Notes from Sunday, July 24’s Conversation on Race and Climate

Last Sunday, Sarah Braik and Dean Shambaugh discussed their experience as deputies to General Convention, reviewed legislation passed at the General Convention in the areas of Creation Care and Racial Justice, and led a brainstorming session about what we, at St. Luke’s, and as St. Lukans might do in these areas. 

The following are notes from that conversation.

In the area of Creation Care:

• Support the role of the Public Policy and Environment Action Team (PPEAT) as the “Earth Keeper” for St. Luke’s. Learn more.  
• Use PPEAT’s resources to empower action and advocacy, encouraging our parishioners to write their legislators about climate-related legislation.
• Communicate more about St. Luke’s Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) Policy and encourage parishioners to use SRI for their own investments and retirement funds.
• Have periodic speakers on climate justice, social justice, etc. at the cathedral – maybe at Thursday night dinners. Use experts from the local community. Invite the local community.
• Consider a new building environmental assessment (looking at the possibility of heat pumps etc.). Encourage parishioners to do the same with their homes. 
• Remember the connection between climate and racial and economic justice and the impact of climate change across economic levels.
• In the area of Racial Justice: See the Presiding Bishop’s Working Group report.
• Create resolutions for the diocesan convention. (Due end of August.)
• Consider bringing the National Church group’s areas “truth-telling, reckoning and healing” and the four quadrants of the Becoming Beloved Community labyrinth logo to our work here.
• Look at the idea of forensic audit/research where the money used to build the cathedral came from (connect with the diocesan group doing this, build on work already started) in relation to the slave trade and abolition.
• Continue Sacred Ground. Do more book groups, including Straight White Men and Unexpected News.
• Engage with and celebrate people from other cultures.
• Look at the link between Climate Change and New Mainers.
• Try to see our work with Haiti and pantries as reparative work, rather than “rich people helping the poor”.
• Collaborate with other local groups, churches, etc. (We don’t have to recreate the wheel.)
• Support everyone in the parish to do this work.
• Use epistle articles to communicate about this work.