Search

122 items
list | grid

122 items

  • Profile: Rev. Dr. Heber M Brown

    Rev. Dr. Heber M. Brown is a Baptist pastor in Baltimore, Maryland. Brown is committed to social development and has been instrumental in the creation of several programs in the Baltimore area. These include Orita’s Cross Freedom School, of which he is the founding director, and the Black Church Food Security Network. The latter works to support the accessibility of food by linking historically African American congregations with urban growers and Black farmers. Brown has received a number of awards recognizing his work, including the Ella Baker Freedom Fighter Award and the Food Justice Award from the Baltimore City Office of Civil Rights.

  • Indigenous Arctic: The Moral Choice for Religious Communities

    Bishop Mark MacDonald spoke about Indigenous communities in the Arctic at the Arctic Circle conference in Reykjavik, Iceland, in October of 2019. Bishop MacDonald's speech highlighted that we are at a key moment to determine the sustainability of human cultures, and engaged many questions related to the relationships between, among, and beyond Indigenous Arctic faith communities. He discussed the role of religious stewardship, an integral ecology, the impact of colonization and poverty, the need to hear indigenous voices, and foster deeper relationships with the land. He lifts up the witness of Indigenous cultures as calling people to a new way of life and thinking.

  • Denominational Policy Statement: Caring for Creation:Vision, Hope, and Justice

    This is the general ELCA statement on faith and the environment, approved by the third Churchwide Assembly in 1993, in Kansas City, MO.

  • Engaged Organizations: Web of Creation

    The Web of Creation website discuss their organization aim and services that they provide:

    "The Web of Creation was established to foster the movement for personal and social transformation to a just and sustainable world from religious perspectives. To that end, the information at this site will:

    -Connect you with ideas, resources and strategies for doing eco-justice
    -Inform, inspire, encourage, educate you about eco-justice
    -Support you in your efforts to live, work and pray in ways that promote eco-justice

    The Web of Creation has also been developed to provide information and connections for theology students interested in environmental ministry."

  • Engaged Organizations: Lutheran Outdoor Ministries in Ohio

    Lutheran Outdoor Ministries in Ohio discuss their camp facilities, their mission, and their vision on their website:

    "Lutheran Outdoor Ministries in Ohio owns and operates 2 camp facilities, Camp Luther and Lutheran, Memorial Camp with support and direction from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

    Mission: Bringing people together to experience Christ through natural settings and programs.

    Vision: Connecting all people to faith and nature for a changing world."

    The 5th graders at St. Vincent de Paul in Mt. Vernon, OH participate annually in the summer camp program at Lutheran Memorial Camp.

  • The United Methodist Women: Be Just. Be Green.

    Part of the mission for the United Methodist Women organization includes promoting economic and environmental stewardship and sustainability. Their national office has made climate justice one of its four social justice priorities. More specifically, they focus on how climate change impacts people in different ways, depending upon the geographic region where they reside.

    The Women’s Carbon Fund is dedicated to carbon issues, focusing on aid to women and children, who make up 70% of the world’s poor according to unitedmethodistwomen.org. They aim to account for gender roles and to incorporate women’s voices because they believe policy makers fail to do so. This organization supports women-led projects that lower CO2 emissions, communities whose lives have been affected by climate change, and climate and energy advocacy initiatives led by women for women.

    Their focus on environmental justice stems from their theological belief from the United Methodist Book of Discipline, “All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. God has granted us stewardship of creation. We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect (Social Principles, 160).”

  • Engaged Organizations: Caretakers of God’s Creation

    Caretakers of God’s Creation is a grassroots community of the United Methodist Church General Board of Global Ministries. Part of their central belief is the scriptural and Wesleyan theology that the earth belongs to God, not us, and we are given the responsibility to be good stewards of it. The caretakers are on a mission to reveal God to others through creation and motivate people to act on behalf of environmental wholeness and justice. Their website shares more of who they are and what they’ve done.

    The General Board of Global Ministries recently launched their new Earthkeeper Program (or brochure) where individuals can engage the movement to face ecological challenges in their congregations and communities. The caretakers share their stewardship stories and encourage others to share their story about protecting and caring for God’s creation. They also provide films, books, information about other faith-based environmental organizations and other resources about how to care for the earth on their website.

