Asking your presbytery to divest

Both the Presbytery of Boston and Presbytery of San Francisco have voted to divest from fossil fuels.

Here's the language they used. You can ask your presbytery to divest too. 

Presbytery of San Francisco

Motion in September 2018: Motion to divest from fossil fuels (it was a motion made on the floor.)

Motion in November 2018: Here was the follow up motion:  MOTION: Refer to the Presbytery of San Francisco's Finance Property and Oversight Committee (FPOC) a motion to place all investable assets with the Presbyterian Foundation's fossil-free funds, as a statement of our Christian calling to care for God's creation and the vulnerable people most affected by climate change. 

[The above motion is what the presbytery approved instead of what FPOC recommended: "Motion: The Finance and Property Oversight Committee (FPOC) recommends that the Presbytery of San Francisco Receive and Approve the following actions: Fossil Fuel Divestment Inquiry FPOC will investigate the costs of financial divestment of fossil fuels from its portfolios, including investment income costs & management fees, and report back to the Feb. Presbytery meeting. Note: The MRTI letter from GA does not actually recommend divestment but recommends engagement for the time being with MRTI in investigating the impact of fossil fuels by vendors in our region (Chevron, others)." (FPOC approved of the different motion language)]

Motion in Feb 2019:  Fossil Fuel Divestment Conversation Approve: Meet again with Schultz Collings and the Presbytery Foundation to plan a fossil fuel/sustainable investment strategy to execute in the next few months, within the already implemented investment strategy approved by Presbytery. Invite the present PSF members who have already met to attend the presentations. Report final plans at the May Presbytery meeting. [FPOC recommended that we move as much of our investments as possible to the Fossil Free Options]

Presbytery of Boston
Refer to the Presbytery of Boston’s Investment Sub-Committee a motion to place all investable assets with the Presbyterian Foundation's fossil-free funds (or equivalent alternative), with an eye to diversification of sectors and an eye to cost when possible, as a statement of our Christian calling to care for God's creation and the vulnerable people most affected by climate change. In making this shift, we are recognizing that by continuing to hold investments in the fossil-fuel companies that most egregiously contribute to the climate crisis, the PC(USA) is complicit in harming God’s creation and “the least of these” who are disproportionately affected by climate change.

Let us know if you start the process to divest. We want to help you in the process and celebrate your achievement.