>> Fishbowl, continued from page 9

How can our Quaker faith, and our practices, be of help?

This discussion was only a beginning. We were confirmed in knowing that the right thing to do is follow our leadings toward right living and working, in relation to each other as well as to all beings and to the Earth "earth-self."

How can our Quaker faith, and our practices, be of help in facing Peak Oil and other global changes that are upon us? What can we rely on? We know that we can experience the Divine, however we may term it. We are all learning what it is to be "guided by the Spirit" and what we mean by "discernment." Our practice teaches us about community. Can these help us maintain a loving and supportive web of people who can help each other survive, or when that's not possible, end well? Through hardship we will need to keep open our deep connection with joy.

If our faith and our Quaker practice cannot be of help in hard times they may be not much more than wishful thinking. We will need to strengthen our faith, not in a God who rescues and makes all things well, but a God who is our companion in hard times. And we need to remember that God has no other hands than ours to do the work.

Join FWCC's Consultation on Global Change.

Write to <samuel@fwccglobalchange.org> .

Register at 350.org for a '10/10/10' work party

Last year, thanks to many of you, we built up enormous momentum for climate solutions. The global day of rallies you pulled off on October turned out to "the most widespread day of political action in the planet's history," according to CNN, with some 5,200 actions [including many Quaker events] in 181 countries.

And in Copenhagen that translated into 117 countries—most of the world's nations—supporting a tough 350 ppm CO2 target.

But it didn't translate into political victory. The biggest polluters wouldn't go along. So we still have work to do.

In fact, our slogan for 2010 is "Get To Work." Get to work to start changing our communities, and get to work to make our leaders realize that they actually need to lead. But only, of course, if we act together to make it happen.

The first date to mark on your calendar: October 10. Working with our friends at the 10/10/10 campaign, we're going to make the tenth day of the tenth month of the millennium's tenth year a real starting point for concrete action.

We're calling it the 10/10 Global Work Party, and in every corner of the world we hope communities will put up solar panels, insulate homes, erect windmills, plant trees, paint bikepaths, launch or harvest local gardens. We'll make sure the world sees this huge day of effort—and we'll use it to send a simple message to our leaders: "We're working—what about you?"

If we can cover the roof of the school with solar panels, surely you can pass the legislation or sign the treaty that will spread our work everywhere, and confront the climate crisis in time. 10/10/10 will take a snapshot of a clean energy future—the world of 350 ppm—and show people why it's worth fighting for. It's not too early to sign up here: <www.350.org/oct10>.

—Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org

Earthcare Calendar

August 7, 2010. Deadline for article submissions for September-October 2010 BeFriending Creation.

October 28-Nov. 1, 2010. QEW Annual Meeting at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas. Registration deadline is September 30th.