Across the country, United Churches are doing their part to address the climate crisis by getting their houses in order and reducing their own carbon emissions. Through a partnership with Faith & the Common Good, the United Church of Canada is offering grants and support for churches to measure their energy use and reduce their climate pollution, in ways that save money and strengthen congregational renewal. The initiative, called Faithful Footprints is about living climate commitments, for future generations, and for all of creation. To inspire your congregation to get involved, we have stories lined up from three participating congregations from across the country. Crescent Fort Rouge United Church, in Winnipeg, Manitoba is the first. 

As well, stay tuned for a full feature of Faithful Footprints in the February 2020 edition of the United Church of Canada’s Mandate Magazine.

Check out more inspiring stories from United Churches across Canada at Faithful Footprints Inspiration Stories.

 “We have caused a climate emergency”

This year has seen a growing number of climate emergency declarations including from 11,000 scientists, Canada, Toronto, and Pope Francis. In June and during the Season of Creation Pope Francis emphasized the need for urgent transformative action and  stated: “We have caused a climate emergency that gravely threatens nature and life itself, including our own.”

The reasons why Pope Francis declared a climate emergency include scientific warnings, the cry of the poor who face the greatest impacts of climate change while contributing the least as well as concern for future generations. In a June address, Pope Francis twice emphasized, “Our children and grandchildren should not have to pay the cost of our generation’s irresponsibility.

This past fall, during the Season of Creation, Holy Name started a Climate Action Group, where parishioners are able to discuss individual and collective action we can take to protect and care for the environment.

One of the first initiatives that came out of these conversations was the "Green Christmas" poster.

Recapping GCCM Canada Virtual Launch “#LiveLaudatoSi Canada” Learning Webinar, October 2, 2019

“Hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor,” Pope Francis, Laudato Si’

At Faith & the Common Good, we are thrilled to extend a Catholic-specific opportunity for creation care through a new partnership with the Global Catholic Climate Movement Canada (GCCM Canada). As Pope Francis teaches in Laudato Si’, unprecedented ecological devaluing, pollution, and waste are endangering the flourishing of future generations. Moreover, the cost is being disproportionately born by vulnerable communities around the world. Catholics have been called upon by our last three popes and the Canadian bishops to respond to these social and ecological, moral and spiritual crises. We must  care for our common home in order to heal our relationships with our human family, the rest of creation, and God. GCCM Canada offers support for paths of dialogue and action to activate such multidimensional healing.  

Monthly Meeting Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

The Quaker House is an unassuming place, tucked away in a residential neighbourhood, on a quiet street.  

Over the years, members of the Quaker House have been actively undertaking a number of energy retrofits.  Despite facing similar challenges that are common with places of worship, such as a diminishing congregation and financial constraints, their members completed a number of eco-projects over the last few years.

Longstanding member, Don Woodside, sat down with Juby Lee, project coordinator of the Energy Benchmarking program in Hamilton.  

We are now just days away from making an important decision as Canadians: who will we vote for to see our values reflected in government? For people of faith, those values include a sacred responsibility to love our neighbors and care for Creation. 

The climate crisis presents a grave danger to Creation, with the greatest impact felt by vulnerable neighbors who are least able to adapt. Despite our differences in theology, dress, and culture, people of diverse faith and spiritual traditions share a moral understanding that we cannot remain idle when the web of life which sustains us is declining as never before in human history.

Soil of God, You and I

It’s harvest time in Toronto after a long and beautiful growing season. At Eglinton St. George’s United Church, we’re reminded of all the growth that has taken place in our community garden with each tomato that we pick and each leaf of lettuce that we pluck.

St. Brigid’s Catholic Church has been cultivating a lighter ecological footprint for many years. 

Parishioners practice waste reduction, composting and conservation. They welcome diverse members of the neighborhood and take care of the hungry and homeless through their numerous programs. 

That’s why this inclusive, compassionate parish, situated in Toronto’s Danforth area since 1927, was selected by Faith & the Common Good (FCG) to receive a Green Sacred Spaces Award. This annual award recognizes faith groups that have achieved excellence in greening their places of worship as well as engaging the broader community in the care of the environment.