In August 2011, AZIPL received a TogetherGreen grant funded by Toyota and Audubon. We are working with three congregations in South Phoenix:  Southminster Presbyterian Church, New Home Baptist Church and St Matthew Catholic Church and School. Now that the energy audits of their buildings are completed and the partners are finalizing what retrofits they will do, AZIPL scheduled a session called “Meet the Partners and Discover the Resources.”

We met at the Rio Salado Audubon Center, home of our Audubon Arizona partner, and invited pastors and lay leaders from the congregations to join us for a Saturday morning session. Members from the different congregations had a chance to meet and get to know each other a bit while touring the Rio Salado Center and grounds and learning about the free Audubon programs for families available at the Center. Mary Elizabeth Lawrence (AZIPL Co-Executive Director) and Lisa McDaniel-Hutchings (AZIPL Ministerial Intern) are the co-leaders for the Footprints of Faith grant. They shared green preaching resource materials and alerted congregational partners to upcoming green events in the area, such as Earth Hour on March 31, the Solar Cookout on April 21, and “Desert Wisdom in a Time of Climate Change” on April 28.  Karen Schedler (AZIPL Board Member and Program Chair), presented an overview of the Cool Congregations workshop and facilitated discussion on tailoring the program to fit congregational needs.

We all agreed that AZIPL would lead a Green Team training on March 3^rd for the three churches, and then schedule a Cool Congregations workshop for each church which would be open to the entire congregation and neighborhood or denominational partners.

– Lisa McDaniel-Hutchings, AZIPL Ministerial Intern

We are an interfaith ministry devoted to deepening the connection between ecology and faith. Our goal is to help people of faith recognize and fulfill their responsibility for the stewardship of creation.

Specifically, the Arizona Interfaith Power and Light campaign is mobilizing a national religious response to global warming while promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation. People of faith have an opportunity to put their faith into action and help reduce the devastating effects of global warming.

Our Mission

“Arizona Interfaith Power and Light mobilizes people of faith in Arizona
to reduce the causes of global climate change
through education, advocacy, action and prayer.”

Sign up now for the 2012 Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast

By engaging in these activities, you and your church

can reduce your carbon footprint.

Daily email messages will begin on Ash Wednesday, February 22, and continue through Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012.

Why should you consider a fast from carbon? There are at least five reasons:

1. The carbon dioxide we are putting into the environment, in the form of greenhouse gases, is changing the climate of God’s creation, our planet Earth. Scientists no longer debate the basic facts of climate change.
2. The sources of these greenhouse gases are largely produced by human beings and the society we have created.
3. The largest component of greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide, which comes from the burning of fossil fuels during the generation of electricity and from the modes of transportation that we use.
4. Unless we reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases, the impact of these increases will be devastating for our planet, for its people–especially the poor and vulnerable–and for the plants and animals that have lived here for millions of years. Time is critical.
5. God created this Earth, declared it to be good, and expects us to care for creation and to maintain its goodness for future generations.

Engaging your congregation in a carbon-free Lent is a practical and timely way to put faith into action.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Check-in & Breakfast: 9:00-9:30am

Workshop: 9:30am-12:30pm

Location: St. Mark’s United Methodist Church
1431 West Magee Road, Tucson, 85705

*Learn how to conduct a Cool Congregations program in your faith

community by sending a team of two or more to a training workshop.

*Address the ABC’s of climate change

*Explore how climate change is a moral and spiritual issue

*Measure your own carbon footprint and find ways to reduce it

*Learn about local, state and federal policies on energy

*Discover how to organize Cool Congregations in your own congregation

Registration:
Cost:  $10/person

Sign up by clicking here.

For additional information contact  Rev. Doug Bland.

Carbon Footprint Checklist:  Each registrant will be sent a “Carbon Footprint Checklist,” to collect information on your household energy use for the last 12 months.  Each participant should fill out the questionnaire and bring it along.

Open to all Faith Communities!

The Earth Care Commission of the Arizona Ecumenical Council is proud to present, “Desert Wisdom in a Time of Climate Change”.

The desert has long been the birthplace of faith and wisdom. Jesus, Moses and Mohammed all experienced the Holy in the wilderness. When life in the city became too corrupt and violent, too hectic and meaningless, the Desert Fathers and Mothers of the 4th and 5th century returned to the desert in search of simplicity, truth and insights for living faithfully. Today scientists and philosophers, artists and environmentalists once again turn to desert places to explore ways that we can live richly and sustainably within the limits of our planet.

