What are we doing?
In our JLA meeting in August, we realized there are many in our congregation who are actively advocating for the vulnerable immigrants in our communities and in our country. We thought you would like to know just a few of the ways our congregants are helping. They are:
- Assisting immigrants moving into new homes.
- Working to ensure due process for specific immigrants and the immigrant population.
- Protesting every Wednesday at the Burlington Detention Center and at the Route 9 overpass in Framingham – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5 pm.
- Helping with food distribution for approx 100 vulnerable immigrant families through CASA.
- Purchasing and delivering produce for FSU students.
- Preparing food for the LGBT Asylum Task Force in Worcester.
- Volunteering at CASA.
Metrowest Sings Out
This is a new protest chorus, aimed at bringing the joy of music to our standouts, protests, and rallies. Whenever we gather, let’s sing out and show others that standing up for democracy is fun! No auditions and all are welcome, regardless of music knowledge. Everyone can sing – even if you think you can’t!
Rehearsals will be in Sue Dickerman Hall. To join: https://forms.gle/esKVkirKJVBNTZxR9
Climate Hope Affiliates and Environmental Justice Team
Fran and Heather attended the General Synod UCC Meeting in Kansas City in July. Fran managed a table for Climate Hope, and the information she shared was very well received. The books she created supporting climate change initiatives through children’s drawings were all distributed.
Our Climate Hope Affiliate will have a table at the UCC Central Association meeting hoping to encourage other churches in the Association to become involved with their own Climate Hope Affiliate. Members of our Climate Hope Affiliate assisted with our worship service in July. They are managing a table at the Framingham Farmers Market once a month and also had additional letters to the editor published.
Climate Hope CHAMPs Say, “Celebrate Clean, Affordable Energy on ‘Sun Day!'”
September 21 (with additional events on September 20)
September 21 is Sun Day and will be a day of creativity, art, culture, and action organized by environmentalist and author Bill McKibben to celebrate the power of clean energy and the movement to leave fossil fuels behind.
Solar, wind, and battery power lower costs, create new jobs, and strengthen communities, but some politicians and industries are trying to hold it back. We will celebrate the progress with art displays, e-bike parades,
solar panel installations, heat pump tours, and rallies for change. Celebrate clean energy in your own way!
Organizations can plan their own events. Edwards Church will be writing postcards to elected officials about their preference for clean energy power. We could make some art too!
As of now, the closest official event to Framingham will be in Concord on Saturday, September 20, 3 – 6pm, on the First Parish Church Lawn (rain or shine) – 20 Lexington Rd, Concord, MA 01742.
For more information, email bradhn@mindspring.com.
People can sign up for more information, follow links to take political action, or register for more events on the Sun Day website: https://www.sunday.earth.
Dance for Democracy
Sunday, September 21 @ 2-4:30 pm, Plymouth Church (87 Edgell Road) in Framingham
Laura Beck is coordinating this event with JLA as a co-sponsor. This is a joyful way to spend time with community, while supporting CASA – a nonprofit organization serving our immigrant neighbors. All proceeds go to CASA.
Clap your hands and stomp your feet!
Do-Si-Do and feel the beat!
And then a new partner you will meet.
Your donation helps someone to eat.
Climate Hope Affiliates MetroWest Project (CHAMP) Encourages All to Take Action to Maintain a Livable Environment!
As folks were sweating through the third warmest July on record (behind 2024 and 2023), the Climate Hope CHAMPs were taking action to bring climate and environmental justice to the forefront of our federal legislators’ minds. As summers get increasingly hotter and drier, heat emergencies, more frequent and intense wildfires, and the release of greenhouse gases also increase.
Wildfires send smoke far and wide which increases air pollution and decreases our ability to breathe freely. Floods and other weather emergencies have taken lives and devastated areas in the southern US, and yet the current administration is unwilling to address climate, environmental crises, or even to facilitate the use and growth of proven solutions such as clean energy like solar and wind power. To make matters worse, they promote fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas) which are the biggest contributors to climate change.
Meanwhile at Edwards, as the federal budget process progressed over the summer, CHAMPs have been calling friends nationwide, asking folks to contact their elected officials to block budget cuts to clean energy.
The Senate version of the appropriations bill only cuts 5% of EPA funding, but the House version cuts 23%, which would slash funding to a number of programs such as regulation enforcement.
We’ve been writing letters to the editor (a few have been published in different newspapers), raising our concerns and asking readers to also contact their elected officials. CHAMPs have been repeatedly reaching out to the offices of Senators Warren and Markey, and Representative Clark, seeking meetings. On a positive note, we have managed to actually meet with one congressional aide to express our concerns and ask that specific action be taken to protect funding for a clean and just energy system.
CHAMPs have also staffed a booth each month at the Framingham Farmer’s Market to share information with the community about what we are doing to address the problems and how the community can help. We even had a booth at the UCC General Synod in Kansas City in July (see CHA & EJT article in this section).
The Edwards Climate Hope CHAMPs hope that you too will join us as stewards of the earth in speaking up for legislation for a livable planet and environmental justice!
To learn more about this national effort, go to: https://www.ucc.org/climatehopeaffiliates.
To learn more about the Edwards Climate Hope group, contact Ronda Yeomans, email mrce.yeomans@verizon.net.
To learn your congress people’s names and contact information, enter your mailing address in the box at:
https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member.
To call your senators and representative, call (202) 224-3121.
Remember: Ask them to write their chamber’s leadership expressing support for the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriation bill as it heads to a Conference Committee that will reconcile the differences between the House and Senate bills. Thank you so much for caring!
Upcoming Events
Below are some upcoming events that we would like to bring to your attention:
- September 7 – After church, help make Moroccan stew for LGBT Asylum Task Force Dinner
- September 8 – Make & deliver casseroles for LGBT Asylum Task Force, leaving church @ 3:45 pm
- September 20 – 6 pm, 25th Anniversary of ONA Celebration Dinner
- September 21 – 2 pm, Dance for Democracy
- September 21 – SUN Day, National Day of Climate Action
- September 28 – 10 am, Special 25th Anniversary Celebration of ONA Worship Service and coffee hour with special guest Carol Steinbrecher
- October 5 – 3 pm, I Am My Neighbor’s Keeper concert to benefit A Place to Turn food pantry