What our program participants are saying

Sacred Water inspired me to see the protection of our watersheds as a spiritual practice. The contemplative aspects of the class allowed me to confront difficult environmental issues out of compassion, rather than from a place of fear. This workshop integrates social justice, faith, science, and the importance of community as tools for healing our earth. I learned so much from my group members, discovering new ways to advocate for our watersheds and the people who depend on them.

Gabrielle Poli • Pilot Group

The focus in this class is a little different from all the other JustFaith offerings. Instead of looking outward into the world, this class took me inward to a deeper look at my language and the effect it has on all my relationships. It offered an opportunity to take a deep look at how language shapes our relationships as well as bring about the more just world our hearts know is possible. It helped me shift away from dualistic thinking--to move from a language of judgment to a language of invitation, to become aware of the needs of others and how those shape every conversation, how to create a safe space for all conversations, and it gave me an opportunity to practice listening for the whole story, to include all the lenses. As we continue to look for the way through all that separates us in these times, this class helped me notice my language, and offered strategies for finding a third way. It reminds me of Rumi’s poem. Here is a part of it, “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there.” This class opens us to the field—the possible thread running through all the other classes, through all our relationships and, indeed, through our lives. I am grateful for this experience.

Julie Powell-Mohr • Pilot Group

Daily I am challenged to consider how my actions and purchases impact our earth and my neighbors. The Sacred Land, Sacred Air, and Sacred Water programs have helped me, as I advocate for change. Using the knowledge and resources from these modules and from fellow participants, I can send more-informed letters to my local, state, and federal politicians and agencies for environmentally sound actions and decisions.

Celeste Maris • Olympia, WA