Each of Us Is Born for Such a Time as This
Robert Swan and his team set sail for Antarctica on November 3, 1984, a journey of 14,842 nautical miles. On arrival they spent the Arctic winter at an expedition base and then walked 900 miles over 70 days to reach the South Pole on January 11, 1986, the longest unassisted march ever made in history. Read a brief summary of the huge challenges of his walks to both poles and his work in Antarctica.
~~~
Hello, dear Readers. In these dark and cold times, the work of saving our planet and our democracy is daunting. I invite you to find inspiration in Robert Swan’s bravery and his commitment over the decades. I also invite you to reflect on your own response to Swan’s words about the greatest threat to the planet is thinking someone else will save it.
The Jewish and Christian traditions offer guidance saying that you are born for such a time as this and taking action is critical.In the book of Esther 4:14, Haman was seeking revenge on Mordecai, a Jewish man who refused to bow down to him, and Haman convinced the king to issue a decree that all Jews in the Persian empire be killed. Mordecai tells Queen Esther, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time has this?” Esther did not remain silent. She revealed her Jewish faith, spoke the truth to the king who revoked his decree, and she saved her people.
We ourselves were born for such a time as this. The story of Esther encourages us to speak truth to power. We can join our voices together to protect our planet and our democracy. Among other opportunities, this newsletter invites you to join a new ICCT initiative to Advocate with Compassion that’s called ICAN. Please explore it in article 1 and join us!
Click on the Table of Contents headings to link directly to the full articles. Better yet, scroll down through all the articles to see what’s going on in Creation care in our area.
Peace, love and strong resolve,
Lynn
You have an open invitation to submit Creation care-centered quotes, reflection guides and resources for worship, holidays and holy days in your faith tradition. You are also invited to submit information about Creation care activities at your faith community here.
Table of Contents
- ICCT launches training & advocacy initiative at recent webinar
Interfaith Climate Advocates Network (ICAN) kicks off a Valentines Card Campaign and an ongoing network for advocating with your elected officials. Learn more and see video of webinar. - Climate Bears create & display Sustainability Statements
This Hayes Barton UMC youth group is available to give a youth-led presentation to your youth group about sustainability and leadership ideas. - Explore local environmental injustice & its solutions
Join Partners for Environmental Justice and local experts for a 4-week Sunday series (starts Feb. 1st) on the EJ movement, its local impact, our history of environmental racism, how rezoning and development shape neighborhoods and ecosystems, and preparing for future emergencies. Sponsor: Pullen Baptist Earth Ministry. - Creation Care Book Discussion, February 23, 10:30 AM
The next discussion centers on the book Becoming Earth: A Journey Through the Hidden Wonders that Bring Our Planetto Life by Ferris Jabr. - Countering Climate Misinformation & Disinformation video
See the video recording of this January 6th webinar program sponsored by the Dayenu Triangle Circle, a Jewish Call to Climate Action. - Native Plants for April 5 Easter services
Display native plants this Easter, along with West Raleigh Presbyterian and other area churches. Join a field trip to pick out plants at pre-selected nurseries on the Friday or Saturday before (depending on the availability of the group and nurseries). Or shop there on your own.
1. ICCT launches training & advocacy intiative at webinar
Interfaith Climate Advocates Network (ICAN)
Launches a Valentines Campaign and an ongoing network for advocating in small groups
Wow! We had a great turn-out on January 13th for the ICCT Webinar on Advocating with Compassion with Susannah Tuttle from NC Council of Churches Ecojustice Connections. If you didn’t make it you can watch the video recording here. It’s great basic training on how the NC General Assembly operates. Watch for more trainings to come.
We announced the launch of an exciting new ICCT initiative called ICAN (Interfaith Climate Advocates Network) that will support you as you make your voice heard. It matches you with one or two others in your district to connect and build relationships with your elected officials and talk about what you love through the lens of faith. Whether or not you attended the webinar, we hope you’ll continue the momentum by participating in the Valentine Cards Campaign and the launch of ICAN.
