Towards Earth Literacy:

The Pine Island Paradox, Kathleen Dean Moore, Milkwood Editions, Minneapolis, 2004.

Kathleen Dean Moore’s essays are evocative and nourishing, drawing the reader into the richness of re-connection and posing questions which invite us to frame an ecological ethic of care.

Nature writer and teacher of philosophy from the Pacific Northwest USA, her passion for seeing more deeply into the sacredness of what is commonly perceived as the mundane, is palpable.

….. an island is in fact only a high point in the continuous skin of the planet, the small part we can see of the hidden substance that connects everything on earth. It’s a sign – a beautiful, rock-solid, bird spattered sign – of the wholeness of being, the intricate interdependencies that link people and places. (p.4)

Uncovering the diversity of our world:   The Square Metre Project.

If you’re interested in being drawn more deeply into life’s wonders watch this short video and take up the square metre project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvO_8_Ch6lE&feature=related

We seek to learn new ways:

Reading Circle

Join our monthly Reading Circle which features writers evoking the wonders of our Earth.

Treacy Centre

3rd Monday of each month

2-3 p.m.

For further information phone Pat: 83590107 or email info@earthsong.org.au

Canticles to the Cosmos

A DVD Series by Brian Swimme

Wednesdays, February 10th, March 10th, April 14th

The Nature of the Human will be the focus for our March gathering.

7.30 – 9.30 p.m.

Kildara Centre, rear 39  Stanhope St Malvern

We are being called into a new place:

World Water Day: Monday March 22nd.  Join like-minded folk who will celebrate the sacred nature of water and raise awareness about what’s happening to water around the planet.

Earth Hour: On Saturday 27th March 2010 at 8:30pm, people and organisations across the world will switch off their lights for Earth Hour. Please join them and consider marking the occasion by sharing a candle-lit meal with friends or creating a local community gathering viewing the night-sky.

Bush Blitz! – Australia’s International Year of Biodiversity kicks off…

Bush Blitz is the world’s first continental scale survey – a three year multimillion dollar partnership to document the plants and animals in hundreds of properties across Australia’s National Reserve System.  Teams of Australia’s top scientists will survey hundreds of Australian reserves to document the native plants and animals they protect. The surveys are expected to uncover hundreds of new species and provide baseline scientific data that will help protect Australia’s biodiversity for a generation to come.    www.bushblitz.org.au

Are you wondering how to recycle your mobile phones? Check out the act4nature website to see how Melbourne Zoo will process these phones and help save mountain gorillas. http://www.act4nature.org.au/Act-Now.html

EarthSong in the International Year of Biodiversity.

To focus our year on life’s incredible diversity, to celebrate the interdependence of the ecological systems of our planet, and to mourn their diminishment in these times of extinction seems apt as we enter this new decade.  Join us for our annual symposium which will focus on the plants and animals of South Eastern Australia .

Biodiversity is a word used to describe every living thing on the planet – everything that ever was, is now or ever will be.

The term refers to  plants, animals and micro-organisms, as well as the genetic material that is contained in each individual organism and the ecosystems which these organisms create.

Australia is one of seventeen countries defined as  megadiverse  in July 2002.  These 17 countries contain over 70% of the world’s species. Our ancient land supports the largest  number of native species of reptiles and overall non-fish vertebrates and has the fifth largest number of native plant species.(source Australian Geographic website)    Read more: http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/society/a-nation-of-megadiversity.htm#ixzz0d1qHTQsE

Towards Earth Literacy:

Wild Habitats: A Natural History of Australian Ecosystems,

Allan Fox & Steve Parish, ABC Books, Sydney, 2007.

A life-long obsession with nature  has brought together the photography of Steve Parish and Allen Fox’s story of how Australian habitats function.

The result is a book which provides two vital ingredients for our task of participating as  members of the earth community in a time of escalating change.

