United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26) – Posts
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California Churches Move Toward Carbon Neutrality by 2030
The Rev. Pamela Dolan and Miriam Casey from the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California, who served as deputy and alternate deputy, respectively, at the 81st General Convention, coauthored Resolution D050 to Complete the Journey to Net Carbon Neutrality by 2030. “The resolution provides funding to create a resource for sharing information needed by churches to achieve the…
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Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes Receives $1.25 Million Grant to Launch ‘Holy Ground for Whole Communities’ Program
The Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes has been awarded a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment to fund Holy Ground for Whole Communities, a first-of-its-kind program in Michigan that will equip and empower Episcopal churches across the state to engage in climate change mitigation on their church properties, connecting faith to environmental action. The…
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Climate justice is economic justice: The Gospel call to love our neighbors through climate collapse
By the Rev. Lauren Grubaugh Thomas This essay builds on a short video I recently shared on my Instagram page. A couple nights a week, I serve as an on-call chaplain for a Denver, Colorado, hospital. I recently responded to an emergency call about a car accident. The patient was a young woman who was fortunate to…
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Clean, abundant solar power for our church
By Rob Hogg Earlier this summer, Christ Episcopal Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, completed construction and began operation of a 45-kilowatt solar-power system that is expected to provide 100% of the electricity used by the church. By reducing our dependence on the local electric utility, which is still generating electricity from coal and natural gas,…
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Creation Care, Climate Change, and Eco-Justice-Related Legislation
General Convention considered many pieces of creation care legislation, which were submitted by dioceses, committees, task forces, and other bodies. We have curated this list of the resolutions that were passed by both houses of General Convention. Please note: Budget requests in these resolutions will not necessarily be funded; final budget reconciliation will take place…
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Contemporary Rogation Sunday in North Omaha
By the Ven. Betsy Blake Bennett, Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska Church of the Resurrection is an intentionally diverse parish in Omaha, Nebraska, with a history of ministry focused on issues such as food insecurity, racial reconciliation, LGBTQ+ issues, and gun violence. In recent years, we have observed Rogation Sunday in a way meant to integrate…
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Update on accessing Inflation Reduction Act funding for renewable energy
In 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law. This is the largest climate bill passed since the 1970s and there are many ways you can utilize this law to help care for creation. The Episcopal Church has been in support of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for over 20 years. IRA…
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Grant Highlight: Episcopal Diocese of Northern California churches developing action plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030
By Bob Wohlsen Churches throughout the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California are utilizing the recommendations in their energy-efficiency assessment reports to develop action plans that will guide them to achieve carbon neutrality over the next six years. Twenty-six churches were assessed for their energy efficiency by Colby May, Energy for Purpose energy efficiency expert, in…
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Opinion: Episcopal Church Divestment from Fossil Fuels – Just Do It!
By Lella Lowe I am a member of Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Mobile, Alabama, in the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. Deeply concerned about the climate crisis, I have been active with the environmental stewardship team at my church and the diocesan Commission on the Integrity of Creation, and I helped to…
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Grant highlight: An Episcopal Path to Creation Justice
By the Rev. Rachel Field The groaning of creation has been increasingly audible as we witness (and experience) the ways that climate change is driving ecosystem collapse around the world. As Episcopalians, we believe that our relationship with God’s creation is sacred, and that what we do to “the least of these” is felt in the…
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Rooted and Grounded in Faith: A Report from the Province V and Province IV Creation Care Retreat
by Lella Lowe Over the weekend of May 5-7, 23 people from all over Provinces IV and V of The Episcopal Church gathered at the beautiful Nazareth Retreat Center, south of Louisville, Kentucky, for the “Rooted in Soil and Grounded in Faith” event, offered to Episcopalians who were looking for ways to sustain their ministries…
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Celebrating Earth Month in the Diocese of Northern California
By the Rev. Pamela Dolan The Commission on the Environment for the Diocese of Northern California is encouraging all congregations to mark Earth Day in some way that is appropriate for their community and context. Some will expand that focus by taking part in Interfaith Power and Light’s Faith Climate Action Week, April 14-23. And still others will…