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Extreme Heat- Community Needs, Faithful Responses.

Extreme Heat- Community Needs, Faithful Responses.
Topics: Action Tool, BIble Study, Climate Change, Congregational Transformation, Conversation Guide, Environment, Justice, Lay Leadership, Pastoral Care, Peace, Prayer, Racial Justice, Spiritual Disciplines, Study Guides, Training Format: Curriculum, Devotional, Download, Handout, Webinar Language: English

Education, Conversations and Community Resources As extreme heat events become increasingly frequent and dangerous, faith communities are called to respond with both compassion and action. Community leaders and local experts shared vital information and seeds for ministry during an online Green Chalice gathering on Sept. 3rd. The video can be viewed solo, as a congregation or green team.  We heard from Rev. Katie Sexton, Director of the Arizona Faith Network, Dr. Eugene Livar,  Arizona’s first Chief Heat Officer, Arene Rushdan,  Community Resilience Program Manager at the Arizona Faith Network  Rev. Dr. Job Cobos, Pastor at Larkspur Christian Church. You can view the recording here. https://youtu.be/RbkiF0wFJfw

This resource is based on a gathering with Green Chalice collaborators in 2025. The resources below can be used independently or paired with the recording of this conversation here.

EDUCATION Template for Class or discussion

Extreme Heat: Community Needs and Faithful Responses

Education, Conversations and Community Resources

Overview

As extreme heat events become increasingly frequent and dangerous, faith communities are called to respond with both compassion and action. This 30-90 minute resource explores the sources, impacts, and responses to extreme heat for faith communities. It can be used in Sunday School classes, community groups, or Green Team meetings. This can be used with or without the webinar regarding linked below. Video Resource: View the recording here You can find a PDF version of this Class Here.

Featured Speakers from webinar

  • Rev. Katie Sexton – Director of the Arizona Faith Network
  • Dr. Eugene Livar – Arizona’s first Chief Heat Officer
  • Arene Rushdan – Community Resilience Program Manager at the Arizona Faith Network
  • Rev. Dr. Job Cobos – Pastor at Larkspur Christian Church

Facilitator Guidelines

  • Make space for everyone to be heard
  • Pay attention to those who share too often or those who are silent
  • Consider using Parker Palmer Circles of Trust practices for small group guidance
  • Adjust timing based on whether you watch the full webinar (60 minutes) or portions

Suggested Schedule

1. Opening Prayer (5 minutes)

2. Check-in (10-15 minutes)

Every person should have an opportunity to speak briefly without interruption. Use full group sharing or the 1-3-All method ( 1- write a response in solitude, 3-share responses with two other people then briefly share summaries with the whole group).

Option 1: Share what is bringing you life these days

Option 2: Grief and Gratitude Practice

  • Set up a central altar space with notecards and pencils at each chair
  • Ask participants to write their gratitude and grief
  • Share aloud in trios or with the whole group (depending on group size)
  • For small groups: Consider a ritual with candles where each trio lights a candle and brings it to the center altar

3. Bible Exploration (15-20 minutes)

Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40 (Read together or invite different readers for each verse)

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, an expert in the law, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Reflection: Before exploring the response from Jesus in verse 37 ponder the question. “Which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Even though the religious elite were coming together to challenge Jesus in the previous texts, he did not shy away from helping those gathered to prioritize certain behaviors and practices. Among the vast ways to follow commandments, Jesus combined historic wisdom from the Hebrew texts of Deuteronomy and Leviticus to help people prioritize what is great and first among so many options. How can you and your congregation prioritize from among the many good options regarding following Jesus?  

 Look at verse 37 and 39 for hints.  Today with so many options for how we receive and share information, spend money, choose and gather with friends and how we act we can hear echoes from Jesus saying “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ and ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  

4. Watch Extreme Heat Webinar (Optional – 60 minutes)

5. Reflection Questions (20-30 minutes)Consider using the 1-3-All method again  

Personal and Congregational Discernment

  • How can you and your congregation prioritize among the many good options for following Jesus?
  • In our information-rich world with countless choices for spending time, money, and energy, how do we hear Jesus’s call to “love God with all your heart, soul, and mind” and “love your neighbor as yourself”?How do you prioritize what to do in your life (daily, weekly, yearly)?
  • How does your congregation discern the best next step or ministry idea?
  • With so many good ways to follow Jesus, how do you select priorities?

Faith and Community

  • What does loving God look like in your community?
  • What does loving your neighbor look like in your community?
  • How do you receive love from yourself?

Extreme Heat Responses

  • What should faith communities know about the health risks of heat—especially for vulnerable populations?
  • How could extreme heat impact your community?
  • How can faith communities best partner with local governments, nonprofits, or health agencies in responding to extreme heat?
  • What data or tools are available that congregations can use to guide ministries?
  • Where do you see gaps that faith communities are uniquely positioned to fill?

6. Benediction: Invite each person to share one word that represents what they are carrying forth with them from the gathering.

7. Closing Prayer

News Highlights and Resources from Arizona Faith Network Ministries  

News Video Glendale residents can cool down at respite centers,

News Video Glendale Respite Centers

News Video Cooling centers offer refuge and employment during extreme heat

AZ Faith Network 2023 – Program Spotlight – Heat Relief

Guidebooks

Arizona Faith Network- Heat Relief Guidebook

AZ Faith Network- Heat Relief Overview

Extreme Heat Resources-The resources below can be found on the One Home One Future Website Here.  

Videos

More Preparedness Resources