History of Hope for Creation

Hope for Creation began in March 2014 when leaders from several downtown Kalamazoo churches, Kalamazoo College’s Chapel, Temple B’nai Israel, and the Sisters of St. Joseph organized a four-week series of presentations.  Approximately 150 people gathered each of four Monday evenings to participate in “Hope for Creation: Faith and Action.”  Attendees learned how climate change is affecting Michigan and how other U.S. communities are responding to extreme temperatures, storms, flooding, public health issues, and seasonal weather pattern changes. 

After this series, a planning team continued to organize one or two large events each year to educate members of the faith community about climate change issues and potential actions. These events, with attendance ranging from 60 to 100, included speakers such as Rob Sisson, president of ConservAmerica.  Sisson clearly explained why climate change is an issue where conservatives and liberals can find common ground. An event called Climate Ready Kalamazoo brought sustainability planners from Ann Arbor and Traverse City to meet with Kalamazoo city staff in the afternoon, followed by an evening presentation to educate the community about municipal climate action planning. 

This all-volunteer planning team also developed a statement of mission and goals: “Hope for Creation is an interfaith network of people whose faith traditions teach that people and the planet flourish when social and natural communities are in harmony. To live our values, we are called to the great work of seeking balance and justice on earth. We encourage people from faith communities and the wider community to undertake climate action in individual lives, in congregations, and community governance."

Hope for Creation has had an informal affiliation with Michigan Interfaith Power and Light (a 501c3) since 2014, and in 2019 HFC became the Southwest Michigan Chapter of Michigan IPL. That affiliation made it possible to receive grant funding in 2020 to hire a quarter-time coordinator and to undertake projects that require sustained attention over time. These projects have focused on building lasting relationships that expand and diversify faith community participation in Earth care through activities such as planting and maintenance of congregational gardens.