Saturday, November 19, 2011

Faith’s Role in Addressing Climate Change | Citizens for Public Justice

Faith’s Role in Addressing Climate Change | Citizens for Public Justice

Faith leaders call for climate justice

CEP News: Faith communities in Canada address climate change

Religious leaders call for spiritual solutions to climate change crisis

Faith Leaders Declaration on Climate Change

Faith leaders call for climate justice

Communion Environment Network: "Creation is in Crisis. Anglicans must act."

Communion Environment Network: "Creation is in Crisis. Anglicans must act."

Prayer for Durban Cop 17 on Second Sunday in Advent

Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Cecil Makgoba asks the church to pray for Cop 17 in Durban on the Second Sunday in Advent – Lighting the Advent Candle

Father of All, We thank and praise you for your wonderful world. Forgive us for not being good caretakers of creation and its resources Forgive us for the poverty and suffering we inflict through actions that damage the environment.

Lord of life and hope, Give us a vision for how our world could be. Lead us into just and sustainable practices that benefit all life on earth.

Spirit of renewal and transformation, Guide our leaders at every level to forge new paths for development. Fill their dialogue and negotiations with hope, a cooperative spirit, and a sense of family where each works for the benefit of the other.

Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Cecil Makgoba
Give this wisdom to all who gather for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban.

And may all your children live within our means, blessing one another, and nurturing your gracious gift of creation.

This we ask, dear Father, in the name of your Son and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


Prayer

Facing Climate Change in Canada’s North | Green Party of Canada

Engineer and climate scientist John Streicker says "If we protect the poles, we protect the planet". Read more.

Facing Climate Change in Canada’s North | Green Party of Canada

Copy of Presentation can be found here.

Durban May Be Last Chance to Stabilise Climate Under Two Degrees - IPS ipsnews.net

Scientists consider that Duran this year is the earth's best and last chance to stop global warning.

"Even if carbon emissions cannot be cut fast enough to avoid two degrees C of warming in some parts of the world, urgent action will buy those regions valuable time - a decade or two - so they will have time to adapt, assuming they can"

"Although two degrees C seems like a small amount, it is akin to a person running a high fever, with all kinds of consequences for the human body. On planet Earth, that amount of warming has serious consequences for food, water and biodiversity. It will guarantee more and stronger extreme weather events, including droughts and flooding"

"Two degrees C puts humanity on a new hotter, stormier planet that is less compatible with human survival"

Durban May Be Last Chance to Stabilise Climate Under Two Degrees - IPS ipsnews.net

Monday, November 14, 2011

Faith leaders call for climate justice

 The Canadian Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change asks the Canadian federal government to take specific action against climate change at the UN conference in Durban, South Africa (COP17), Nov. 28 to Dec. 9.

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate, has joined 25 other faith leaders in issuing their first united call for climate justice.

The Canadian statement has already been praised by the World Council of Churches (WCC) Programme Executive on Climate Change, Dr. Guillermo Kerber.

More about the Canadian Interfaith Call here

 Embassy - Canada's Foreign Policy Newspaper
 
Faith communities in Canada address climate change

Monday, November 7, 2011

TIME OF FELLOWSHIP AND GOOD CHEER

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 26
2 PM TO 4 PM
At
THE HISTORICAL HERITAGE CHURCH
ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST
23 Water Street North, Kitchener
[Located at the corner of Water and Duke Streets]

Parking at Kitchener city hall parking garage nearby
with free parking on the streets

Join the North Waterloo Region Branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario and Greening Sacred Spaces for the ACO's annual Seasonal Celebration at St. John the Evangelist Church (winner of a Green Sacred Space 2011 award).

Learn about St. John's environmental programs, how heritage faith communities are using environmental technologies to keep their buildings energy-efficient, and what faith communities need to do to keep their heritage buildings viable and green!

St. John's and Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church will be awarded the 2011 Green Sacred Space Award at this event



You are invited to bring a dessert or other contribution for the table
  A variety of beverages will be available .


Jane Snyder
Greening Sacred Spaces Waterloo/Wellington/Dufferin Regions
a project of Faith and the Common Good & Residential Energy Efficiency Project (REEP)

519-747-5139 ***
jsnyder@faith-commongood.net *** www.greeningsacredspaces.net/waterloo - visit our new website today!  Resources!  Events!  Carbon calculators!

