Candles for COP27

Reflecting. Sharing hope. Grounding ourselves in relation to the earth. Thinking globally, acting locally. Sending good energy
for transformation. Making a deep embodied commitment.

In-person Gatherings will happen across the country in: Nova Scotia: Prospect; Quebec: Montreal; Ontario: Ottawa, Newmarket, Toronto, Guelph, Hamilton, Kitchener/Waterloo; Manitoba: Brandon; Saskatchewan: Regina, British Columbia: Kamloops, Burnaby, Victoria, Yukon: Whitehorse.

Plus, online options in Atlantic Time (hosts in NS/PEI) and Mountain Time (hosts in Edmonton/Calgary)

And many more people praying and holding vigils in their own spaces, including special invitations in Saskatoon and Thunder Bay. The COP27 proceedings and decisions will be uplifted across Canada this weekend. See details below.

From November 6th – 18th of this year, world leaders will gather at the COP27 conference in Egypt to discuss their plans to address global heating.

Despite increasingly clear evidence of the climate emergency, leaders across the world and particularly in Canada are failing to take the decisive action needed to protect our world, and particularly the most vulnerable member of the global community. Canada has yet to reduce our national emissions, our government continues to approve and subsidize new fossil fuel infrastructure, and we are falling behind in our commitments to fund energy transitions in less developed countries. This cannot continue. 

In recognition of the need for change, members of ClimateFast and For the Love of Creation invite groups across Canada to host candlelight vigils in their own communities on the weekend of November 11-13, 2022. This will be a time to reflect and share our love for our planet, our concern for ourselves and our fellow human beings at risk from climate change, and our hopes for truly transformative action to happen at COP and through each other. This invitation coincides with and complements the call for a Global Day of Action on November 12. Candlelight vigils are already being planned in several places.

We encourage people to use their local events to highlight local climate-related issues that are important to them, as well as international issues such as the demand for a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty. Information on key pan-Canadian asks will be provided in advance of the date. We will amplify each other's voices by acting on the same weekend. Let's light up the whole Canadian map!

If you or a group you are part of is interested in hosting a vigil, please contact flc.pac@gmail.com to add your event details to the national list. Check back regularly. Local events will be listed here.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2022

Hamilton

Candle Prayer Service

before the 8:30 AM mass

St. Elizabeth Church in St. Elizabeth Village, 1 Yates
Gate. Open to the public.

Burnaby

Prayer Circle Direct Action Group Candlelight Vigil

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM PT

Location: Burnaby Mountain Urban Trail @ Lougheed Hwy

 

Kitchener/Waterloo

Climate Justice Vigil

11:00 AM ET

Mary Allen Park in
Waterloo

Organized by Burning Bush Forest Church and Pastors in
Exile. 

 

Online – Atlantic Time

Virtual Vigil

1:00 PM Atlantic Time

Diocesan Environment Network (DEN) will be holding a virtual vigil, led and hosted by the DEN Morning Prayer group. Please attend with a candle or light or a symbol that works for you.

 

Guelph

Standing Up for Climate Action

2:00 – 2:45 PM Eastern Time

Guelph City Hall Square. Hosted by Kairos Guelph.

 

Regina

Candlelight Vigil

5:30 – 6:30 PM Central Time

Albert Street Bridge, east side

Candles will be provided. You are encouraged to bring a sign with your climate concerns.

Hosted by KAIROS Regina.

 

Online – Mountain Time 

Havdalah for Creation

6:30 PM Mountain Time

COP27: Vigils for Climate Justice, with a Jewish twist.

Led by Edmonton's Temple Beth Ora and Calgary's Temple Bnai Tikvah

People of all faiths and from around Canada are welcome to join us!

 

Newmarket

Candles for COP27

Saturday evening

At Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Organized by Holy Cross
and York Region KAIROS Group.

 

Ottawa

Vigil for the Earth

5:00 PM

Human Rights Monument at 200 Elgin Street. Organized
by Ottawa Quakers.

 

Climate Justice Candlelight Vigil

7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EST

Garden of the Provinces and Territories (corner of Bay
and Sparks streets)

All are encouraged to bring a sign with climate
concerns. Hosted by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church

 

Whitehorse

Candles for COP27

7:30 PM – 8:30 PM YST

Whitehorse United Church

 

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2022

Kamloops

Worship at Hills of Peace

10:00 AM PT

Lighting a candle for the environment in worship.

In person and on Zoom

 

Worship at Kamloops United

10:00 AM PT

A candlelight vigil for COP27 during our worship service

Live-streamed

 

Prospect, Lower
Prospect, and Prospect Road area, Nova Scotia

Vigils

1:00 – 2:00 PM AT at Terence Bay Community Hall,
Terence Bay, NS

2:30 – 3:30 PM at St Timothy’s Anglican Church parking
lot

Organized by the Reverend Margaret Sagar (retired UCC),
The Reverend Victoria Byrne (retired ACC) and Sandra Hennigar (UCC). We will focus
on local climate concerns.

 

Victoria

Candles for COP27

3:00 PM 3:50 PM PT

A 50 minute walking vigil, starting and ending at First Met United on Quadra

 

Toronto

CANDLES FOR COP 27 Vigil for the Earth

5:00 PM ET – at Trinity St. Paul’s United

5:30 PM ET – Walking to Matt Cohen Park

5:45 – 6:30 PM ET – Music, poems, prayers

 

Brandon

VIGIL FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

6:00 – 7:00 PM CST

Knox United Church

In person and Live-streamed

 

Montreal

Veillée pour la justice
climatique / Climate justice vigil during COP27

6:00 PM EST

Join us at a candlelight vigil in the park adjacent to Minister
Guilbeault's office, Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Canada.

Coordinating with ForOurKids_Montreal and Mères Au Front.

 

Thunder Bay

Members are invited to light such a candle at one of their meals on
Sunday.

Our Saviour’s Lutheran

 

Monday, November 14

 University of Toronto

Candlelight Vigil for UN Climate Change Conference

5:10 PM ET

In the St. Mike’s Quad (behind Carr Hall, St. Joseph
Street)

Organized by St. Mike’s Campus Ministry and the Elliott
Allen Institute for Theology and Ecology