Forty-seven faith leaders from across Orange County, featuring a wide representation of faith traditions and religious denominations, have
united to call on elected officials to “quickly enact solutions to reduce historic levels of atmospheric carbon while providing environmental justice to our most vulnerable communities.”
The faith leaders’ letter, addressed to national and local leaders, was delivered recently to members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors as well as the county’s five members of Congress. The interfaith effort is led by Orange County volunteers in the national nonpartisan organization Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
Public release of the faith leaders’ call to action and remarks will be held 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 3 on the steps and walkway between the two Orange County
Administration buildings, 601 N Ross St. and 400 Civic Center Drive.
Here’s the letter (I’m breaking the embargo on this because embargoed news requires agreement from each media outlet this was sent to).
October 24, 2023
Rep. Young Kim (CA 40) Andrew Do (District 1) Rep. Michelle Steel (CA 45) Vicente Sarmiento (District 2) Rep. Lou Correa (CA 46) Donald Wagner (District 3) Rep. Katie Porter (CA 47) Doug Chaffee (District 4) Rep. Mike Levin (CA 49) Katrina Foley (District 5)
Re: Faith Leaders’ appeal for effective policies to reduce pollution impacting the climate
Dear national and local leaders,
Each faith tradition holds profound connections to the natural and spiritual world. Within our local faith communities, we unite in action as stewards of this planet’s air, water, and earth resources, taking to heart our responsibility to safeguard the abundant natural world of sacred creation. We come together from many corners of Orange County, with a variety of faith perspectives and traditions, resolved to act as caretakers of the planet’s resources on behalf of future generations.
In Southern California’s coastal and inland communities, the threats from our changing climate are clearer than ever, proclaiming the urgency to find bold and effective solutions. The warning signs are impossible to ignore: destabilized weather patterns, rising sea levels and threatened marine environments, extreme weather events, local wildfires, and dangerous water shortages brought about by long-term drought. Asthma and other respiratory ailments are on the rise from degraded air quality.
These and other serious climate impacts will worsen and persist into future generations. At stake is human health, the continued flourishing of life, and the prevention of widespread suffering. We therefore call on our local elected officials – members of Congress and the Orange County Board of Supervisors – to take sufficient steps on national and local levels to address carbon pollution and other causes of our climate crisis. It is a moral imperative.
An array of approaches will certainly be needed, but several will deliver significant reductions of greenhouse gasses while ensuring environmental justice for those who are most burdened by the impacts of the climate crisis.
We urge our Orange County members of Congress and Orange County Supervisors to work urgently across party lines to enact just and meaningful solutions, such as: ● Pricing carbon pollution to discourage fossil fuel use and returning the revenue to each household to ease the transition to renewables for those most affected by the pollution.
● Preserving and promoting healthy forests in rural, urban and natural environments.
● Accelerating the transition to clean energies through the electrification and increased efficiency of commercial and residential buildings.
● Reforming construction permitting processes to minimize bottlenecks, streamline green conversions, and allow historically-marginalized communities to make their voices heard on the environmental and other impacts of proposed energy projects.
As leaders of faith communities and stewards of the planet’s resources, we carry an ethical responsibility to prevent a worsening climate crisis. We, as people of faith in Orange County, ask our members of Congress and our local elected officials to quickly enact solutions to reduce historic levels of atmospheric carbon while providing environmental justice to our most vulnerable communities.
Let us join together to protect this beautiful life-giving world for our children and future generations.
Respectfully submitted by, The Following Orange County Faith Leaders
Greg Walgenbach, Director Life, Justice & Peace Catholic Diocese of Orange County
Rabbi Heidi Cohen HaNefesh Orange County
William Morris, Chair Young Evangelicals for Climate Action
Rev. Christina Siva, Pastor Congregational Church of Fullerton
Shaykh Mohamad El Zahed, Imam Islamic Institute of Orange County
Rev. Sarah Averette-Phillips, Pastor Brea Congregational United Church of Christ
Owaiz M Dadabhoy, President Islamic Center of Yorba LInda Rev.
Mary Scifres, Pastor Laguna Beach United Methodist Church
Rev. Sian Wiltshire, Pastor Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Mark Davis, Pastor St. Mark Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dr. Mandye Yates, Pastor First Christian Church, Fullerton
Pundit Dattathreya Ganesha Irvine Hindu Mandir
Pundit Anupam Milshra Irvine Hindu Mandir
Rt. Rev. Robert Rodriguez, Diocesan Bishop Iglesia Anglicana (St. Mary Anglo-Catholic Church)
Pundit Vinod Dave Orange County Hindu Mandir
Avinder S. Chawla, President/Founder Global Sikh Foundation Sikh Center of Orange County
Pundit Chandra Samavedula Vedic Spiritual Center/Sri Sivakameswari Temple
Lors San, President Islamic Center of Santa Ana
Rev. Rick Marshall, Pastor Emeritus Brea Congregational United Church of Christ
Pastor Carole Parmeter Dyer Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Cypress
Rabbi Dr. Stephen J. Einstein, Founding Rabbi Emeritus Congregation B’nai Tzedec, Fountain Valley
Rev. Debbie Gara, Minister of Pastoral Care Laguna Beach United Methodist Church
Rev. Juli Patten, Pastor Christ Lutheran Church, San Clemente
Rabbi Sharon L. Sobel, Senior Rabbi Temple Beth Sholom of Orange County, Santa Ana CA
The Very Rev. Kay Sylvester, Rector St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Tustin
Rev. Tim Ellington, Senior Pastor Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Tustin
Rev. Dr. Sarah Halverson-Cano, Senior Pastor Irvine United Congregational Church
Rev. Jessica Strysko, Senior Pastor Anaheim Methodist Church
Dr. Rev. Susan Chamberlain, President OCICE – Orange County Interfaith Coalition for the Environment
Dr. Ahmed Soboh Chairman, Islamic Shura Council of Southern California Religious Director, Islamic Center of Yorba Linda
Rev. Jennifer Gutierrez, Executive Director CLUE – Clergy & Laity for Economic Justice
Maria Elena Perales, Director for Justice Center Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange
Rev. Reyna Hamre, Pastor Universal Universalist Church, Anaheim
Rev. Dr. Paul Tellström, Pastor Emeritus Irvine United Congregational Church, UCC
Rev. Bob Mooney, Senior Pastor Messiah Lutheran Church, Yorba Linda
Rev. N. Adiel DePano, Lead Pastor Santa Ana United Methodist Church
Rev. Adelia Sandoval, Puul – Spiritual Overseer Juaneño Band of Mission Indians / Acjachemen Nation
Rev. Nancy E. Brink Church of the Foothills, Santa Ana Disciples of Christ & United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. Dayna Kinkade, Senior Pastor First Christian Church of Orange
Rev. David Mattson, Pastor Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Dana Point
The Rev. Gregg C. Schafer, Pastor Morongo Moravian Church
Rev. William Erlenbusch, Pastor Newport Harbor Lutheran Church
Rev. Steve Petty, Retired Pastor United Methodist Church
Rev. Hongsun Kim, Pastor Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Japanese Ministry
Rev. Chineta Goodjoin, Pastor Newhope Presbyterian Church, Anaheim
Rev. Michael Lewis, Associate Pastor Brea Congregational United Church of Christ
Mr. Pradeep Madaan, Board Member Irvine Hindu Mandir
How are the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence on this issue?