Faith Communities Send Prayers for Climate Action

Interfaith Power & Light’s campaign for climate healing and action over Valentine’s Day weekend sent an unprecedented number of prayers and postcards to God and senators, in that order. It is estimated that 500,000 people participated, many of them joining Saturday’s synchronized climate prayer, others giving sermons and talks, and still more holding discussions and gathering signatures on Love Creation climate action postcards to send to senators.

“There was something very powerful about knowing that people across the country were praying about this issue at the same time,” said Interfaith Power & Light founder, The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham. “It was truly an interfaith, nationwide climate prayer to remind us to take seriously our responsibility to protect Creation.”

And the beat goes on. According to the Susan Stephenson, Interfaith Power & Light executive director, “It’s not too late to participate. Congregations will continue the momentum through Earth Day, and events will continue to be registered on the map at preachin.org. There are many important climate milestones this year, and faith communities from Catholics and Jews, to UUs and Lutherans are making sure their pleas for action are heard loud and clear by those in power.” She is referring to the President’s decision on the Keystone XL oil pipeline, Congressional support of the EPA safeguards on carbon pollution, and the upcoming international climate talks in Paris.

This year, IPL joined forces with OurVoices.net and Green Faith for even greater impact. They also reached out to tens of thousands on Facebook and Twitter. To learn how you can become involved, visit intefaithpowerandlight.org and its preachin.org website.

Andree Duggan

Interfaith Power & Light