A United Methodist Insight Column
Want to help Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression? Then divest from Russian fossil fuels.
That's the word from Ukrainian climate justice activist and environmental lawyer Svitlana Romanko in an essay for Earth Beat, the climate column of the National Catholic Reporter.
Svitlana Romanko
An environmental lawyer, Svitlana Romanko heads Stand With Ukraine campaign. (Courtesy Photo)
Earth Beat correspondent Brian Roewe reports that Romanko, "the former zero fossil fuels campaign manager for the Laudato Si' Movement who recently launched the Stand With Ukraine campaign with many Ukrainian, regional and international organizations explained, 'Without revenues from oil and gas, Vladimir Putin's war machine would cease to function because Russia's economy is overwhelmingly reliant on the export of oil and gas, which made up 60% of the country's total exports in 2019. And 45% of Russia's 3032 federal budget came from oil and natural gas, according to the International Energy Agency," she continued.
"Furthermore, an end to the use of oil, gas and coal wouldn't just help resolve the war in Ukraine, but would also contribute to solving issues related to the climate and energy crises faced around the world.
"Just think," urged Romanko in her article, "if every dollar invested into fossil fuels was divested and reinvested into renewable energy, we'd transform our wayof life, prevent future wars and save countless lives."
For a United Methodist counterpart, check out the Just Energy 4 All program associated with United Women in Faith.
Sri Lanka in crisis
While we're at it, let's pray for the situation in the South Asian island nation of Sri Lanka. According to the Washington Post's Worldview newsletter by Ishaan Tharoor, "Sri Lanka’s problems are, in many aspects, unique to its situation and self-inflicted. Yet the astonishing collapse of the country is also inextricably linked to a wider, interlocking series of global phenomena: The war in Ukraine has spiked global food and energy prices and pushed a tough situation in Sri Lanka over the edge."
According to the World Methodist Council, Methodism came to Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon, in 1814 with the arrival of British missionaries carrying on the mission of the Rev. Thomas Coke, who was ordained by John Wesley. Coke died near Bombay, India on his way to Sri Lanka. Currently there are 75 active ministers, 54 evangelists and 20 lay workers in full time ministry with a total of 28,000 Methodists there.
Observe Plastic Free July
Western North Carolina Conference challenges its region to join in the Plastic Free July® creation care event. "Take the challenge as an individual, a Sunday school class, a Bible study group, a Youth or Children’s group, or even as a whole congregation! Make it fun, have a competition, have prizes – but not plastic prizes," says the announcement on the conference website.
According to environmental advocates GreatLakes.org, "Plastic Free July® is a global initiative that was founded by the Plastic Free Foundation. People all over the world will be taking action in July to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans, lakes, and rivers." For some ideas on how to mark Plastic Free July where you are, check out the plans of GreatLakes.org.
Resilience Panel
Building Community Climate Resilience
Building Community Climate Resilience: The Role of Faith Communities in Addressing Natural Hazards will bepresented Thursday, July 21, 2022 at 6:00 PM (ET) by the ecumenical advocacy group Creation Justice Ministries. The announcement says:
"Climate change continues to burden communities across the US, and world, with increasing floods, heat, and fire. How can the fundamental and necessary work of faith communities be integrated effectively into larger local, regional, and statewide resilience efforts? Come gather ideas with Dr. Dawn Baldwin Gibson and Dr. Christy Miller Hesed on how your faith community can collaborate with others to build resilience!" Register Here!
Communicating Climate Justice
Along similar lines as the previous items, the World Association of Christian Communications has published a new resource, "Communicating Climate Justice," based on its theme that there can't be climate justice without open communication for all.
In a press release announcing the publication, WACC states: “'The ‘oxygen of publicity' is a vital ingredient of any attempt to tackle the climate emergency and to implement solutions that benefit the whole world,” writes Philip Lee, WACC general secretary and co-editor of Communicating Climate Justice, a new book co-published by WACC’s Centre for Communication Rights and Southbound, an independent scholarly publishing house in Malaysia.
"'Without accessible, affordable, equitable, diverse, truthful and transparent communication “there will be no climate justice,' Lee stresses in the book’s introduction, Climate Justice Depends on Communication Justice.
"Acknowledging that 'the climate emergency is the most urgent existential challenge of our time,' Communicating Climate Change has five chapters that explore and illustrate various 'people-oriented' approaches to communicating climate change."
The release concludes: "Communicating Climate Justice is dedicated to 'the millions of people worldwide who are struggling to create a better world by advancing and defending their right to communicate.' It is available for purchase here."
New suicide help line to debut
Starting July 16, the Washington Post reports, "Americans will be able to call or text a new phone number — 988 — if they feel they are experiencing a mental health crisis and/or are at risk of suicide."
Its sponsors hope the new three-digit number, which replaces the 10-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255), will especially serve at-risk LGBTQ youths, who are four times as likely as their non-LGBTQ youths to die by suicide because of the pressures around their sexuality.
The change resulted from the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, which passed the Senate with bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Donald Trump in October 2020.
Wednesday Witness
Social holiness webinar debuts
The General Board of Church and Society will sponsor a virtual mini-series "to teach and equip United Methodists to respond to matters of social injustice in the church and community," according to an announcement. Grassroots Church and Society organizers will highlight the ministry of Church and Society and offer specific actions to advocate for justice.
Voting Rights will be the topic of the first event in the series at 3p.m. ET July 6, 2022. Register here.
Media Mentions as of July 6, 2022
Northern Illinois Methodists remain united, for now, as the church faces a divide over LGBTQ issues – Chicago Tribune
LIBERIA: United Methodist Volunteers Donates Vehicle – Global News Network
Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011. To reproduce this article elsewhere, please email Insight for permission.