This is the latest newsletter from Simpler Living, our creation care group. More information here: https://stpaulcathedral.org/outreach-ministries/
Tangerines Film and Potluck
Answering Earth’s Call: An Interfaith Forum on Climate Justice
Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato si’ has challenged the world-wide faith community to become more profoundly involved in sustaining the earth, “our common home.” On the very day that the Pope will address the U. S. Congress, St. Paul’s is honored to host this interfaith forum. Join a panel of distinguished local faith, environmental, labor, and community leaders to explore faiths’ perspectives on climate change, connections between climate and social justice, the Pope’s encyclical, the upcoming climate talks in Paris, and effective actions we can take here in San Diego. The forum will be held in the Great Hall on Thursday, September 24 7:00-9:00 p.m. RSVP at http://sdclimatejustice.org.
Going native
Simple living is all about sustainability. And what’s more sustainable than native plants? They save water, don’t need fertilizer, and require little maintenance. Besides that, birds and butterflies love ’em! And by a fortunate coincidence, the California Native Plant Society-San Diego is having its giant fall sale next month. The sale is the place to check out a huge variety of hard-to-find native plants at good prices and–even better–to pester the patient and helpful native Plant Society members for advice.
So if you just want to fill in a few empty spots in your yard with colorful natives, or if you want to tear out the whole blessed thing and start from scratch, the plant sale is the place to be. It’s open to the public from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday, October 17, at Casa del Prado in Balboa Park. You can find more information about the sale on the CNPS-SD website, including a list of all 198 different varieties of plants that will be sold, with their Latin names (but fear not, common names are also shown). The website also has a list of qualified native plant landscapers who can decide everything for you if 198 plants are, understandably, too overwhelming. The website is cnpssd.org. Have a look!
Betsy Cory
A weekend with Peter Gyves
University of San Diego’s Center for Christian Spirituality offers the following retreat as a way to center one’s Christian action in the world. Awaken To a New Way of Living Your Faith: A Weekend Retreat with Peter W. Gyves, SJ, MD. The retreat will be held on Friday, Nov. 6 7:00-9:00 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 7 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. in USD’s Founders Hall. Cost is $40 and includes coffee on Friday, light breakfast and lunch on Saturday).
Register: http://sandiego.kintera.org/ccs.
St. Ignatius of Loyola (pictured above), founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), developed the Spiritual Exercises to transform people’s lives through a personal experience of God in the ordinariness of their lives. You are invited to a weekend retreat where your heart and mind will be transformed to an awakening that recognizes your personal salvation is interwoven into the fabric of God’s larger plan for the salvation of all humankind. For more info: Sandee Gutierrez (619)-260-4784.
Carolyn Lief
What’s green and has good manors? (;-)
St. Paul’s Manor on 2nd Ave. has a Green Team (I am a member) that is inspiring residents and staff to conserve water, electricity, and gas. They also encourage recycling. Team members wearing green badges publicize the great need to cut back on our resources for the sake of future generations and to slow global warming. When members turn off a light on a sunny day and ask the resident if she needs that light, the response is frequently “I didn’t know the light was on.”
We all need to be more aware and conserve what God has given us. Praying for rain daily is the right thing to do. Our Rev. Anne Chisham is the acting chair of the Green Team. What can YOU do?
Marilyn Slater
Two volunteer opportunities
Following up on our story about Harvest CROPS in our last issue, we are interested in putting together a crew to pick excess fruit and donate it to those in need. Harvest CROPS will chose the date and then we will field as many people from St. Paul’s as we can. If you are interested in joining such a crew please contact Katie McGinness at katiemcginness@yahoo.com.
And the Interfaith Shelter is almost upon us. As usual, Simpler Living will provide one dinner on Thursday, October 29. I know that several folks from the Committee will be coming but we could also use several more to provide enough food. Contact Agnes West-Kohler at agnesw@att.net
