Valentine’s Day Preach-In:
Clergy Highlight Love for Creation, Urge Action on Climate Legislation
Over 50 California congregations participated in a national Valentine’s Day Preach-In this weekend focused on global warming. The events included sermons, film screenings, and discussions focused on the call to love our neighbors and the earth by taking action on environmental stewardship. Over 400 congregations in 40 states participated in the effort. California Interfaith Power and Light, which assisted in coordinating the event, works with 500 congregations state-wide on energy reduction, energy efficiency, and sustainable energy measures, as well as legislation advocacy.
In addition to education, a major goal of the Preach-In was to urge the U.S. Senate to move quickly to curb global warming. After services, participating congregations sent thousands of valentines to their senators urging them to “love the Earth for Valentine’s Day.” Besides sermons, congregations also screened films and hosted discussions on putting faith into action on climate stewardship.
Clergy from all major faith religions participated, demonstrating the unity and power of the faith community in calling for strong comprehensive climate and energy legislation this year.
“In Lent, God calls all of us to reconciliation,” said Pastor John Lasseigne from Mary Immaculate Church in Pacoima. Fr. Lasseigne will carry the message of the Preach-In to church services during Lent, a traditional Christian time for praying, fasting and reflecting. “Normally, reconciliation focuses on restoring our relationship with God and our brothers and sisters. This Lent, at our church, we will extend our reconciliation to all of God’s creation through prayer, lifestyle changes and social action.”
“The event was a big success,” said Rev. Sally Bingham, an Episcopal priest and president of Interfaith Power and Light. “As people of faith, we have a sacred duty to love our neighbor by caring for creation, and this weekend we put that faith into action. This is a clear message to the U.S. Senate: Americans of faith want action this year on climate legislation.”
Interfaith Power and Light, a national organization with 31 state affiliates representing 10,000 member congregations, works to rally the nation’s faithful to be good stewards of energy and address global warming as a moral issue. Future events will continue to amplify the faith voice in the climate debate – in May, over 70 Interfaith Power and Light state leaders from 34 states will travel to Washington, D.C. to visit their senators in person to ask for climate legislation with a binding cap on carbon.
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