    Caretakers of God’s Creation will be having their Annual Caring for God’s Creation Conference on April 28/29, which will be folded into the People’s Climate Movement March.

  • Environmental Statement – United Methodist Church

    The Bishops of the United Methodist Church released a statement entitled: God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action. In this statement, they urge individuals to view themselves as a part of creation, and make the necessary adjustments to stop inflicting harming the environment. One salient message is that individuals should take on the roles of being stewards for the planet if there is any hope of redeeming earth from destruction.

  • Science Mike to speak tonight at Broad Street Presbyterian

    Event Announcement:

    Columbus Broad Street Presbyterian Church and the Presbytery of Scioto Valley Commission for Nurture and Outreach will host Science Mike on Friday, October 14.

    Mike McHargue is the host of two podcasts, Ask Science Mike and The Liturgists. Mike, an amazing and popular communicator, will be recording an episode of Ask Science Mike during his evening presentation at Broad Street PC.

    Tickets are $15 and are available from: www.findinggodinthewaves.com/tour

  • Profile: Rev. Pat Watkins

    The Reverend Pat Watkins is a missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church. He is guiding a new, globally-focused United Methodist Ministry with God’s Renewed Creation, based at Global Ministries and also closely related to the Council of Bishops. While faith has traditionally looked at relationship with God and relationships with other people, he began to see a relationship between faith and the created order. Please click the link below to read more about Reverend Watkins:

  • Episcopal Diocese of Ohio: Bellwether Farm

    Bellwether farm is a new camp and education center of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio. It is meant to provide leadership development and teachings through sustainable farming, food production, and care of the environment. It is located in Wakeman Ohio, with the goals of informing, inspiring, and empowering leaders for a sustainable future. The buildings are models of green technology featuring passive buildings, renewable energy, and water reclamation systems.

  • Presbyterian Church Approves Affirmation of Creation

    The Presbyterian Church (USA) has officially distributes their "Affirmation of Creation" after a vote on June 22, 2016. See the attached to read their full document.

  • Fossil Free UMC

    The Fossil Free United Methodist Church is on a mission to get the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of The United Methodist Church to invest in clean energy companies. Their website highlights what they are doing in their congregations and potentially your congregation.

    On their website you will find their strategy to educate, support and converse with individuals, congregations, the General Conference and the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits. They’ve posted blogs of what they’ve done and progress that they have made on their mission to clean energy. You will also find a webinar that you can schedule with your group along with other resources to support the fossil free mission. Fossil Free UMC addresses the effects of fossil fuel divestments but promotes the long term benefits of investing in fossil free energy on their legislation page.

  • Engaged Organizations: United Methodist Church and Sustainable Agriculture

    The United Methodist Committee on Relief is a non-profit organization that aims to alleviate human suffering around the world. They are a ministry through the General Board of Global Ministries that believe all people have God-given worth. They advocate for hope and healing in more than 80 countries around the globe. One of their initiatives is to work towards sustainable agriculture and food security.

    This program focuses on partnering with organizations that empower families and communities to create self-help and sustainable solutions to food security. They are currently partnering with eighteen organizations to implement food security projects in twenty-two countries including the United States. Their key priorities include:

    Providing resources and technical support rural families need to grow or buy enough food to maintain a healthy and productive life.

    Building the capacity of farmers, pastoralists and fishermen to reverse the trend of poor land and water resource management.

    Strengthening the impact of agricultural projects by improving household health and nutrition behaviors with a specific focus on pregnant women and children under age 5.

    Supporting the introduction and use of appropriate agricultural technology that is suitable to the knowledge, skills, capacities, interest, and economics of people and communities.

    In conjunction with these priorities, the UMCOR places a focus on nutrition. Through their sustainable agriculture and food security program, they educate farmers, raise awareness of global undernutrition, and urge governments in developing nations to support sustainable agriculture. Additionally, they endorse the Scale up Nutrition framework which works to improve nutrition around the globe, especially in young children. Their initiative, called the 1,000 Days Movement, works to improve the nutrition in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life which can have an exponential impact on the future of these lives. The UMCOR encourages faith communities to support and work with the Scale Up Nutrition movement and assist in the end of undernutrition through sustainable agriculture.

