Last night I attended a fundraising dinner for Kentucky Interfaith Power and Light(KIPL). Rev. Sally Bingham, an Episcopal Priest who started Interfaith Power and Light, spoke at the event. She spoke of our responsibility as people of faith to work to end climate change. Getting to the heart of the matter, Rev. Bingham reminded us that as people of faith, we are called to love our neighbors, and we are not doing this if we are polluting our neighbor’s rivers, air, and land. She reminded us of our call to work for the least of these, and called us to do this in the face of climate change by advocating for people in poverty who are most affected by climate change. Further, Rev. Bingham reminded us of the importance of the faith community’s voice in the dialogue on climate change. It is crucial for us to make our voices heard, and to remind our elected officials that climate change is a moral issue. It was inspiring to hear Rev. Bingham’s hope and passion. Read a sermon by Rev. Bingham called “Practice Love” that touches on some of the themes she spoke on last night.
At the dinner, KIPL awarded the first annual Kippie Awards to groups around Kentucky who have made outstanding efforts to care for God’s creation. Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Churchin Louisville, the Kentucky Council of Churches, and Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Bowling Green were honored with Kippies. Learn more about the Kippie winners on the KIPL website.
Interfaith Power and Light(IPL) works with all faiths to address climate change. Thirty states now have a chapter of Interfaith Power and Light. Visit the IPL website to see if there is a chapter in your state. IPL sometimes offers funding to helpcongregations become more energy efficient. Currently KIPL is working on raising funds for a matching grant for “Greening West Louisville.” KIPL will work with congregations in West Louisville to reduce energy usage and save congregations money, educate members about energy use and the effects of energy use, and educate members on how to reduce their personal energy use.
Learn more about Interfaith Power and Light and see how you can get involved locally!
