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New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light
July 2013 E-Notes
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Greetings!
We are so grateful for the recent gift of rain throughout the state. The cooler moments washed with  sister water refresh our spirits calling to mind and heart that our work to care for creation is a gifted and joyful call for life and the future. As some of our brothers and sisters celebrate Ramadan, the rains and fresh produce from the gardens remind us of the rhythms so essential to living a balanced life: fasting and feasting, Sabbath and work, meditation/prayer and action, work and play. Blessings upon continued balance that Summer can bring.
This summer numerous documents and events cross the desk of NMIPL. I will share a few.
Scientists at the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) have launched a seminal study which shows that the decade from 2001-2010 was the warmest since the start of modern temperature measurements in 1850, with more national temperature records broken than in any previous decade.
We are very proud of The United Church of Christ which is the latest notable organisation to follow the trend and approve a fossil fuel divestment strategy, becoming the first national and religious body in the U.S. to do so. And of Our Unitarian Universalist Congregations who raised more than 2,000 voices at their national meeting in Louisville, Kentucky when they participated in a rally to protect water and address mountain top coal removal.
Special Thank You's to these congregations for recent membership contributions:
St. Michael and All Angel's Episcopal, Albuquerque
First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque (generous Change for the Future donation)
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe
(NMIPL welcomes your membership renewals, new memberships and contributions)
A Hearty Welcome to New Board Member:
Jennifer Edwards, Shepherd of the Valley Presbyterian, Albuquerque
Blessings of Peace and Grace,
Joan Brown,osf, Executive Director
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Around New Mexico
The Call to be Refugia: How NMIPL Can Help with Insomnia
Sunday, July 21, 10:15-11:00
St. Michael and All Angel's Adult Education Program
601 Montano Rd. NW, ABQ
Being part of the ministry of New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light (NMIPL) can help you sleep better at night because you are caring for creation, water, community, the Land of Enchantment and the future generations. Learn what it means to be Refugia. Sr. Joan Brown,osf, Executive Director of NMIPL will be the presenter.
Gallup Earth Sabbath
Thursday, July 25, 7-8:15
604 Jeff King St.
(Call 722-7504 for directions)
Everyone is invited to this monthly time of sharing, prayer and renewal to continue to work for care of God's creation.
Protecting the Future: Do We Have a Moral Obligation to Take Action
Saturday, July 27, 1:30-4:00
Albuquerque Chapter of United Nations Association Potluck and Presentation
ABQ Peace and Justice Center
Everyone to our summer picnic /potluck lunch and program on climate change with presenter Joan Brown,osf. RSVP Maureen (mgwright@comcast.net or 881-4536.
RALLY AT THE RIO
Saturday, August 3, 10-12 noon
Central and Tingley, 2700 Central Ave. SW, ABQ , park in BioPark overflow lots
Climate Change Action rally and march across the bridge of the Rio. Music, talks. Bring signs, water and hats. Co-sponsored by over a dozen organizations. F lyer: http://www.abqclimateaction.us/.
Albuquerque Earth Sabbath Celebration
Monday, August 29, 7-8:15
Albuquerque Mennonite Church
The monthly time for an interfaith gathering to pray for healing of earth and rejuvinate the human spirit. Earth Sabbaths are open to everyone and include time for sharing, reflections, simple body movement, meditation and joyful intentions of gratitude and healing.
NMIPL Harvest Festival and Annual Meeting 
Sunday, November 24, 3-5
Albuquerque Mennonite Church
Come celebrate accomplishments of faith communities with awards, wonderful food, entertainment and chance to purchase homemade pies for Thanksgiving dinner. All are welcome.
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Cool Congregations: Green Ideas
PNM Reduce Your Use grants for nonprofits open August 1
While Faith Communities are not directly eligible, ministries that include everyone and are not religious based, such as food pantries are eligible. Grants of up to $5,000 are available and past projects have included:
*Replacing old appliances with Energy Star appliances
*Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents or LED lighting
*Upgrading office equipment and installing power strips
*Down payment on solar energy systems
Opportunities to win cash prizes and recognition for Faith Communities
Enter the Cool Congregation Challenge
If your community has done energy upgrades, solar, LEED certified buildings, amazing educational programs or other programs, you can be recognized for your good works and win prizes to assist with more work. Check out this year's IPL Cool Congregation Challenge.
