Christmas Hope

What Faith Groups can Teach us about Climate Communications

Climate communication is a complex topic but faith groups provide compelling examples of how it can be done. Rather than facts and figures, faith groups speak in terms of narratives. Climate change adversely impacts us all, especially the poor. ' So independent of environmental justice, this is a powerful social justice issue. "This is the issue of humanity," the Dalai Lama said.

"If you are in church rgualrly you are in the business of looking for moral causes, your there becaus you think your life is better for a spiritual aspect expressed in daily action and climate change, climate activism is a big part of this."

Churches and mosques can teach us a great deal about spreading the climate change message. Leading faith groups have championed the cause of climate action and encouraged their members to engage.

The Guardian explores what climate activist can learn from religion. In addition to its narratives, it specifically explores sacrifice and salvation.  It is not about blame it is really ultimately all about love and about actions that articulate that love.

The podcast narrated by Aleks Krotoski and produced by Francesca Panetta, Alannah Chance, Lucy Greenwell, Harriet Green, Jason Phipps. Sound design is by Chris Wood and original music by Matthew Herbert

Click here to go to the podcast

Anglicans and the Environment: Creation Matters

Did you know that Anglicans are concerned about and engaged in environmental issues? Did you know that Creation Matters, The Anglican Church of Canada’s, environmental task group, wants to connect with interested Anglicans and share information via social media?

In many parts of the world local Anglican Churches have given leadership by being advocates for responsible environmental stewardship. They are also providing support and leadership to local initiatives to protect the environment and by seeking to educate Anglicans as individuals and as communities to become better stewards of creation.

Click here to connect with them on Facebook
To go to the Creation Matters site click here.

Creation Matters is premised on the 5th Mark of Mission: "To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the earth." Similarly, the Stewardship of the Environment Committee in the Anglican Diocese of Montreal derives it core mandate from the same place. To see our full mandate see the right side of this page.

Faith-based investing is about more than avoiding sin stocks

While talking investing, Sameer Azam brings up the subject of halal meat. Islamic rules known as halal specify the procedures for slaughtering an animal, and they vary among the Muslim traditions.

Faith-based investing is similar, says Mr. Azam, senior wealth manager at Absolute Wealth Management in Mississauga. Basic tenets apply, but they’re open to interpretation and degrees of strictness. For instance, halal investing screens out companies that sell tobacco, alcohol and other obvious vices. Also excluded are companies making money by charging interest. So no bank stocks.

Entitlement and Creation

I’ve known that I wanted to do a post about the environment for a while, but I haven’t really known what to say. Not because there’s nothing to say, but because it’s all been said so many times by so many people who know way more about it than I do.

Basically, we either get serious about being a sustainable part of creation, or we watch our behaviour degrade and destroy the stuff of which we’re made.

It seems like a pretty simple choice, but we seem to unable to make it.

As a church, we haven’t been helped by the language of dominion that we find in scripture. The creation story of Genesis puts human beings at the centre and peak of creation. It describes a particular kind of relationship with the rest of creation that has too easily slipped from dominion over something that was never ours to begin with to domination over something to which we feel entitled.

American Christians on Climate Change: It is Not as Bad as You Might Think

The climate denial we see in Donald Trump and the GOP is not a true reflection of the sentiments of most American Christians. While support for climate denial is evenly split among evangelicals the clear majority of most other Christian denominations think climate change is real. Almost 70 percent of Catholics think climate change is real which is higher than the percentage of Americans in the general population as a whole. Around 62 percent of non-evangelical Protestants think climate change is real. Even more uplifting is the finding that between 73 and 83 percent of Christians support policies that help combat climate change. This includes tax rebates for people who purchase energy-efficient vehicles & solar panels, and research funding for renewable energy. A clear majority indicated that they favor requiring electric utilities to produce at least 20 percent of their electricity from wind, solar, or other renewable energy sources. These numbers hold even if it costs the average household an extra $100 a year. American Christians also express strong support for strict carbon dioxide limits on coal-fired power plants. Sadly, the EPA's Clean Power Plan is being dismantled by the Trump administration.

