Faith Communities Around the World Dedicate Service to those Affected by Climate Change.

Press Release

September 6, 2016.

Faith Communities Around the World Dedicate Service to those Affected by Climate Change.

Faith based communities across the Pacific region and around the world are joining in prayer for Pacific Islanders whose homes have been adversely affected by climate change.

The 350.org Pacific campaign, #PrayForOurPacific, has drawn attention from across the globe with close to one hundred events registered throughout the Pacific region, Asia, the Americas and Europe. Some communities will dedicate a prayer during a service, while others are dedicating whole sermons around the concept.

The network of Pacific Island youth, known as the Pacific Climate Warriors, who are building and growing the Pacific Climate Movement, have called for faith communities to pray for our Pacific on their day of religious observance between the 3rd and 11th of September.

350.org Pacific Coordinator, Mrs. Koreti Tiumalu is overwhelmed with the high number of registrations for this event.

The show of support through the region, and solidarity around the world, has been incredible.

“The Pacific Climate Warriors have always believed that we needed to engage our faith communities in order to make this movement more powerful. The number of registered events is a proof that more and more people are realising what they stand to lose because of climate change, and are organising themselves into action. This can only be the beginning of a truly Pacific led and shaped, Pacific Climate Movement.”

In the Solomon Islands, the main event is being championed by the 350 Solomon Islands team who are working with church youth groups to organise a combined youth service, as well as having a national broadcast of the #PrayForOurPacific event organised by the United Church in Honiara.

“We want the whole nation to listen to this sermon because it’s important for all of us to remember our roles as stewards of this planet,” stated 350 Solomon Islands Coordinator Stalin Konainao.

In Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia, the Catholic Vicariate of Pohnpei have said that 2500 people across 10 of their parishes will pray for the Pacific during their liturgies on the 4th of September. While Samoa has over 20 events registered in Apia alone.

“While the fight against climate change takes many forms around the world, praying together as a region and community concerned about the devastating impacts of climate change across the Pacific is also a powerful way we can unite to combat the climate crisis.” concluded Tiumalu

The Pray for our Pacific Sabbath is between the 3-11th of September, 2016.

350.org Pacific works with a group of young people calling themselves the Pacific Climate Warriors.

######

You can view registered events at this link. Simply highlight any of the orange dots on the interactive maps for more information.

Regional highlights include;

In Papua New Guinea, the Seventh Day Adventist, the Baha’i and the Lutheran Churches will organise events in coordination with 350 PNG.
New Caledonia will be having an one combined service on their Sabbath
The Fiji Council of World Missions and the Pacific Council of Churches have both registered events.
Tonga, Tuvalu, Niue and the Cook Islands are all organising events throughout this week as well.

Events are organised in American samoa, Australia, Canada, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Federate States of Micronesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Germany, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and the United States.