The stunning beauty of our continent, brought to life through the photography of Steve Parish combines with Allen’s explication of an ever-changing ephemeral landscape, filled to overflowing with diversity and drama. (p.8)

We seek to learn new ways:

Reading Circle

Treacy Centre

3rd Monday of each month

2-3 p.m.

Canticles to the Cosmos

Wednesdays, February 10th, March 10th, April 14th

7.30 – 9.30 p.m.

Kildara Centre, rear 39  Stanhope St Malvern

Details of EarthSong’s Programs for 2010  are located in the left column.

We are being called into a new place:

The Transition Decade will be launched at the Melbourne Town Hall on Sunday, 14th February, 12 noon – 3 p.m.  Drawing together and showcasing the work of environment and social groups working for a decade of transition to a safe climate and sustainable future.  Free event but please register. http://www.t10.net.au/

Earth Hour: On Saturday 27th March 2010 at 8:30pm, people and organisations across the world will switch off their lights for Earth Hour. Please join them and consider marking the occasion by sharing a candle-lit meal with friends or creating a local community gathering viewing the night-sky.

Sustainable Living Festival: This year’s main events will be at Federation Square, Friday – Sunday, 19-21st February. Anne Boyd from EarthSong will be a panelist on the Greenfaith sponsored conversation: Spirit of the environment. Click on the link provided to view the complete program and get a sense of the variety and depth of the movement creating a sustainable future: http://festival.slf.org.au/

Upcoming Events.

Annual General Meeting

Friends of Earthsong are invited to join us at our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, 14th October, 6.30-7.30 p.m. at the Treacy Centre, 126 The Avenue, Parkville.

This will be an opportunity to join in conversation about the work of EarthSong over the past 12 months and to contribute to the vision for the future.

RSVP Friday, 9th October, email: pat@earthsong.org.au.

A residential program for teachers.

A New Heart and a New Mind.  Ecological Conversion: The Challenge of the 21st Century.

Wednesday, 18th – Friday 20th November 2009.

Edmund Rice Centre ‘Amberley’

7 Amberley Way, Lower Plenty

This program will explore current understandings of the origin and nature of the Universe, as a basis for opening up fresh insights into the place and role of the humanwithin a ’single, sacred community’ (T.Berry)  Principles for living out our ecological responsibility will be examined in the light of these understandings.

Participants will be invited to engage in interactive, creative processes.  Time will also be given for personal reflection.

Program Presenters: Each of the presenters, Anne Boyd, Carmel Crameri, Trevor Parton and Pat Long are experienced educators. Each has training in the fields of Earth Literacy and Spirituality and has led many seminars in these areas.

Registration: For further information please email pat@earthsong.org.au.

Exploring a New Cosmology: an Introductory Series.

The Centre for Faith, Life and Learning together with EarthSong presents these four sessions exploring how the stories we tell ourselves about the cosmos and our place in it shape the way we live and interact together.  Our need to reflect on these questions has never been more pressing.

Doncaster East Baptist Church

43-57 Tunstall Rd East Doncaster

Thursday nights: 7.30 – 9.30

October 8:  Modern Science: how has it shaped the new cosmology?

October 15:  Cosmology: the nature and power of story.

October 22:  Spirituality: celebrating the sacredness of all creation

October 29: Sustainable living: an ethical imperative.

Presenters: Anne Boyd, Carmel Crameri, Pat Long,  Trevor Parton.

$50 for the series, $15 per night.  Enquiries and bookings: 9842 8466.   Numbers are limited.

The Centre for Faith, Life and Learning is a joint project of the East Doncaster Baptist Church and Templestowe Uniting Church searching for an open and progressive approach to Christian Faith.

The Powers of the Universe.

The Grove Wholistic Centre for Spirituality is hosting this series of 5 evenings.  It provides an opportunity for a small group of women to view together and discuss the The Powers of the Universe DVD  series by  Brian Swimme.  Presenter:  Pat Long

Tuesday evenings:  October 13 & 20, November 10,& 17, December 1.  263 Nicholson St East Coburg.  Bookings are essential: ph. 9383 1993

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