Faith in the Public Square

The New York State Council of Churches is promoting local participation in an international program called “Ring the Bells for Climate Justice.” At 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 30, churches across the United States will be ringing their bells for 30 minutes in support of the Climate Gathering in Glasgow, Scotland. According to the announcement, “Church bells have traditionally been used as warnings and this time the danger to humanity couldn't be greater. Let our bells be our voice for climate justice!”   The gathering, known as COP 26, is the 26 th  meeting of the Conference of Parties. This UN global warming conference will address the threat of climate change.   Among the local churches that are participating are First United Methodist of East Greenbush, First Reformed Schenectady, Presbyterian-New England Congregational Church in Saratoga Springs, and Messiah Lutheran Church in Rotterdam.    For more information and to let the Council know that your c...

For more than 50 years, SiCM (Schenectady Community Ministries), a partnership of 50 congregations for ministries of social service and social justice, has addressed public health needs such as food insecurity and nutrition education, racism and diversity concerns, and summer recreation through community collaborations and exceptional services and programs. On Friday, October 15, at 3 p.m., the organization will honor its former director, Rev. Phil Grigsby, when they dedicate the food pantry to him and rename it the Reverend Phil Food Pantry. Rev. Grigsby served the organization for 33 years.   The Official Grand Opening of the SiCM Community Hub will be at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are $75 and provide access to this unique celebration including a tour of the brand-new building, wine tastings, and a commemorative gift.    According to the website: Your support provides the best programming possible to our neighbors and community partners. With your help, we can connect ...

 Members of local religious groups are gathering at the Rip Van Winkle Bridge in Hudson on Sunday, October 17 to promote climate justice. The event is part of an international project called Faiths 4 Climate Justice . According to a news release from the organizers, “thousands of people of faith with support from over 200 high-level faith leaders are calling on political and financial leaders to meet a series of ambitious climate demands that get at the heart of the problem.” Those demands include an end to new fossil fuel projects and tropical deforestation; universal access to renewable energy; policies creating green jobs and a just transition for impacted workers and communities; support for those forced to migrate due to climate impacts; and reparations from the countries and industries responsible for the lion’s share of the problem.   The local event is sponsored by GreenFaith and the Buddhist Action Network. Participants are asked to park on either the of the bridge at...

Jonathan Kuttab, a Palestinian Christian and human rights activist who served as the head of the Legal Committee negotiating the Cairo Agreement of 1994 between Israel and the PLO, will discuss the current crisis in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on Sunday, October 21, at Trinity Community Center, 705 Curry Road in Rotterdam. Billed as a Community Conversation entitled "Beyond the Two-State Solution," the session is hosted by Messiah Lutheran Church of Schenectady, with support from the New York State Council of Churches.   In this YouTube video , Kuttab explains that the two-state solution (that he supported) is no longer viable. He proposes a one-state solution that challenges both Zionism and Palestinian Nationalism.    Kuttab is the co-founder of the Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq and co-founder of Nonviolence International. A well-known international human rights attorney, he practices in the United States, Palestine, and Israel. He serves on the Board of Be...

 The Capital Region Interfaith Creation Care Coalition (CRICCC) has announced the passing of its founder and first chair, David Cullen, following a seven-month long battle with lung cancer. From the announcement: David had a gentle, all-inclusive leadership style. He listened intently and offered good direction, two qualities that encouraged others to take action. He will be sorely missed. A memorial service will take place sometime in October. According to his obituary , David also was   one of the founders of Covenant House in New York City. Memorial donations in his memory may be made to CRICCC, checks payable to  CRICCC , 1 Marion Avenue, Albany, New York 12203.

Several faith-based agencies working with refugees are not happy with the way the Biden administration has chosen to leave Afghanistan. Religion News Service (RNS) reports  those groups include Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service , World Relief , Church World Service , the Episcopal Church (which resettles refugees through Episcopal Migration Ministries ) and HIAS (founded as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society). According to RNS, in June, those organizations  urged  President Biden to implement plans to evacuate Afghan translators, soldiers, cultural advisers, embassy clerks and others who have worked with American armed forces, media or nonprofits and allies and to authorize as many SIVs as necessary to make that possible. President Biden told the nation this week that one reason for the turmoil was that “some of the Afghans did not want to leave early, still hopeful for their country. And part of it is because the Afghan government and its supporters discouraged us...

Earlier this week, an interfaith group met informally at Al-Hidaya Center in Latham to begin planning a strategy to support passage of a bill in Congress “to promote justice, equality and human rights for Palestinian children and families by prohibiting Israeli authorities from using U.S. taxpayer funds to detain and torture Palestinian children, demolish and seize Palestinian homes, and further annex Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.” Known as HR 2590, the bill is endorsed by a wide range of national organizations that include the American Friends Service Committee, Church World Service, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, National Council of Churches USA, Oxfam America, Pax Christi USA, Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, The Episcopal Church, The United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and Society, and the United Church of Christ. Supporters of the bill say that “Israel has the dubious distinction of being the   only country in the wor...