“Desert Wisdom” will explore the spiritual and environmental insights available to those of us who “live and move and have our being” in desert landscapes. What can desert plants and animals teach us about living more sustainably? What conflicts–drought, wildfire, water shortages, climate change and energy use–must we face in the 21st century? What wisdom might our desert ancestors provide about living more simply and faithfully? We will call upon the insights of desert artists, mystics and scientists to help us discover “Desert Wisdom”.

To learn more about the event and to register please click here.

Keynote Speakers:

Rev. Talitha Arnold, Pastor, United Church of Christ, Santa Fe, New Mexico, workshop leader (“Listen to the Land”), Author of Worship for Vital Congregations

Dr. Gregg Garfin Ph. D, Deputy Director for Science Translation & Outreach, Institute of the Environment, University of Arizona.

Sign-up Today for the Preach-in on Global Warming

Saturday, September 24, 2011
10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

(Lunch donated by Chipotle)
Begin: Wrigley Hall, Room 102
End: Tempe First United Methodist Church

Moving Planet is a worldwide rally—a single day to move away from fossil fuels and demand solutions to the climate crisis. The sustainability community, in partnership with Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, will mark the occasion with a “Walk for Climate Justice.”

Beginning at Wrigley Hall with coffee and an 8-minute film by Bill McKibben, we will walk to the Tempe Islamic Cultural Center, First Congregational Church, and Hillel. At each stop, we’ll hear a story (from Sierra Club’s Sandy Bahr and Arizona Audubon’s Sarah Porter, among others) about a different environmental refugee around the world and learn about climate change and its disproportionate impacts on nations and populations. The walk concludes at the Tempe United Methodist Church with a lunch donated by Chipotle and a Sufi folk-dance performance. WHEAT, a local hunger-action group will offer “Hand to Hand” Fair trade crafts for sale.

This event is part of ASU’s “No Impact Week,” a week-long series of events and experiments in low-carbon living. Register to receive daily emails on how to participate in the No Impact Experiment.

RSVP Now >>

What is the Cool Congregations Challenge?

The Cool Congregations Challenge is a national fall contest with prizes brought to you by Interfaith Power & Light.  The Challenge recognizes congregations that are becoming energy efficient and sustainable role models. The contest is brought to you by Interfaith Power & Light, a nonprofit organization working to inspire and support a religious response to global warming.

Top cash prizes of $1,000, plus additional prizes will go to winning contestants in each category:

• Energy Efficiency  (incl. heating and cooling)
• Renewable Energy
• Grounds and Water Conservation
• Helping Congregants Lower Household Energy Use

Projects completed in the last year from October 20, 2010 through October 20, 2011 qualify. It’s the perfect time to use the summer to start or complete a project!

Join in the fun.

Get started by requesting a free guide.

Here is Doug’s report:

Lobbying: Our focus was on the Clean Air Act and maintaining support for the Environmental Protection

AZIPL Co-Director Rev. Doug Bland at the IPL Conference in Washington DC

Agency’s regulatory powers.  We joined forces with a coalition of groups gathered by EarthJustice, including the National Nurses Association, Physicians for Social Responsibility and the National Council of Churches.  We received affirmations from both Republicans and Democrats for rallying the faith community.  Lucy Murfitt, Legislative Counsel for Energy, Environment and Natural Resources for Senator Jon Kyl said, “It’s very unusual and refreshing to have representatives from the faith community lobby us.”  Gavi Begtrup, Policy Advisor for Representative Gabrielle Giffords, remembered our visit from last year and said, “I don’t want to single anyone out, but we were very impressed to hear about the work of Arizona Interfaith Power and Light. How is it going?”

I was glad to report that AZIPL is growing.  We now have 26 member congregations.  We’ve held two “Cool Congregations” workshops this year where we trained 23 congregations to calculate household carbon footprints and reduce energy use; helped 25 people participate in the 10-10-10 Global Work Day; hosted the first and second annual Earth Day “Great Solar Cookout”; co-sponsored three “green movie nights”; recruited nine Arizona congregations to participate in the “Preach In” on climate change; lobbied the Arizona Corporation Commission on issues of clean, renewable energy; and co-sponsored two environmental workshops, “Grapping Green” and “Tending Earth’s Garden”.

