Acts of Faith Special Issue
Looking Back to 3.21.23 and Ahead
In This Issue
Finding Hope in This Season
Saluting 3.21.23 in Photos & Stories
Looking Ahead
Finding Hope in This Season of Faith & Action
By Jane Ellen Nickell
TAF Co-facilitator
The news constantly brings us heartbreaking stories. Another school shooting. Another offensive in Ukraine. Another set of restrictions on LGBTQ+ persons. And on the eve of our Day of Action, another report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the direst yet – says that the window to ensure a livable planet is short and rapidly closing.
Many of us feel helpless against such a barrage of devastating news and the powerful forces behind it. As people of faith, we need not feel hopeless.
This week sees the convergence of three major religious seasons, as Muslims fast for Ramadan, Christians journey through Holy Week, and Jews observe Passover. Several other holidays cluster around the vernal equinox, and all of them share themes of new life and rejuvenation.
Despite their differences, all religions cultivate hope. The challenges before us are daunting, but in joining Third Act, we have chosen action. As Third Act Faith, that action is grounded in the belief that in even the worst of times, goodness will prevail.
On 3.21.23, thousands of elders, their friends and partners from 50+ organizations took to the streets in 30 states and the nation’s capital with a message for the big banks, and the banks noticed. The evening before, Third Act Faith’s Service of Solidarity provided spiritual grounding for those actions, with over 175 people joining us from across the country. (The video of that service is online along with slides of the readings.) Thanks to all of you who joined us for the service and who took part in collective or individual actions on 3.21.23.
This special issue of the newsletter is devoted to your stories and pictures from 3.21.23, along with resources for moving forward. Upcoming issues, emails and social media will have specifics about how faith communities can be a prophetic voice, acting with hope and intention in response to the IPCC report and other challenges of our time.
As I write this in northwest Pennsylvania, an inch of fresh snow covers the already blooming crocuses and the daffodils that were stretching out of the earth. The snow will melt, and these remarkably resilient flowers will rise and bloom, as they do each year.
The cycles of natural and religious seasons embody hope, reminding us that God provided an exodus from slavery, that the grief of the crucifixion ended with resurrection, and that the Qur’an came to Muhammad at a time of corruption in Mecca. Our call in this difficult time is to care for those most harmed by powerful forces and to join those working for change. Working together, we can make a difference!
SALUTING 3.21.23
Third Act Faith members caught in action
(Photos l-r): The Rev. Jim Antal spoke to a crowd of at least 50, maybe as many as 100 people in Durham, North Carolina. Pat Almonrode, TAF co-facilitator, spoke to about 150 people gathered for a rally in New York City. The Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas (in the cap on the right) was among ministers speaking at a protest in Northampton, Massachusetts.
(Photos l-r): The Rev. Jane Ellen Nickell, TAF co-facilitator, took to Facebook to send a message to her bank. The Rev. Sharon Delgado (middle photo, far right) cut up her cards at an action at Grass Valley, California. Deacon Mary Jane Cherry (on right) joined 48 protestors in Cincinnati.
(Pictured l-r): Chris O’Keeffe marched in Boston and appeared in a photo accompanying the lead story in Sierra magazine. Dan Terpstra (holding the “Our Home is on Fire” sign) protested at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Mark Rasmuson spoke at a Washington D.C. rally. Ace Leveen is not pictured here because she took the NYC pictures.
Scenes from the streets of America and a balcony
Following are a few of the photos sent to us for sharing. Follow the city links to see more.
Brooklyn (New York), Hawaii, and Boston
Cincinnati
Grass Valley, California
New York City
Northampton, Massachusetts
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Washington D.C.
STORIES OF ACTION
Showing up for creation in Boston and Massachusetts
By Chris O’Keeffe
TAF’s 3.21.23 Liaison
At least 480 ThirdActors, their friends and partners showed up for actions in four eastern Massachusetts communities on March 21. The largest of these events, held in Boston, brought out more than 200 people for the marches and theatrical performances aimed at repudiating the big banks’ funding of the fossil fuel industry. Among those performing were five members of the Red Rebel Brigade, described on their website as “an international performance artivist troupe dedicated to illuminating the global environmental crisis and supporting groups and organisations fighting to save humanity and all species from mass extinction.” Read more
Inspiring hope of success in New York City
By Ace Leveen
TAF Coordinating Committee
As I reflect upon the events of the past few weeks I wanted to share with you its highlight for me: the Third Act New York City action. Thanks to the indispensable organizing of our own Pat Almonrode, Third Act Faith’s co-facilitator, the NYC march and rally brought out about 150 climate-concerned New Yorkers on March 21. They joined thousands of other Third Actors, their friends and partners participating in 102 actions across the nation. Inspired by Third Act founder Bill McKibben, the national 3.21.23 Day of Action was organized to send the big banks—Chase, Citibank, Wells Fargo and Bank of America—a message: stop funding fossil fuels to the tune of billions of dollars. Read more
Getting into ‘good trouble’ in Oak Ridge
By Barbara Reeve
TAF Member
I stood out of my comfort zone in front of Bank of America on 3.21.23 because we need safe banking and we need it on a safe planet! There were about 15 like-minded folks joining our group for the protest in front of the Bank of America branch in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. As the only event in my state, people came from surrounding communities on a day that started very chilly but ended up being a warm event in so many ways. We met neighbors and made many new friends, and we shared a couple of protest songs and quite a few stories. Read more
Walking in hope, marching in action, rocking rebellion in DC
By Mark Rasmuson
TAF Coordinating Committee
The narrative arc we had planned for our day of action was to crescendo from quiet to loud, reflective to rambunctious, Walk of Hope to March of Action, and so it unfolded in Washington D.C. As the sun climbed over the glass office buildings surrounding Franklin Park and took the chill off the morning air, the first of several events hosted by Third Act’s DC/Maryland/Virginia (DMC) working group began with the ringing of tone bells and a welcoming song, calling us to an interfaith prayer circle. Read more
LOOKING AHEAD
Interfaith Power and Light’s annual Climate Action Week, April 14-23, includes multifaith resources in English and Spanish around the theme "Living the Golden Rule: Just Transition to a clean energy economy.”
Creation Justice Ministries provides Christian education materials for Earth Day each year. The 2023 theme is "Sowing Seeds” and focuses on food systems, climate change and regenerative farming.
The Episcopal Church-wide Task Force on Care of Creation and Environmental Racism offers monthly compline services focused on creation care, environmental justice, and ecospirituality in a Christian context, with the next one on April 17 at 9 p.m. EDT (6 p.m. PDT).
United Church of Christ hosts its Inaugural Earth Day Summit on April 22, honoring Third Act Faith member Jim Antal, who will deliver the keynote address.
GreenFaith invites you to join them for “No Faith in Fossil Fuels: A Climate Finance Summit,” May 8-11. Details and registration information are online.