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A United Methodist Insight Column
Today I'm fulfilling a long-held dream – volunteering at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. For those of us who hold care for God's creation among our top mission priorities, Best Friends offers an excellent way to participate in the goal of creating "no-kill" shelters for homeless pets across America. Learn more.
I'll be on the road through Oct. 17 so rather than a long column, here's one climate brief and a list of some of the articles involving United Methodists that have appeared since Oct. 1.
5 Takeaways from the Clean Energy Revolution
Canary Media, which has been publishing for about two years now, has a good series this week – Power by the People: Clean Energy from the Grassroots. The first installment of the series focuses on five takeaways from the "clean energy revolution."
Since I just traveled through parts of the Navajo Nation in Arizona, one of the local examples from writer Julian Spector's first article caught my eye:
"Meanwhile, the Navajo Nation is working on several massive solar developments to inject clean electricity onto the grid where coal plants once burned but have since shut down, leaving economic losses in their wake. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority is developing more than 900 megawatts of utility-scale solar. A public benefit corporation called Navajo Power is working on 750 megawatts of solar and storage. These are all major contributions to American utility-scale renewables construction."
Want to know more about United Methodists' involvement in the clean energy revolution and how your church can get to involved? Check out United Women in Faith's Just Energy 4 All program for regular webinars and other resources.
Media Mentions as of Oct. 10
Rekha Basu: 'Misalignment of values' blamed as Iowa pastor is forced out over sexuality – Des Moines Register*
A 'New Way' to minister: Dinner Church starts in Perry Township – CantonRep.com
Rockland United Methodist observes bicentennial – The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Oklahoma Methodist Conference names churches wanting to leave the denomination – The Oklahoman
Church members share goodwill in community – WarrenCountyRecord.com
Lawmaker complaint forces Tennessee pride festival indoors – NBC News
United Methodists’ Native American International Caucus calls for end to Columbus Day – Religion News Service
The growth of LGBT-affirming churches – WPLN News
Tennessee legislators try to halt Jackson Pride drag show, raising First Amendment concerns – Jackson Sun*
Pope Francis meets with Methodist-Catholic dialogue team – Catholic Culture
Reconciliation: Catholic-Methodist dialogue looks at rituals, mission – Our Sunday Visitor
Irish Benedictine to lead Vatican’s relations with Anglicans and Methodists – Anglican Ink
*Paid subscription required.
Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011. This column is part of Insight's participation in Covering Climate Now, a worldwide collaboration of some 500 news outlets committed to enhanced reporting on the climate crisis.