Initiative 2: Engage and Organize a Group
The second initiative in Coming Together in Faith on Climate is to create an “integral ecology action group” or “climate action team” (please don’t call it a committee … which sounds so boring) in your congregation. Thankfully, many such teams already exist, but we need many more. We hope that the vast majority of congregations will have these teams in the coming years.
If your congregation is closed to such a group, you could
– find one in a neighboring congregation.
– form one in your neighborhood.
– form one in your congregation, but “unofficially”
Such a group might meet weekly for a month, and then monthly thereafter, or it could meet “virtually” online or via phone/videoconferencing too.
What might your group do? Here are 6 starter ideas:
_____1. Read, discuss, and distribute the Laudato Si encyclical. It is a delight to read, theologically rich, inspiring, full of substance, and understandable.
_____2. Find and incorporate integral ecology prayers into your weekly services. You’ll find excellent resources here.
_____3. Use a “starter kit” available at one of our partner organizations, here.
_____4. Focus on energy efficiency first – in your congregation and in your homes. You’ll find ideas here.
_____5. Solarize – your group could launch some solar energy projects. You’ll find excellent resources from Interfaith Power and Light here.
You might help your congregation’s facility to go solar.
You might organize a solar energy co-op – cutting costs by getting 5 or 10 or 50 families in your church buy solar panels for their homes together.
You might get families in your congregation forming solar energy co-ops in their neighborhoods – as a beautiful outreach from your faith community.
_____6. Divest from Fossil Fuel companies, and invest in socially responsible companies. More on this tomorrow …
The possibilities are endless and exciting!