Most American Christians agree with the statement that "God expects people to be good stewards of nature, which is not only here for human use" over the more literal biblical interpretation that, "God expects people to rule over nature, which is here for human use." More than 80 percent of Catholics, Protestants, and evangelicals say it is important to them personally to care for future generations. A solid majority (63% - 73%) believe we must tend to the world’s poor.

These are some of the findings in a study titled, "Climate Change in the American Christian Mind" which was derived from a national survey of global warming opinion. To download the report click here.

Pope Francis Calls Everyone to Pray and Act During the Season of Creation

The Season of Creation takes place from September 1 to October 4 October. Pope Francis is calling Christians of all traditions and on all continents to make a special time for prayer, reflection and care for Creation.

September 1st was proclaimed as a day of prayer for the environment by the late Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I in 1989. The Orthodox church year starts that day with a commemoration of how God created the world. On 4 October, Roman Catholics and other churches from the Western traditions commemorate Francis of Assisi, known to many as the author of the Canticle of the Creatures. The proposal to celebrate a "Time for Creation" during these five weeks was made by the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu in 2007. Pope Francis designated September 1st as a World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation for the worldwide Roman Catholic Church in 2015.

PWRDF Water Walk: Anglican Diocese of Montreal

Please plan to join us on September 30th for awareness raising, exercise, and fun at the H2O (Hands to Others) PWRDF Water Walk!

Why: to raise awareness of the need for clean water in Pikangikum & other first nations communities and to encourage donations, through PWRDF, to help provide necessary clean water.

When: Saturday, September 30th from 10 am to 1 pm. There will be a brief initial send-off at 10:00 am, but feel free to begin walking anytime between 10 am and 11 am depending on your pace. You may also join the Walk at any spot along the way.

Fossil Fuel Divestment Webinar: Catholic Divest Toolkit

A fossil fuel divestment webinar focusing on the link between divestment and mission will take place on September 6, 2017 – 10am NYC / 3pm GMT/ 4pm Rome/ 4pm South Africa. It is titled, "Prophetic Actions and Voices on Fossil Fuels and Climate Justice: Silent Disinvestment or Public Divestment?"

The webinar will present the new Catholic Divest toolkit. It provides practical information on divestment and on fossil free investment.  This webinar is part of Catholic Season of Creation events. For resources on staging a Season of Creation event click here.

The aim is to raise the issue of going public with divestment decisions for the next Joint Catholic announcement on October 4, 2017 having prophetic voice.

Resources for Planning a Season of Creation Event

Here are some resources for those interested in staging a Season of Creation event. This celebration calls Christians of all traditions and on all continents to make a special time for prayer, reflection, and care for Creation. Hundreds of events will take place during the course of this celebration that runs from September 1 to October 4.

September 1st was proclaimed as a day of prayer for the environment by the late Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I in 1989. The Orthodox church year starts that day with a commemoration of how God created the world. On 4 October, Roman Catholics and other churches from the Western traditions commemorate Francis of Assisi, known to many as the author of the Canticle of the Creatures.

The WCC and the Season of Creation

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a stalwart supporter of the Season of Creation which takes place from September 1 to October 4. This special season calls the world's 2.2 billion Christians of all traditions and on all continents to make a special time for prayer, reflection and care for Creation. Hundreds of events will take place during over the course of the coming month.

Presiding Episcopal Bishop responds to Trump’s decision to pull U.S. out of worldwide climate accord

President Donald Trump announced June 1 that he would pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement, a 2015 pledge to limit climate change signed by 196 nations.

The agreement includes a plan to decrease carbon emissions and limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, and a commitment from wealthier nations to provide $100 billion in aid to developing countries. The agreement is the first-ever binding, international treaty in 20 years of United Nations climate talks.

