"As we approach Earth Day on April 22, 2022, our churches will be engaged in education and action through a variety of means that evoke the prophetic tradition of our faith. Many of the themes from Holy Week transfer to the focus we give God’s creation during Earth Week." ~ Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt, UCC Minister for Environmental Justice
(1) Prophetic Inspiration! Ames United Church of Christ is partnering with the Iowa Conference, the Central Association of Iowa, and the UCC’s National Setting to host a digital event for the entire denomination on April 23, 2022 entitled “The Faith of Prophets: Lessons for the Climate Crisis.” (Click the link to Register)
(2) Prophetic art! Church members of all ages are coming together to create community climate collages that spark reflection on how our faith leads us to action. They will share their masterpieces with elected officials, especially as the Senate considers groundbreaking climate measures.
(3) Prophetic worship! Creation Justice Ministries provides materials each year that help congregations focus their education and worship on a theme. This year’s theme is “Weathering the Storm: Faithful Climate Resilience.” An April 13, 2022 webinar will explore this theme and more.
(4) Prophetic love! For their annual Faith Climate Action Week from April 22nd to May 1, 2022, Interfaith Power & Light has chosen the theme "Sacred Trust: Our Children’s Right to a Livable Future.” They suggest ways churches can work to safeguard our Earth for younger generations.
The Faith of Prophets: Lessons for the Climate Crisis
The best-selling Catholic writer Joan Chittister has written, “What this world needs most right now is a new generation of prophets.” This is especially true as we confront the climate crisis today. Yet, we can no longer wait for others to be the prophets that were needed yesterday. We have to find the prophet in each of us. We are the ones who can make a profound difference right now. To answer the urgent call for prophetic action today, this April 23, 2022 event will focus on what the Hebrew Prophets can teach us as well as what current prophetic leaders have to say. The event will consist of three parts: (1) Opening Keynote via Zoom: “Why Prophets Matter Today” by the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt, Minister of Environmental Justice for the United Church of Christ (7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. PDT). (2) Panel Discussion via Zoom: April 23, 2022 with the Rev. Michael Malcom from the People’s Justice Council, Nellis Kennedy-Howard from Honor the Earth, and Hector Arbuckle from the Ames Climate Action Team (8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.,m PDT).
(3) Local Action in Your Own Community: Create and deliver a community climate collage to the district office of your Congressional Representative or Senator.
Learn more at: https://bit.ly/PropheticAction