Mientras la Iglesia aún está dividida sobre cómo responder a la presente violación de los derechos migratorios y la discriminación contra los/las inmigrantes; en Florida, líderes comunitarios y religiosos desde agosto comenzaron a congregarse para hacer vigilias frente a un centro de detención en territorio ancestral del pueblo Miccosukee (conocido como el Parque Nacional Everglades), convocados por la voz de una mujer indígena, Betty Osceola.

En  este centro de detención peyorativamente llamado “El Alcatraz de los caimanes”, confluyen la crueldad y la belleza, la fe y las luchas por la justicia migratoria, racial, indígena, ambiental y climática.

Congresistas aliados y abogados cuentan la realidad de un lugar que debería ser llamado un centro de concentración, por su realidad del hacinamiento, por encerrar a personas en jaulas, con baños que se inundan cuando llueve; no contar con atención médica y un espacio seguro para reunirse cuando llega ayuda legal para los detenidos.

Los grupos ambientalistas dijeron que el gobierno en vez de invertir en esfuerzos de adaptación y protección de uno de los lugares más vulnerables del país frente a la crisis climática, decidió utilizar millones de dólares de la “Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias” (FEMA) en la construcción de este centro. Esto, sin hacer estudios de impacto ambiental, sin consultar previamente a la comunidad Miccosukee, o tener en cuenta las especies en peligro que ya viven en el pantano. 
 
Fijados en la idea androcentrista de un centro de detención rodeado de caimanes, el gobierno volcó 800 mil pies cuadrados de pavimento sobre el área, trajeron generadores para alumbrar las noches, con luz visible hasta 30 millas de distancia, perturbando el ecosistema del murciélago y las panteras protegidas de Florida, así como la comunidad Miccosukee que vive a solo 10 millas de distancia. 
 
El gobierno creó su tormenta perfecta. Los Miccosukee y los grupos ambientalistas se unieron en una demanda contra el gobierno nacional y el gobierno local, aludiendo a los daños irreparables que este centro posa sobre el frágil ecosistema que además, es su hogar. El 27 de agosto un juez federal confirmó la orden de desmantelar el sitio en 60 días, pero luego un tribunal de apelación suspendió la sentencia.

Aún cuando al final se logre cerrar el centro de detención y el pantano siga al cuidado de los Miccosukee, la necesidad de justicia racial y migratoria para las 3 mil personas que el gobierno busca para deportar diariamente, siguen latentes mientras la prioridad sea seguir construyendo nuevos centros de detención y no haya voluntad para movilizarse hacia una reforma migratoria que le dé estatus permanente a las doce millones de personas inmigrantes que ya viven y trabajan en el país. 
 
Mientras no cese la caza de inmigrantes, la movilización de las personas de fe y sus aliadas no puede parar. La solidaridad y la organización entre diversos sectores tiene que afianzarse más, como en este caso descrito del pantano; hacerse más clara, audible y activa. 

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El destino de la pantera, los pueblos indígenas, migrantes, de las comunidades negras y blancas, está íntimamente ligado y hay poder de acción cuando nos unimos.
 
Durante la vigilia, el domingo anterior al fallo del juez federal relacionada con el centro de detención, Nick Carey organizador de “Faith in Florida” dijo: 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, national faith leaders gathered at Upper Senate Park in Washington, D.C., to mark the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and officially launch the Season of Creation campaign. Organized by Creation Justice Ministries and co-sponsored by Interfaith Power & Light DMV and fourteen national faith-based organizations, the event was a powerful public witness calling for urgent moral action in response to worsening climate impacts, rising heat, and rollbacks of environmental protections.

Statement from Avery Davis Lamb, Executive Director of Creation Justice Ministries:

“From the Sermon on the Mount to his entry into Jerusalem, Jesus’ ministry reveals that public witness lies at the heart of our faith. Today, as we launch the Season of Creation and our Witness for Creation Justice campaign, we stand together in that same spirit of witness—naming the harms inflicted on God’s world, and proclaiming that another way is possible. Joined by the whole community of creation, we declare that caring for our common home is not optional; it is central to who we are as followers of Christ.”

