North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light (NCIPL) is a program within the North Carolina Council of Churches. NCIPL focuses on climate change and climate justice.

Question:  Why the funny name of “Interfaith Power and Light”?  It sounds like a utility company that sells electricity.

Answer:    The original Interfaith Power and Light was founded in California under the leadership of Rev. Cannon Sally Bingham at the Grace Episcopal Cathedral located on Nob Hill in San Francisco.  The original Interfaith Power and Light did indeed sell electricity cleanly generated by solar panels and wind turbines to Episcopal churches.  But then a California law required that all energy sold had to be generated by a government regulated monopoly.

So, did Interfaith Power and Light then fold its tents and quietly pass away? Indeed not!  Instead it re-conceived itself as Interdenominational and Inter-faith (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc.) in order to serve religious congregations in new ways.

Meanwhile, the North Carolina Council of Churches in May 2000, under the leadership of Sister Evelyn Mattern, established a ministry of Earth care. Her individual work soon expanded into an organization of clergy and laity comprising several churches and a synagogue. It met monthly for planning sessions and carefully, thoughtfully, and loquaciously named itself: “The Climate Connection:  Interfaith Eco-Justice Network.”  

Then in 2005 this group affiliated itself with the national Interfaith Power and Light (IPL).  The North Carolina group was at the time the 16^th state to affiliate.  Now, 15 years later, there are more than twice that many state affiliates.  The 

North Carolina IPL has incorporated the national IPL activity of facilitating energy audits for houses of worship as well as putting in place other innovative programs such as “Sacred Foodscapes.”

And then, of course, one can also take heart in the interpretation of the name Interfaith Power and Light to mean that the power of truth and the light of love will lead humanity to create climate equilibrium.

The Mission Statement of the North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light

North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light works with faith communities to address the causes and consequences of global climate change and promotes practical, hope-filled responses through education, outreach, and public advocacy.

Question:  What are the programs of North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light?

The North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light website (ncipl.org) lists under the heading of Programs:

1. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Programs (emPOWERer)
2. Sacred Foodscapes for all Creation, and 
3. Worship

emPOWERed offers 10 more detailed sites about comprehensive energy programs for congregations including a 90 minute video.

A signature program of the North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light is the free energy audits which NCIPL provides for houses of worship.  NCIPL arranges for building energy experts to provide advice free of charge on ways the congregations can reduce energy costs – from insulation and thermostat use to installing rooftop plantings or solar panels.  The costs of such building retrofits are quickly recouped, thus providing long-range opportunities for congregations to spend the ongoing savings in energy costs on their substantive programs and missions.

Another program of “outreach” is providing information about state and federal tax breaks for installation of solar panels. An example of “public policy advocacy” was appearing as witnesses in the 2013 Hearings of the North Carolina legislature which was establishing the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard.  

Under the heading of Resources on the website is a lending library of 6 relevant books.  Another completely germane book written by a member of the NCIPL Advisory Committee which combines science with Old and New Testament guidance for stewardship of creation is titled, “Hospitable Planet:  Faith, Action, and Climate Change.” (2016) by Stephen A. Jurovics.

Also under the heading of Resources are seven success stories of seven congregations and free downloads of “Prayers for Creation from Many Different Prayer Traditions” and “Essential Elements of Earth Sabbath Celebrations.”

To experience a quintessential exposition of the combination of inspiration and practicality download a September 30 forum discussion on climate issues titled, “Forum on Global Common Good/Peace” on NCIPL’s You Tube Site  or online at “NC Interfaith Power and Light – Home/Facebook” under “Videos” and “We are live now!” …

Three liturgical examples – which are not on the website – are:

1. A question for an adult baptism covenant which has been approved by Rev. 

Michael Curry, the head of the Episcopal Church in the United States:

Baptism Question: How will you cultivate reconciliation between human beings and God’s created order?

Baptism Response: With God’s help, by working for the just and proper stewardship of God’s creation, caring for the land, the water, the air, and all living things in the world.

2. An excerpt from a prayer by Pope Francis from his 2015 Encyclical Letter titled “Laudato Si” (Praise be to Thee) “On Care of our Common Home”

God of love, show us our place in this world as channels of your love for all creatures of this earth, for not one of them is forgotten in your sight.
… May we avoid the sin of indifference, 
… May we love the common good, advance the weak,
and care for this world in which we live.
The poor and the earth are crying out.
Oh, Lord, seize us with your power and light,
Help us to protect all life, to prepare for a better future,
For the coming of your Kingdom of justice, peace, love and beauty
Amen

Praise be to Thee!

3. A benediction by John Paul II (2005)

Peace with God, the Creator
Peace with All Creation

Climate Change

Some mostly light-hearted (but accurate) descriptions of what is going on to wake the brain from the numbing labels of “global warming” and “climate change”

1. The Atmospheric Heat Trap
2. The Earth Blanket 
3. The perverse “Goldilocks” Planet
4. The Planetary Thermostat Upset (Up Set)
   Climate change way beyond “warming”
5. The out-of-control Atmospheric Greenhouse Effect
6. Climate Fever
7. The Disrupted Global Climate System (Al Gore)
8. Beware of “greenwashing”
9. The end of the Cenozoic Era
10. The beginning of the Technozoic Era or the Anthropocene (Bill McKibben)
11.  The Planet-wide Average Temperature Warming:   (The average temperature at all longitudes and latitudes, at all hours, and at   all seasons and in the atmosphere, the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, and the cryosphere.)

Some heavy-hearted climate-exacerbated weather events that make large areas of the Earth uninhabitable

1. Deforestation which releases sequestered CO2
2. Permafrost melting at high latitudes which releases sequestered methane
3. Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones
4. Flooding 
5. Sea-level rise
6. Sustained temperatures well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit
7. Temperature increases that displace animals

People, not Pride
Planet, not Profit
Peace, not Power
Faith, not Fear