Archer Earth Community Mid March Update
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Dianne Hearn
Mar 17, 2025, 1:54:57 AM3/17/25
to thea...@googlegroups.com, Muriel De Barros, Pam Douglas, Alice Carwardine
Dear Friends
Archer Earth Community Agape dates 2025
Our dates for Agape in 2025 are as follows:
April Sunday 20 Easter Sunday Sunrise on Sandgate Foreshore
May Monday 12 Coochiemudlo
June 8 or 9 Mystery of Wind (Brian Swimme)
July Friday 11 Osprey House, Griffin
August Monday 11 Rewilding the Urban Soul
September 1-4 Retreat at Bunya Mountains
October 12 or 13 The wisdom of Ilia Delio
November 9 or 10 TBD
December Sunday 14 Christmas Celebration at 2461
March 16 Agape
A good crowd of Archerites gathered at 2461 for our first Agape in 2025 to reconnect with our vision as an Archer Earth Community. Some pics below.
We acknowledged traditional custodians from all our places across the South East corner and recognised the recent decision upholding native title as a property right in the Gumatj case led by Dr Yunupingu.
The mantra Open My Heart (Oscail mo chroi) from Deidre Ni Chinneide helped us to centre our being and to open our hearts to give and receive during our time together.
We reconnected with our Vision Statement firstly through a breathe meditation focussing on what is currently on my mind, in my heart, in my gut in relation to my personal life, my community, our wider world?
We then spent time with the Vision Statement to see how the words of the vision of our Archer Earth Community challenge and inspire us to live with hope.
Finally we shared the practices that help each of us to live our lives in the spirit of the Vision and so live in hope.
See below for a summary of our reflections.
April Agape - Easter Sunday Sunrise on 20 April
One of our traditions has been to gather for Easter Sunday sunrise which this year is 20 April. We will be gathering on the Sandgate foreshore to celebrate resurrection and new life. More details to come.
Archer Meditation
Our meditation gatherings are on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. We gather at 2461 Sandgate Rd Boondall from 9.30am to 10am or via the zoom option at https://www.worldpeaceprayer.org/
Simply enter this site and click on the candle or link to join the meditation.
Coming Meditation Dates are: March 19 and April 2
Archer Earth Community Bunya Mountains Retreat September 1-4
Our three day retreat will be held again in the Bunya Mountains commencing on the afternoon of Monday 1 September and concluding on the morning of Thursday 4 September. In order to assist booking accommodation please contact Di (hear...@gmail.com) if you wish to attend and have not yet registered.
Please see the proposed schedule for our retreat attached below. We will firm up details and seek volunteers for organising various aspects of the retreat at later Agapes.
Laudato Si Lenten Resource
This year marks the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si - Care for our Common Home. You may be interested in the Laudato Si Lenten resource Conversion of Heart for the Earth which is framed around the three pillars of eco-conversion, sustainability and advocacy. See https://laudatosimovement.org/lent/
Grace is God’s Name by Richard Rohr
You may enjoy this short reflection by Richard Rohr around the idea that ‘Grace is not something God gives; grace is who God is’. See https://cac.org/daily-meditations/grace-is-gods-name/
Tropical Cyclones driven by Climate Change
You may be interested in this analysis of the recent tropical cyclone Alfred by The Climate Council. The article reflects on 2024 as the hottest year in recorded history and its impact on water temperature, storm surge, rainfall totals, wind strength and season changes. See https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/cyclone-alfreds-destruction-driven-by-climate-change/
Closing the Gap 2025 Implementation Plan
The 2025 Implementation Plan for Closing the Gap following last year’s review shows that only 5 of the 19 target areas are on track, 5 show improvement but are not on track, 1 shows no change, 4 are worsening and 4 cannot be assessed. For more details see:
Key Dates in March
20 March Close the Gap Day
Close the Gap Day advocates for health equity of Australia’s indigenous people and educates the us all about the health issues and barriers to well-being faced by them.
21 March International Forests Day
The theme for 2025 is Forests and Food and reminds us that forests are essential for the survival of forest-dependent communities, particularly indigenous people. We are also reminded of the importance of forests for climate-change mitigation by storing carbon.
Two interesting websites about Australia’s forests can be found at
22 March World Water Day
The theme for 2025 is Save Our Glaciers and reminds us that while their meltwater is essential for drinking water, agriculture, industry, and healthy ecosystems, rapidly melting glaciers cause uncertain water flows and sea level rise.
22 March Earth Hour
To demonstrate support for the environment millions of people across the globe switch off lights from 8.30 to 9.30 local time on Saturday 22 March. While this is essentially symbolic action it hopefully reminds us all of the importance of energy conservation for our planet.
For more information and to register see: https://www.earthhour.org.au/
24 March Feast Day of Oscar Romero
Oscar Romero bravely advocated for those who were poor and marginalised in El Salvador and was assassinated March 24 1980. The prayer in his memory, Prophets of a Future not our Own may be found at https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/practices/practices/view/28469/oscar-romeros-prayer
In conclusion we hold in prayer all in the Earth Community recovering from the effects of the cyclone with this prayer from https://greenfaith.org/
We hold the Earth.
We hold brothers and sisters who suffer from storms and droughts intensified by climate change.
We hold all species that suffer.
We hold world leaders delegated to make decisions for life.
We pray that the web of life may be mended through courageous actions to limit carbon emissions.
We pray for right actions for adaptation and mitigation to help our already suffering earth community.
We pray that love and wisdom might inspire my actions and our actions as communities. . .
So that we may, with integrity, look into the eyes of brothers and sisters and all beings and truthfully say, we are doing our part to care for each other and the future of the children.
May love transform us and our world with new steps toward life.
Amen.
Blessings from
Archer Earth Community
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