Explore or Join ICAN
To join ICAN or receive more information, please complete this short form. Filling out the form does not obligate you to join—you’re welcome to learn more and decide at your own pace.
We ask for your address (or voting districts) only to help us connect participants who live in the same state and congressional districts. Your actual address will not be shared. If you prefer not to provide your address, you may instead share your NC Senate, NC House, and U.S. House districts. The NC State Board of Elections website Voter Tools and Forms | NCSBE can help you find this information.
What Happens Next
We’ll introduce you to others in ICAN who are in your district and encourage you to meet – preferably in person or online if needed – by the end of February.
We’ll schedule a Zoom meeting in early March with all ICAN members to review step-by-step guidance and sample scripts for scheduling an introductory meeting with your elected representatives to start building a relationship. Experienced ICCT advocates are available to accompany you, if helpful.
As ICAN grows, we’ll share educational resources, issue briefings, and additional scripts to support future advocacy.
This is a new and growing effort, and we appreciate your patience as we build it together. Please share the webinar recording with friends and neighbors who may also be interested in joining ICAN.
If you have questions or reflections, or would like to learn more, feel free to contact us at Advocacy.ICCTriangle@gmail.
Submitted by Cesanne Berry and Bobbi Mullins, ICCT Advocacy Co-Chairs
2. Climate Bears create & display Sustainability Statements
If you want the Climate Bears to give a youth-led presentation to your youth group about sustainability and their leadership ideas, please reach out to Carina Chiscano-Doyle, ICCT Youth EngagementAction Team, ICCTriangle@gmail.com.
As we know, sustainability is not a buzzword. It is a phrase that means meeting present needs without compromising future generations, balancing environmental protection, social equity, and economic viability so that systems can endure long-term. The Hayes Barton United Methodist Church Climate Bears understand that it means using resources wisely like water and electricity. They know it means fostering healthy communities.
ICCT’s YLI Climate Bears are at it again this winter as they prepare to engage other youth in their communities. Whether presenting to other youth in-person and/or making in-house bulletin boards they want their ideas to be shared with their congregation. They decided in the last meeting to recruit other members by making a bulletin board for all of the youth and for their congregation to learn how they define sustainability. Pictured are their sustainability ideas such as walking, riding a bike and carpooling around town. They also wrote letters to their local state representatives to find out how they are prioritizing sustainability in our community.
3. Exploring Environmental Justice in Our Community
A Tale of Environmental Racism in Southeast Raleigh and Opportunities to Solve Consequent Challenges
Sundays, February 1, 8, 15, March 1, 9:30-10:30 AM
Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Poteat Chapel
1801 Hillsborough St, Raleigh
You are invited to join us for a four-week series hosted by Pullen Memorial Baptist Church Earth Ministry Team. You can come for one or all the sessions. All are welcome.
Sarah Brim from Partners for Environmental Justice (PEJ), a Pullen partner, will facilitate this series that explores the Environmental Justice movement and its profound impact on our local community. Together, we’ll journey through the history of environmental racism in and around Raleigh, uncover how rezoning and development shape neighborhoods and ecosystems, and discuss what it means to prepare for future emergencies like catastrophic flooding.
We’ll also look at Wake County’s bold 50-year “One Water” plan, which treats all water resources as one connected system.
Winter storm cancellations will be posted at: https://www.pullen.org.
Week 1. February 1st, 2026, 9:30 am
Rezoning and Development: How Growth Shapes Communities and the Environment
PEJ Moderator Sarah Brim
Speaker: Samantha Krop, Neuse Riverkeeper and Director of Advocacy for Sound Rivers + PEJ’s Rezoning Committee
Discover how land-use decisions shape neighborhoods, ecosystems, and quality of life—and why these choices matter. Hear directly from Partners for Environmental Justice’s Rezoning Committee, the group that monitors development proposals, attends Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) meetings, and advocates for equitable growth by pushing back on harmful projects.
