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The church bells toll for global warming

Print | Comments () Posted by Beth Daley June 24, 2008 01:24 PM

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By Beth Daley, Globe Staff

Generations ago, church bells would toll to let local residents know of any emergency.

Now, United Church of Christ churches are ringing them to alert its members - and the world - to the climate crisis.

Last Sunday, four churches in the four corners of the state pledged to toll their bells 350 times, a number that stands for the amount of carbon dioxide that scientists consider a safe level in the atmosphere. Today, the atmosphere holds about 385 parts per million of CO2, a high level brought on by the release of heat-trapping gases from power plants, cars and factories.

Tolling for global warming

“As the largest Protestant denomination in the Commonwealth, as congregation after congregation decides to ring its bell 350 times, more and more of our 82,000 members will learn why the number 350 is so important,” said Rev. Jim Antal, president of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ.

Antal's goal is to get 350 of the estimated 400 United Church of Christ churches in the state ringing bells 350 times by Dec. 15 – the 350th day of the year.

The effort is part of a worldwide campaign called 350.org. Coordinated by well-known New England environmentalist Bill McKibben, it aims to develop more political will to force governments to enact regulation to lower carbon dioxide levels.

The local program began at Dennis Union Church on Cape Cod and First Congregational Church in Williamstown this past Sunday. Old North Church in Marblehead will ring its bells July 5 while the First Congregational Church in Sheffield will do it in coming weeks.

“Because we can no longer stand idly by, we’ve started to take real steps in our own church building,’’ said the Rev. Carrie Bail, senior minister at First Congregational Church in Williamstown.

For more information go to www.350.org or
www.macucc.org

tags 350.org, bells, churches, climate change, global warming, mcKibben