The BTS Center

10/28/2026

On Substack: a brief tour of trans existence across time and culture and species, and a summons to vote for trans futures.

by Ophelia Hu Kinney, The BTS Center's Strategic Communications Director.

Toward a trans-affirming future • by Ophelia Hu Kinney, The BTS Center

10/28/2026

Thanks Caleb for spotlighting our conversation between our host Autumn Brown and Rabbi Ora Nitkin-Kaner around the question of "If I can't fix climate grief what can I do instead?" from Season 4 Episode 3 of The Climate Changed Podcast.

The EcoChristian Podcast is an engaging and revelatory podcast, hosted by Caleb Cray Haynes, exploring what it means to be Christian on planet Earth. If you're interested in exploring our current polycrisis through a lens rooted in Christian theology and practice we recommend you give it a listen!

10/27/2026

Leah Penniman's galvanizing, dream-weaving keynote speech from our 2026 Convocation is now available online. If you were unable to attend, or are looking to reconnect with her inspiring talk, click the link in our bio.

We are so grateful to share this moment with intelligent, exuberant, thought leaders like Leah. We hope this talk can be a resource as we work together to shape our response to the climate crisis with kin-centric thought and action.

10/26/2026

Vote.org lets you preview your ballot so that, on Voting Day, choices don't take you by surprise. You can learn about local, state, and federal candidates and proposals. Heading to the polls with a plan helps to move the line along, as well.

Which candidates and policy proposals reflect your faith and values?
Which will champion the kind of future for Earth for which you’re working?

10/23/2026

The BTS Center's Executive Director Rev. Allen Ewing-Merrill invites us into a posture of Earth citizenship – regardless of our national citizenship status, through election season and beyond. That includes reflection on:

• Intersectionality
• Spiritual and Moral Urgency
• Solidarity

Read on and let us know how you're adopting a posture of Earth citizenship in your daily life

10/23/2026

The Board and staff of The BTS Center are thrilled to celebrate the addition of two new members of the staff team: Mercedes Young and Ian Carlsen

As Director of Leadership Formation, Mercedes will be responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating the programs of The BTS Center that contribute to the spiritual and vocational formation of clergy serving in congregational settings, chaplains in every sector, spiritual directors, scholars, and engaged laypersons. She brings her wealth of knowledge and experience in chaplaincy, Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), structural policy, and curriculum design, and is excited to to bring together parts of herself within a community she's admired and enjoyed since 2023.

Ian will be joining as Communications Associate where he will be using his background as a storyteller, copywriter, and film and commercial producer to help promote and support The BTS Center's many programs, write social media posts (like this one!), and help the organization both deepen and expand its reach.

Mercedes’ appointment to the Director of Leadership Formation role coincides with another staff member transition: Rev. Alison Cornish, who has brought dedicated and visionary leadership to The BTS Center as Climate-Conscious Chaplaincy Initiative coordinator for the past several years, is retiring from that role.

Likewise, Ian begins his stint as Communications Associate just as Rev. Ash Temin departs her role as Staff Writer + Program Manager. Ash was a member of The BTS Center’s staff team for five years, first as Communications Manager. Now, her role with The BTS Center is changing as she spends more time with family in Australia.

Please join us in welcoming Mercedes and Ian, and in thanking both Alison and Ash for their foundational work.

LINK: https://thebtscenter.org/the-bts-center-welcomes-two-new-staff-members/

10/22/2026

Leah Penniman's galvanizing, dream-weaving keynote speech from our 2026 Convocation is now available online. If you were unable to attend, or are looking to reconnect with her inspiring talk, click the link in our bio.

We are so grateful to share this moment with intelligent, exuberant, thought leaders like Leah. We hope this talk can be a resource as we work together to shape our response to the climate crisis with kin-centric thought and action.

10/21/2026

This snippet of our conversation between host Autumn Brown and author/environmentalist Bill McKibben about the midterm elections seemed quite timely, so we're releasing it early. He also speaks directly to the lasting impact that the response of Autumn's community of Minneapolis have had on the American political narrative. It's powerful stuff.

May we all have the courage to live in hope and to stand up for what's right.

Season 5 of the Climate Changed Podcast is coming in Spring 2027.

"The idea that we’ve long ceded Christianity and spiritual expressi...

10/20/2026

"My response these days is to remind [my preschooler] that many grownups are working on the problem, and she doesn’t need to take it on. And to work on better coping with my own eco-anxiety. The more I can do that, Matthiae points out, the more effectively I’ll demonstrate that distressing feelings don’t last forever, but that they do provide valuable information about what we care about and how to spend our energies."

Katie O'Reilly at Earth Island offers us a hopeful perspective when it comes to navigating climate-anxiety with young children, and in doing so provides a useful reminder to us adults: When you feel yourself spiraling, remember the many, many people that are working on this problem, and ask yourself "What action can we take to show our love for this Earth?"

How early education experts are tackling the delicate task of fostering environmental awareness without burdening young children with despair.