Climate Trial Supporters
St. Paul's UMC members who turned out to support plaintiffs in the Montana youth climate trial included (from left) Tim Holmes, Su DeBree, Don Stone and Dave Hemion. (Photo courtesy of David Hermion/Facebook)
A United Methodist Insight Column
United Methodists supported the recent lawsuit brought by 16 young people demanding that the State of Montana fulfill its constitutional obligation to protect the state's environment. Among other allegations, the lawsuit contended that the state is damaging the young people's future by continuing to support extractive businesses such as oil and gas companies that pollute the environment.
Cathy Velasquez Eberhart of UM Creation Justice Movement reports:
"The Creation Advocacy Network is a Montana climate and creation justice action group sponsored by Helena United Methodist Ministries of St. Paul UMC. They have been closely following and actively supporting the Youth Climate Trial against the state of Montana. See their posts sent during the trial through their Facebook group. The trial concluded June 20. Plaintiffs are asking the court to declare that Montana's fossil fuel energy policies and actions violate young people’s state constitutional rights. A ruling is anticipated later this summer. Learn more about the historic and inspiring case here."
St. Paul's in Helena shows that seemingly small support for climate justice can have a big influence. What has your congregation done lately to support caring for God's creation?
Meanwhile, be sure to participate in UM Creation Justice Movement's climate survey in cooperation with Blessed Tomorrow and the American Climate Metrics Survey. The survey deadline is July 14. Click here to take the 5-minute survey.
Pay attention to the heat
Don't fool yourself about the effects of excessive heat on the human body. Whether it's "dry heat" or humid heat that feels like a steam bath, heat is the number-one weather killer.
NPR's "Up First" newsletter warned: Areas of the South and Southwest are expected to see temperatures well above 100 degrees for several days this week. The National Weather Service has warned people in several cities, including Phoenix and Miami, to avoid the sun in the coming days.
The newsletter quotes climate journalist Jeff Goodell, whose new book "The Heat Will Kill You First," was featured on NPR's "Morning Edition" newscast. "Goodell says most people aren't taking heat seriously, and it's an issue that impacts everything from crops, livestock, the food supply and the spread of disease."
Hottest-ever temperatures on Earth
One of our favorite climate scientists, Katherine Hayhoe, reported last week's staggering news:
"Globally, the earth experienced its hottest day on record this past week. It didn’t just happen once or even twice: for four straight days in a row, from July 3 through July 6, global average daily temperature was higher than than humans have ever recorded."
What's more, says Dr. Hayhoe, "In June, the North Atlantic Ocean reached its highest temperatures in over 170 years of record-keeping, surpassing the average by as much as 5C. With a naturally-occurring El Niño event expected on top of the long-term warming trend this year, scientists are worried about the speed of the changes we’re seeing in the world’s oceans."
Plus, the Washington Post's Scott Dance reported the methodology behind determining the "hottest days" designation in "Earth is at its hottest in thousands of years. Here’s how we know."
With all this "global weirding" going, concludes Dr. Hayhoe, "climate change is loading the weather dice against us. No matter where we live, we’re all being affected; and the more carbon we produce, the worse it will get. That’s why it’s essential to cut our carbon emissions as much as possible, as soon as possible."
Have you and your church checked lately on your carbon emissions? What did you learn, and what are you doing about it?
What to do about climate emotions
If you're a reader of the New Yorker magazine, don't miss Jia Tolentino's July 10 article, What to Do with Climate Emotions. Tolentino's article, which alas is behind a paywall, asks: "If the goal is to insure that the planet remains habitable, what is the right degree of panic, and how do you bear it?" Might be worth the price of admission to get some tips on coping with fears set off by the global scorching weather this summer. If you don't want to pay for the excellent article, try looking up the Climate Psychiatry Alliance, one of the therapy options mentioned.
Media Mentions
Riverside United Methodist on a mission - Park Rapids Enterprise
FULL INTERVIEW: Pastor Gregory Neal, husband share story amid United Methodist schism – Channel 5 News "We Are Iowa" on YouTube
Judge rules that courts may decide United Methodist church's exit suit - The Oklahoman
North Carolina church partially collapses after gas explosion, firefighters say - WBTV
Franklinville United Methodist Church holds service outside after building collapse – WFMY News 2
Opinion | Why We Shouldn't Lose Faith in Organized Religion - The New York Times
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Veteran award-winning religion journalist Cynthia B. Astle has reported on The United Methodist Church at all levels for 35 years. She serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, an online journal she founded in 2011 as a media channel for marginalized and under-served United Methodist news and views. "Crisis Watch" is part of Insight's participation in Covering Climate now, a global collaboration of more than 500 international news outlets committed to enhanced reporting on the climate crisis.