On November 7, 2016 we gathered in a circle at the Asheville Quaker Meeting house to hear music and stories of hope and courage. Tim DeChristopher shared about his work resisting climate change by bringing a faith-filled voice to activism and activism to faith communities. DeChristopher is a climate activist who spent twenty one months in prison in 2008 after interrupting a Bush era oil and drilling auction with a spontaneous act of courage and civil disobedience. He then used his prosecution as an opportunity to organize the climate justice organization Peaceful Uprising in Salt Lake City, and later founded the Climate Disobedience Center.

DeChristopher and his musical collaborator Brian Cahall both told stories and shared music to encourage and inspire us to bold action. One story stood out as an affirmation of solidarity and relationships during this great ecological and social time of transition.

While Tim was in an illegitimate Bureau of Land Management land auction he struggled with how to proceed with some sort of disruption of the flow of public lands into the hands of oil and gas companies. As the auctioneer called out dollar amounts as low as $2 and acre and bidder numbers, his outrage grew.  He saw a woman from his church sitting in the corner of the room.

She began to openly weep, grieved by the process.

Tim said her tears affirmed his inner compass to move forward with his creative act of courage in disrupting the auction.

The presence of his community was critical in his struggle for a healthy future for people and creatures.

At the center of it all is our call to relationship. No matter the action you take to care for creation, recycling, community gardening, river clean up, energy efficiency, composting, voting, praying or civil disobedience it matters.  CCA hopes to support faith communities and people of faith in their work to care for creation as an expression of the spiritual life.