Lisa Locke of Delaware Interfaith Power and Light (DeIPL) organized a vigil on September 23, the day before Pope Francis spoke before Congress, in front of the First and Central Presbyterian Church downtown.  Leaders from a number of different faiths, including Father John Hynes (Catholic), Rabbi Michael Beals (Jewish), Ahmed Shakawy (Islamic Society of Delaware), John Sykes (Bhuddist), the Rev. Martha Kirkpatrick (Episcopal), Rev, Bruce Gillette (Presbyterian) and our own Rev. Roberta Finkelstein spoke of the need for people of all faiths to work together to promote social justice and to address climate change – perhaps the most important moral issue of our time.

To our surprise, Delaware’s Senator Coons also came and spoke.  He has been a leader in the U.S. Senate in addressing climate change, as you can see on YouTube.  We were also pleased to have reporters Jeff Montgomery of the News Journal and Eli Chen of station WDDE join us.

Earlier in September we gathered 108 signatures from First Unitarian – the most of any church in DeIPL – on petitions to our U.S. Senators to defend the EPA’S Clean Power Plan.  Thanks to Elizabeth Siftar and others who helped gather signatures and sign the petitions.

Submitted by Chad Tolman
New Castle County Congregations of DeIPL

ctolman141@gmail.com     Home phone: 302-478-3516