Picture courtesy of creationjustice.org
Creation Justice Ministries 2018 Earth Day theme is Sense of Place. They aim to educate and offer insight about living in harmony with local ecosystems and watersheds, sharing places with a diversity of peoples, and respecting the history of your place. To read more or download the Earth Day Sunday promotion toolkit, click here.
Picture courtesy of pcusa.org
God’s Creation, Our Health: Taking Action Together is a study from Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) to engage older children in discipleship. The author, Mike Poteet, aims to teach about celebrating God’s gifts of the natural world, as well as God’s calling of human beings to be caretakers of it. There are four sessions: Caring for God’s Good Creation, Sustaining a Healthy Creation, Learning from La Oroya, and Working for Change. To read more, click here.
Picture courtesy of presbyearthcare.org
The Eco–Stewards are a grassroots community that shapes young adult leaders through place-based experiences that connect faith and the environment. Each year, the Eco-Stewards program invites young adults to immerse themselves in a particular place to study an environmental theme. In 2018, the program will be held in Hawaii and is called Aloha ‘Aina, which means love of the earth. To read more or apply for the 2018 program, click here.
Picture courtesy of interfaithoceans.org
This declaration from Interfaith Oceans discusses what is happening with the earth’s oceans and why people of faith must act to make people more aware and to change their ways toward more caring products and actions.
“There comes a time when people of various faith traditions need to declare together the truth of the destruction and injustice happening right before our eyes. And to work to stop it. That time is now.”
To read the entire declaration, click here.
Picture courtesy of interfaithoceans.org
As polar sea ice melts, the ocean water rises and people all around the world are being overwhelmed by higher tides and storm surges. As 40% of people live near a coast, Interfaith Oceans believes that people must start to gradually eliminate their contributions to climate change, turn to alternative forms of energy, protect and plant trees, help coastal communities prepare, and welcome refugees. To read more about rising sea levels and refugees, click here.
“A rise in the sea level…can create extremely serious situations, if we consider that a quarter of the world’s population lives on the coast or nearby, and that the majority of our megacities are situated in coastal areas. . . .”
Pope Francis, Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home
Picture courtesy of presbyearthcare.org
Presbyterians for Earth Care, formerly Presbyterians for Restoring Creation, is a national eco-justice network that cares for God’s creation by connecting, equipping, and inspiring Presbyterians to make creation care a central concern of the church. To read or download their brochure, click here.
Picture courtesy of interfaithoceans.org
Interfaith Oceans has a plan for people of faith and science to join in caring for beautiful, stable, diverse oceans, and coastal communities. This plan includes their mission, priorities, ethics, approaches, and values. To read their entire plan, click here.
Picture courtesy of interfaithoceans.org
Interfaith Oceans is an organization that protects ocean systems and species, people, and cultures through faith and working together. The oceans support all of life on land with oxygen, food, weather, livelihoods, and beauty. Yet, ocean systems are being degraded by pollution and overuse. Interfaith Oceans believe that the voices of faith and science must work together to help protect and restore ocean communities. To read more, click here.
Picture courtesy of creationcare.org
The president of the Evangelical Environmental Network, Rev. Mitch Hescox, made a statement saying that the budget proposed by the Trump administration is a “devils bargain,” which would harm national parks and the protection of God’s creatures.
“The Trump Administration’s budget, if implemented, would be an abdication of our stewardship of our public lands, which are entrusted to each generation to pass on to their children.”
To read the entire statement, click here.
Picture courtesy of ecosikh.org
In 2018, Sikh communities will be celebrating the 8th annual Sikh Vatavaran Diwas (Sikh Environment day) on March 14th. It is a day for Sikhs to celebrate and reflect on their bond with the environment. Gurdwaras (local congregations) can hold divans (conferences) on nature themes and try to inspire sangat (companies) to install solar panels, host workshops, participate in kitchen gardening, and story sessions for young children. By joining in, Sikhs across the world will share what the environment means to them, and raise awareness about the state of ecology across their spiritual homeland, Punjab. To read more or register for Sikh Environment Day, click here.