Kudos to everyone who helped make this happen:
150 IOWA LUTHERAN CHURCHES TO GO GREEN
The churches of the Southeast Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America are first denominational organization to join Iowa Interfaith Power & Light
Des Moines, IA – Under the leadership of Bishop Phil Hougen and his synod council, the 150 churches of the Southeast Iowa Lutheran Synod (SE Synod) have become the first denominational organization to join Iowa Interfaith Power & Light (Iowa IPL). Iowa IPL is part of a national network of faith-based organizations mobilizing the religious community to become leaders in the fight against global warming. The Synod commitment will provide each church in the partnership with training in how to become a “Cool Congregation,” an Iowa IPL stewardship program that helps solve global warming one family at a time.
What an incredible step. Not only will these churches raise awareness about global warming in the faith community, but they are likely to significantly reduce the carbon footprints of thousands of Iowa families.
The full text of the press release from Iowa Interfaith Power and Light is after the jump.
By the way, Iowa Interfaith Power and Light is currently searching for an executive director. Click here for the job listing.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Monday, May 12thContact: Tim Kautza, 515-270-2634
150 IOWA LUTHERAN CHURCHES TO GO GREEN
The churches of the Southeast Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America are first denominational organization to join Iowa Interfaith Power & Light
Des Moines, IA – Under the leadership of Bishop Phil Hougen and his synod council, the 150 churches of the Southeast Iowa Lutheran Synod (SE Synod) have become the first denominational organization to join Iowa Interfaith Power & Light (Iowa IPL). Iowa IPL is part of a national network of faith-based organizations mobilizing the religious community to become leaders in the fight against global warming. The Synod commitment will provide each church in the partnership with training in how to become a “Cool Congregation,” an Iowa IPL stewardship program that helps solve global warming one family at a time.
As one of his last public acts before retiring as bishop, Hougen said, “Global warming is not only an immense environmental problem, it is also a moral problem of social justice, as the poor and marginalized people of the world are suffering the most from its consequences. As people of faith in southeast Iowa, we will work together as stewards of God’s creation to find real solutions to global warming in our congregations and our households.”
Iowa IPL was launched in the fall of 2006 as part of a campaign now operating in 28 states among Christians, Jews, Muslims and other people of faith. Since that time more than 160 of Iowa’s faith communities have participated in the signature “Cool Congregations” program. Thousands of families have learned about their ‘carbon footprint’ – a measure of global warming pollution caused by the household’s actions – through the program and taken proactive steps in their houses of worship and homes to increase energy efficiency and reduce pollution.
“In a Cool Congregations workshop, after briefly reviewing where our energy comes from and the effects of global warming, participants then measure their own household carbon footprint, find ways to reduce it, and begin organizing a Cool Congregations program in their faith community,” said Sarah Webb, Cool Congregations coordinator for Iowa IPL. “They go home with everything they need to accomplish this, and a new network of friends who share their commitment.”
The SE Synod’s Caring for Creation ministry team is working with Iowa IPL to plan and conduct 6 workshops throughout the Synod over the next 3 years, enabling each interested congregation to send a team of people to these workshops for training at no cost.
“This pilot partnership was created to help bind our care for creation into the heart of our religious communities and members as a normative practice,” said Ray Heinicke, a leader of the SE Synod’s Caring for Creation ministry team. “It gives everyone the means to make a difference when it comes to global warming solutions available in every home.”
The first of these workshops will be held at Faith Lutheran Church in Clive on May 31st. The workshop will also include a short presentation on “Green Churches” by Kevin Nordmeyer, a member of Lutheran Church of Hope and an architect with RDG in Des Moines, who has helped many churches throughout the Midwest become more energy efficient. While planned for Lutheran churches in the Des Moines area, the workshop is open to other interested congregations and registration information can be obtained by emailing office@faithlc. org.
This announcement also comes right on the heels of a resolution from the General Conference of the worldwide United Methodist Church (UMC) urging all churches and church agencies to join Interfaith Power & Light and similar programs. Des Moines Bishop Gregory Palmer is the new President of the Council of Bishops for the worldwide UMC.
“A transition to energy efficiency and renewable energy sources will combat global warming, protect human health, create new jobs, and ensure a secure, affordable energy future,” states the energy policy of the UMC. “Local churches, camps, and agencies are urged to become involved in programs such as the Energy Stewardship Congregation and Interfaith Power and Light programs, thereby witnessing our shared values of justice and sustainability.”
With the rapid growth in people of faith interested in taking care of Creation, Iowa IPL is undergoing a search for its first full-time Executive Director to lead its educational outreach and advocacy for global warming solutions, to develop partnerships with utilities on energy efficiency goals, and to continue the expansion of its signature Cool Congregations initiative. For more information contact iowaipl@gmail.com.
More information on state IPLs and their parent organization can be found at www.theregeneration project.org.
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