Climate Change Vigil

If you passed through down town Jonesborough on Thursday April 18, 2013, you would have seen little lights shining on the steps of the Jonesborough courthouse.  Community members gathered for a candlelight vigil for climate change.  The event was sponsored by the TN Interfaith Power and Light and Green Interfaith Network Inc. or GINI.  The vigil was supported and led by the Cross of Grace Lutheran Church.  The event was a chance for people of different faiths from the community to come together and share their concern for climate change through understanding, practice and outreach.

            Speakers at the vigil included Rev. Ed Wolff of the Cross of Grace Lutheran Church, Rev. Bob Robertson of the Central Christian Church and Rev. Allen Huff of the Jonesborough Presbyterian Church. “I think the climate vigils offer some solidarity for people of faith in the TriCities area who acknowledge the seriousness of climate change.” says Carol Landis, GINI member. “This is especially important in upper East TN, where we live among hard-working families who may be struggling as we address the implications of climate change on our changing society.”

            The TN Interfaith Power and Light is the state affiliate of a network of faith communities working across the U.S., offering a spiritual response to climate change. Their mutual efforts protect the climate through upholding the sacredness of life, defending those most vulnerable to the many impacts of climate change and the advocating for effective climate protection policies. 

            “I hope people will realize that the changing climate is not a political 

issue--it is a moral and ethical issue that is directly related to our core values and beliefs.” says Landis. “All the major religions of the world include a message of caring...for the gifts we've been given and about the plight of others. We need to acknowledge that people of faith have an inherent obligation to humanity (to love one another, etc.), and also acknowledge that low-income communities will be disproportionately affected by climate change. We have an obligation to the present, and to future generations, to reduce our impact. This can be done through making personal choices toward improved energy efficiency, wise use of resources, and being responsible about purchasing durable items and assuring their proper disposal to eliminate unnecessary contamination of soil, water, and air.”

            For more information on future vigils or how to become involved, please visit www.greeninterfaith.org or email GreenInterfaith@gmail.com.