08/07/2025
Dear Beloved Community,
It is with both sadness and gratitude that Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power and Light is closing its operations. We’d like you to think of us as a nurse log for your continuing call to earth stewardship.
Our Greening Congregations program was the first in the country to help sacred communities implement sustainable practices and our Faithful Advocacy program has been on the cutting edge of empowering clergy and lay leaders to speak out on public policy issues.
"Fallen trees and decaying stumps lie on the forest floor in the midst of their thriving offspring. Much like beloved elders gone before, the trees on the ground have given up active living but are still very much present in other ways. Known as nurse logs or stumps, the chief function of the tree has shifted from photosynthesis, transpiration, and reproduction to more of a supporting role for the health of the forest. After falling, the trees provide nourishment and stability for the forest life that remains and, in some ways, support more life in death than they did while alive. Interestingly, as the once magnificent tree melds into the folds of the forest floor, it is dependent on a plethora of natural conditions in order to give back to the forest community in such a unique way." ~ Nurse Log by Sharon Pegany, Winter 2018
Our official announcement was made in early August 2025:
“The Earth Ministry/ WA Interfaith Power and Light Board has made the incredibly difficult decision that it is time to dissolve the organization. The current political and funding climate, combined with unexpected challenges, has made this the most faithful way forward. While the official organization will not continue, our mission is still needed in the state of Washington and beyond and will not end. The work will continue in new forms and our board will help you connect with it, if you so desire. As people of faith and conscience, we return in times of transition to the promise of hope through the community and relationships we have formed. We trust that this community has been a point of connection for you and that the relationships you have developed will sustain you. For questions related to the organization and what comes next, please direct queries to our Board Secretary, Pastor Laura Baumgartner at [email protected].”
We look for the ongoing growth in this important forest of concern, light and love.
May God be with us all as we foster new shoots of possibility for a more just, more sustainable world.
Earth Ministry/WAIPL Board
Posted with gratitude for permission to post from poet, Sharon Pegany.
Photo credit: Wing-Chi P**n; Schooner Trail, Pacific Rim National Park, British Columbia, Canada