Green Home Workshops
www.reepgreen.ca

Greening Sacred Spaces is funded by the Trillium Foundation of Ontario
www.trilliumfoundation.org

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on climate Change

On Sunday October 23 to Monday October 24, faith leaders, politicians and church members gathered in Ottawa to engage in gatherings and dialogue on climate change. A letter was prepared by church leaders associated with the Canadian Council of Churches. This is the most proliferate interfaith call to date concerning climate change.

Call for Leadership and action

Monday, August 22, 2011

Anglican Action Plan to Advocate for Creation and against Climate Change

The Anglican Communion Environmental Network (ACEN) met on Aug. 4 to 10 in Lima, Peru. Canadian participant Revd. Ken Grey noted that "ACEN representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Madagascar and Peru described how deforestation and associated environmental degradation continue at a frightening and devastating rate, often at the expense of indigenous communities who have undertaken subsistence farming for centuries". After this meeting  Revd. Gray, chair of Greening Anglican Spaces of the Anglican Church of Canada, declared that "Creation is in crisis. Anglicans must act".
Not only did participants learn of on the ground degradation of the environment in South America but saw to it that a plan be put forth to deal with it. ACEN convener Bishop George Browning of the Anglican Church of Australia heralded a call to "scrutinise and transform our own relationship with God’s creation". ACEN says that by September 2011 they will have an action plan for worldwide Anglican environmental advocacy.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Wildlands League asks Ontario Government to start land use planning in Northern Ontario 'Ring of Fire'

The Wildlands League and Noront Resources Ltd. are jointly requesting that the Ontario government start land use planning with First Nations communities located in the northern Ontario Ring of Fire.

"In a letter addressed to various government ministers, the public interest group Wildlands League and Canadian mining company Noront highlight the "urgent need" to develop and approve compressive land use plans that will protect First Nations' land while preventing delays and missteps for mining companies developing in the area.

"What First Nations communities need to see is the options available to them and the cost and benefits of those options," said Anna Baggio the director of conservation and land use planning at Wildlands League.

Land use agreements are part of the government's Far North Act, which aims to protect 50 per cent of Northern land (225,000 kilometres) from development while providing stability for mining companies exploring and developing in Northern Ontario. Baggio said land use agreements with First Nations communities and should have been implemented last fall when the Far North Act was initially passed.

See Ring of Fire update

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Ocean Life Sustainability Report on Grocery Retailers

Three of seven grocery chains receive passing grade on the sustainability needs required for ocean life. Read about it here

Thursday, June 9, 2011

ALSOC

Anglican-Lutheran Stewards of Creation Event

Youth Event registration.
The time for the event is drawing closer.

August 12 to 14, 2011  --ALSOC Event in Kitchener

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Fifty B.C. faith leaders urge politicians to protect environment

Fifty B.C. faith leaders urge politicians to protect environmentMedia Release

Following the election of a federal Conservative majority government, 53 of B.C.'s Faith Leaders stress the importance of provincial action on climate change.

May 9, 2011.

(Vancouver) Faith leaders from across the province have come together to stress the importance of caring for creation and fighting climate change. On May 9, an open letter was sent to Premier Clark and NDP leader Adrian Dix, urging them to work toward "mitigating the damage already done to the natural world," and to "provide citizens with a new vision of relationship with the earth."


"That there was almost no mention of climate change or environmental protection during the federal election campaign is deeply troubling," comments Susan Draper, KAIROS BC-Yukon Network Coordinator. "This failure to acknowledge or even recognize our intricate and dependent relationship with the earth has placed this province and our country at the crossroads. Because the federal government has not taken significant action on climate change and environmental protection, it is even more important that our Provincial government assumes more leadership on this critical issue. Concrete actions to reduce energy consumption as well as initiatives such as carbon taxes, the banning of fuel tankers from our coastal waters, and the Western Climate Initiative are important steps our provincial leaders can take to help us transition to a different way of living on this planet."


"These are issues that threatens the health, safety, and quality of life for future generations," says Rev. Ken Gray of the Church of the Advent, an Anglican church in Victoria and one of the letter's signatories. "In many cases, the desire for profit has led us to put short term human needs ahead of all other values and all other beings that share this planet with us. The consequences are obvious: the impacts of global warming caused by humanity's burning of fossil fuels are increasingly visible and threatening much of what we know and love about this beautiful province."


