Two-thirds of Kyiv’s residents have no heat due to Russian missiles taking out Ukrainian electricity systems, a pattern repeated throughout the country. Vladyslav Heraskevych, a member of Ukraine’s Skeleton team in Lake Placid, NY for the World Cup Bobsled-Skeleton Championships, said the best way for North Country residents to help Ukrainians during this difficult time is to send sleeping bags, winter hats, socks, gloves, and underwear.
Heraskevych added the caveat that sleeping bags and clothing donations must be dark in color to help protect Ukrainians from being seen by Russian drones and snipers, and they should be new or in good shape as it’s frigid this time of year. In addition, he said only new long underwear, top and bottoms, socks, hats, and gloves for men or women. He also said they needed funding for generators.
God’s presence within us matters now, more than ever
Pictured here: John Philip Newell and Cami Twilling, Executive Director or Earth and Soul
In many respects, the Fourth Century decision by the Roman Emperor Constantine to embrace Christianity, a monotheistic faith, was an attempt to strengthen and expand the Roman Empire’s control and influence. At the same time, faith leaders of the time’s decision to abet and embrace that effort as means of expanding the church’s influence, has led to an evolution of the faith that a growing number of scholars feel is divorced from the original message of Jesus. This decision led to global antisemitism, slavery embraced by the West, the desecration of the environment, and support for the control of the many by the few.
According to the Celtic spiritual teacher John Philip Newell, who led a retreat in Keene Valley July 14-15, what is needed is a reborn church, one that conveys the message that God is within all of us, all life on earth, and, within all aspects of the cosmos. His message is that each of us is made from the substance of God and that our challenge and opportunity is to hear the inner voice within ourselves and one another.
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