Green Teams Gathering
An in-person gathering of members and friends of congregational Green Teams, Earth Care Teams, and Climate Action Teams from around Southern Maine and beyond
Saturday, June 21
10.00am - 4.00pm
(with optional offerings before and after)
Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment
184 Burnett Road, Freeport, Maine
$35 individual program fee. Includes lunch.
$20 per individual attending as part of a congregational team of 3 or more
Scholarships available. Please contact Madeline Bugeau-Heartt at madeline@thebtscenter.org to inquire.
As storms rage around us — both literal and metaphorical — we know that the key to surviving and even thriving lies in the strength of our communities. Resilience is built through networks of people who are deeply connected both to one another and to their local watersheds — networks which can be nimble in bringing care and creativity where it is most needed in times of crisis and beyond.
In order to help to nurture these robust local communities, The BTS Center is offering our second annual Green Teams Gathering this June in Southern Maine. Buoyed by the passion and dedication of those who attended our inaugural gathering last year, we’re looking forward to a deep and impactful time together at the beautiful Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and Environment in Freeport, Maine.
We are thrilled to host Rev. Katie Mears, Senior Technical Specialist, US Disaster and Climate Risk at Episcopal Relief & Development, as our guest speaker. Katie will lead us into a deeper understanding of climate migration and the challenges this anticipated reality will bring to Maine. Folks will then have the chance to engage in a variety of innovative breakout sessions, each designed to “widen the aperture” of our thinking around what is possible for faith-based communities amidst these climate-changed times. This special day will also include moments of song, times for connecting and sharing ideas, curated farm tours at Wolfe’s Neck Farm, and other community-building activities.
The Green Teams Gathering is an annual opportunity for faith groups from across Maine to come together in a spirit of bold collaboration and vision. During this full-day offering, we will engage in dynamic dialogue and inspired workshops, create meaningful connections, and grapple with the tension of what it means to live prophetically amidst difficult times. We hope you’ll join us — and that you’ll bring a team from your community!
Schedule for the day:
8:50 am • Early Bird Arrival (optional)
9:00 am • Optional Cows & Climate Farm Tour
9:30 am • Welcome & Arrival Gathering
10:00 am • Opening Session with Rev. Katie Mears
11:00 am • Group Processing Time
11:45 am • Lunch
1:00 pm • Immersion Workshop #1
2:00 pm • Break
2:10 pm • Immersion Workshop #2
3:10 pm • Break
3:20 pm • Closing Session
4:10 pm • Optional Cows & Climate Farm Tour
Meet Our Presenter
Rev. Katie Mears is the Senior Technical Specialist for US Disaster & Climate Risk at Episcopal Relief & Development and has been directing the organization’s efforts in disaster preparedness and response in the United States since 2009. Katie’s leadership has not only enhanced the organization’s capacity to respond to emergencies, but has also deepened its commitment to reaching those most in need through innovative partnerships and programs, as well as addressing how the disaster response sector needs to adapt to the changing climate. Holding a BA from Grinnell College and an MDiv from Union Theological Seminary, Katie brings a rich blend of academic insight and practical wisdom to the role. They oversee a suite of initiatives designed to prepare and support Episcopal churches, dioceses, and their communities in disaster situations. Katie has led a strategic planning process over the past two years to shift the organization’s approach to response — centering the people impacted by disasters instead of centering the geographic locations of events, centering climate adaptation and survivor’s agency in planning their own recovery in the face of increasing hazards. Katie lives in Portland, Maine.
Meet Our Hosts from The BTS Center
Madeline Bugeau-Heartt, Program Associate
Rev. Nicole Diroff, Associate Director
Rev. Dr. Allen Ewing-Merrill, Executive Director
Rev. Ash Temin, Communications Manager
About Our Venue
Operating as a nonprofit organization since 1997, and an organic coastal farm for over sixty years, Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment is a farm-based education, research, and visitor center set amidst more than 600 acres of conserved open space along Casco Bay in Freeport, Maine.
Wolfe’s Neck is a one-of-a-kind place on the coast of Maine advancing agriculture – on their own farm, regionally, and nationally – to accelerate change in food systems and mitigate the effects of a changing climate through regenerative farming demonstration and training, innovative research, and collaborations. Learn more about Wolfe’s Neck.