For further inquiries or additional contact information:


Susan Grace Draper

KAIROS BC-Yukon Network Coordinator
graceful@shaw.ca
250-370-0121

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Asking Politicians Questions: Election Kit from Kairos

2011 Election Kit

Anglican Primate supports action to reduce climate change


Anglican Primate Fred Hiltz declares "We must prioritize long-term environmental sustainability and implement concrete plans to ensure global temperatures do not exceed a 2 degree centigrade increase".More can be found at:
Primate names key public witness issues in federal election

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Greening Sacred Spaces and Green Awakening Network Hold their Annual Forum

March 26 & 27, 2011
Eglinton-St. George's United Church, 35 Lytton Blvd., Toronto (Yonge/Eglinton area)
The Green Awakening Network and Greening Sacred Spaces hold their annual networking and training event at Eglinton-St. George's United Church in Toronto.  Details can be found at following link.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Earth Hour 2011: March 26 2011

"At 8.30 PM on Saturday 26 March 2011, lights will switch off around the globe for Earth Hour. This year, when the lights go back on, we want you to think about what you can change in your daily life that will benefit the planet. To share your stories, thoughts and ideas with us and to get inspiration from what others are doing"

Earth Hour website Link

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Celebrate Earth Day at your faith community!

Greening Sacred Spaces Waterloo/Wellington/Dufferin Regions that gives ideas what churches can do on Earth Day.

"April 22 is Earth Day around the world. Consider ways that you can incorporate concern for the environment into your service and educational or study circles on one of your holy days around Earth Day. Continue your new habits throughout the year!
Topics:

a) Reflection: Incorporate concerns for creation in faith practices and worship
b) Education
c) Action
d) Green your Sacred Space
e) Design an inter-generational educational hour or event

a) Reflection: Incorporate concerns for creation in faith practices and worship

• prayers for restoring the earth and preventing degradation (ie Climate Change)
• music to celebrate the earth and inspire individuals to action
• meditation, sermon, or discussion during worship to reflect on the earth

b) Education
• Invite your members to walk, bike, use public transportation (contact Grand River Transit www.grt.ca for routes and schedules), or carpool to your faith community
• Place announcements for environmentally-related events in your bulletin or newsletter and invite others to join you
• Encourage the use of reusable cups/plates/etc. at social gatherings
• Organize environmentally-themed movies or other discussion topics
• Invite speakers to speak on environmentally-related topics (water conservation, alternative transportation, recycling, composting, eating locally-grown food)
• Information table/display/bulletin board or web-page at your faith community

c) Action

• Deliver educational workshops, events, liturgies to introduce eco-spiritual issues
o Greening Sacred Spaces workshop or Energy Action Planner available through Faith & the Common Good website www.greeningsacredspaces.net
• Join or work with other environmental organizations (see ‘Resources’, below)
• Serve locally-grown foods if you have fellowship meals (see ‘Resources’, below)
• Sell compact florescent lights or other green products
• Get government and corporations to become more green through:
o letter writing or petitions
o submit news articles, opinion pieces or write to the editor
• Start a composting and/or recycling program
• Designate your parking lot and drop-off/pick-up area a ‘No Idling’ zone (see ‘Resources’, below)
• Book the Yellow Fish Road Program (see ‘Resources’, below)
• Develop long-term strategies such as environmental/energy audits, retrofits, renovations, adopting green policies, and green investment

d) Greening your Sacred Space (GSS)
Please see the www.greeningsacredspaces.net website for inspiring projects!

• Have an energy audit of your faith building(s). (see REEP, ‘Resouces’, below)
• Establish and prioritize your building’s needs - determine weaknesses & opportunities
• Develop a budget, understand payback of green investments
• Research and secure funding sources
• Establish providers for technical equipment and services
• Set timelines and goals and develop a system for tracking your savings
• Announce and celebrate each success

e) Design an inter-generational educational/study hour or environmental event

Seniors, toddlers and everyone in between can participate in any one (or a few!) centres designed to engage, teach and inspire people about environmental issues. Centre leaders can be members of your congregation, or invited speakers/facilitators from local environmental groups (see ‘Resources’, below). Some of the ideas mentioned in sections a), b), c) and d) can be incorporated into your centres.

