Team, and to share what we have done at South Church.

Rev. Jim Antal preached that Sunday on Climate Change, and also conducted a question and answer session on divestment, after the service, before the speakers program. Both times he spoke it was very powerful. To put it simply, he was on fire.

Here is our slide presentation: SC Green Team Presentation to 2nd Church Newton

Pat Bonnet at 2nd Church was the event organizer. Pat and everyone at 2nd Church who assisted did a wonderful job with the event and lunch. It was so good to meet everyone at 2nd Church in Newton, and to talk about our common goals of taking action on climate change. It was very energizing! (I like that word!)

Here is the promotional blurb for the event from the church website:
Second Church Environmental Speakers Series
October 4, 20 & 25
 
Getting to Know Green Congregations and Green Newton
Local Opportunities and Action
Sunday, October 4, 2015 
            The first event in our environmental series is October 4 – World Communion Sunday.  The focus of this first event is to look at what is happening locally in the area of environmental awareness and action. In worship and leading into the series presentations, Jim Antal, our Conference Minister, will preach on environmental stewardship.  Following a luncheon our guest speakers from Green Newton and the Green Team from South Church in Andover will share with us their thoughts and experiences as “local green activists.”
            We have invited a number of other congregations to join us for this event and hope that many Second Church members are able to participate.  Please let us know if you are able to attend the luncheon so that we can properly plan.  Your RSVP should go to Lissa Gilbert lissaparrotfish@aol.com, Amanda Loftus ab.loftus@verizon.net, or Barbara Cancellieri office@2ndchurch.org. (Note: the lunch is for Second Church members and invited guests.  It is not open to the public.)

Sunday, October 4
10:00 am
Worship
             
The Rev. Jim Antal, Conference Minister
             
Preaching on Environmental Topic

11:45 am

Luncheon (free will offering)
1:00 pm -
“Green Activism in Newton”
2:30 pm
Marcia Cooper, President of Green Newton

                                    “Green Congregations”
                                    Green Team from South Church in Andover

Monday, August 24, 2015

Green team notes, August 20, 2015

Green team notes, August 20, 2015 - candy, Bill, Steve, and Mark by phone.

LEDs
Bill and candy to follow up about LED lights. 
Candy to find list, 
Bill to research NGrid deal, 
Steve to talk w Georgia Rex about helping us

Green Sunday
sometime in October or November? 
Bill to talk to church council and Dana about the idea.  
Find out if she has a plan or wants to meet to develop one. 
Focus on Positive notes on progress. 
Mark available at end of weeks for next two weeks. 
Steve away until 9/6.

Divestment
Bill was to talk w Dave floreen, he emailed Dave but hasn't gotten an answer. 
Wants to ask their thoughts and get them to be willing if the congregation were to 
ask them to divert. New thing - video "merchants of Doubt", documentary on 
oil and gas company's misinformation campaign.  Options include movie night at 
South Church for youth or other churches.

South Church Green Team – meeting notes – 7/23/15

South Church Green Team – meeting notes – 7/23/15
Who’s was there: Mark, Candy, Bill, Steve, Fran
We missed you: Janet, Iric, Terry
(ACTIONS in red)
1)     Discussion Time
  • (Candy) Edgewood – Tim Vails, Chair of the Board of Directors, and chair of Andover Economic Development
  •  connect Tim to Standard Electric in Wilmington – deal of $2 light bulbs for commercial entities
  • (Bill) contact MIPL on additional LED light bulbs for churches
  • (Candy) get Dave Standwood’s list of fixtures that need to be changed to use LED light bulbs
2)     Climate change messages in fall service(s)...all
-       Jim Antal's request to UCC churches
-       to connect with Pope Francis' encyclical for calling for action on climate in advance of 
Paris session COP21 (30 Nov-11 Dec). Pope Francis visits US around end of September.
-       Another faith based message: Rabbinical letter from 300+ rabbis:
- find out what Dana’s thoughts are on green content of fall service
- In June, Dana offered the idea of smaller messages in service. 
Get her input now that Alex is onboard.
- post meeting update: Mark and Steve talked with Dana and Alex at church on Sunday, 
and both were interested in discussing ideas for the fall, both in regard to church 
service messages, and a possible Harvest Dinner this fall
- (Steve) propose a meeting time for them in August (when Dana is back)
        - possible messaging around stewardship of the earth or witnessing for the 
             creation messages in services
-       positive messages of things that are happening, things people are doing
-       Thoughts: What green things are people doing? What have people done?
-       Ask for a show of hands at church? Explore ideas of what could  work...
-       How could kids join, contribute?
3)     Idea: Harvest Dinner this year, Steve’s idea of science fair, to bring out what people are doing.
·         International Dinner, Interfaith dinner?  Science fair presented by kids?
·         (Mark Steve) talk to Dana, Alex - done - both were receptive to idea - 
NEXT STEP: schedule meeting in August when Dana back
4)     Idea: Time for another all-member retreat? maybe in Spring? Could this be an opportunity
    for youth/HS to lead?
·         further discussion needed. Talk about this with ministers.
5)     The Second Church in Newton - Environmental Speakers’ Series - Sunday October 4
·         SC Green Team was invited as an example of a green congregation, to speak,
 in conjunction with Jim Antal preaching that Sunday
·   Mark is going and others are interested in going too!
Info here on their website (scroll down to Oct 4th):
6)     Interfaith community garden...Fran gave an update
·         at Rolling Ridge, really doing well, compost added, lots of veggies planted and coming up
7)     Divestment discussion at church...Bill
·         Bill will be talking to Dave Floreen
8)     Lupine Road...Candy gave an update
·         discussion on the project will be ramping up in the fall
·        (Candy) ask Iric - how green could this project be?
9)     Historic mill district...Steve
·         2nd phase getting started now… 3c503 to be created…the road to a more sustainable 
and livable Andover
10)  update from retreat on cultivating hope in a time of climate change...WS, CD?  Not discussed
11)  Suggestions for monthly email/blurb/newsletter: green good news...all --- Not discussed
    - collect ideas and share with MB
    - (CD) news from Anil on solarize Andover?