Statement from Rev. Adam Russell Taylor, President of Sojourners:

“As Christians, we must now reckon with the reality of the climate crisis not as a future hypothetical but as a present reality. When I think about the state of the climate today, I feel both righteous anger and lament for what human beings, each of us created in God’s image, have wrought upon God’s creation. Yet at the same time, I have long believed that we have a responsibility as believers to be prisoners of hope. Despite how we’ve so often ignored the cries of the Earth, God continues to love us unconditionally, extending the promise of doing a new thing on our ravaged planet in and through us. And that has the potential to change everything. Rather than despair, we must press forward, redoubling our commitment individually and collectively to push relentlessly for a sea change in policy and political priorities.”

Statement from Bishop Julius C. Trimble, General Secretary of the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church,:

“As people of faith, we believe that God created the earth and all its inhabitants, and declared it good,” said Bishop Julius C. Trimble, General Secretary, The General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church. “Ecological degradation and destruction, over-reliance on fossil fuels, and other extractive practices violate the dignity of creation and disproportionately produce unprecedented harm for vulnerable and marginalized communities.”

Statement from Rev. Dr. Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Senior Pastor of East Washington Heights Baptist Church of Washington, D.C.:
“The climate crisis is not a distant storm—it is upon us, demanding that we turn today. As Dr. King said: we are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In baptism, we are called to repent, to leave behind the old life, and to walk in a new way with Christ. That same call resounds now: for each of us to turn from habits that desecrate creation, and for our leaders to turn from policies that destroy our common home.”
Statement from Rev. Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli, Lead Pastor Foundry United Methodist Church:
“The same federal government that weakens national climate protections has tied the hands of our D.C. local leaders. We feel the effects in our bodies, in our neighborhoods, in our most vulnerable communities. Residents of D.C. are denied voting representation in Congress and the dignity of self-determination. That is not just a political inconvenience. It is a justice issue, a racial justice issue, and a creation justice issue. Because creation cannot flourish when the people who live here are denied the power to protect the land, the air, the water, and one another."
Statement from Adam Greene, Emissary of the Great Tayac of the Piscataway Indian Nation to the Indigenous European People in the Western Hemisphere:

“These original instructions were given to all Indigenous People throughout the entire Earth: That human beings were put here to be stewards of Creation. Not outside of Nature but within it.  Globally, the Indigenous Peoples of Mother Earth still follow the original teachings as mentioned in the Book of Genesis and other religious books found throughout the world. The 29th Generation Hereditary Chief of the Piscataway Indian Nation Mark Tayac invites you into a relationship of friendship and mutual learning so that we can together as human beings actualize our Creator’s original instructions.”

 
In light of all of this, it feels fitting to rededicate ourselves to a faith that sees the beauty in all that God has created. It feels like the right time to reassert the belief that the vulnerable should not have to bear the climate burden that the powerful have created. It feels critical that this Season of Creation be a time when we purposefully declare that God’s world is worthy of our service and protection. This year, the global Season of Creation community chose “Peace with Creation” as a guiding theme and in a time where the natural world seems to be under assault, there is no better time to proclaim that we desire a new sense of harmony with the world that God has made. 

Throughout this season, Creation Justice Ministries will be organizing Public Witness for Creation events. We will hold these in D.C., Grand Rapids, Michigan, Atlanta, Georgia, and  Phoenix, Arizona. These areas were chosen because of their specific environmental justice issues and their legislative importance. These public witness events are a way for us to live out the command of Christ that we not hide our light, but that we instead “let [our] light shine before others so that they may see our good works and give glory to our God in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). In these dark times, it’s crucial that we show that there is a better way of living in harmony with the world God made in love. 

