{"id":1022,"date":"2020-10-17T23:58:03","date_gmt":"2020-10-17T23:58:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/?page_id=1022"},"modified":"2020-10-17T23:58:03","modified_gmt":"2020-10-17T23:58:03","slug":"north-carolina-interfaith-power-and-light","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/sponsors\/north-carolina-interfaith-power-and-light\/","title":{"rendered":"North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light (NCIPL)<\/a> is a program within the North Carolina Council of Churches. NCIPL focuses on climate change and climate justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question:  Why the funny name of \u201cInterfaith Power and Light\u201d?  It sounds like a utility company that sells electricity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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: \u201cThe Climate Connection:  Interfaith Eco-Justice Network.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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 \u201cSacred Foodscapes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mission Statement of the North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Question:  What are the programs of North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light website (ncipl.org)<\/a> lists under the heading of Programs<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Programs (emPOWERer)<\/li>
  2. Sacred Foodscapes for all Creation, and <\/li>
  3. Worship<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    emPOWERed<\/em><\/a> offers 10 more detailed sites about comprehensive energy programs for congregations including a 90 minute video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A signature program of the North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light is the free energy audits<\/em> 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 \u2013 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another program of \u201coutreach\u201d is providing information about state and federal tax breaks for installation of solar panels. An example of \u201cpublic policy advocacy\u201d was appearing as witnesses in the 2013 Hearings of the North Carolina legislature which was establishing the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Under the heading of Resources<\/a><\/em> 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, \u201cHospitable Planet:  Faith, Action, and Climate Change.\u201d (2016) by Stephen A. Jurovics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Also under the heading of Resources<\/a><\/em> are seven success stories of seven congregations and free downloads of \u201cPrayers for Creation from Many Different Prayer Traditions\u201d and \u201cEssential Elements of Earth Sabbath Celebrations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To experience a quintessential exposition of the combination of inspiration and practicality download a September 30 forum discussion on climate issues titled, \u201cForum on Global Common Good\/Peace\u201d on NCIPL\u2019s You Tube Site  or online at \u201cNC Interfaith Power and Light \u2013 Home\/Facebook\u201d under \u201cVideos\u201d and \u201cWe are live now!\u201d \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Three liturgical examples \u2013 which are not on the website \u2013 are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. A question for an adult baptism covenant which has been approved by Rev. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Michael Curry, the head of the Episcopal Church in the United States:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Baptism Question: How will you cultivate reconciliation between human beings and God\u2019s created order?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Baptism Response: With God\u2019s help, by working for the just and proper stewardship of God\u2019s creation, caring for the land, the water, the air, and all living things in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. An excerpt from a prayer by Pope Francis from his 2015 Encyclical Letter titled \u201cLaudato Si\u201d (Praise be to Thee) \u201cOn Care of our Common Home\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    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.
    \u2026 May we avoid the sin of indifference, 
    \u2026 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<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    Praise be to Thee!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    3. A benediction by John Paul II (2005)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Peace with God, the Creator
    Peace with All Creation<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    Climate Change<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Some mostly light-hearted (but accurate) descriptions of what is going on to wake the brain from the numbing labels of \u201cglobal warming\u201d and \u201cclimate change\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. The Atmospheric Heat Trap<\/li>
    2. The Earth Blanket <\/li>
    3. The perverse \u201cGoldilocks\u201d Planet<\/li>
    4. The Planetary Thermostat Upset (Up Set)
      Climate change way beyond \u201cwarming\u201d<\/li>
    5. The out-of-control Atmospheric Greenhouse Effect<\/li>
    6. Climate Fever<\/li>
    7. The Disrupted Global Climate System (Al Gore)<\/li>
    8. Beware of \u201cgreenwashing\u201d<\/li>
    9. The end of the Cenozoic Era<\/li>
    10. The beginning of the Technozoic Era or the Anthropocene (Bill McKibben)<\/li>
    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.)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Some heavy-hearted climate-exacerbated weather events that make large areas of the Earth uninhabitable<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

        People, not Pride
        Planet, not Profit
        Peace, not Power
        Faith, not Fear <\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        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 \u201cInterfaith Power and Light\u201d?  It sounds like a utility company that sells electricity. Answer:    The original Interfaith Power and Light was founded in … Continue reading North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":929,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1022","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1022","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1022"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1022\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1024,"href":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1022\/revisions\/1024"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ncpeacebooth.org\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}