  • History Professor Explains Religious Origins of American Environmentalism

    Texas Tech historian Mark Stoll‘s latest book, Inherit the Holy Mountain: Religion and the Rise of American Environmentalism (Oxford University Press, 2015), details how religion provided early American environmental leaders with the moral and cultural basis to champion the protection of the natural world.

    Stoll argues in part that Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’, is nothing new, but points environmentalism back towards its moral and religious roots.

  • Engaged Organizations: The General Board of Church and Society

    The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) is one of four international general program boards of The United Methodist Church. They are defined by its five areas of ministry: Public Witness, Advocacy Administration, Ministry of Resourcing Congregational Life, United Nations Ministry, and Communications. Their website contains ways to get connected, topics to explore, and ways to take action.

  • Engaged Organizations: Lutherans Restoring Creation

    Lutherans Restoring Creation is resource for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. They are a grassroot movement of Lutherans that believe being earthkeepers is a foundation of the Christian vocation. Their goal is to incorporate care for creation into the organizational patterns, worship life, educational programs, and lifestyle of members at home and work. Their website includes programs, events, resources, and ways to get involved. It also includes their ideas on an Eco-Reformation that they believe is necessary to help the church encompass care for all of God’s good creation.

  • Bowling Green Church Installs Solar Panels

    Peace Lutheran Church in Bowling Green has installed solar panels on the south side of the building that are expected to save up to 25% of their utility bill. The solar panels are one of three projects that are a part of the churches mission of Creating Christ Connected Community. The other two projects include helping a Syrian Refugee family and building a new playground.

  • Profile: Rev. Dr. William H. Casto, Jr

    Bill is a retired United Methodist Minister from Ohio. He spent much of his ministry teaching at MTSO (Methodist Theological School in Ohio). He is a graduate of The Ohio State University (B.S. in Educ. and Ph. D.) and of MTSO (M. Div.). His involvement with the Climate Justice Movement began in 2014. During that time he has been active on the Creation Care Taskforce of The West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church and in Fossil Free UMC.

  • Profile: Rev. Deborah Conklin

    The Rev. Deborah Conklin is pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, Bowling Green Ohio and is the Executive Director of a transitional housing program for homeless women recovery from chemical dependency. Her advocacy work began in 1988 working for the Toledo Metropolitan Mission where she led an Employment Readiness and Placement project for African American young men, the highest unemployed population in most communities.

  • Profile: Rev. Frank Edmands

    Born in Massachusetts, Frank fell in love with Creation wandering the woods and exploring the beaches of Onset and Buzzards Bays, fishing and sailing. As a sonar technician in the US Navy, deep ocean sounds, chirps, clicks, and whale songs introduced him to marine science and oceanography… Father Edmands has served primarily in parish ministry in upstate NY, PA and Ohio for the past twenty-one years and has enjoyed being a chaplain, assistant coach and teacher of Biology, General Chemistry and Religious Studies for three years at Trinity Pawling, Pawling NY (a boys boarding school) for three years

  • Profile: Jared Howard

    Jared Howard is a 3rd year Master of Divinity student at Trinity Lutheran Seminary and Pastoral Intern at Peace Lutheran Church in Gahanna, Ohio. At Trinity, Jared is actively involved in the Eco Justice and Spirituality group, SEEDS (Sustaining Earth and Environment Daily and Sustainably), serving as a Student Intern

  • Profile: Rev. Meribah Mansfield

    The Rev. Meribah Mansfield has been involved with Ohio Interfaith Power and Light since its initial meeting in October 2007. She served on its founding board from 2008-2011, and rejoined the board in 2016. Care for creation is fundamental to her faith…

  • Profile: Sara Ward

    Sara Ward, Executive Director of Ohio Interfaith Power & Light since August of 2011, is one of its original steering committee members and previously served as the Advocacy Chair of the Board. She is a recipient of the 2013 Living Faith Award and is a Green Faith Fellow, a comprehensive education and training program to prepare lay and ordained leaders from diverse religious traditions for environmental leadership.

  • Presbyterian Church adds Caring for Creation to Constitution

    On June 25, 2017, the amendments added to the constitution of the Presbyterian Church will go into effect. Included in these provisions is the addition of caring for God’s creation as a responsibility for all church members. The amendment received the needed 86 affirmative votes for ratification.