So, if you are a church that has been celebrating the Season of Creation for years, we hope that your celebrations this year will be bright and loud for all of your neighbors to see and hear!  We’d love to know how you are celebrating this year. Feel free to send us your pictures and stories at [email protected]. 

And if you are new to the Season of Creation, I hope that you will make space in worship in the coming weeks to recognize the goodness of Creation in your prayers, hymns, and maybe even in your preaching. 

While every season is the Season of Creation at Creation Justice Ministries, we are thankful for the special time to join with Christians around the globe to observe a time of praise, lament, confession, and celebration on behalf of God’s beloved world. We hope that you’ll join us in making God’s love for Creation visible for the whole world to see. 

Derrick Weston 
Director of Theological Education and Formation 
​Creation Justice Ministries​

When Creation Justice Ministries first joined the Thriving Earth Exchange (TEX) initiative, we envisioned local church communities becoming catalysts for environmental resilience—places where data, faith, and justice would meet. That vision has taken a powerful step forward with the completion of our first project in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The Thriving Earth Exchange is a national program of the American Geophysical Union that connects communities with volunteer scientists to tackle local climate, pollution, and environmental justice challenges. In partnership with Creation Justice Ministries, the program helps congregations and faith-rooted organizations translate environmental concerns into actionable, community-driven science projects.

Together, we identify priority issues—such as flooding, heat risk, air quality, or historical land injustices—and match congregations with technical experts who can provide mapping, data modeling, and scientific analysis at no cost to the community. Each project is shaped by local wisdom and guided by the values of justice, restoration, and love for neighbor.

Located in a region facing rising heat, severe storms, and aging infrastructure, St. Pete is no stranger to climate-related challenges. And like many communities across the country, these environmental hazards don’t impact everyone equally. The legacy of redlining and economic exclusion has left many historically Black and Brown neighborhoods with fewer protections and greater risk.

The Thriving Earth Exchange project in St. Pete set out to address just that. By identifying “areas of persistent poverty and social vulnerability,” this project used data modeling to map environmental injustice across the city. What it revealed was no surprise to residents who have long lived with the consequences—but what was once anecdotal is now evidenced in detailed maps and reports. This means more than just information; it’s a tool for action.

The completion of this project gives local leaders, congregations, and advocates a foundation they can build on—whether they’re applying for grants, organizing around policy, or simply having honest conversations about what equity really looks like in climate resilience.

This work echoes the biblical call to “seek the welfare of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7)—not only through prayer, but through preparation and persistence.

This is only the beginning. As more Thriving Earth Exchange projects reach completion, we hope to continue uplifting these local stories—where community knowledge, scientific tools, and faithful resolve come together to confront climate injustice head-on.

To learn more about the St. Pete project, visit the official project page here.
Stay tuned—we’ll be sharing more photos and updates from the project site in the coming weeks.

Since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, many faith communities have been able to claim the value of clean energy tax credits through elective pay, also known as direct pay. Although elective pay was untouched in the bill, the aggressive phase out and additional restrictions imposed on the credits significantly impact the ability to claim them through elective pay. 

Solar and wind tax credits: The OBBB Act phases out the applicability of the clean energy investment tax credit (ITC) and production tax credit (PTC) to wind and solar projects over the coming two and a half years. There are additional restrictions applied for wind and solar called, Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC), which essentially require certain supply chain restrictions on the use of credits by any projects tied to companies with a connection to certain nations. These restrictions are tied to projects starting after January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2027.  This means the timeline to install clean energy is significantly shorter, and it will be more challenging to install clean energy on personal and commercial property. That being said, if you’ve been thinking about going solar now is the time to do it. 

Commercial EVs: The OBBB Act eliminates the Commercial Clean Vehicle Tax Credit under Section 45W of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) for all vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025. This tax credit made electric vehicles more affordable and accessible for many families. 

