“Welcome to Hopenhagen” billboards and wall paintings greeted us everywhere as we arrived in Copenhagen today. This city portrays a strong commitment to work toward climate justice. Surrounded by clean water and windmills, Denmark’s capital boasts that it has already created the framework for becoming the world’s leading climate metropolis. It has developed a heating infrastructure as well as a unique cycling culture: more than half the population cycle to and from work, and only one person in four owns a car.

Today Chris Tindal, Alanna Mitchell, and I head for Copenhagen to join Joy Kennedy and David MacDonald, who are already there from The United Church of Canada.

Last evening I was at Hillhurst United Church in Calgary. It was wonderful to be with these good folks, to speak to them, and to engage in some back-and-forth with other speakers. I did it all from the small apartment I call home in Toronto. And another speaker joined in from Copenhagen! It was another way to meet—a way that I expect and hope will become more common.

Late yesterday afternoon I received an e-mail from a faithful church member in rural Ontario. The words sounded harsh to me, questioning the Moderator’s priorities (going to Copenhagen) when the church at home needs so much attention. Most e-mail messages provide no real contact information, but this one had some clues. So I tracked down a phone number and had a good conversation with a wonderful woman last evening.

Last-minute updates from Copenhagen are arriving on my Blackberry in these minutes leading up to the official opening of the Fifteenth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP15).