SDG Report cover
A United Methodist Insight Column
United Methodist congregations and annual conferences can submit their projects and campaigns around UN Sustainable Development Goals to a database tracking the enormous influence and effect that religious organizations are having on the worldwide quest for sustainability.
Yale University’s Forum on Religion and Ecology offers a database that brings together all faith-based environment-related projects and campaigns facilitating knowledge and information sharing among faith actors, decision-makers, and the public on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
“Faith actors have two important powers,” says a newsletter from Faith for Earth, a UN-related initiative “to encourage, empower and engage with faith-based organizations as partners, at all levels, toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and fulfilling the 2030 Agenda.”
“The first [power] is the power of outreach across nations and regions with a unified message on the sacredness of protecting our shared and our only planet,” says the newsletter. “The second power, is the economic power faith institutions have.”
Sustainable Development Goals
Graphic Courtesy of Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
The newsletter says Faith for Earth “focuses on engaging faith actors on policymaking through the United Nations Environment Assembly. The effort promotes “green investments of faith assets and bridging the science-religion nexus for informed societies.”
For more information, see Progress & Outlook Report: Faith Action on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Northern Illinois responders aid Louisiana
The Northern Illinois Conference newsletter reports that its conference Disaster Coordinator and a 10-person Emergency Response Team (ERT) are currently near New Orleans, La., helping with cleanup from Hurricane Ida.
The newsletter reports: “The crew consists of seven volunteers from First UMC in Morris and three from Grace UMC in Naperville. They're staying at Munholland UMC and working in the town of LaPlace, which is about 25 northwest of New Orleans. This area was one of the hardest hit from not only 150+ mph winds but also large-scale flooding. You can follow their progress on the NIC Disaster Response Facebook page.”
More gleanings
From NPR: “The Spanish city of Seville will start naming heat waves next year, just like tropical storms and hurricanes. Officials say it will help them better coordinate disaster responses if a heat wave is considered more dangerous.”
From the Connectional Table: Tuesday, Oct. 26, the fourth session of “Tuesdays at the Table” series will welcome Dr. Peter Mageto Maiko and the Rev. Dr. Jacob Dharmaraj to discuss the question, “How do we experience God in a complex world?” Watch, ask questions and engage with others on The UMC’s Facebook page.
Media Mentions as of Oct. 20, 2021
Across Africa, major churches strongly oppose LGBTQ rights – Las Vegas Sun
When Church Hurts Like Hell – Religion News Service
Study: Attendance hemorrhaging at small and midsize US congregations – Religion News Service
Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.