Climate Ribbon Arts Ritual at SFUU

The Green Team and Worship Committee were pleased to bring the climate ribbon art ritual to SFUU during the April 14th, 2019 Sunday Service. This was a participatory are ritual for climate healing and hope that was originally created for the 2014 People’s Climate March in New York City. It has since appeared in communities around the world, including SFUU!

This participatory art ritual allowed us celebrate what we love about the Earth, to grieve for what we might lose due to Climate Change, and to unite in our commitment to take action. Participants wrote what they loved and hoped to never lose on a ribbon and then suspended it from our ‘tree’. After looking at the ribbons on the tree, each person chose a ribbon, stepped up to the microphone, spoke what was on the ribbon, and promised to protect what that person held dear (“I am with you”). All this while others witnessed by speaking the ritual words in response “We are with you”. Ribbons were then tied to our wrists symbolizing a willingness to protect what others hold dear on Earth.

Members of Social Justice brought the climate ribbon ritual to the Auburn Hip Hop Congress’ Some Kind of Earth Day celebration at Auburn School Park Preserve on April 27, 2019. All of the ribbons were inspiring, but perhaps my favorite contributed during this community Earth Day celebration was “The hope in people’s eyes".”

At SFUU, we produced the ritual in two parts:

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  1. Gather the ribbons. The reflection and ribbon-writing portion of the ritual started during the worship service on March 31 as part of the Story for All Ages. and continued during the weeks following.

  2. Complete the ritual. Once our ‘tree’ and its ribbons were displayed for several weeks, then the ritual culminated in the ribbon witnessing and affirmation portion of the ceremony on April 14, 2019 during Sunday Services.

Green Team leader for this project: Barb Munn