What can the churches do?
Climate change
Advocate to government
 Press all levels of government to seek out alternate power resources and
provide grants and incentives to embrace them.
 Need Federal and Provincial tax/grants making solar energy financially
feasible e.g. Germany
 Name and address the political- economic issues that are behind issues like
poverty and climate change. Capitalism as a system of faith (ideology that
preaches unfettered growth).
 Meet with, talk with, advocate with politicians and leaders in industry as you
are doing with this justice tour.
Lead by example
 Ensure our churches employ alternate measures for power to reflect a
leadership by example approach
 More centralization of churches to reduce energy draw.
 Articulate for us the theology of creation and incarnation and justification
and how they relate to the issues of the day i.e. What is God’s word to the
church on the issues and what is the mission of the church as it grows out of
theology.
 Continue leading by example. E.g. fasting for climate, prayer, teaching,
advocating
 Encourage conservation awareness and projects in their denominations and
congregations
 Support and fund programs that help churches reduce their carbon footprint.
Keep up the good work!
Poverty
Temporary Foreign Workers
 Advocate for a low skilled permanent residence permit
 This is no federal government settlement funding for Temporary Foreign
Workers (TFWs)- it is needed!
 TFWs are not eligible for social assistance in Alberta (or most of Canada).
Low Income Housing
 Press local government to add in any development a reasonable percentage
of low income housing regardless of area in town.

Develop more interfaith supportive housing (combine money and skills).
Serving the Poor in other ways
 Educate others re: social justice
 Do home visits for the St. Vincent de Paul Society to those in need and assist
them
 Contact politicians re: poverty in Alberta
 Make an effort to connect with other groups
 Prophecy trumps diplomacy
 To combine resources and work closer with other churches to amplify
offered skills, counseling and avenues of assistance.
 The church could act as a visionary, prophetic voice to change our system
from one motivated by greed and regulated by competition to one motivated
by love and compassion and regulated by the principle of equity as per
Christ. This must start by changing us, the compliant Christians.
 The church could challenge our members to move from a comfort zone based
on looking out for ourselves first to one based on a belief in abundance and a
faith in God. This will allow us to transform our society. Until we do this we
will be stuck continually cleaning up the mess rather than solving the
problems.
 The church could shift some of its resources from “helping” the poor to do
something to address the causes of poverty (and climate change). Our
dominant economic operating system is faulty: based on greed and
competition. Why is the church not providing an educated alternative to this
destructive narrative?
 Speak truth to power fearlessly
 Unite people, denominations and other groups (e.g. Environmental groups)
to work together from large coalitions “the people united shall never be
defeated”
 Ensure that there is a champion in each congregation for the social initiatives
that are proposed.
2 Sticky notes from afternoon of Edmonton portion of the 2015 Justice Tour
How can I personally serve?
Climate Change
Conservation
 Have a rainwater and drinking water cistern, laundry and toilets use
rainwater.
 Pray and fast (carbon fast) one day a week, perhaps in a public vigil I will
organize.
 I will start at home and am doing so presently- recycling, cutting down on
water consumption using my vehicle less.
Poverty
Education
 To develop an in school program to build youth growth and focus to
increase education and stay in school.
 To develop a more comprehensive youth on streets focus
 To help create a job entry program including resources supplying
appropriate clothing and providing ongoing support and counseling to
provide and develop one stop shopping for assessments and direction to
local resources.
Housing
 To push local and provincial governments to find more shelters and
housing.
 To work at getting more mental health/addiction workers in local clinics.
 To help develop more and effective housing programs including
transitional housing.
 Support affordable housing
Poverty and the environment
projects

Replicate the Presbyterian church project
advocacy
 Talk about poverty and climate change in all my social circles including
church.
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
Canvas for candidates who are committed to social and climate justice in
provincial and federal elections 2015.
Will share today’s session with others with whom I am involved.
I will continue to pray both privately and as I lead worship about these
issues. I will try to be more bold in addressing the issues from the pulpit
I will communicate to my congregation what the Justice Tour and other
initiatives are doing.
personal commitment
 Lead by example by reducing my own carbon footprint: worry less about
my own financial and material needs, give more generously, listen, speak
and act more compassionately to the poor.
 I attempt to make a very small footprint so some of my resources support
poverty remedies at home and abroad
 I will try to celebrate, protect and advocate for creation where I am, in my
neighbourhood and beyond.
4 Sticky notes from afternoon of Edmonton portion of the 2015 Justice Tour