From Oceans to Fires to Floods to Heat, It's Wild Out There

Crisis Watch June 14, 2022

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A United Methodist Insight Column

With everything else that's been going on, an important creation care observance almost slipped past. In case you missed it, it's Ocean Month, a time to reflect on the life-giving nature of the world's oceans and to resolve to protect them from ongoing pollution.

The ecumenical group Creation Justice Ministries has set up a website titled simply "Ocean" to remind us of the fundamental role oceans play in life on Earth. The site begins with a familiar scripture: And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” - Genesis 1:20 NRSV

To foster education, connection and action, the Ocean website offers multiple resources for local churches seeking to steward God's creation, including a downloadable 10-page booklet "Saving Our Sacred Seas." There's still time in June for churches to study about the world's oceans and why it's so important to protect and nurture them.

Enduring extremes

It's a wild weather week out there. Axios' PM newsletter captures the extremes in an article by Andrew Freedman:

"Wildfires erupted in Arizona and California as extreme drought combined with high winds. One eerie video taken of smoke pouring out of the Pipeline Fire in Arizona reveals the complex flow of air helping to propel the flames amid powerful winds gusting to 50 mph.

"Yellowstone National Park officials are assessing damage after massive flooding knocked out the roads that provide access to the park's northern entrance. One video showed a house teetering and then falling into a river near Yellowstone.

"About a third of the U.S. population — stretching from cities like Chicago all the way to Raleigh, North Carolina — is under heat warnings and advisories today for triple-digit high temperatures. Extreme heat is typically the No. 1 annual weather-related killer in the U.S., and the National Weather Service is calling this event "dangerous."

"Records that fell June 13: 108°F in North Platte, Nebraska; 103°F in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Columbia, South Carolina; 102°F in Austin, Texas; and 100°F in St. Louis."

Meanwhile, NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research reported June 3 that levels of carbon dioxide, one of the main "greenhouse gases" responsible for the climate crisis, reached an average of 420.78 parts per million in May measured at NOAA’s Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory. This level pushes "the atmosphere further into territory not seen for millions of years," said NOAA's Facebook post. 

"CO2 levels are now comparable to the Pliocene Climatic Optimum, between 4.1 and 4.5 million years ago, when they were close to, or above 400 ppm. During that time, sea levels were between 5 and 25 meters higher than today, high enough to drown many of the world’s largest modern cities. Temperatures then averaged 7 degrees Fahrenheit higher than in pre-industrial times, and studies indicate that large forests occupied today’s Arctic tundra. https://www.noaa.gov/.../carbon-dioxide-now-more-than-50..."

Friends, in the short term, we need to be watching out for each other with even more care. In the long term, we must pressure our governments to take the necessary steps to rectify the climate crisis. The solutions will cause us all discomfort, but uncomfortable solutions are better than dying in a wildfire, a raging flood or from excessive heat.

Racial Justice Prayer and Action Challenge

Speaking of sign-ups, there's still time to sign up for the Juneteenth Racial Justice Prayer and Action Challenge starting June 19 and sponsored by the General Commission on Religion and Race. According to the R2 website, "The prayers have been written by siblings in Christ across the globe. May we be blessed by the words of the global church as we lament, repent, experience healing and reconciliation, claim the hope, and work towards liberation. Please know that the prayers will also be available in French, Tagalog, Spanish, and Korean." This writer intends to participate, and hopes many of us will also.

Remember the Tonga undersea volcano?

The stupendous undersea eruption of a volcano off Tonga has faded from many memories already, but Western Jurisdiction United Methodists have stepped up to remind us of the needs of Tongan disaster victims .

To recap, the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcano erupted on Jan. 15 near the island nation of Tonga. According to Nature.com, the eruption produced "the largest atmospheric explosion in recorded history. It sent shock waves around the world and a plume of ash into the upper atmosphere." The NASA photo above shows that the eruption was visible from space.

Since then, United Methodists have mounted massive relief efforts for Tonga, which was devastated by a giant tsunami caused by the eruption. According to the Western Jurisdiction website, "the Rev. David Niu, Central Valley District Superintendent in the California-Nevada Conference, and the Rev. Dr. Siosaia Tu’itahi, East District Superintendent from the California-Pacific Conference, are co-chairs of the Tongan Relief Task Force."

The WJ report continues: "... In addition to individual Conference giving, the Western Jurisdiction Leadership team committed $30,000 toward the supply of shipping containers to distribute collected goods and items to Tonga. ... Together, the Desert Southwest Conference and the California-Pacific Conference have sent seven shipping containers – the first one delivered via New Zealand was filled with [drinking] water – to Tonga. In those shipping containers were food, clothing, tools and more. ... The first full shipping container sent by the California-Nevada Conference was just tools. Since then, 13 more containers have been shipped with donations from Tongan and non-Tongan churches alike, containing food, water, clothing and more. ..."

Each Western Jurisdiction conference has set up online portals for giving to Tongan relief.

Media Mentions as of June 14, 2022

'An act of sacred resistance': Dallas church self-appoints two LGBTQ pastors after bishop ... Texas Standard

Days after fire guts San Jose church, resilient congregation holds services - CBS News

'We're still here': Congregation stays strong after fire destroys building - Natchez Democrat

Lesbian deacon gets ordained as a pastor by regional United Methodist Church - YouTube

After a long journey, lesbian deacon is ordained by regional UMC - WUSA9

Methodist youth visit Huntsville with a mission | News | itemonline.com – The Huntsville Item

First United Methodist Church Los Alamos Seeks Donations For Transgender Resource ... – Los Alamos Daily Post

First United Methodist Church Collects Items For Transgender Resource Center Of New Mexico – Los Alamos Reporter

'49 Bells Ceremony,' remembrance event held in Orlando to honor Pulse victims – Click Orlando

Pulse remembrance: Family, friends gather to remember and support victims, families, each other – FOX 35 Orlando

Girl Scout starts food bank as part of Gold Award | Life | dailyitem.com – The Daily Item

New England Conference, United Methodist Church passes Israeli apartheid resolution – Religion News Service

Edmonds United Methodist supports Ukrainian refugees, donates to $70K to relief organizations – My Edmonds News

A City Unites to Feed the Hungry at United Methodist Church in New Brunswick - TAPinto

City to look at application from First United Methodist Church to use property as an emergency shelter for homeless community – ABC Fox Montana

Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011. This column is part of Insight's ongoing coverage of the world climate crisis as a participant in Covering Climate Now, a worldwide collaboration of some 500 news outlets dedicated to enhanced climate reporting. To reproduce this content elsewhere, please email for permission.