Season of Creation Series 2019: Climate

Each week during the Season of Creation, we are focusing on one part of our shared ministry for God's Creation. This week, we focus on climate.
Thanks to the leadership of young people, climate change is in the public spotlight with a major Climate Strike planned for Friday, September 20. Some of our members and partners have created faith resources for the Climate Strike.

About Our Work
The Creation Justice community roots our climate justice ministry in ecumenical Faith Principles on Climate Change. Educating, equipping, and mobilizing faith communities about climate issues and climate solutions has taken on many forms. In addition to our curricula, we have facilitated dozens of workshops at churches and religious conferences on topics such as "Faith for Energy Equity," "Climate Justice and Christianity," and "Just Transition in Appalachia." We advocate to uphold public policies that help protect vulnerable communities from climate change, and we support our members that participate in international climate negotiations.
Looking Ahead to 2020
I am excited to announce our Earth Day Sunday 2020 theme will be "The Fierce Urgency of Now." It will mark 50 years since the first Earth Day, offer theological reflection on our Kairos moment, encourage people to become Creation Care Voters, as well as help faith communities interpret dire reports we have seen from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Also, Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2020 theme is: Imagine! God's Earth and People Restored. This annual conference will take place April 24-27, 2020, bringing together nearly 1,000 Christians in Washington, DC. Creation Justice Ministries is once again on the planning team. We hope you can come!
Throwback Thursday
Many people of faith are unaware that their faith communities have been active on climate issues for decades. It is both sobering and fascinating to see faith perspectives on climate issues from the early 1990s in the National Religious Partnership for the Environment film God's Creation and Global Warming.
Action:
This week, take a faithful stand for God's creation and our health. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed to roll back methane pollution standards that require oil and gas industrial operations to plug leaks. Methane is a fast-acting dangerous greenhouse gas, and the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that come with methane leaks disproportionately cause devastating illnesses in vulnerable communities. When you press the "Take Action" button, you will get a form letter to President Trump and Administrator Wheeler. This action alert is a shared effort by Creation Justice Ministries and Interfaith Power and Light.


Take ActionFeatured Education Resources: The Next Generation Rises  With education, prayer, preaching and action resources, honor the ways young people are leading the way to protect, restore, and more rightly share God's creation.
Other climate education resources of interest include African Americans and Climate Change, Sustainable Food in a Changing Climate, Ethics of Energy, and the report Climate and Church: How Global Climate Change Will Impact Core Church Ministries
Climate Partner to Watch: Interfaith Power and Light
Creation Justice Ministries frequently partners with Interfaith Power and Light, which provides a religious response to global warming through 40 state affiliates.