The annual speaker series at Union Church in Biddeford Pool, as seen here in this 2018 photo, begin June 17. Tammy Wells Photo
BIDDEFORD — Planet health is the focus of the 20th annual speaker series at Union Church, which begins Thursday June 17 with a presentation by Jennifer Comeau, author and founder of Sunrise Hill Sanctuary, with “Reclaiming Your Wild.”
The series is open to the public and available to all, and features virtual addresses from authors and others who take their inspiration from the wild and nature. Organizers say unifying theme of this year’s line-up is “Rekindling Love for Our Living Earth,” in recognition that we are living in a transformative time in human history from a climate and environmental standpoint.
On July 8, local entrepreneur Phil Coupe, founder of Revision Energy, will give a talk entitled “A Blueprint for a Renewable Energy Future.” This event will be a hybrid in-person/online event.
Next up in the series July 29 will be Diane Wilson, executive director of the Native American Food Safety Alliance, and author of The Seed Keeper, speaking about “Seeds for Seven Generations.”
The final session is on Aug. 19, with author and Harvard Divinity School writer-in-residence Terry Tempest-Williams sharing her talk called “Defending Wild Earth.”
This year there are several additional events as part of the series designed to deepen learning and commitment and encourage greater participation, organizers said.
Each speaking session will be followed up separately with a “Deepening the Conversation” virtual event to encourage a community conversation and exchange around the given topic. In addition, the series includes a Movie Night with a Screening of “Kiss the Ground,” a film about an agricultural revolution.
“This series is a highlight for us every year with the entire community, and we are thrilled with this year’s focus on passionate and loving stewards of our environment speaking about such important and critical topics for us all,” said Union Church Pastor Paula Norbert.
This year’s presenting sponsor for the series is Saco & Biddeford Savings. All proceeds from sponsorships and ticket sales benefit Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Center, Biddeford Food Pantry, Ever After Mustang Rescue, and Saco Meals. This year, there are additionally three “green” nonprofit beneficiaries: Biddeford Community Gardens, The Ecology School, and YOUth LEADing The World program. Church leaders say that over the years, the annual speaker series has generated well over $100,000 in charitable donations.
Tickets may be purchased for a specific event or for the entire series. Visit www.unionchurchme.com/news-events/ for more information.
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