To bring attention to the urgent need for action on climate change, Interfaith Moral Action on Climate (IMAC) will be leading “A Pray-in for the Climate” in front of the White House on Tuesday, January 15th, the 84th birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Leaders and individuals from Buddhist, Christian (Catholic, Evangelical and Protestant), Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and other faith traditions will gather to call for immediate and comprehensive action to address the greatest moral and social issue of our time: climate change.

Events for the day include:

—    11:00 am - Multi-Faith Service - New York Avenue Presbyterian Church (1313 New York Ave., NW, Washington, DC) 
—    12:00 pm - March to the White House (1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW)
—    12:30 pm - Prayer Vigil at White House

"The way we respond to our warming planet is absolutely an issue of social justice," “ said Rev. Bob Edgar, CEO Common Cause and former head of National Council of the Churches. “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. often invoked 'the fierce urgency of now' in calling people to action, and nowhere are his words more relevant than in the moral imperative we share as people of faith to take decisive action against climate change.”

“Extreme weather events increasing in frequency and intensity, such as Superstorm Sandy, the ongoing drought and record-breaking Arctic ice melt all illustrate that the disruption of the planet will not wait for our nation’s unconscionable political paralysis," said Jacqui Patterson, director of the Climate Justice Initiative for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). “Serious action at the highest levels of our government is required to address the growing climate crisis, which poses a grave threat to the delicate web of life upon our planet and inflicts the greatest suffering on those who have contributed the least to the problem — our poorest and most vulnerable communities.”

“President Obama needs to lead more than a conversation about climate change. It’s time he and our leaders recognize this threat and lead us toward a more energy efficient and sustainable future," said Rabbi Arthur Waskow. “"Some of us might be arrested, and frankly, it’s worth it; — we need to show that this is an issue the President must address aggressively.”

"The people of the Rockaways, Red Hook and Staten Island most affected by Superstorm Sandy feel like canaries in the mineshaft preparing for climate disaster. It's high time for the President and the Congress to speak out and give us aid for this life and death issue," said Rev. Juan Carlos Ruiz, Coordinator for Relief and Recovery for the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island.

IMAC is a collaborative initiative of religious and faith-based leaders, groups and individuals of good will that came together in 2011 in response to the pressing need for more visible, unified, prophetic action to address the climate crisis.