A little over a week ago, we congratulated Villa Guadalupe and Little Sisters of the Poor in Gallup for earning a runner-up award in National Interfaith Power & Light’s annual Cool Congregations Challenge contest. The local newspaper Gallup Independent also reported the award . Here is a screenshot of the brief article that was posted in the Gallup, NM, newspaper
Congratulations to Villa Guadalupe and Little Sisters of the Poor in Gallup for earning a runner-up award in National Interfaith Power & Light’s annual Cool Congregations Challenge contest. Villa Guadalupe, which partnered with nearby Spirit Farm, received a $500 prize from IPL. Here is what national IPL said:
Villa Guadalupe won a Sacred Grounds award for their innovative plan to collect 20,000 gallons of rainwater on their roofs to irrigate their own vegetable garden and the nearby Navajo reservation farmers. Their project partner is Spirit Farm, an indigenous-informed educational project of Covenant Pathways and James and Joyce Skeet.
Here is a list of all the runner up and honorbable mention awards this year
Here are first-place awards
Among the congregations in New Mexico that have won a first-place or runner-up award in one of the national IPL Cool Congregations in past years are Lybrook Community Ministries in Cuba, Congregation Albert in Albuquerque, United Church of Santa Fe, Bethany Christian Reform Church in Gallup, Camino de Vida Iglesia Cristiana in Albuquerque, St. John’s United Methodist Church in Albuquerque,
We are called to work for life.
We are called to love creation.
We are grateful for all who worked so hard, and prayed for so many concerns during the legislative session that ended February 15.
While the session is over, our work is not over.
(and many of you worked for during the 30-day budget session).
HB 2-General Appropriations for 2024 which included $300M for the Conservation Lgacy Fund; $75M for the Match Fund; $10M for Climate Investment Center; $7M for Surface and Ground Water Permitting
Tax package Feeder Bills that included funding for Numerous Tax credit bills for solar, energy storage, clean cars, geothermal and energy storage.
HB 41 -Clean Transportation Fuel Standards
HB 5 Workforce Development & Apprenticeship Fund
CS/ HB 211/a Water Project Prioritization
We all continue to work in these areas throughout the year and into the future for our communities and young ones as we strive to care for our sacred land, water, air and communities.
HB 133 Oil & Gas Act Changes –reform for financial assurances and codifying methane rules in New Mexico
Bills to increase bonding through increased royalties in oil and gas industry on state land
Memorial to study setbacks in oil and gas industry related to human and environmental health
SB 79 Statewide Composting Program
Pollinator protection
HB 104 Statewide Public Health and Climate Program
HJR4 and SJR8 NM Green Amendment