Dear friends,

Like my co-chair Scott Shurtleff, I’ve recently discerned that I, too, am called to knock on doors for the Portland Clean Energy Fund  (find his email/blog post below). Scott and I and Ed K. all door-knocked last Sunday afternoon (Practice 5, taking action together). And I did it Monday evening and yesterday afternoon as well.

I wish I could tell you that I am a martyr for my faith, summoning vast courage with each door I knock upon, preaching the PCEF gospel of social justice and climate action, occasionally being spat upon for my efforts. Or maybe smote on the cheek, before I calmly turn the other cheek to be smote as well.

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But. No. I’m afraid that I find it fun and pretty easy to knock on doors for PCEF. Door-knocking, also known as canvassing, is much easier (at least for me) than the signature-gathering many of us did at public events a few months ago that put PCEF onto the ballot.

My wimpy confession is that the Mini Van phone app sends us only to the doors of voters who are likely to support PCEF. (If you don’t have a smart phone, that’s fine, there’s a good work-around.) Last night, three of the folks who answered the door not only promised to vote for PCEF, they also agreed to have PCEF signs in their front yard. And I love walking around outdoors, seeing people’s gardens and the late-afternoon God-light streaming through the trees.

What about rude or angry people? I’ve only met two folks (of my first 60 door-knocks) who refused any interchange, and two more who declined because they were in the middle of  something. I said I understood, and walked on. I find Scott’s paraphrase of Matthew 9:13 to ring true: If the house is welcoming, let my peace be upon it. And if it is not? Let my peace return to me.

I’m inviting you: come door-knock with me for PCEF one early evening Monday through Thursday!  If you’re on the west side I can come out to you. If you’re on the east side let’s meet at the PCEF Sierra Club office at 1821 SE Ankeny. I can show you how to door-knock — Practice 4: mentoring each other. After we finish, we can debrief and relax over a drink and snack – practices 6 and 7: reflect on our actions and enjoy renewal.

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faith and warmth,

 

Alison Wiley
Co-chair, EcoFaith arm of
Portland Clean Energy Fund  (PCEF) campaign


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