Wake Up the Earth May 4

Jamaica Plain’s annual “WUTE” celebration of art, culture, and activism spotlights sustainability and social justice always featuring a vibrant parade with a costume twist for participants, such as this year’s jedis and dragons. Our booth featured “Born into Crisis, Building Solutions,” a Christian Science Monitor series on how the ‘climate generation’ born after 1989 is reshaping our understanding of work, culture, “progress,” human rights, and community.

Hosts (from left:) Sarah, Christa, Gretchen, Emily, (also Kendra, Victoria and Janell) had great conversations and gifted at least 100 Monitors to visitors.

Church member Joe Ninesling (VT) provided the wind-proof structure to secure blow-ups of climate series covers.

Examples of what we shared... 
- the series’ first article (11/6/23) featuring a Turkish teen with a teenager visitor
- "His gift of gab and hope may determine the temperature of your world " (11/13/23) featuring Namibian Deon Shekuza with an interested South African 
- a Science and Health and recent Sentinel with a woman uncertain about medicine who wanted to know know how prayer heals 
- a Monitor article on Israel and Palestine with a booth dedicated to social justice
- a MediaBias chart and Monitor with a podcaster focused on fair reporting
- clarification of the difference between Christian Science and Scientology
- “The incredible shrinking family” cover story with several young families

Wake Up the Earth May 6

“Wake Up to Progress” activities at Jamaica Plain’s annual Wake Up The Earth festival included Monitor Points of Progress articles located on a world map.

We offered Monitors with a special one-month free subscription and young people enthusiastically painted over 100 rocks in a reprise of last year’s popular activity.

Christa, Janell, Sarah, Joe and Gretchen enjoyed many connections with our beloved JP community!

It's all about seeing....

Artist Alex Cook hides ‘illusion’ paintings along nature trails in Boston’s Franklin Park

The artwork blends into its surroundings. But if passersby spot it, they’re bound to do a double take.

By Steve Annear Globe Staff,Updated March 2, 2023, 1:38 p.m.

Artist and muralist Alex Cook painted two illusion paintings that he placed in Boston’s Franklin Park. One was recently stolen from the tree it leaned against.JOHN TLUMACKI/GLOBE STAFF

When Jeffrey Jacobs went for a stroll along the trails in Boston’s Franklin Park last month, on a day when winter briefly gave way to spring, he expected to see the usual brown and beige leaves blanketing the ground, bare trees towering overhead, and a smattering of wildlife.

But something else caught his attention that day: A clever piece of camouflaged artwork, just off the beaten path.

The large painting perfectly matched its surroundings, but made it appear as if the trunks of the two trees it leaned against had been partially removed, replaced by a stack of gray stones and a twig wedged between the missing parts as if holding them up.

For full story, please click on link below.

Wake Up the Earth May 7

After a two-year hiatus, a beloved tradition returned to Southwest Corridor Park. “WUTE” began in 1979 when a group of neighbors and activists stopped a proposed I-95 expansion into Jamaica Plain. It remains today a vibrant celebration of what people of all traditions, cultures, ages and beliefs can accomplish when they come together.

This year, a gusty, blustery 10 hours kept vendors and performers improvising ways to ground themselves. JP Church was “rock” solid grounded in painting activities on stone and board. Energy abounded. Engagements were fun and respectful. Soul inspired lots of creativity and conversation.

Our mirror mosaic asked: ”How do you see respect?”
In other words (from members):
- How does respect grow?
- How do we honor one another better… for our good qualities… for our differences?
- What do you respect in your community?
- Where would you like to see respect grow in your community?
- How have you been touched by respect in the past – in a way that changed you?
- Can you respect someone you disagree with?
-How do we grow the respect that liberates?
-How do we model respect for our children?
-How have you been moved by seeing respect expressed?
-How have you been touched by someone who made you feel respected?
-How have you felt respected in the past?
-What’s the difference between showing respect and respecting someone?

Rom 12:10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. (NLT)

With openness, curiosity and respect, we connected visitors at our literature table - as well as neighboring booths - to Monitor issues of particular interest to them. Four or five neighboring climate-focused vendors welcomed the issue with the cover story on climate scientist moms.

Psalms 19:14  I hope my words and thoughts please you. Lord, you are my Rock, the one who saves me. (ICB)

How do we move from duty-bound expectations to the soul-feeding respect of seeing the actual good in the people around us and being moved by that?

I Thess 12-13  We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. (ESV)

Story boarding the “Take no thought for your life” parable

John 13: 34 I give you a new command: Love each other deeply and fully. Remember the ways that I have loved you, and demonstrate your love for others in those same ways. (Voice)