In her opening words to the COP17 this morning Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) quoted Nelson Mandela, “It always seems impossible until it is done.”

For those of your on Facebook, Trinity-St. Paul's United in Toronto invites you to share your support for faith leaders involved in the climate change issue. On November 27, please change your Facebook status to say,

‘We have faith’ is displayed boldly in every corner where the Faith Secretariat has a considerable presence here at the COP17.

The first and only other time I’ve visited Africa was in 2000, in Ghana representing The United Church of Canada at a gathering of African lay centres. And as soon as I stepped onto the continent again yesterday, memories of witnessing the deep faith of Africans were rekindled.

This morning as I finish packing for Durban, South Africa, where the United Nations climate talks will take place over the next two weeks, I’m cherishing the encouraging words in a message from one of our United Church ministers:

As I prepare to join faith leaders from around the world at the United Nations climate change conference in South Africa (COP17), I am watching the cascading effect of our Canadian faith leaders’ statement and efforts of last month. Here are a few of the things that have happened since then:

I’m getting a lot of questions about civil disobedience in relation to climate change. Given the urgency and our government’s refusal to consider any meaningful action, people are wondering, and asking, whether the time for non-violent civil disobedience is at hand.

So you’ve resolved to go on a diet. After a year of church dinners, I’m with you! But have you considered putting your church on a diet—an energy diet? You’ll be in good company if you do.

At Cancun this past week, the ecumenical community represented churches from far and wide while global leaders battled out policy and negotiations.

But why were they there?  What's the point of them getting involved?