Interfaith Community & Climate Chaplaincy

Pat and Michael here to share the community building and climate activism being offered by interfaith chaplain, Rev. Gabriel Burford, of Belfast, Maine.

(Rev. Gabe on left in his capacity as an interfaith chaplain at a recent midcoast Maine protest.)

We live in a time where creativity is needed to approach the climate crisis and other intersecting challenges. While organizations and governments will play an important role in addressing these challenges, the real spur of change will come from everyday communities. If we look to periods of time in the past when whole systems change arose, the impetus for change came from everyday communities. With government institutions caught in political deadlock, it is time we apply the time-tested approach of whole community, grassroots change in earnest.

Friends and collaborators are sponsoring this fundraiser to support Rev. Gabe's efforts in building community fabrics capable of robust climate response. We have been witnesses of his work unfolding over the past two years since his ordination by the Interfaith Chaplaincy Institute of Maine. We are creating this page so Rev. Gabe's time and energy may be further focused in areas in which his skill sets can be of best use. He is currently operating off of the gift economy - donations that may or may not come from participants in his offerings - so that all may be involved without feeling financial pressure.

Gabe is passionate about creating what he calls "sanctuaries" of change. In this perspective, creating communities in which participants can support each other in deepening into a sense of belonging, compassion, and empowered agency is the first step we can take in facing a vast crisis such as climate change. From this place of deepening love and agency, we can free up, access, and direct our psychological resources with compassionate intent toward transforming the larger social systems we all exist within.

(A mindmap of Gabe's work, which he is happy to discuss with donors. See the link after the final italicized paragraph of this text to schedule a call; there is a contact form at the bottom of the linked website.)

Gabe draws from his studies of the many contemplative traditions of the world that have, for millennia, cultivated the knowledge and practices to find an embodied balance of personal agency and vast compassion. While he respects all spiritual traditions and practitioners who direct their wisdom towards compassionate intentions, as an interfaith spiritual practitioner, he does not represent or belong to any specific religion or denomination. As the climate crisis affects us all regardless of our identities or worldviews, he keeps a personal commitment to support any interested people regardless of their belief system, choosing to tailor language and practices that resonate with individuals on a personal level.

With these basic principles in mind, Gabe has been fostering the following communities, applying his sanctuary model. As you can see, he has been seeking fresh language to explore applied spirituality within a contemporary social landscape:

- The Rose Community Chapel: The Rose is an online meditation community that works primarily with Gabe’s adaptation of Tibetan Buddhist practices into concepts focused on cultivating belonging and the aspiration to create a world of well-being and safety for all. The meeting schedule is published as an appendix to “Love For Our Time," Rev. Gabe’s Substack newsletter, which can be found at https://loveforourtime.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

- The Belfast “Kythe,” A Place-Based Community of Belonging: a Scottish Gaelic word, “kythe” means to make known. Participants in this Belfast area group explore the meaning of kinship in contemporary times - with our deep need for belonging and recognition of our many layers of diversity - the Kythe group seeks to make known our interconnectedness in a world that greatly needs deep belonging and care.

- A Nonviolent Warriorship “Shield Circle”: drawing from source material held within paths of spiritual warriorship, the Shield Circle is a meditation practice group exploring what it means to face the challenges of our time with the heart of a warrior. Participants explore four primary qualities of nonviolent warriorship - fearlessness, full-heartedness, trustworthiness, and joy - to support each other in establishing a psychological foundation upon which we can embody care and compassion in our communities, as well as apply them to systemic change.

- Local Nonviolent Direct Action Groups: Gabe has been an active organizer in local climate action groups in the Midcoast Maine area for much of his adult life. He has organized for 350 Maine, Midcoast Maine XR, as a collaborator with the Possibility Alliance, a local pod of the Fierce Vulnerability Network, and most recently a group called the Alliance of Intervening Citizens (formerly known as the Belfast Climate Hub.) Much of his chaplaincy work is a response to his experiences as a climate organizer, which have taught him that deep love and belonging is the primary foundation upon which any change we can make together is ultimately possible.

- One-On-One Interfaith Chaplaincy Sessions: for people interested in individual support around finding greater equanimity and love even in our time of crisis, Gabe is happy to schedule one-on-one calls or in-person meetings. Like the above groups, these sessions are based on the gift economy (donations that may or may not come from the person asking for a session). This fundraiser will make this continued support possible for people regardless of their income level.

Please note as these donations are going towards Rev. Gabe’s personal vocation rather than a church or religious organization, they are not tax-deductible. Your support goes towards his care and development of the above groups, further networking efforts to connect the potential accessed by participants in the sanctuary model to other actions & organizations, and Gabe’s ongoing research toward and development of interfaith contemplative practices that empower everyday people to find their inherent sanity and agency in a world in great need of compassionate action. Gabe is happy to answer any questions or to schedule a time to talk about the work you are considering supporting. A contact form can be found by scrolling to the bottom of any page on his website.

https://www.revgabrielburford.com/