Rooted and Growing in 2019

As we settle into 2019, we are thrilled to be celebrating our 20th Anniversary!

We are truly honored to have dug deep these last twenty years with you. Together, we took local action to heal our Earth in many and various ways. We rooted our communities, rooted our faiths, and rooted our actions in love — love for one another and love for the earth. We also grew, using our love to transform our individual responses to climate change into a movement focused on justice.

Working together, we will continue to grow into a powerful voice for environmental justice! Though the challenges are daunting, working with faithful people like you gives us great hope.

You and your house of worship have incredible power to effect change within your walls and in the wider community. You are already leaders at inspiring people to take action. You are rooted in your local community. You add moral, spiritual, and justice dimensions that are often missing from environmental discussions.

Check out this blog post to start planning how your faith community will make a difference in 2019!

We are planning many opportunities for you and your faith community to mobilize for positive and lasting Earth care. Here are some of this year's highlights. We hope you will join us:

Faithful Citizen Workshops

February through April

Join us at a Faithful Citizens Workshop!

Does the thought of speaking to your state legislators on Advocacy Day make you want to hide on the bus? Don't worry, you are not alone. We are here to give you the tools you need to confidently advocate for healthier communities!

Join us for a workshop to learn about your unique position as a faithful and active citizen and how you can build a relationship with your state legislators to make lasting change for environmental justice at the systemic level. Contact Christina Krost to host a workshop at your House of Worship, or watch our events calendar for upcoming workshops.

Advocacy Day

May 9, 2019

Advocacy Day 2018, Dylan Blake Photography

Join hundreds of other people of faith for our annual trip to the Illinois State Capitol with our partners from Illinois Environmental Council and the Sierra Club Illinois Chapter. We will gather on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for a prayer rally and will form teams to educate our state legislators about the need for action on environmental justice issues.

Bus transportation will be available from many locations. Start encouraging a contingent from your house of worship to attend. Stay tuned for more details!

Blueberry Festival

July 20, 2019

Veronica Kyle and her granddaughter pick blueberries.

You won't want to miss the annual Blueberry Festival hosted by Rehoboth Blueberry Farm in Pembroke Township's Kankakee Sands! We're excited to be starting a new partnership with Rehoboth Mennonite Church and Rehoboth Farm – a nonprofit branch of the church that supports economic development in Hopkins Park and Pembroke. The farm is our newest Congregation Supported Agriculture (CSA)!

This is going to be a fantastic event for all ages. A pancake breakfast will open the day, there will be games and food contests, and of course blueberry picking! We will even be organizing some buses. So, make sure to register and stay tuned for more information.

Monarch Festival

August 17, 2019

Faith in Place hosted the first Monarch Fest in Garfield Park!

Join us at the beautiful and historic South Shore Cultural Center for a free family fun day highlighting the plight of the Monarch Butterfly and its similarities to the migration of Latinx and Black communities! We are thrilled to partner with the Park Advisory Council, Sacred Keepers, the U.S. Forest Service, the Field Museum, and other collaborative partners to bring you a day full of games, educational exhibits, and storytelling.

This is our second Monarch Festival. The first was held at the Garfield Park Gold Dome Field House in 2017. Stay tuned for more updates!

Green Team Summit

September 14, 2019

Plenary at 2018 Green Team Summit, Dylan Blake Photography

Celebrate our 20th Anniversary by joining people of faith from across the state for a one-day conference at The Field Museum in Chicago! You will be empowered to spark meaningful change in your community through a Green Team. There will be thought-provoking speakers, educational workshops, opportunities to connect with Green Teams from across the state, and other fun activities. Please save the date and watch for more details.

Annual Celebration & Fundraisers

November through December

The 2018 Lake County Annual Celebration & Fundraiser, Dylan Blake Photography

Our Annual Celebration & Fundraisers – hosted in each of our regions around the state – were a huge success last year. We met and exceeded our goals because of you. We will be sharing this year's dates very soon.

Other Ways to Stay Connected:

This list is just a sampling of what we have in store this year. We will continue to empower people of faith like you to work for healthier air, water, land, and communities through our wide array of programs and events.

Please contact us if you would like to get more involved!