Climate Justice

Old Ship was reaccredited as a Green Sanctuary Congregation in 2018. Our application was affirmed as “well-done and even exemplary.” The letter confirming this status, the application for reaccreditation, and details for each project to achieve this status are shown below.

Reaccreditation Letter
Reaccreditation Application
Project 1: Participate in and Lead the South Shore Node of 350 Massachusetts
Project 2: Compressor Station
Project 3: Net-Zero Parish House
Project 4: Parish Education to Action
Project 5: Adult Education Class on Biblical Roots for Climate Change Activism

As a continued part of our climate justice work, we have hosted a two part community wide event related to climate justice. Our first event was a showing of the film, The Letter, based on Pope Francis’ Letter for the Earth. This powerful film highlights the work of five climate justice activists from around the world. The second part of the series was a panel of community climate justice activists who focused on what we as individuals can do to affect climate justice. Representatives from Hingham NetZero, Cleaner Greener Hingham, and the Hingham Climate Action Planning Committee participated.

We also sponsored an “All Church Read” on how are Climate Change and White Supremacy Culture are connected? We asked the congregation to read  a book that connects these two issues. The book, Climate Change is Racist: Race, Privilege and the Struggle for Climate Justice by Jeremy Williams, argues that climate change “is structurally racist, disproportionately caused by majority White people in majority White countries, with the damage unleashed overwhelmingly on people of colour.” We had a good discussion on Zoom with members of our community.  

In 2022, Old Ship became a supporting member of Massachusetts Interfaith Power and Light. You can learn more about this organization at Massachusetts Interfaith Power & Light (massipl.org).