Sign up for Eco-Notes, the e-newsletter for PC(USA) Environmental Ministries. The e-newsletter comes out approximately monthly. Here is March's e-newsletter, which was sent out today.
Stewardship of the Land: A Christian Community Gathering
Please join us for a weekend retreat on May 21-23 at Bluestone Camp and Retreat near Hinton, WV to encourage individuals and organizations to grow in faith and their commitment to earth care through fellowship and learning. The weekend will include workshops, discussions, outdoor activities, and worship that will inspire us to act as stewards of the land. At the event we will also commission young adults in the Eco-Stewards Program, who will have just completed a week-long training on ecological stewardship principles and practices in West Virginia. The keynote speaker for the event will be Joel Salatin, of Polyface Farms, a sustainable farmer who was featured in The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan and the documentary Food Inc. Learn more and register →
Plan to Celebrate Earth Day
Celebrate Earth Day the Sunday before or after April 22 with resources from the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program: Sacred Spaces and an Abundant Life.
Our worship spaces belong to God, and in them we have the opportunity to honor God by taking seriously our roles as stewards of the earth. There are many ways to be good stewards of the earth through our worship spaces, and Sacred Spaces and an Abundant Life offers many ideas for congregations to improve facilities through energy efficiency and conservation, reducing toxic materials and products, water conservation, and land and habitat conservation.
Download the PC(USA) version of this Earth Day resource on the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program Web site. Download this resource and begin implementing ideas for "greening" your facility, so your congregation can celebrate your successes on the Sunday before or after Earth Day, which is on April 22. Or, use this resource to make plans for earth care for the next year, and use Earth Day Sunday to commission an earth care team to work on these plans with your congregation.
If your church plans to celebrate Earth Day Sunday, please let Katie Holmes know. Environmental Ministries would love to hear what earth care issues your congregation is working on!
Free DVDs from Environmental Ministries
Environmental Ministries is offering two free DVDs about Earth Care. “Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice” offers an overview of the environmental crisis and the environmental policy passed by the General Assembly in 1990. “Cherishing God’s Earth” looks at five components of environmental issues: earth, air, water, habitat, and people. Study guides are available for both DVDs. Learn more and order →