Thursday, January 22, 2015

South Church Green Team Meeting 2015-01-08

South Church Green Team Meeting 2015-01-08
Attendees: Mark, Steve, Fran, Bill, Candy (phone)
 
Minutes
  1. Interfaith Community Garden
    • Meetings have been held in town in the past month or so: Cindy Ozirsky, Fran Fink, Linda Zimmerman, Ellen Arvidson, Emily Strong, Dana, Ann Knowles (volunteer at AHS, involved in green interns program, and AHS garden)
    • Group looked 2 plots of town conservation land
      • Both have parking, would need water installed
      • Ann K went to Conservation Commission – got some pushback
      • Separate group in town was already working on this to have a town community garden, but not oriented around growing food to donate
    • Next steps
      • SC community garden group is working with Dana, to see how this could be kicked off in the best way at the church.
 
  1. LED light change in SC - sanctuary, parlor, other places - very discounted lights purchased from utility
    • Propose involving children  - Different age kids could do different things
      • Some calculate the savings of LED lights in the average home, things like what will be the age of the kids when the lights next need to be replace (25 years), make a poster about it
      • Some swap the light bulbs
      • Some clean the globes
      • This is moving forward - Candy is coordinating with Dave Stanwood
        • May be scheduled for Feb vacation weekend
    • Could this be tied to Preach-In Service, or rolled out that Sunday???
    • Do before that and a photo opportunity, and announce on Feb 22nd ??
 
  1. Preach-In Service
    • Official Sunday is February 15, 2015 (starts Friday February 13th)
      • If we have it on that Sunday
      • That weekend is President’s holiday weekend
      • ACTION: Mark – Send Dana information / link to Preach-IN
        • Propose to postpone it to Feb 22nd, next Sunday to get better family & children turnout
        • We sent postcards, handed them out in the church service bulletin
          • Did Hancock do this?
        • New element: Noon Feb 14th 1 minute of silence for the earth
      • Sermon topic suggestions:
        • Light of the Earth
        • In the Garden
          • connection to community garden
          • connection to church musical “Secret Garden”
 
  1. Earth Day / Earth Week – Ideas
    • Outdoor/park cleanup activity
    • Put up the fence around the community garden!
    • Facilitate community building activity
      • Do this around a cleanup activity – Lawrence downtown riverfront area
      • ACTION: Steve will talk to Chris Cronin, Andover Dir of Muni Svc, Mark Fournier
        • See how town can assist
    • Idea: have a post-activity dinner for participants at SC
 
 
Parking Lot
1.       Can we start a Carbon Free Pledge? 
·         maybe two levels – 1) home & car, 2) everything (thru offsets)
2.       Make a one sheet handout for the green team & UCC.
·         We have more young families coming into the church that may need an update on the Green team, green energy pointers, and UCC stances.
 
3.       Green Thing of the Month at Fellowship hour - time to activate for this year
- New ideas for encouraging green living and energy efficiency in our church community
 
4.       Harvest Dinner - possibly do in January - would need a new name
 
5.       Discuss possible ideas for the next green retreat
 
Monthly themes – “Green Thing of the Month” at Fellowship hour << tabled – no event planned for April
-       Monthly Green themes
·   August – re-usable lunchboxes
·   September – local and garden harvests, composting, local farms, CSA’s
·   October – weatherizing / energy sealing, energy programmable thermostats
·   November/December – Green Xmas decorations, living trees
·   Jan – lighting, LED’s CFLs, timers, alternatives to salt & ice control
·   Feb – appliances, Energy Star
·   Mar – spring cleaning products
·   Apr – Green lawn care & gardening
·   May – plant trees to takeup C, shade house, invasive species
·   Jun – water conservation, farmers markets, water bottles, rain barrels
·   Jul – vacation offsets
 
Divestiture from fossil fuel companies in church investments – time to raise the discussion
-       Candy invited Janet to talk about UCC Divestiture
o   Will invite Trustees of Trust Funds
-       Can this lead to a church-wide discussion on divestiture for each household?