Presbyterians for Earth Care has a new program and toolkit to promote the creation of Earth-care teams at the presbytery level to address issues such as climate change.
“Our congregation wants to go on a short-term mission trip outside the U.S. Are there PC(USA) global partners that can host us?”
“I am planning a trip next summer for families in my church. Does the PC(USA) have a devotional guide for intergenerational trips?”
As stewards of God’s Creation, we are challenged to care for planet Earth and all its inhabitants.
This is an awesome responsibility, but also an incredible opportunity. There are many concerns facing our planet, with climate change and its impact on the most vulnerable at the top of the list. Related concerns include privatization of the Earth’s precious resources, threats to the safety of our world’s water supply and the effects of toxic emissions.
I spent the last year as a Presbyterian Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) in Austin, Texas.
In my role as a YAV, I served with Texas Impact, an interfaith advocacy organization representing the mainstream faith traditions of Texas. I worked on a research project related to Hurricane Harvey recovery and began to draw connections between climate change and this local disaster. After a few months into the project, I had the opportunity to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland.
Last year, I took more than two dozen flights. In many cases I could have taken a bus, but for little extra cost, I opted to save time. A flight from Lima (on the Pacific coast) to Tarapoto (in the Amazon) takes a little over an hour. The bus takes more than 25 hours. So, for about $25 more per flight, it seems worth it to travel by air. I know my knees are grateful. But, like so many things in life, there are usually more costs than those that simply make a dent in our wallets. There are environmental costs, too.
When discussing the issue of forced migration, we see images in the U.S. of violence and economic inequality in Central America, South America and parts of the Middle East.
As Christians, our response to climate change and its impact on our world is multifaceted. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is committed to working diligently and creatively to support people experiencing the impacts of climate change around the corner and around the world, both today and in the future. The stories that arise from the work of the Presbyterian Mission Agency are heart-wrenching, yet uplifting; deeply disturbing, yet inspiring. The efforts made possible by your prayers and your giving represent a few of the many lives touched and transformed because you have participated in Presbyterian Mission.
Last year, I took more than two dozen flights. In many cases I could have taken a bus, but for little extra cost, I opted to save time. A flight from Lima (on the Pacific coast) to Tarapoto (in the Amazon) takes a little over an hour. The bus takes more than 25 hours. So, for about $25 more per flight, it seems worth it to travel by air. I know my knees are grateful. But, like so many things in life, there are usually more costs than those that simply make a dent in our wallets. There are environmental costs, too.
