CAPSULES - News and Opportunities for Christians Doing Creation Justice
Fall 2015
NEWS
Creation Justice Ministries board President Mary Minette of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Vice President Rebecca Barnes of Presbyterian Church (USA), Treasurer John Hill of the United Methodist Church, and Executive Committee member Jayce Hafner of The Episcopal Church will all travel to Paris to give faith community leadership during COP 21. Creation Justice Ministries will share updates from our member communions' delegations via Twitter throughout the day, and will also update a Storify, which will consolidate their delegations' stories in one place.
Leaders of the nation’s major Black churches — representing nearly 13 million African-American members — presented over 10,000 pastors’ signatures to Congressional Black Caucus members in support of President Obama’s Clean Power Plan. Read more and see photos on Creation Justice Ministries' Facebook page.
This Fall, Noah's Ark descended on the U.S. Congress for a Blessing of the Animals ceremony. The ceremony called attention to the intrinsic worth of all God's creatures, and lifted up the importance of protecting the Endangered Species Act from being dismantled. Read more from the United Methodist Church and United Church of Christ, and check out the photos on Creation Justice Ministries' Facebook page.
GET INVOLVED
The United Nations will convene in Paris in December 2015 to work to address global climate change. Leadership from Creation Justice Ministries will be there to make sure the U.S. negotiating team hears from people of faith. Sign the Faith Climate Petition now to support just and equitable solutions for our neighbors around the world. Creation Justice Ministries leadership will be among those who deliver it in Paris.
At home, one of the best ways to support the Paris Climate Negotiations is to ensure we make good on our promises to cut greenhouse gas emissions at home, and aid other countries in doing so. Please take action on the Clean Power Plan, our nation's best chance to dramatically cut our carbon emissions state by state, and the Green Climate Fund, a United Nations fund to help developing countries adapt to climate change and mitigate their climate impacts.
EVENTS
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon's Seventh Annual Earth Care Summit: Renewing Creation from the Ground Up. Saturday, January 30, 8 to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday, January 31, 2 to 7:30 p.m., at the University of Portland. The Summit will explore the interrelationships of soil, food, faith and responding to climate change. Register.
It's time to start making plans to celebrate Earth Day Sunday 2016 in your congregation. Earth Day Sunday can be recognized on the Sunday before or after Earth Day: April 17 or 24. Earth Day Sunday 2016's theme is Care for God's Creatures. As always, it will include liturgical resources, Bible study material, and invitations to take action. Sign up to receive a notification when the ecumenical drafting team is done and your 2016 Earth Day Sunday resource is ready to download.
January 15 is the early-bird deadline for the United Methodist Caring for Creation Conference, which will be Friday-Saturday, April 8-9 at Decatur (Georgia) First United Methodist Church, 300 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. This year’s focus is on food systems. Keynote speakers include Norman Wirzba of Duke University, Jennifer Ayres of Emory University's Candler School of Theology, and Alice Rolls of Georgia Organics. Scholarships are available. Register today.
Save the date for Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2016: April 15-18. The theme is "Lift Every Voice! Racism, Class and Power." As always, Creation Justice Ministries will be bringing you a fabulous track of eco-justice workshops. Learn more at www.advocacydays.org
Interfaith Power and Light will continue to promote climate change action from the pulpits in 2016. Register to preach.
RESOURCES
The Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns has created a Path to Paris set of four educational resources.
In case you missed this year's Earth Day Sunday resource, Sustainable Food in a Changing Climate, be sure to download it. This resource is very pertinent as we approach the Parish climate negotiations.
Lent is around the corner, and Christian artist Mary Button has created a Stations of the Cross: Climate Change resource that is absolutely beautiful.
Book: Towards a Global Christian Movement for Eco-Justice: Young Voices from North America. Produced by the World Student Christian Federation North America Region, edited by Shantha Ready Alonso
Creation Justice Ministries board President Mary Minette of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Vice President Rebecca Barnes of Presbyterian Church (USA), Treasurer John Hill of the United Methodist Church, and Executive Committee member Jayce Hafner of The Episcopal Church will all travel to Paris to give faith community leadership during COP 21. Creation Justice Ministries will share updates from our member communions' delegations via Twitter throughout the day, and will also update a Storify, which will consolidate their delegations' stories in one place.
Leaders of the nation’s major Black churches — representing nearly 13 million African-American members — presented over 10,000 pastors’ signatures to Congressional Black Caucus members in support of President Obama’s Clean Power Plan. Read more and see photos on Creation Justice Ministries' Facebook page.
This Fall, Noah's Ark descended on the U.S. Congress for a Blessing of the Animals ceremony. The ceremony called attention to the intrinsic worth of all God's creatures, and lifted up the importance of protecting the Endangered Species Act from being dismantled. Read more from the United Methodist Church and United Church of Christ, and check out the photos on Creation Justice Ministries' Facebook page.
GET INVOLVED
The United Nations will convene in Paris in December 2015 to work to address global climate change. Leadership from Creation Justice Ministries will be there to make sure the U.S. negotiating team hears from people of faith. Sign the Faith Climate Petition now to support just and equitable solutions for our neighbors around the world. Creation Justice Ministries leadership will be among those who deliver it in Paris.
At home, one of the best ways to support the Paris Climate Negotiations is to ensure we make good on our promises to cut greenhouse gas emissions at home, and aid other countries in doing so. Please take action on the Clean Power Plan, our nation's best chance to dramatically cut our carbon emissions state by state, and the Green Climate Fund, a United Nations fund to help developing countries adapt to climate change and mitigate their climate impacts.
EVENTS
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon's Seventh Annual Earth Care Summit: Renewing Creation from the Ground Up. Saturday, January 30, 8 to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday, January 31, 2 to 7:30 p.m., at the University of Portland. The Summit will explore the interrelationships of soil, food, faith and responding to climate change. Register.
It's time to start making plans to celebrate Earth Day Sunday 2016 in your congregation. Earth Day Sunday can be recognized on the Sunday before or after Earth Day: April 17 or 24. Earth Day Sunday 2016's theme is Care for God's Creatures. As always, it will include liturgical resources, Bible study material, and invitations to take action. Sign up to receive a notification when the ecumenical drafting team is done and your 2016 Earth Day Sunday resource is ready to download.
January 15 is the early-bird deadline for the United Methodist Caring for Creation Conference, which will be Friday-Saturday, April 8-9 at Decatur (Georgia) First United Methodist Church, 300 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. This year’s focus is on food systems. Keynote speakers include Norman Wirzba of Duke University, Jennifer Ayres of Emory University's Candler School of Theology, and Alice Rolls of Georgia Organics. Scholarships are available. Register today.
Save the date for Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2016: April 15-18. The theme is "Lift Every Voice! Racism, Class and Power." As always, Creation Justice Ministries will be bringing you a fabulous track of eco-justice workshops. Learn more at www.advocacydays.org
Interfaith Power and Light will continue to promote climate change action from the pulpits in 2016. Register to preach.
RESOURCES
The Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns has created a Path to Paris set of four educational resources.
In case you missed this year's Earth Day Sunday resource, Sustainable Food in a Changing Climate, be sure to download it. This resource is very pertinent as we approach the Parish climate negotiations.
Lent is around the corner, and Christian artist Mary Button has created a Stations of the Cross: Climate Change resource that is absolutely beautiful.
Book: Towards a Global Christian Movement for Eco-Justice: Young Voices from North America. Produced by the World Student Christian Federation North America Region, edited by Shantha Ready Alonso