Week 2. February 8th, 2026, 9:30 am
One Water Wake County
PEJ Moderator Sarah Brim
Speaker: Nancy Daly, Wake County Water Resources Program Manager
Learn about a regional approach to water management that looks at all water—drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and groundwater—as one interconnected system. This initiative focuses on collaboration, resilience, and equity to ensure long-term water security for Wake County as it grows and faces population growth and climate challenges.
Week 3. February 15th, 2026, 9:30 am
Prepared and Connected: Strengthening Community Resilience
PEJ Moderator George Jones
Speaker: City of Raleigh Emergency Management Division
Understand why readiness for natural and human-made emergencies is essential—and how communities can work together to stay safe and resilient. Hear from the City of Raleigh’s Office of Sustainable Development about strategies for building stronger, more prepared neighborhoods, and learn practical steps you can take to protect both people and the environment.
Week 4. March 1, 2026 , 9:30 am
Uncovering Raleigh’s History: Environmental Justice and Racial Inequities
PEJ Moderator Sarah Brim
Speaker: Carmen Cauthen, Author of Historic Black Neighborhoods of Raleigh
Discover how Raleigh’s history has shaped today’s conversations on equity and sustainability. Hear from a historian as we explore the roots of environmental justice and why it remains so relevant. We’ll examine how environmental challenges disproportionately impact certain communities—and why addressing these inequities is essential for a just and sustainable future.
4. Creation Care Book Discussion, February 23, 10:30 AM
The next discussion is on Becoming Earth: A Journey Through the Hidden Wonders that Bring Our Planet to Life by Ferris Jabr on Monday, February 23 at 10:30 AM. The discussions are led and sponsored by Rev. Tracy Sexton, a minister in the NC Conference of United Methodist Churches. ICCT is delighted to share the invitation with our network.
You can purchase the book from Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, AbeBooks, ThriftBooks, or Quail Ridge.
Book Discussions are on Zoom on the fourth Mondays at 10:30 a.m. If you’re not already on Tracy’s list and would like to receive the Zoom link, contact her at tclayton@nccumc.org. Register once and you will receive reminders through Zoom the day of the meeting.
5. Video of Countering Climate Misinformation & Disinformation
If you missed the webinar, you can watch or download the video recording of this January 6th webinar. It covers the differences between misinformation and disinformation, effective countering communication strategies and how to respond to mis/disinformation being shared on social media, statements by the current anti-climate administration and in conversations with family and colleagues. The program was sponsored by the Dayenu Triangle Circle, a Jewish Call to Climate Action,
The presenter is Phyllis Blumberg, a lay leader with the Jewish Earth Alliance and Masorti Environmental Sustainability Yishuv Olam (Preserving a Habitable World). After an academic career as professor, faculty coach and administrator, Phyllis now devotes full time to advocating for reducing the effects of the climate crisis and helping people understand this existential threat to them and future generations. She was trained by the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Sierra Club on how to handle Climate Misinformation and Disinformation. Phyllis is the environmental suitability advocate for her conservative synagogue, Beth Am Israel, Penn Valley, PA.
6. Native Plants for Easter on April 5th
Are you interested in using native plants in your sanctuary for Easter? Last year, six churches joined West Raleigh Presbyterian Church in displaying native plants and we plan to do it again this 
year. These photos are from last year but in 2026 Easter is two weeks earlier so availability may vary.
If you like you can join us for a field trip on the Friday or Saturday before (depending on the availability of the group and nurseries) to Rachel’s Native Plants in Pittsboro, Campbell Rd Nursery in Raleigh and Taylor’s Nursery in Raleigh to pick out plants. Or feel free to visit these or other nurseries on your own.
After Easter you can plant them on your church grounds, share them with your congregation, OR for those who join the group field trip, the West Raleigh Presbyterian Beeloved Community Garden will buy them back from you to include in our annual plant sale the following weekend. This means zero cost/risk for your church!
Help us spread the native plant joy and heal the ecosystem! Contact Beth Harris at ICCTriangle@gmail.com if you are interested or have questions.
