In the Company of Stewards meetings hearken back to how a company of pioneers would circle their wagons for the night and gather together for uplifting and constructive conversation. These meetings are held on Zoom, facilitated by a host, and recorded for publication on the Latter-day Saint Earth Stewardship. Register at: https://ldsearthstewardship.org/in-the-company-of-stewards/
Join us at the annual LDSES Fall Forum on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 4 pm at the Sweet Branch of the Salt Lake City Library (455 E Ninth Ave, Salt Lake City, UT 84103). Please RSVP here: https://forms.gle/R2kTHHDfJGNjfQqA9 The theme of this year’s forum is “Stewardship in Practice: Next Steps in Taking Care of the Earth”. Panelists from LDSES will discuss what stewardship means. Now that we know it’s a gospel principle, where do we go from here? How do we follow this principle in our everyday lives? This discussion will be moderated by author, professor, and environmental advocate George Handley. Panelists include Shelly Parkin, Lucy Harper, Chip Oscarson, and Teresa Gomez. Light refreshments to follow. This event is in-person, but a recording will be available on YouTube later.
In this short but deeply powerful book, the bestselling historian of religion Karen Armstrong re-sacralizes nature for modern times. Drawing on her vast knowledge of the world’s religious traditions, she vividly describes nature’s central place in spirituality across the centuries. In bringing this age-old wisdom to life, Armstrong shows modern readers how to rediscover nature’s potency and form a connection to something greater than ourselves. ABOUT THE BOOK GROUP HOST: Tom Cain has been practicing law for 43 years, for 27 of which he taught at John F. Kennedy College of Law, a local SF Bay Area law school. From 2000 – 2017, he was the founder and Program Director for The Congress of Neutrals, a non-profit, recruiting and training mediators for the Superior Court, State of California. Tom is married to Kazume Cain, who was raised on a farm in Japan. They have two daughters, one who is also a lawyer, and the other who is his law office manager. They have been active in the Berkeley Ward for 28 years, except for three years when he served as a Bishop in Oakland. His current calling is as the Ward Sustainability Chief.
On Wednesday, February 14th LDSES will be keepers of the Great Salt Lake Vigil at the Capitol 2024, to celebrate and amplify awareness of our love for the Great Salt Lake. We will be delivering a “Thank you for your work to save The Great Salt Lake!” valentines (shown above) to every House and Senate member, as well as to Governor Cox’s office. 4:30 PM: We’ll meet on the East steps of the Utah State Capitol and hand-deliver Valentines to Governor Cox’s office 5:00 – 6:00 PM We’ll meet on the east steps of the Utah State Capitol to carry brine shrimp puppets, flocks of birds, and other lake species around the Capitol, walking clockwise until 6:00 PM. For those of you with an LDSES bandana, be sure to wear it! Sign up here. This event is appropriate for adults and children. We encourage adults to bring kids and grandkids. We need many hearts and hands! Be sure to Like and Share our Instagram and Facebook Posts for this event.
Our economic system is based on perpetual expansion, which is devastating the living world. There is only one solution that will lead to meaningful and immediate change: degrowth. If we want to have a shot at surviving the Anthropocene, we need to restore the balance. We need to change how we see the world and our place within it, shifting from a philosophy of domination and extraction to one that’s rooted in reciprocity with our planet’s ecology. You can register for this Zoom session here. In addition to our Zoom discussion, readers can share thoughts in our Goodreads group! ABOUT THE BOOK GROUP HOST: Marie is a retired clinical psychologist who loves having more time for friends, great-grandchildren, and the various projects she delayed until now. She loves travel and was fortunate to spend 2016-2017 in Gulu, Uganda building a mental health program for an NGO.
Join us for an interfaith forum celebrating Earth Day, featuring leaders from Salt Lake area LDS, Jewish, Muslim, and Catholic congregations. More details to come. The Creation Care Coalition is comprised of volunteers from Latter-day Saint Earth Stewardship, Mormon Environmental Stewardship Alliance, Citizens Climate Lobby LDS Action Team, and Mormon Women for Ethical Government.
What makes for a happy life, a fulfilling life? A good life? In their book, the directors of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest scientific study of happiness ever conducted, show that the answer to these questions may be closer than you realize. You can register for this Zoom session here. In addition to our Zoom discussion, readers can share thoughts in our Goodreads group!
“This Beautiful World: Preserving our Planet for Future Generations” November 2, 2024 in the Fulton Library at Utah Valley University The LDSES Fall Forum is an annual, in-person event that promotes and celebrates environmental stewardship and allows others a chance to meet with fellow earth-minded Latter-day Saints. The theme of this year’s event is “This Beautiful World: Preserving our Planet for Future Generations”. Get free tickets here Doors open at 5pm, program starts at 6pm. Please reserve your spot by getting a free ticket (unticketed guests will be admitted if there is room.) Information about parking and exact room locations will be sent out to ticketed guests prior to the event. This year the Fall Forum will be in the Clarke Building, rooms 510-511, at Utah Valley University. Our keynote speaker is Larry Echo Hawk, Emeritus General Authority Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and advocate for earth stewardship. Elder Echohawk has unique experience and background as a member of the Pawnee nation, the former Idaho state attorney general, and the former assistant secretary for Indian Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior. In conjunction with our program, we will also be hosting an art show, which includes a special children’s division. The theme of the Forum, “In This Beautiful World”, is derived from the LDS Primary song “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” which says, “I’m so glad that I live in this beautiful world Heavenly Father created for me.” Protecting the Earth for future generations is critical and as Elder Patrick Kearon recently said, “we will do better as we think of the future for our children and grandchildren. We will do what is best for us but also what will be best for them and their children.” We want to specifically showcase the creativity of children and what earth stewardship means to them as we look forward with faith.