Sundays
8:30am Worship Service, Rite 1
9:30am Bible Study in Griswold Room and via zoom
10:30am Sunday School (Godly Play)
10:30am Worship Service, Rite 2
Creation Care Resources
Backyard Insect Inspires Invisibility Devices, Next Gen Tech
Leafhoppers, a common backyard insect, secrete and coat themselves in tiny mysterious particles that could provide both the inspiration and the instructions for next-generation technology, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. In a first, the team precisely replicated the complex geometry of these particles, called brochosomes, and elucidated a better understanding of how they absorb both visible and ultraviolet light.
This could allow the development of bioinspired optical materials with possible applications ranging from invisible cloaking devices to coatings to more efficiently harvest solar energy, said Tak-Sing Wong, professor of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering. Wong led the study, which was published today (March 18) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS).
The unique, tiny particles have an unusual soccer ball-like geometry with cavities, and their exact purpose for the insects has been something of a mystery to scientists since the 1950s. In 2017, Wong led the Penn State research team that was the first to create a basic, synthetic version of brochosomes in an effort to better understand their function.
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Monarch Butterflies
Monarch butterflies appear to be everywhere these days. Is the crisis over?
https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2023-10-30/are-there-more-monarch-butterflies-california
Western monarch populations have rebounded since their calamitous drop in 2020 but are still far below historic norms. Are native milkweed giveaways helping?
Season of Creation
Friday, September 1 through Wednesday, October 4, 2023

The season starts 1 September, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and ends 4 October, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology beloved by many Christian denominations.
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More information here.
Plastic Recycling
HERE'S another look at plastic recycling and why it is such a challenge from the NYTimes.
2022 National Environmental Scorecard
2022 was the best year ever for climate action in Congress with the passage of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act that invests roughly $369 billion in advancing clean energy, creating good jobs, and fighting climate change and environmental injustice. This clean energy plan was finalized against a backdrop of devastating and costly climate-fueled extreme weather and oil and gas companies’ exploitation of Putin’s unlawful war on Ukraine.
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An issue that Dave and Christine Carter find is such a challenge at their old house is what to do about mice!
HERE is an article about mice/rat poisons going up the food chain to kill raptors! Or you can do something like THIS as listed on Amazon or any number of web sales sites. They work very well as we've tried them.
Going a Little Greener
If you're looking for an alternative to standard mouthwashes these products might fit the bill for a healthier, less chemically oriented, item.
from Liz Jacobowitz
https://colloidalsilvermouthwash.brighteonstore.com/colloidal-silver-mouthwash
Going a Little Greener
The new year is a great time to assess your "carbon footprint". There are several online tools you can use. Here is one available at the Nature Conservancy website: https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/
Note that changing your eating habits (eating less meat) and your travel (avoiding airplanes) have more impact on easing your footprint than many other things, including recycling, which our committee feels is a moral obligation!