Our Relatives, the Plants

October 1, 2017

Stunning similarities between the root of a plant and the human gut could transform how we grow food and counter the onset of chronic diseases through merging the mind of an ecologist with the care of a gardener and the skills of a doctor. Join a fascinating discussion led by BUF member Dave Zeretzky, an amateur scientist who has made a study of the research on microbial life, specifically, how human microbes relate closely to plant microbes. 

Hear about microbiomes and the concept of hologenomes, which challenge our definition of ‘human.’  Bring your curiosity and your questions!

9:15-10:15am, BUF Conference Room 

Fighting Unfairness in our Legal Systems

At 9:15 a.m., join us and longtime environmentalist Ronna Loerch of Democracy Awakening as she tells us about that organization’s local work, and that of their partner organization Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF), a fee-free environmental law firm.

It’s time for us to come together and claim a democracy where every voice is heard and every vote counts equally — a democracy that works for all of us. About 200 communities across the nation are standing up to legal systems and corporations that permit environmental harm and negate our rights. These communities are adopting local ordinances that go against ‘the rules.’

We will watch a short section of the CELDF documentary “We the People 2.0,” and Ronna will tell us more about the actions that people are taking across the nation, and how we can join in.

Humanistas Ministry - Helping People in a Pinch, September 17, 2017

Humanitas is an alms program and as such we operate as simply as we can.  All the money we collect goes directly to the people who come to us for help.  Our stationery supplies and hospitality expenses (coffee, tea, etc), are paid for by the Humanitas team.  Our finances are kept up to date on a computer spreadsheet and sent in to BUF on a weekly basis.

The Ministry provides emotional support and limited emergency financial assistance in a safe, warm and non-judgmental atmosphere to local people in need.  We work with other churches and charitable agencies through Bellingham’s Community Resource Network to actively and directly help the poor and marginalized people in our midst. Typical requests include help to purchase gasoline or a WTA monthly bus pass.  Larger amounts are “gathered” by the recipient who is given pledges from one or more of the other ministries in Bellingham, eventually accruing enough to pay for items such as car registration or a small utility bill.  Our goal is to continue this work. Our financial mainstay comes through our ten-bucks-a-month club augmented by the special social justice annual collection and other donations.

We will share how we came into being, how our ministry works (we will bring pledge and voucher forms to illustrate the difference), how we serve the neighborhood, how we partner with other churches, and answer any and all questions about the ministry.  We will have pamphlets to hand out and applications for our ten-bucks-a-month club will be available..

Helping People in a Pinch: Humanitas

Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017 

9:15am-10:15, in the BUF Conference Room

The BUF Humanitas Ministry provides emotional support and limited emergency financial assistance in a safe, warm and non-judgmental atmosphere to local people in need.  We work with other churches and charitable agencies through Bellingham’s Community Resource Network to actively and directly help the poor and marginalized people in our midst. Typical requests include help to purchase gasoline or a WTA monthly bus pass.  Larger amounts are “gathered” by the recipient who is given pledges from one or more of the other ministries in Bellingham, eventually accruing enough to pay for items such as car registration or a small utility bill.

Our goal is to continue this work. Our financial mainstay comes through our ten-bucks-a-month club augmented by the special social justice annual collection and other donations.

We will share how we came into being, how our ministry works (we will bring pledge and voucher forms to illustrate the difference), how we serve the neighborhood, how we partner with other churches, and answer any and all questions about the ministry.

We will have pamphlets to hand out and applications for our ten-bucks-a-month club will be available.