Former KING 5 weatherman Jeff Renner is coming to Whidbey to share his perspective on the climate crisis as a person of faith.
Catch him speaking at St. Hubert Catholic Church in Langley at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 1.
The Emmy-winning meteorologist and broadcast professional has been outspoken about climate change being not only a crisis of the environment, but also a crisis of faith.
“It’s really about taking action now so that future generations will have something,” said Elizabeth Guss, an organizer for the event.
The inter-faith event rooted in science is presented by the St. Hubert Church Green Team, a group that convenes to increase awareness around caring for a common home and to be better stewards of creation.
Guss initially met Renner, a Sammamish resident, about six years ago when he was putting together a presentation to share with different churches on these topics.
“To hear a scientist who says this is also a faith issue, is a refreshing perspective,” she said.
Guss said Renner plans to speak for about an hour during the Langley event, which is open to the public. There will be a reception afterwards. Several climate-oriented organizations will have an informational table at the event, such as the Greening Congregations Collaborative, a group of other faith communities that meet regularly and support one another in educational activities and action.
“It’s broader than any one denomination,” Guss said.
In his talk, Renner plans to explore the latest climate “flash points” of heat, drought and extreme weather, the links confirming the impact of human action on these flash points, the issues of environmental justice and human health and how faith calls people to respond.
“My involvement has spanned decades, and includes invited participation in a White House Conference, and an interview in Rome with the editor of the original edition of the Laudato si’ Encyclical,” he said in a statement.
Laudato si’ is a work by Pope Francis published in 2015 expressing concern about the environment and global warming. Discussions on the book will be held at 4 p.m. on Sept. 28 and Oct. 5 in St. Hubert Catholic Church.