Looking for Ways to Save Energy or Install Solar...contact NMIPL.
We have lots of helpful ideas and success stories from other faith communities.
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Action Alerts
Shaheen-Portman Senate Energy Efficiency Bill
This bill would establish or expand programs to promote the financing of energy efficiency retrofit projects for private sector and commercial buildings. The reintroduced Shaheen-Portman bill also includes provisions that will directly improve energy efficiency in buildings, industrial processes and federal agencies. More specifically, these measures include strengthening energy efficiency requirements in building energy codes, incentivizing industrial energy efficiency using rebates for certain equipment, encouraging energy-efficient supply chains through a new Supply Star program, and requiring federal agency energy savings techniques. In its preliminary analysis of the new bill, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) found that Shaheen-Portman would save nearly one-tenth of the annual energy use of the U.S. between 2014-2030. Contact your Senators if you support more energy efficiency to address climate change.
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Resources and News
Books, Videos, News and More
Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth
Sufi writer, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee has brought anima mundi and sacred unity into the environmental forum through his new anthology, Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth. Some months ago, he invited a group of spiritual teachers, scientists, and nature writers and guides from a variety of religious traditions to address our ecological crisis at its rock-bottom basic: Humanity has collective amnesia. It has forgotten about its formerly deep relationship with the soul of the world and itself. The essays in the book gather wise teachers from all of the spiritual traditions to share their thoughts.
Our Sister IPL in Texas has just launched a video series on Living in a Warmer World. Check it out... The first in a series of videos, all snippets of interviews with climate biologist Dr. Camille Parmesan: http://txipl.org/LivingInAWarmerWorld.
One view of Climate Crisis is that it is a crisis of the Sabbath. Dr. Matthew Sleeth has written a book on the subject, but a shorter piece by Dr. Sleeth has just been posted on a Duke University website.
Sojourners Magazine (among other media outlets) reports that Over 200 top scientists who identify as evangelical Christians from across the country released a letter this week calling on Congress to act on the moral and scientific imperative to address climate change. The letter - framed in scripture - points to the call to care for the poor and steward God's creation as key elements contributing to their concern.
The World Bank's Board of Directors formally agreed to
limit its financial support for new coal projects around the world to "rare circumstances." This decision effectively closes the door on an issue that has vexed the global development lender for years as it struggled to balance its mission of eradicating poverty with a growing need to address climate change. The new policy is endorsed by the United States, China, India and others. For the World Bank, the real test of the strategy may come next year, when it is expected to decide whether to provide loan guarantees for a coal-fired power plant in Kosovo, a project highly criticized by local activists for its potential public health effects. The U.S., the Bank's largest shareholder and recent advocate against public funding for new coal plants abroad, also faces a test of its commitment on Thursday July 18th, when its Export-Import Bank will decide whether to finance a coal plant in Vietnam.
Full story on Tree Alert website.
From Catholic Coalition on Climate Change:
, and many other Catholic voices. These pages are intended to help Catholics better understand the Church's authentic teaching on creation care and climate change.
2013 FEAST OF ST. FRANCIS
Start Planning Now!
Join tens of thousands of other Catholics who will learn about the dramatic evidence of climate change and explore Catholic teaching on climate change. This year's Feast of St. Francis program is: Melting Ice, Mending Creation: a Catholic Approach to Climate Change. It's not too early to be looking ahead to your celebration of the Feast of St. Francis.
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WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013
World Youth Day (July 23-28 in Rio) organizers are already highlighting creation care as one of the key themes of the event:
- Catholic News Services reported earlier this year that [w]hen hundreds of thousands of young Catholics gather with Pope Francis in Rio de Janeiro in the summer, reflections on safeguarding the environment will be part of the program.
- To celebrate International Environment Day and remind the faithful of the importance of nature in life, World Youth Day Rio2013, in partnership with WWF, presented on June 5 the video "We are all connected".
- This video produced for the World Youth Day in Rio, summer 2013, Catholics are reminded that water is the source of life.
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