We hold our Monthly Meetings on the 3rd Thursday of each month (but we don’t meet in July or August) from 1:00 – 3:00 pm. Guests are welcome, please email ahead at FCEN@capecodclimate.org. 

We also host book reads and special events that can be found here.

Prepared by Susan Starkey

Thursday, September 18, 2025, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Hybrid Meeting: In person at St. Mary’s Episcopal, 3055 Main Street, Barnstable, MA in the St. James Room and on Zoom

Topics: Eco-Theology- Catholic Faith Tradition with Paul Skudder and Jeff Korgen:

•  Catholic Approach To Climate (see links to Pope’s video’s on slide #1 and #18)
• Paul and Jeff brought us a wealth of info and insight from their varied and complementary perspectives. In our discussion, there was of course, an acknowledgment of many commonalities, also a shared struggle to inspire our FC members to commit to new actions; we would like to talk more about the slowdown in progress around the climate that we all see (and Paul and Jeff offered some insight on how we must depoliticize it by focusing on the moral perspective). There was alot of interest in the timeline of each previous Pope’s work on the environment and how it lines up with others like Rachel Carson; there is also interest in sharing more about “the next step” each can take, like Food Waste, within our Faith Communities (FC).
• Paul brought up  MA-Interfaith Power & Light and we are paid Members. 
• Jeff is very connected with Green Faith a group we’ve been involved with. Past co-chair, Brian McGurk, and Green Faith’s executive director, Fletcher Harper did a webinar together, hosted by the Temple of Understanding (Grove Harris is our Rep).

Thursday, October 16, 2025, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Zoom Meeting;  Meeting ID: 865 9885 5031; Passcode: 288292.

Topics to include: Eco-Theology- Indigenous & Celtic Spirituality with Rev. Dr. Russ Norris.

Russ Norris shared key aspects he’s brought to St. Mary’s during their Care For Creation season this year.

• Creation Myths and Stories: many traditions have different stories, and even in the Old and New Testament there are different stories, he shared Christian/Celtic stories as well as Indigenous writer, Robin Wll Kimmer’ Creation story of reciprocity, gratitude etc.
• Comments: Palegious shares a Celtic view of  “God” within, and Robin Wall Kimmerer questions “what does Earth ask of us”. Interesting that it was those in the emptiness and darkness who healed the humans.

Thursday, November 20, 2025, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Hybrid meeting at St. David’s Episcopal, Yarmouth, and Zoom too

Topics included: Inspiring our Families & Faith Communities to take Action, with Jim Nail from MA-Interfaith Power & Light

How often have you asked: What can one household or one congregation do—right now to address urgent issues of our time?
A lot. Burning fossil fuels is the core driver of climate change; the CO₂ we emit forms a blanket that traps heat. The average home releases around 35,000 pounds annually. We can change that.

• We invited others from our Faith Communities to join our partners from MA-Interfaith Power & Light for their Energy Audit work that helps MA faith communities in slashing carbon dioxide emissions. We got inspired to bring the right folks from your House of Worship to work on assessing and strategizing your path forward.

Thursday, December 18, 2025, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Zoom Meeting;  Meeting ID: 865 9885 5031; Passcode: 288292.

Rabbi Todd Zinn welcomed us and shared insights about the various ways Faith Traditions welcome in the Light at this coming time of year, with this theme drawing us closer together across holidays. And he emphasized that our interfaith efforts are more important than ever when so much pushes us apart. Hanukkah encourages us to continue to increase light and joy in this world.

Then all of us shared ways that we honor this Season in our faith traditions.

Envisioning 2026, starting with Russ’ ideas for 2026  we discussed how we can step up for Eco-justice in 2 ways: individual Faith Communities (FC) joining with others on a common issue, like plastic pollution, etc. Secondly, using our VOICES as a network more intentionally.

5 Friday’s in January, 2:00pm – 4:30 pm

“Life After Doom” a book read for women on the 5 Fridays in January 2026. Beth Wade and Susan Starkey facilitated the sessions, hosted in participants homes. This book explores the complexities of hope, the necessity of grief, and the need for a new way of thinking, becoming and belonging in turbulent times. For more information on future groups, contact starkey.susan@gmail.com.

Thursday, January 16, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Zoom Meeting;  Meeting ID: 865 9885 5031; Passcode: 288292.

The High Seas Treaty with Rich Delaney

Rich Delaney, founder of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative and the inspiration behind FCEN back in 2016, will share with us “The High Seas Treaty” – a landmark international treaty to protect marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Passed by the United Nations and set to enter into force on January 17, 2026, it ambitiously establishes a legal framework for governing the vast “high seas” allowing for the creation of marine protected areas, conducting environmental impact assessments, and ensuring the fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.

