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Who We Are

We are a community of diverse faith traditions networking together to advance environmental protection and eco-justice on Cape Cod & the Islands — the Sacred Wampanoag Homeland. Our members represent over 40 faith institutions from across the region and diverse religious traditions.

A network of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative, the Faith Communities Environmental Network (FCEN) is stewarded by Rev. Brian McGurk, Susan Starkey and Lew Stern, Co-Chairs, and is allied with the Yale Forum on Religion & Ecology.

We are a growing network and welcome your participation. Please contact FCEN@capecodclimate.org with questions and to learn how you and/or your faith community might join in our work.

Programs & Partners

Massachusetts Interfaith Power & Light (MassIPL)

This extraordinary year has brought into stark relief the intersection of three crisis: the climate crisis, Covid-19, and systemic racism. MassIPL is working to lift up the voices of people of faith to address these three interlocking challenges… For decades, MassIPL has helped Massachusetts people of faith fulfill our responsibility to be caring stewards of our houses of worship, our homes, and the earth. As public advocates, we have called our political leaders to meaningful action for climate justice. Contact Rev. Brian McGurk, bmcgurk@stchristopherschatham.org

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Parliament of World Religions

Our mission is to cultivate harmony among the world’s religious and spiritual communities and to foster their engagement with the world and its guiding institutions to address the critical issues of our time. Contact Grove Harris, groveharris@gmail.com or Alison VanDyk, alison@templeofunderstanding.org

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Temple of Understanding: Eco-justice for All

In 1960, Juliet Hollister (1916-2000) created the Temple of Understanding (TOU) after a realization that the world was in grave danger unless the gifts, wisdom, and insights of religious traditions could be recognized and cultivated to promote positive social change. Contact Grove Harris, groveharris@gmail.com or Alison VanDyk, alison@templeofunderstanding.org

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What We Do

Climate-change action is a moral imperative for the Faith Communities Environmental Network. Our members share a consistent ethos with faith traditions around the world to protect our Earth Home and all living things. We work together to educate, share best practices, and advocate as stewards of the natural environment of Cape Cod and the Islands. Our vision is to inspire hope and action for eco-justice, and we work to protect populations that are disproportionately and negatively impacted by climate change.

As part of a “network of networks,” we collaborate with scientific, public, private, business, and other groups who share our commitment to the environment and to proactively addressing the climate crisis. Our members come together for monthly meetings, and on a day-to-day basis, to provide information, support, hope, and inspiration amid eco-anxiety and spiritual questioning.

We share readings, music, stories and resources to recognize each other’s hopes and fears, and build on best practices. Our shared connection shakes us up, provides support, and brings us together for radical environmental justice and climate action, all in the common bond of love for our planet and each other.

Our work is founded upon three pillars of action:

We work collaboratively as a diverse community to inspire hope and action to protect the interdependent web of life. Our education work covers a broad range of subjects including:

  • Climate Justice
  • Green Sanctuaries
  • Divestment and Socially Responsible Investing
  • Importance of Energy Audits
  • Renewable Energy Advocacy
  • Sustainable Houses of Worship
  • Carbon Footprint Reduction
  • Ethical Eating
  • Youth Activism

FCEN’s educational outreach takes many forms including monthly meetings, special events, webinar series, speaking engagements and participation in conferences and forums.

Working individually and collectively in our faith communities, we speak out, together, to advocate for racial, economic, social, and environmental justice as we work to protect Cape Cod, the Islands, and the Earth. Our methods of advocacy take many forms including

  • Editorials and Letters to the Editor
  • Calls, texts and letters to elected officials
  • Participating in beach cleanups
  • Participating in elected offices and civic roles in our towns on energy, climate, building and conservation committees

Many of our faith community participants are active members of their town energy, climate, and conservation committees and use these forums to advocate for our principles and work to our goals.

Our third pillar of action is sharing best practices. We accomplish this by learning together, sharing information, and modeling best practices by:

  • Holding monthly meetings
  • Conducting speaking engagements
  • Holding webinars and panel discussions
  • Producing regional events
  • Presenting in regional conferences
  • Sharing educational resources such as books, films, and worship materials
  • Energy audits and sustainable houses of worship
  • Offering web resources
  • Promoting town climate education and advocacy

Events

We hold our Monthly Meetings on the 3rd Thursday of each month (but we don’t meet in July or August) from 1:00 – 3:00 pm. Guests are welcome, please email ahead at FCEN@capecodclimate.org.

 

January 18, 1:00- 3:00 pm Hybrid: at St. Mary’s Episcopal, Barnstable, and/or on Zoom. Speakers: Rich Delaney, Center for Coastal Studies and Grove Harris, Temple of Understanding re COP28.

February 15, 1:00- 3:00 pm Hybrid: at St. Mary’s Episcopal, Barnstable, and/or on Zoom. Speaker: Rachel Martin, MA Outreach Coordinator for Avangrid on Offshore Wind development.

March 21, 1:00- 3:00 pm Hybrid: at St. Mary’s Episcopal, Barnstable and/or on Zoom. Speaker: Rev Brian McGurk, FCEN Co-Chair on Spiritual Nourishment & Reflection:  Expanding Social Justice to Eco-Justice.

April 18, 1:00- 3:00 pm Hybrid: at St. Mary’s Episcopal, Barnstable and/or on Zoom. Speaker: TBD on Youth & Offshore Wind.

April 20, 11:00 – 4:00 pm, SaturdayHonor The Earth Fair, hosted by The Wampanoag Tribe and the Native Land Conservancy. FCEN encourages all to join in this celebration. In addition, most of our Members will celebrate Earth Day with Services on April 14 or 21. 

May 16, 1:00- 3:00 pm Hybrid: at St. Mary’s Episcopal, Barnstable and/or on Zoom

June 20, 1:00- 3:00 pm Hybrid: at St. Mary’s Episcopal, Barnstable and/or on Zoom

September 19, 1:00- 3:00 pm Hybrid: at St. Mary’s Episcopal, Barnstable, and/or on Zoom

October 17, 1:00- 3:00 pm Hybrid: at St. Mary’s Episcopal, Barnstable, and/or on Zoom

November 21, 1:00- 3:00 pm Hybrid: at St. Mary’s Episcopal, Barnstable, and/or on Zoom

December 19, 1:00- 3:00 pm Hybrid: at St. Mary’s Episcopal, Barnstable, and/or on Zoom

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