The Time to Do Good Is Now
It is always the right time to do good.
Last month we observed Earth Day, a day of advocating for our planet that has been happening since 1970. That is 56 years of Earth Day, and I have to wonder where we are now as compared to where we were in 1970. Have we made progress, or have things gotten worse? Are we having a positive impact on public policy and popular understanding, or are we yelling into a void?
I’ve decided those are the wrong questions to keep in front of me. The question I’ve decided to focus on instead is, “What good can I do today?”
The problems our planet faces are manifold, and far too much for any one person to fix. However, if each individual chooses love and compassion over apathy, and if each individual chooses to do good for this planet every single day… well, then I believe some real, positive things will happen and some great changes will take place.
So let’s not hesitate or dilly dally or wait for someone else to do something. Let’s each decide to do the good we can for the environment each day. Then we will see the power for good we all have together.
Jarrod S. Davis
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(1) ICCT Receives 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Status
Celebrate with us that ICCT has received word from the IRS that our application for 501(c)(3) nonprofit status has now been accepted. Learn about the changes it will bring for ICCT in the near future.
(2) Spring Walk in Umstead Park with ICCT and Lovers of Creation
Take the time to experience the park through all five senses and get to know our Triangle Creation justice community better on Sunday, May 17, 2 – 4 PM, in Raleigh. Choose from 3 trails of different lengths and difficulty that leave from the Harrison St park entrance.
Last week a congregation partnered with Wake County Indivisible to hold a nonpartisan Voter Registration Repair session in their fellowship hall. It drew a good crowd to write notes on preprinted letters to inform voters whose registrations have been flagged as incomplete. See more about that event and what else they’re doing to work for a strong democracy.
(1) ICCT Receives 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Status
ICCT is excited to announce that we are now registered as a 501(c)(3) public charity thanks to the efforts of our Treasurer Michelle Hunter, other board members, and volunteer Boyd Rogers who helped ICCT research and understand the process.
Among other benefits, our new status has allowed us to move our money into the Self Help Credit Union, a community-centered, environmentally conscious local credit union; this makes us eligible for discounts on services we already use, including sending out this newsletter; and ensures that your gifts to ICCT are tax-deductible. To make a donation of any size to ICCT, we invite you to visit ICCT’s donate page on our website.
To learn about moving to responsible, fossil fuel-free investments for yourself and your congregation, you can check out an article about Climate and Our Money on ICCT’s website here. It provides resources to help you make this transition including a link to an ICCT webinar recording on the topic.
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(2) Spring Walk in Umstead Park with ICCT and Lovers of Creation
Sunday, May 17 | 2-4 pm | Route I-40 entrance Harrison Avenue
Isn’t Nature awesome! The Spring Walk in Nature is a new initiative sponsored by ICCT’s Earth Friendly Practice action team. Imagine immersing yourself in the wonders of Umstead Park on a Sunday afternoon with like minded friends and lovers of creation.
For our initial walk together at Umstead Park, let’s meet at the first parking lot through the Harrison Avenue Entrance Gate (see the map below). From here we will have direct access to restrooms, benches, and pavilions. Choose from 3 trails of different lengths and difficulty that leave from this park entrance. See the map below and see details about the length, difficulty, accessibility and blaze colors of the trails here.
Walks in nature will be offered each quarter with the simple goal of getting together to enjoy the gift of creation. While this first walk simply aims to encourage participants to slow down and take the time to experience the park through all five senses, hopes are to explore themed walks in the future, like forest bathing, and garden walks.
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(3) How one ICCT congregation is working for voting rights in North Carolina Partnering With Voters Rights Groups
Last week Pullen Friends of Democracy (PFOD) at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church partnered with Wake County Indivisible to hold a nonpartisan Voter Registration Repair session in the fellowship hall. It drew 30+ people who wrote notes on 600+ preprinted letters. They informed voters whose registrations have been flagged as incomplete by the Wake County Board of Elections and explained how to fix it before the midterms. Otherwise, it will trigger the necessity of a provisional ballot that is even more difficult to fix at that time. PFOD and Wake County Indivisible are now planning ongoing Registration Repair sessions between now and the midterms.
Other PFOD projects include:
- Ongoing postcard writing to Get Out the Vote that started early in the year and will continue till the midterms in partnership with Reclaim Our Vote, a part of the Center for Common Ground.
- Partnering with You Can Vote to encourage members of the congregation to get training and participate in voter registration projects.
- Encourage members of the congregation to work at the polls.
Q. Why would members of a congregation committed to Creation care be interested in similar programs?
A. Because strong Creation care policies depend on a strong democracy which, in turn, depends on fair and unimpeded voter access.
If you are interested in exploring one of these initiatives for your congregation, contact ICCTriangle@gmail.com for more information.
Finally, please share what your congregation is doing to protect voting rights. We will publish it so other congregations can be informed and inspired by what you’re doing.
