Climate crisis is real.

We are experiencing and witnessing increasingly devastating climate disasters, here in the Pacific NW, across this continent and across the globe. This church year, our weekly shared offering will focus on climate justice initiatives, from disaster recovery and mitigation to innovative solutions that center the experiences, well-being and building of power for frontline communities who are most adversely affected by the climate crisis.
Climate justice holds that the extractive systems of colonialism, imperialism and racism disproportionately and systemically impact Indigenous, Black, Brown and poor communities. A climate justice approach acknowledges that these communities are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate catastrophes and that developing strategies and solutions that center their health, environmental and economic interests strike at the core systems of injustice. This approach yields outcomes that are good for ecosystems, good for people, good for the planet.  Through our shared offerings, we will be in solidarity with climate justice organizations working to build a just transition away from fossil fuels. 

In June of 2022, Portland will host the UUA General Assembly. We are working toward a climate justice service project to support important local climate justice initiatives. We hope that our shared offerings and our justice communications throughout the year will give you an opportunity to learn about these critical climate justice initiatives. 

For the month of September, we share our plate with the Gulf Coast Center for Law and Policy’s disaster relief fund. These funds go directly to frontline communities in the Gulf South impacted by climate disasters. GCCLP’s mission is to advance structural shifts toward climate justice and ecological equity in communities of color on the frontline of climate change. GCCLP envisions social, economic and political systems throughout the Gulf South that promote equity and justice for all people. Their programs, services and trainings start at the intersection of Climate Justice, Migrant Rights, Land Sovereignty and Economic Opportunity for communities on the frontlines of climate change. Local leaders have committed to a transparent and accountable process for the disaster relief fund which will allow communities to practice self-governance and self-determination.