October 03, 2024, 2 PM - October 06, 2024, 4 PM US/Pacific
Explore 'Water is Life' and discern new *QuakerEarth* Campaign to build a global Quaker Earthcare Action Network
October 3-6, 2024
In-person at the Norbertine Spirituality Center, Albuquerque, NM
Online attendance as well
Click here to learn more and to register.
At our fall gathering, Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) will explore the theme “Water is Life.” We will also discern a new *QuakerEarth* Campaign to build a global Quaker Earthcare Action Network
A major highlight of this year’s gathering will be the keynote address by Dr. Lyla June Johnstone, an Indigenous musician, scholar, and community organizer of Diné (Navajo) and Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) lineage. Dr. Johnstone, who grew up and currently resides in New Mexico, brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for Indigenous rights, traditional land stewardship, and healing intergenerational trauma.
Her unique perspective, blending her traditional upbringing with academic expertise in Human Ecology and Indigenous Pedagogy, offers invaluable insights into the ecological challenges facing the Southwest and the world. Dr. Johnstone’s work reminds us that water, like the earth, is a living being—one that must be respected, honored, and protected.
We expect this Fall to be a pivotal moment for QEW, as the organization sets out to discern the launch of a decade-long campaign: QuakerEarth. This ambitious initiative aims to build a global network of Friends in collaboration with the Friends World Committee on Consultation (FWCC), mapping all Quaker climate activities worldwide and linking efforts between meetings, individuals, and orgs. The campaign will also focus on constructing a resource library and consultancy to strengthen best practices across the movement, with a particular emphasis on building climate-resilient congregations and infrastructure.
Our time together will be filled with opportunities for deep spiritual and communal engagement. One highlight will be an afternoon ritual at the Rio Grande, where we will connect with the river and each other through reflection and shared intentions. This ritual will be a powerful reminder of the sacredness of water and the importance of protecting these life-giving resources.
As we prepare to gather in the heart of the desert, let us remember the words of the Lakota protectors: “Mni wiconi. Water is Life.”
from Keith Runyan, Quaker Earthcare Witness