I invite you to join Iowa Interfaith Power & Light for our Called To Climate Action Conference on Saturday, March 29 at Grinnell College from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be a day of empowerment, connection, and action to promote a more just and sustainable future for all and we need you there.
This conference is for Iowans who are concerned about the accelerating climate crisis, for Iowans of diverse faith and spirituality, for Iowans who know we have solutions that work, if only they receive the broader support they deserve. It is for college students who are aware that their futures are being shaped by climate change and, more hopefully, by its many solutions.
The basic truth is that all of us need inspiration and connection in order to tackle the climate crisis. When a disaster strikes, people come together in community to help each other. The time to come together is now.
Our keynote speaker will be the Rev. Melanie Mullen, Episcopal Church Director of Reconciliation, Justice & Creation Care.
I first met Melanie as part of the Presiding Bishop’s virtual delegation to the world climate negotiations (COP26) in Glasgow in 2021. Even over Zoom, I could tell Melanie was a leader of high energy and extraordinary compassion. She stands in solidarity with communities that have been pushed to the margins, and possesses a deep understanding of the connections between climate action, economic justice, and racial justice. You can learn more about Rev. Mullen here.
The conference will also feature a diverse array of workshops including:
- A session with Joan Flecksing, the Director of Natural Resources with the Meskwaki Nation
- Deepening the Language of Faith in a Climate Changed World with Karla Stoltzfus Detweiler, the Climate Justice Coordinator for the Mennonite Church USA
- Community Organizing for Climate Justice with local organizers Lisa Whelan of Iowa CCI and Lexi McKee-Hemenway of Clean Up MidAm
- Storytelling in Agriculture: How our Worldview Brings us Back to the Garden with Seth Watkins of Pinhook Farm and Tommy Hexter of Iowa Farmers Union
- A panel including Chuck Klapatauskas and Dannia Thorpe with Ideal Energy, as well as congregation members who have implemented tangible congregational projects to improve environmental sustainability
You can learn more about all of the workshops here. There will also be at least ten other tabling environmental organizations from across the state hoping to connect with you and share materials about their work.
Thanks to the support of donors and the generosity of Grinnell College, college students and faculty can register for the conference for free. For others, we are asking for a $35 registration fee to help cover the cost of lunch (included with registration) and other expenses associated with the conference.
Perhaps most importantly, we will use this time together to network, organize, plan, and take action. Please bring your notepads and “business cards,” as well as your dreams, visions, and questions on how you can get the support you need to advance climate action in your congregation and community. The need has never been more urgent.
Together, we can build a plan for grassroots public education and outreach for climate action across Iowa in 2025.
I look forward to seeing you March 29 in Grinnell.
Faithfully,
Rob Hogg, Iowa IPL Board Chair