The presiding bishop’s statement follows.

Paris climate deal exit 'deeply troubling' to Catholic leaders

Despite urging from allies, corporate leaders' last-minute calls and even a not-so-subtle gift from the pope, President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he would withdraw the United States from the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change.

With the announcement, Trump removes the United States — the world's second-largest present-day polluter, and the largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases — from the first-of-its-kind international pact that commits countries to curbing climate change. In December 2015 in Paris 195 nations signed the deal in a bid to keep global warming between 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) — the point at which scientists predict the devastating effects of climate change, such as sea level rise, increased drought and more frequent, intense storms, would become most severe and potentially irreversible.

Green Churches Forum in Ottawa (May 11, 2017)

Earth Day message from Anglican and Lutheran leaders

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.—John 12:24

In recognition of Earth Day on April 22, 2017, we invite you to join us in praying for the humility and discipline to use Earth’s resources wisely and responsibly.

LOCATION: Youth Childrens Litter Clean Up Earth Day Event

For more information click here. To confirm your interest click here or contact Richard at stewardshipoftheenvironment@outlook.com

Raising Awareness and Encouraging Action: Details About the Youth Litter Clean-Up Event in Montreal on Earth Day

To encourage good stewardship of the natural world and consistent with our mandate, the Stewardship of the Environment Committee of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal is organizing a Youth Litter Clean-Up Event. This event will take place on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, 2017, between 10 AM and 12 PM.

We will be meeting at 10 AM on Mount Royal at the Chalet (lookout), 1196, Camillien-Houde, Montreal.  Look for the Stewardship of the Environment sign.

The first 25 children will receive a loot bag that will contain an environmentally themed children's book, seeds, and among other things easy to follow instructions on composting, recycling and making environmentally safe cleaning products. 

* All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Green Churches Forum 2017

Green Churches Forum 2017 will take place on May 11, 2017 in Ottawa. The Honorable Catherine McKenna, Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change will show her support to Canadian churches of all denominations as spiritual and moral leaders in their efforts to reduce their ecological footprint. She will say a few words at the opening of the Forum and will be on hand to meet and exchange with participants.

The keynote speaker will be The Right Rev. Mark MacDonald who will give the talk intitled "Celebrating the Spirit of Creation".

Climate Justice Keynote Speech by Bishop Sofie Peterson

The Lutheran Bishop of Greenland (Church of Denmark) Sofie Peterson, is an Inuk pastor who will deliver an address on climate change in Montreal this Friday March 17 (1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.).

Bishop Peterson was born in Maniitsoq, Greenland and she studied theology and graduated from the University of Copenhagen 1986.  

Youth Litter Clean-Up Event in Montreal on Earth Day

On Earth Day Saturday, April 22nd 2017, the Stewardship of the Environment Committee of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal is organizing a spring litter clean-up day on Mount Royal.

In addition to cleaning up trash the event is designed to sensitize children to the importance of a clean environment.

Please consider joining us to help raise awareness at this critical time. This event is open to parents and their children as well as anybody who cares about acting on behalf of a healthy planet.

The first 25 kids will receive a loot bag that will include an environmentally themed children's book, seeds and information.

For directions click here or to confirm your interest click here.
If you have any questions contact Richard at stewardshipoftheenvironment@outlook.com

Give it up for the Earth!

Give it up for the Earth! This Lent, Citizens for Public Justice invites you to participate in an exciting new faith-in-action campaign to increase climate justice in Canada. Many Christians mark Lent by “giving up” a bad habit or distracting practice during the 40 days leading up to Easter. By signing the Give it up for the Earth! pledge, you’ll be committing to Give it up for the Earth! – by reducing your driving or meat consumption, for example. You will also signal to the federal government that Canadian Christians want policy changes to move us further and faster towards international climate change goals. To learn more visit www.cpj.ca/for-the-earth and to sign the pledge, go to www.cpj.ca/pledge.