Some centre ideas could be:

Outdoor ideas:

• A nature walk in the neighbourhood surrounding your faith community (this could also be done in a park or natural area close to your building)
• Book the Yellow Fish program (see ‘Resources’, below)
• Organize a litter pick-up on your property, or in the vicinity around your faith community’s property
• Start or continue a gardening project at your faith community, or in your neighbourhood

Indoor ideas:

• Story hour: featuring books from your faith community’s library, or your local library (book suggestions: The Lorax (Dr. Seuss), Dear children of the earth: a letter from home (Schim Schimmel); search your library collection for ‘environment’, ‘environmental protection’, ‘ecology’
• Music – choose music that celebrates the earth
• Eco-craft – choose crafts that have a seasonal theme (such as planting beans), use natural materials (eg. pinecones, branches, rocks), or recycled materials; design signs for your faith community’s building, such as ‘please turn off the lights when you leave this room’ (to be placed by each light switch), posters instructing what to/what not to compost (to be placed on the wall in the kitchen, and on the compost collection container)
• Environmental games – ask the camp counsellors in your youth group (or former camp counsellors!) to lead community-building, cooperative or nature-themed games
• If people in your faith community are part of a green bin/organic collection program, teach them how to fold green bin liners out of newspapers (see www.region.waterloo.on.ca/waste and click on ‘green bin’)
• A snack (featuring locally-made or seasonal foods...)

Greening Sacred Spaces Conference in Toronto

Annual Greening Sacred Spaces/Green Awakening Network Forum, March 26 & 27, 2011 at
Eglington St. George's United Church (35 Lytton Blvd, Toronto) (West of Yonge St., between Eglington and Lawrence Ave.). It includes the following:

* Practical workshops on greening our faith buildings, practices and polities
* Network with other faith communities responding to the challenge of climate change
* Share your greening stories and be inspired to promote change in your community
Saturday, March 26 (8:30-3:30)

Workshops, luncheon, and presentation of the Greening Sacred Spaces Awards
Registration fee: $40 (includes workshops and luncheon)
** Reduced fees available for students and unwaged individuals

Sunday, March 27(9:00-12:00 noon)

Complimentary interfaith breakfast and jazz worship service.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Anglican Database Gets Ball Rolling for Greening Anglican Spaces

"The Partners in Mission and Eco-justice (PIMEJ) of General Synod will launch a national database this year to provide information on eco-friendly and energy-efficient Canadian Anglican parishes, including how they became green. It is hoped that sharing their stories will help other parishes to do the same.
“We want to celebrate and reward parishes [which] have accomplished reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,” said Ken Gray, a member of PIMEJ and the Canadian church representative to the Anglican Communion Environment Network"

Prayer of Conservation

Rev'd Katherine Loynd, rector of Trinity Church St. Thomas, sent the following prayer that Bishop Terry Dance prayed when he dedicated their programmable thermostats. Digital thermostats help reduce a church's heating and air conditioning needs at times when their not necessary. On Sunday February 6th, 2011 Bishop Terry prayed:

Creator God, in the beginning you created all things; the sun and the sky, the waters and the dry lands, the plants and the animals; and you entrusted human beings with the stewardship of your creation.  In our time, we have become aware of the need to care for your creation with greater diligence; to be mindful of the needs of others with whom we share this fragile earth our island home and of the generations to come.  With the installation of new programmable thermostats, Trinity Church has taken one small step towards reducing our carbon footprint.  We ask your blessing upon these thermostats, that they may assist in the conservation of energy; keeping us ever mindful of our commitment to be good stewards of the resources you have provided; in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Such prayers of dedication are the keystones of our conservation. Thank you Rev'd Loynd and Bishop Terry.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Heritage Trust Ontario Approves St James Stratford's Roofing Project

Dave Sheldon and the property committee of St. James Anglican Church in Stratford is leading the way in terms of environmentally friendly options for heritage churches. Mr. Sheldon reports that convincing Heritage Trust Ontario of alternative greening options was challenging but worth it. Mr. Sheldon says that when they recently reroofed the parish hall they "used Enviroshake composite shakes instead of the original cedar shakes". The composite shakes are an endurable product made mostly from a combination of recycled rubber, plastic and fibrous materials and manufactured in Chatham.

Obviously, Mr. Sheldon is a great pitchman for greener ways of maintaining Anglican heritage churches.He also says that "This is now the first heritage building in Ontario to use a composite roofing material and this is something we are quite proud of". As you can see in the pictures the 'shakes' blend very well with the trees and property itself. It is this kind of environmental leadership by the Anglican church which is helping to make sure that greener alternatives will become the norm in the future. This environmental roof is aesthetically popular as well.
Mr. Sheldon says "I think that the roof looks so much like aged cedar that it's worth doing even on a heritage building". This practice was a win-win situation, not only was it ecologically safe but it kept the original integrity of the building. 

The 'shakes' blend very well with the trees and property itself