We have some strong allies in the offices of Giffords and Grijalva.  Others…not so much.  Again and again we heard that we “need to ‘balance’ jobs and the economy with human and environmental health.”   Our message was that jobs and the economy are certainly important, but the health of the environment and of people should be priorities that belong on a different scale.  Without human and environmental health there won’t be jobs or a robust economy.

Several themes emerged from the conference. Comprehensive climate change legislation is completely off the table in Congress. The budget struggle threatens the EPA-along with many federal programs that benefit the environment and the poor. Speaker after speaker emphasized the importance of citizens contacting their elected representatives, and we urge all friends of AZIPL to do just that.

The Clean Air Act has saved thousands of lives and avoided hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations. Eighty percent of our health care costs come from chronic illness. Ensuring the strength of the Clean Air Act will remain a critical issue for us. (Clean Air Act Benefits Exceed Costs More Than 30-to-1)

The conference presentations reminded us of the phenomenal potential of changing America’s attitudes about climate change by working through communities of faith. Eleven percent of Americans belong to an environmental organization, but 66 percent are connected with a faith community.

Ed Maibach, director of the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University, gave us a fascinating and important summary of his survey on the public perceptions of climate change.

AZIPL Co-Director Sister Mary Elizabeth Lawrence at the IPL Conference in Washington DC

Maibach found that Americans fall into six categories:

· 13 percent:  the Alarmed (completely sure; activist)

· 28 percent:  the Concerned (very sure; less internalized, modestly involved)

· 24 percent:  the Cautious (not entirely sure, modestly supportive)

· 10 percent:  the Disengaged (know little, less educated, less income; but more supportive than the Cautious about mounting a national response when they learn more)

· 12 percent:  the Doubtful (skeptical, older, not worried, hasn’t closed mind completely)

· 12 percent:  the Dismissive (closed mind, believes deniers, unreachable; 60 percent chance that they are Evangelical-quite different from other types)

Maibach’s reassuring conclusion:  the majority of America is listening! But only eight percent of the Alarmed and the Concerned think we will solve the climate change problem. Only 1 in 4 of the Alarmed have acted in some way as citizen advocates in the last year. So, IPL’s work must activate the Alarmed and Concerned to motivate them to take action. Critical insight: All Americans value saving energy, even the Dismissives. They are all trying to do so. They support public policy that does so. The more we can engage people to adapt right now, the better. Climate Change should be framed as an issue for people and not as an issue that is considered distant such as polar bears and glaciers. IPL connects to people’s deep values, health values: Protect the lives of children and grandchildren. Protect God’s creation.

Click here for more information and downloads of Maibach’s reports.

The concluding session featured an inspiring conversation moderated by Sally Bingham between the “progressive Evangelical” founder of Sojourners, Rev. Jim Wallis and Rev. Gerald Durley, an Atlanta minister active in Civil Rights Movement who serves on the national IPL board. Here are a few quotes from their conversation:

Jim: We were drawn into the civil rights movement by people; we weren’t drawn in by strategy or ideas. We were drawn to what people were doing.

Gerald: We were called to a cause. I was compelled to join the movement. It’s personal.

Jim: The act of doing empowers people.

Gerald: Movements are effective when people are excited. The environmental movement is boring. It’s dull. It’s factual. It’s scientifically solid. Health issues are at the heart of environmental issues. You are saving a family, you are saving a home. This is environmental justice.

Jim: The difference between an event and a movement is sacrifice. You are here because you got involved personally. Pay attention to your own story. Use it to engage others. Keep your story exciting. Link it to children.

Jim: The Evangelical network cares most about what happens to the poor. Use health, the 7th generation, jobs, rather than the code language of climate change. Find the threads that are congenial with your message. Wealth doesn’t trickle down, values do.

Jim: What is enough to create a movement? “Enough” is not a majority. The majority just goes along; you just need them to say okay. You need a critical-mass minority. Create this by education, outreach, grassroots organizing, state efforts. You want to reach “Fred and Sheila” in the majority and have them agree to go along with change.

Jim: I learned from Desmond Tutu that “optimism” is analysis. Hope is a decision you make because of your faith. There is a direct relationship between the hope defined by movements and the outcome. Faith props hope which fuels action which creates change. Hope is believing in spite of the evidence and then watching the evidence change.

Full Article
Jewish News of Greater Phoenix April 22, 2011
By Leisah Woldoff