We are right now seeing dozens of faith communities across Australasia and the Pacific join #Pray For Our Pacific Sabbath, in response to a call to prayer from Christian Pacific Islanders in 350.org Pacific. Thank you to all those who have initiated Pray For Our Pacific in their own faith community or area, and those who promoted the idea. It’s caught on in Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati, PNG, Canada, USA, etc, even Germany. See the 350.org video clip featuring Maria and Jill from the Pacific Calling Partnership here.

 

The Government is proposing a cut of $1.3bn from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). If it gets this through the two Houses of Parliament, it will slow Australia’s much-needed transition to renewable energy and make it more difficult to meet our obligations under the Paris Agreement. Please e-mail or phone your MP and Senators to urge them to oppose the cut. This will be more potentially effective if the politicians you write to are cross-bench Senators or MP’s, but write anyway! You will be joining a concerted effort right now by thousands of other concerned citizens.

 

These have been developed based on feedback from last year’s workshops and/or in consultation with local partners. They are designed to be highly participatory and to empower you to be effective in engaging others in the change effort. If you live close enough to these centres, come along to a skills development workshop on the following Saturdays. We'd love to hear from you if you haven't booked yet!

Brisbane on October 1^st at the Griffith University’s Centre for Interfaith dialogue

Sydney on October 8^th at the Quakers Meeting House, Surry Hills

Hobart on November 19^th – place TBA

 

 

A related event will be an Interfaith Dialogue on Thursday evening, September 29^th, again at Griffith University. Gill King and I hope to play a part in starting a Brisbane-based multi-faith collaboration on climate action.

 

Next GreenFaith/ARRCC meeting: Informal gathering on Sunday, September 18^th at 5.30 – 7.30 in Borderlands, Hawthorn. Come along, enjoy a meal with like-minded people and share practical ideas to address climate change.

Micah Challenge is a collaboration of Christian Aid organisations which holds Voices For Justice each year in Canberra. VFJ includes organised visits of Members of Parliament. One of the themes for Voices For Justice in November 19 – 21 will be climate change, so I highly recommend that Christians attend if you can. There are training sessions being held in Adelaide and Brisbane in the lead-up as well as the national gathering itself. After years of experience in campaigning, Micah’s leadership is well-organised and intelligently strategic. Check out the website!

 

A warm welcome to Usman Iftikhar who is joining the ARRCC Committee – at least in the short-term. Named by the Foundation for Young Australians as a Young Social Pioneer, Usman brings excellent skills to the Committee, as well as a much-needed Muslim perspective.

 

See other opportunities coming up, and interesting media articles in the column on the right.

 

Note that soon we'll be switching to a new look newsletter!

 

ever onwards!

 

Thea