Climate Change

"God made sky and soil, sea and all the fish in it. He always does what he says— he defends the wronged, he feeds the hungry. God frees prisoners— he gives sight to the blind, he lifts up the fallen." - Psalm 146:3 MSG 

Lord, thank you for 2022.  I put my 2023 in your hands.  

As we exit 2022 we intentionally pray with gratitude for good news from this year.    

U.S. Climate Legislation in 2022 Reaches New Heights

There were a myriad of legislative and industry successes in 2022, including:

On the first Sunday of Advent, our pastor spoke on the first eighteen verses of the gospel of John. It has many intriguing references to light and encompasses creation, the new creation and the source of life.

I am a strong believer in the amazing and complex interconnectedness of our life here on earth. For that reason, I sometimes have a difficult time analysing the challenges of creation care without trying to see how it fits together with things like material wealth/poverty and racism.

The Bible can help us understand contemporary events in new ways.  The story of the Syrophoenician woman who argues with Jesus about healing her daughter helpfully sheds light on a very important event that occurred at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP 27, held in Egypt in November of this year. 

This past week, I had the privilege of attending COP27 (the UNFCCC’s annual climate change conference) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.  The opportunity arose when I was accepted to the Christian Climate Observers Program, or CCOP.  The program is amazing, the team was both international and incredible, and I am immensely grateful to our two leaders and program founders, Lowell Bliss and Brian Webb.

"I pray to God—my life a prayer— and wait for what he’ll say and do. My life’s on the line before God, my Lord, waiting and watching till morning, waiting and watching till morning." - Psalm 130:5-6 MSG

When I was the Chicago organizer for the Climate Witness Project, I worked with many churches in the area to do advocacy initiatives focused on specific pieces of legislation.Our advocacy initiatives ranged from attending the climate march in Washington, DC to meeting with members of Congress. We also did local advocacy in our hometowns and with our Illinois delegation. Advocacy work is an important means for putting faith into action and for Christian witness.

Marinel Sumook Ubaldo, 25, is a climate justice, gender equality, and human rights activist from the Philippines. In 2015, as a youth ambassador, she addressed the UN delegates who signed the Paris Agreement. A registered social worker who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in environmental management at Duke University, Marinel has founded or worked for a number of environmental organizations, including Living Laudato Si’ Philippines.

“Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years" - Genesis 1:14

“God is great. God is faithful. And His love is set upon us. We come as we are, with trembling trust.” ― Sandra McCracken

Recovery After Hurricane Fiona in Canada

Hurricane Fiona decimated Puerto Rico in the last week but also deeply affected the East Coast of the United States and Canada. In Canada, houses washed away and the damage was extensive.  We pray for recovery: