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Keystone members join People’s Climate March

After a rousing Sept. 21 sermon on climate change by associate pastor Lauren Cannon, 18 members of Keystone UCC rode a bus to downtown Seattle to join the People’s Climate Rally and March, said James Little, a member of Keystone’s Green Team. 

Nick and Hannah Lott-Havey hold right side of banner.  Dan Smith brought his children, Caleb, left, and Paisley, center.                        Photos courtesy of Keystone UCC Facebook Page

“At the rally, we applauded the speakers urging immediate action to address climate change,” he said.

Their signs said:  “For Our Kids, Solar and Wind, No Fossil Fuels,”  “Climate and Jobs, Two Crises, One Solution,”  “There is No Planet B,”  “Scientists Agree, Don’t Be Fossil Fooled, Action Is Needed Now,”  “They Shall Not Pass, No Coal, Exports” and “Find a Solution, Not More Pollution.” 

Jim said their advocacy for urgent action to address climate change that day was inspired by congregational activities over the past nine months.

The congregation’s growing involvement with climate change began in February, when Jim and Rich Voget attended a three-day Environmental Justice Conference led by Meighan Pritchard at Pilgrim Firs UCC Camp. 

In May, Rich conducted a study group on “Environmental Justice” for Keystone members. 

In June, Rich, Jim and Lauren organized a Keystone Green Team and met weekly for 45 minutes after coffee hour. 

The team set up three working groups:  Advocacy, Church Sustainability and Personal Sustainability.  Each group, plus Keystone pastor Rich Gamble, and Earth Ministry intern Jessica Zimmerlee contributed elements to a 2014-2015 action plan, online at the bottom of KeystoneSeattle.org.  

The advocacy group asked members to identify five friends to contact about advocacy alert announcements.

“When the Seattle People’s Climate Rally and March was announced to support the march in New York City, the Green Team met after church to watch clips of the movie, “Disruption,” and plan sign making and logistics,” Jim said.  “Because our church is small, those marching were about half of those at church that morning.”

For information, email littlejamesw@mac.com.

Copyright October 2014 © Pacific Northwest United Church of Christ Conference News

 

 

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