We discussed how Faith Communities can educate our communities about this and other UN efforts to safeguard our global community. Rich shed  light on how we can use our Voices to make a difference locally, as he first envisioned when forming the 5Cs. He first presented the High Seas Treaty at the Nauset Fellowship in Eastham on November 23.

Thursday, February 19, 2025, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Zoom Meeting;  Meeting ID: 865 9885 5031; Passcode: 288292.

Topic: Eco-theology from the Baptist Faith Tradition: We learned from FCEN Reps,  Ben Gregson and Beth Wade, about their own call to environmental action and their current work to get a MA-IPL Energy Audit and to create a Composting Project. And then Pastor Doug Scalese shared about the  American Baptist faith tradition. He’s part of THRIVE (https://www.thrivecapecod.org/) (and will speak there in early March) and NIA and offers talks on Creation Care; asking folks to work together to “Try to put the fire out first, then we can go back to analyze why it happened” (to get away from polarization).

Thursday, March 19, 2025, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Hybrid meeting at  St.David’s Episcopal in Yarmouth

Topics included: APCC: Andrew Gottlieb engaged us in a discussion after sharing the highlights of their new campaign to protect land and water: The Cape We Shape. See the Cape Cod Times article  “CCT Article.” This effort aims to preserve the last acres of Cape Cod that have been identified as priority natural resource areas needed for the protection of our drinking water, critical habitats, and coastal resilience. 

We encourage all faith communities to reach out to Christy Johnson,  Advocacy Director, Association to Preserve Cape Cod, 508-619-3185 x100 to get involved.

Thursday, April 16, 2025, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

This will be an In- Person gathering at Sandwich Quaker Meeting House.

Gail Melix will share her Eco-theology from a Wampanoag and Quaker perspective, she and Lewis Randa will update us on  how we can Pledge for Land Reparations. Lewis will also guide us on an Earth Day Ritual.

May 17-19

We won’t meet on the 3rd Thursday because we have a Three Part Series to offer with Hindu climate activist, Gopal Patel. 

“Hope, Responsibility, and Action: Spiritual and Religious Voices Rising for the Earth” at Unitarian Church of Barnstable, 3300 Main Street, Barnstable

 — May 17, 10:30 a.m. (Morning Service) and Noon-1:30 (Luncheon &  Panel)
Gopal Patel will open his Cape Cod visit at the Unitarian Church of Barnstable with a reflection titled “From the Ganges to Walden Pond: How Hindu Wisdom Shaped Emerson and Thoreau” exploring the influences of the Bhagavad Gita and other sacred Hindu texts on the New England Transcendentalists, particularly Emerson and Thoreau (who brought a copy of the Gita to Walden).  

“Sacred Seas, Shared Science: Faith and Research United for Ocean Protection” at St. Joseph’s Chapel, Woods Hole — May 18, 4:00 p.m.  33 Millfield St., Woods Hole
On Monday afternoon, Gopal Patel will be interviewed, by researcher and science journalist Dr. Heather Goldstone at St. Joseph’s Chapel in Falmouth, focusing on the ethical and global significance of protecting the world’s oceans. Drawing on his international work and involvement in global ocean policy, including the UN High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement), he will, with Dr. Goldstone, examine how faith traditions and moral leadership can address the urgent challenges facing marine ecosystems. The event aims to promote dialogue among faith leaders, scientists, and community members committed to environmental protection.

“Hope, Responsibility, and Action: Employing Our Voices for the Earth” at Brewster Ladies Library— May 19, 5:30 p.m. 1822 Main Street, Brewster
Gopal Patel’s visit to the Cape will conclude with a public interview and conversation on Tuesday at the Brewster Ladies Library, led by author Jeffry Odell Korgen, where Patel will connect climate action with broader themes of justice, community, and global cooperation. He will highlight how grassroots voices, interfaith collaboration, and civic engagement can work together to confront climate change and build a more sustainable and equitable future. This event will provide an opportunity for thoughtful dialogue and practical inspiration for all who seek to care for the Earth and strengthen community leadership.

 

 

Thursday, June 19, 2025, 12:00 pm- 2:30 pm

Rev. Nancy McHugh and FCEN Rep, Nancy Davison will welcome us to this  Luncheon at Dennis Union Church. Gail Greenwater Melix and Susan Starkey will engage us in a set of “queries” to help us connect with each other and our Mission. 

Our speaker will be Eileen Hoarle-Reuter, sharing how we can approach Green Burial’s for our faith communities and ourselves.