Sister Joan Brown met with our congressional representative at a town hall last week. @Rep_Stansbury agreed that we need to address community health concerns and #climatejustice even after the passage of the big climate bill (Inflation Reduction Act)
Interfaith Power and Light of New Mexico and El Paso region has worked hard to get climate legislation at the federal level. While we are pleased that there will be movement toward reduction of carbon emissions and toward new energy, jobs, and even help with health care for our region through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), we are very disheartened by the compromises for oil, gas and nuclear that so adversely affect our frontline neighbors in our region.
We are committed to continue to work with our frontline neighbors to address concerns of pollution, health, and impairment of water, land and air in communities affected by oil and gas extraction that seems geared for profit for a few.
In addition, we are grateful that the United States will have something to take to the United Nations International table as we work as a global community. The IRA will help us toward goals to mitigate the most harmful effects of runaway global warming for those most vulnerable and suffering around the world from floods, droughts, unprecedented storms, sea level and growing food insecurity and famine. We are committed to continue to work with our frontline neighbors to address concerns of pollution, health, and impairment of water, land and air in communities affected by oil and gas extraction that seems geared for profit for a few.
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As the book of Deuteronomy states, “I have set before you today death and life, choose life that you and future generations might live.” As an Interfaith community we work to address climate change in so many ways. We choose life, though sometimes the choices require very difficult compromises that we carry as we continue to work for greater equity and loving actions for life.
Sister Joan Brown, osf
Director, Interfaith Power and Light, New Mexico and El Paso region
Faith leaders understand the importance of using their prophetic voices to call the faithful to live by their most deeply-held values. In an election year, voting is one way that we can bring forth a world rooted in those values–values of justice, hope, courage, and love for all of God’s Creation, our Sacred Earth. But to do this, we need to make sure that people of faith are voting. That starts with our congregations.
We invite you to join IPL President Rev. Susan Hendershot; IPL Board Chair Rev. Dr. Gerald L. Durley; IPL Board member Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb; and Islamic Organization of North America Imam and President Mustapha Elturk for a discussion about encouraging our faith communities to vote by offering sermons, divrei Torah, and khutbahs on the importance of voting. We’ll also share nonpartisan resources to help you in developing these messages to encourage the members of your faith community to vote.