Ecofem, sorry for any cross postings. Different take on forest preservation's call for action. I've been working with Fred Kreuger and the Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation the past few months helping to produce Religion and The Forest and encourage local churches to take the plunge. (Where's Angela [EMAIL PROTECTED] was that her e? does anyone have her current email?) They are making serious headway in congress on frugal living, environmental protection, with scriptural reference to support a complete end to commercial logging on public land in the US. They are comprised of national clergy from primarily Judeo-Christian religions and have openly endorsed the McKinney/Leach bill to end all commercial logging on public lands. I don't know if anyone here is interested or knows of anyone who might be, but this is a decent opportunity to lobby in DC with a very serious, determined religious group of forest activists. Thanks/donna ------------ In two months (February 27-March 1) the Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation will go to Congress. We invite you to join us. We plan to visit every legislator in the Congress and help each understand why Christianity and Judaism are concerned about the forests and creation care generally. In addition to legislator visits, the RCFC will conduct a Congressional Staff Briefing and articulate the reasons why religion is getting involved with forest conservation. This briefing will be coordinated by the offices of Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA) and Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA). You would join during this time and enter into discussions with Congressional staff during the reception which follows the formal briefing. [Note to e-mail edition readers: This briefing and the ensuing reception are significant because congressional staff are often more knowledgeable about specific issues than the legislator. Staff opinion is often crucial to bringing the legislator into support or rejection of a specific bill.] Our Washington Week begins on Sunday afternoon with an orientation and delegate training program plus trial presentations before Congressional impersonators. On Monday morning we convene a prayer breakfast for forest conservation at the Willard Hotel alongside the White House; then we proceed in teams to visits with our Senators and Congressmen. On Tuesday, we hope to go as a delegation to the White House, though we do not yet know with whom we will be meeting. Small ten and twelve person delegations will visit with Secretary Bruce Babbitt and U.S. Forest Service Chief Michael Dombeck. (Those who went on these visits to Administration officials should defer this year to those who did not.) On Wednesday our program concludes with a Congressional Staff Briefing on the reasons why religious institutions are calling for forest conservation. A reception in the Capitol will follow for everyone. Other events are still being added. [Late news memo: It may be that we will have TWO visits to the White House: one with President Clinton and the other with Vice President Gore. Whether all delegates can participate or whether a size limit will be imposed on us has not yet been determined. However with an entry based upon thanking President Clinton for setting aside new National Monument Lands and the opportunity for a photo shoot of religious groups thanking the President, a larger group works to the political advantage of the President. He now needs positive acknowledgement of his land preservation proposal in order to off-set criticisms from Western legislators. At the same time, we piggy-back our call for preservation of all national forests on our thanks for the land preservation.] A invitation/ Participation Form to join us follows. Three different accommodation options will be available. Each person is responsible for his or her own travel, food and lodging costs. Additionally a sliding scale participation fee of $9 to $999 is requested to cover the costs of packets and administration. The prayer breakfast costs are an additional $35 per person. Please consider giving a copy of this invitation to your pastor. The need for a more vigorous application and demonstration of Christian and Jewish responsibility for God's forests is now! Our general call is for ethics and morality in government. Our specific call is for preservation of the national forests: i.e., that they be protected from all forms of commercial logging. I hope you can join with us in this historic initiative to preserve our public forests from industrial exploitation and ruin. If you have questions, please give me a call. Yours in service to our Lord's great forests, Fred Krueger ------------------------------------------------ Page Two [Tree symbol] An Invitation to Speak Out for your Faith (26 pt) Stand Up for the Forests and Creation Care (18 pt) You are invited to an adventure! From Sunday, February 27th, through Wednesday afternoon, March 1st, representatives from Christian churches, Jewish synagogues plus dozens of para-religious organizations will assemble to tell elected officials about the need to care for creation and especially to tell them of the need to preserve the forests on our public lands. You can join us! You need only be willing to help and able to speak honestly and bluntly to your legislators. Our cause is the need to restore morality to public policy and especially the public interest to federal management of the national forests. If you have a religious affiliation and support the end of commercial logging on public lands, we need you. Please fill out the coupon below. The requirements are minimal, the opportunities to do good are substantial. Our immediate goal is Congressional support for an end to commercial logging on the national forests. The longterm goal is healthy forest systems (including clean air and water) for our children and future generations. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - PARTICIPATION FORM To join us, or to support our effort, please clip and return this registration coupon. Thank you. __ YES! I will come to Washington and help the RCFC promote forest preservation to elected officials. Please send more information. __ I cannot come, but I can make a contribution toward the religious campaign to save our public forests __ $1,000 __ $500 __ $250 __ $100 __ $50 __ $25 other_________. Name _______________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________ City, State, Zip____________________________________ Telephone___________________________________________ Religious affiliation_______________________________ Please mail your completed participation form to: The Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation 409 Mendocino Ave., Suite A, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
