Earth Day Vigil for Creation

United Women in Faith co-hosts gathering for climate justice at General Conference

by Tara Barnes

General Conference is more than just voting on legislation. While gathered together, United Methodists from around the world worship, pray, break bread, and lift up causes with one another.

This year, sponsored by the church’s Creation Justice Movement, United Women in Faith is partnering with Global Ministries, the Love Your Neighbor Coalition, and the General Board of Church and Society for an Earth Day vigil on April 22. The featured speaker will be Dr. Musa Dube, Botswanan theologian and Professor of New Testament at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. She is author of The HIV and AIDS Bible and Postcolonial Feminist Interpretation of the Bible.

If you’ll be in Charlotte later this month, join us at First United Methodist Church in Charlotte for the 7 p.m. (ET) vigil. Global Ministries is also hosting dinner at the church at 5:30. The event will be livestreamed as well. Whether you’ll be joining us in person or in solidarity online, please register at this link.

The United Methodist Social Principles state, “The adverse impacts of global climate change disproportionately affect individuals and nations least responsible for the emissions. We therefore support efforts of all governments to require mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and call on individuals, congregations, businesses, industries, and communities to reduce their emission.”

As part of our work to advance climate justice, United Women in Faith is seeking the readoption of the following resolutions, all current statements of the United Methodist Church. The petitions are located in the Church and Society 1 legislative committee:

• 20754-CA-R1025 Environmental Racism in the United States
• 20755-CA-R1028 Law of the Sea
• 20756-CA-R1029 Protection of Water
• 20757-CA-R1032 Principles for Just and Sustainable Extraction and Production
• 20759-CA-R1034 Environmental Health
• 20765-CA-R4056 Greed
• 20767-CA-R4058 Privatization

United Women in Faith cares deeply about a just transition to sustainable energy consumption, protecting all of God’s creation. Thank you for your support for these resolutions.

You can be a part of our Just Energy for All campaign working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the health and well-being of the environment and the most vulnerable. Join in the work today, and check out our webinars to learn more.

Tara Barnes is director of denominational relations for United Women in Faith.