Resources

Ecofaith on the Air

Podcasts are a wonderful resource to connect with experts and learn more about many topics. For faith leaders and laity alike “ecofaith on air” is a wonderful resource to learn more about perspectives in ecotheology. Started in April 2015, they have provided many conversations, panels, and interviews that can be accessed on podcast platforms. The podcast concluded in January 2019, but you can access old episodes that span such topics as World Environment Day and the Cosmic Christ. Episodes range in length from under ten minutes to about an hour.

 

To access the ecofaith on air backlog click here. The still active facebook group can be accessed here.

Profile: Mary Evelyn Tucker

Image courtesy of journeyoftheuniverse.org

Mary Evelyn Tucker is a scholar at Yale University where she serves in both the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the Divinity School. She and her husband, John Grim started the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale.  Beyond this, her work has probed the intersection of religion and ecology.

 

For more information on Dr. Tucker, click here.

Profile: David Rhoads

Image courtesy of lstc.edu

David Rhoads is a pastor, professor, author, and environmentalist. He was on the faculty at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) beginning in 1988 and is now a professor emeritus. He is the author and editor of many books including, The Season of Creation: A Preaching Commentaryand Earth and Word: Classic Sermons on Saving the Planet. He also was instrumental in the creation of “The Web of Creation,” a resource for faith communities looking to improve their environmental advocacy.

 

To connect to Dr. Rhoads biographical page on the LSTC website click here.

Let All Creation Praise

Image courtesy of letallcreationpraise.org

Let All Creation Praise is a website maintained by Nick Utphall a pastor in Madison, WI; Susan Zencka, a pastor in Stevens Point, WI; Alydia Smith, programing coordinator for the United Church of Canada; Leah Schade, a professor of preaching and worship at Lexington Theological Seminary (KY), and David Rhoads, director of Lutherans restoring Creation. The website has many resources for worship, and they are an advocate for supporting the Season of Creation which is an opportunity to add this season of four Sundays celebrating creation and the creator to the traditional church year.

You can connect to their website here or connect via facebook here.

 

Toledo GROWs

Image courtesy of toledogrows.org

Toledo GROWs supports more than 125 community gardens by providing education, materials, volunteers, and tools to local community gardens, including faith-based community gardens. They also operate a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) available to local Toledo residents. In addition to the support they give to community gardens, they also offer workshops and programming to the larger Northwest Ohio community.

To learn more about Toledo GROWs click here.

 

Ohio State Offers Free Gardening Help to Faith-based Organizations to Increase Urban Agriculture

An article written in 2015 by Tracy Turner for the College of Food Agricultural and Environmental studies covers a 2015 workshop led by OSU Extension, a part of the Ohio State University community, for faith leaders on creating community gardens. For those looking to grown the involvement of the community beyond their faith community, this article is an example of a local university connecting with faith communities around community gardens.

To read the article click here.

Faith Presbyterian Community Garden

Image courtesy of Sybil Lee via Faith Presbyterian Facebook Group

Faith Presbyterian is involved in many service and mission programs in Myrtle Beach where they are located. Their service work includes a community garden. They use the produce of this garden to support those who experience food insecurity in the Myrtle Beach area and to connect with God as creator. One of the ways that they share information about their community garden is through a Facebook page. Facebook pages or groups can be a great resource for faith communities who are beginning their own community gardens too.

To connect with Faith Presbyterian click here. To see their facebook group click here.

PIN Garden Ministry: Asbury United Methodist Church

Image courtesy of asburyohio.org

The PIN Garden Ministry at Asbury United Methodist Church was started in 2007 to provide fresh produce to People In Need, a service organization in Delaware County. It is tended to by parishioners and intentionally includes children in the maintenance of the garden as a way to extend youth ministry into the outdoor classroom.

To learn more about the PIN Garden Ministry click here.

 

InterReligious Task Force on Central America Environmental Human Rights

Image courtesy of irtfcleveland.org

The Cleveland based organization The InterReligious Task Force on Central America holds Environmental Human Rights as one of their primary issues. Throughout Central America, large companies are forcing native communities out of their land to exploit it for natural resources. This group works to fight against this attack which often results in negative consequences for the land and the people.

To access IRTF’s resources on Environmental Human Rights click here.

The InterReligious Task Force on Central America

Image courtesy of irtfcleveland.org

The InterReligious Task Force on Central America (IRTF) was founded in Cleveland in the 1980s after four US women were killed in El Salvador. They gather across religious denominations and traditions to work for peace and justice in Central America. They expose the negative realities of globalization including the ecological destruction that has occurred in Central America. They advocate for human rights and in sponsoring fair trade they also support environmental stewardship.

In May 2019, they held two Food Action Forums, one on alternative food systems and another on alternative trade organizations.

 

To learn more about IRTF click here.