EV charging. The Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit under Section 30D is in effect until June 30, 2026. Projects must be in service before this date in order to claim the credit. The 30D credits covers up to 30 percent of the costs of EV charging, hydrogen fueling, and other low-emissions fueling installations in low-income areas and non-urban census tracts. Along with the electric vehicle tax credit, the infrastructure tax credit was created to incentivize the building of clean energy infrastructure to make it easier to drive an EV. The repeal of these tax credits will make it more challenging to install these projects. 
The repeal of these clean energy tax credits threaten domestic manufacturing and thousands of clean energy jobs that many communities rely on. 

Pray with us: “God, have mercy on your creation and the communities impacted by pollution.”

Sustainable Agriculture: Four USDA conservation programs intended to support farmers implement sustainable farming practices have been significantly gutted. The Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Incentives Program saw a loss of roughly $9 billion dollars. This means small and medium scale farmers won’t have the support they need to implement conservation practices in their farming that lead to more resilience in the face of climate change, stronger wildlife habitats and stronger soil health. 

Pray with us: “God, have mercy on your creation and the farmers who grow the food that sustains us.”

Oil and gas leasing: The OBBB Act mandates increased onshore and offshore oil, gas and coal leasing including quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales on federal lands in 9 Western states over the next ten years.  It reinstates noncompetitive leasing, amends the Mineral Leasing Act to make all eligible lands available for leasing, removes agency discretion to deny leases based on environmental, private land, or community concerns, and increases the term of an onshore drilling permit from 3 to 4 years. It also requires the Interior Dept. to conduct 30 lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico over the next 15 years, and six lease sales over the next 10 years in Alaska’s Cook Inlet.  This means more sacred lands and waters are at risk of being opened for extractive industries at a cheaper rate, ultimately leading to higher energy costs for everyone else. 

Coal leasing: The OBBB Act requires the Bureau of Land Management to promptly issue more coal leases on federal lands and reduce the federal coal leasing rate from 12.5% to 7%. This means the dirtiest form of energy, that has seen a decline in usage over the last two decades, is now easier to pursue as a form of energy. 

For oil, gas and coal projects, the OBBB Act allows project sponsors to pay a fee for expedited review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the bedrock environmental law that requires community input and environmental impact reviews. By expediting the NEPA process, it significantly threatens thorough review from impacted communities. 

Pray with us: “God, have mercy on your creation and the communities living on sacred lands.” 

NOAA funding: The OBBB Act rescinds roughly $193 million of funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration dedicated for coastal resilience, national marine sanctuaries, environmental reviews, and atmospheric research and weather forecasting. NOAA science is critical for tracking hurricanes, forecasting storms and keeping our communities safe in the face of any climate disaster. 

Pray with us: “God, have mercy on your creation and the communities impacted by current and future climate disasters”

Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding: In addition to the rescission of IRA funds mentioned above, the following programs were defunded, the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), Environmental Justice Block Grants, and Climate Pollution Reduction Grants; DOE’s State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Grants; and DOT’s Neighborhood Access and Equity Program. These programs were essential to address the legacy of environmental racism across the country, while making it easier for communities to address pollution and transition to clean energy. 

Pray with us: “God, have mercy on your creation and our country’s complicity in environmental racism.

In light of all of this, our mission remains clear now more than ever: we must do all we can to protect and rightly restore Creation so that all people and all creatures can thrive for generations to come. 
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson reminds us in “What if We Get This Right?: Visions of Climate Futures,"
“There are innumerable possible futures. I know that we can each get some way in which future we’ll collectively have, and a chance to help build it. I know that every tenth of a degree of warming we prevent, every centimeter of sea level rise we avoid, every increasingly unnatural disaster we avert, every species we save, every bit of nature we protect and restore, matters. I know that our efforts add up, and that our fates are intertwined. Averting climate catastrophe, this is the work of a lifetime. So, go where there is need and where your heart can find a home. When it all feels too much, return to this simple question: What if we act as if we love the future? Be tenacious on behalf of the earth.”

Let’s be tenacious on behalf of Creation together. 
In gratitude, 
Madison Mayhew
Policy and Advocacy Manager ​