Information and Events Celebrating Earth Day (April 22) and other upcoming events from our Partners and Allies
QUICKLINKS:
Use these links as shortcuts to the information below.
• Creation Care Walk - Starts May 8-25, 2010
• National Day Of Prayer For Creation Care -May 25, 2010
PARTNERS
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL)
US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) / Catholic Coalition on Climate Change (CCCC)
How Catholics are Celebrating Earth Day:
National Council of Churches in Christ (NCC)
Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN)
ALLIES
PARTNERS
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL)
COEJL is working to bring Jews around the country together to work toward a better future on the common ground of a healthy environment, green jobs, and a secure energy future through action, education and a personal pledge that we urge you to take!
US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) / Catholic Coalition on Climate Change (CCCC)
How Catholics are Celebrating Earth Day:
Catholic Reflections and Actions for Earth Day
St. Francis Pledge
More than one billion people around the world will observe Earth Day on April 22, the 40th anniversary of this celebration. It was on this day, one year ago, that 24 national Catholic organizations helped the launch of the Catholic Climate Covenant: The St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor. This initiative continues to gain momentum and we urge you to reach out to neighbors and friends, other parishes and schools and ask them to join you in taking the St. Francis Pledge-AND to register their Pledges on our website: www.catholicclimatecovenant.org Or use our tell-friend-page to invite them to sign up.
Pope Benedict's World Day of Peace Message
For the Catholic community, Earth Day began with Genesis and is renewed today in a special way through the words and teaching of Pope Benedict XVI! In his World Day of Peace message. Bulletin insert and study guide from USCCB about the World Day of Peace message, "To Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation" can be downloaded in PDF format (763kb), here.
Earth Day Resources
Earth Day falls on a Thursday this year. But you are encouraged to integrate themes of stewardship and ecological awareness in your parishes on either the Sunday before or after Earth Day.
From the Archdiocese of Hartford
This Earth Day, the Environmental Justice Team of the Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry of the Archdiocese of Hartford-long a leader in applying Catholic teaching on the environment to local issues-is focusing on peace, justice and care of the Earth, with activities taking place in many towns. And they have produced an excellent Earth Day Packet for those planning Earth Day celebrations.
The Packet contains:
- suggested songs and Prayers of the Faithful
- bulletin quotes on Church teaching
- a bulletin insert/handout page (copy back to back, pg 4-5)
- web links to Church teaching and resources.
- homily ideas for April 17-18
Download the Earth Day Packet (PDF) for your parish.
From the Catholic Climate Covenant
As a reminder, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change developed a one-pager: Ways to Celebrate Earth Day (PDF)
The resource has links to:
• the St. Francis Pledge and Prayer card
• the "Whose Under Your Carbon Footprint" poster
• a bulletin insert, and
• Catholic Climate Covenant clip art.
For Youth from the Franciscan Action Network
Youth and young adults are increasingly engaged in Christian stewardship. The Franciscan Action Network recently helped build on this enthusiasm with a webinar to encourage youth groups to use Earth Day as an opportunity to "transform the world." The webinar shares models from Franciscan parishes on how they approach environmental stewardship in the spirit of St. Francis.
View the webinar...
National Council of Churches in Christ (NCC)
2010 Earth Day Sunday Resource Now Available. Sacred Spaces and an Abundant Life: Worship Spaces as Stewardship will help congregations prepare for and celebrate stewardship in their house of worship this Earth Day. Click here to download a copy from the web. Click here to request a hard copy. For more information on the topics covered in this resource, click here.
Eco-Stewards Program (PCUSA) - May 16-23, 2010
Tending the Garden: A Faith Response to Protecting and Restoring Mountains, Communities and Relationships - Spend a week in God's Creation on this experiential learning trip for young adults to connect environmental and faith issues, May 16-23, 2010 in West Virginia. Click here to learn more.
World Student Christian Federation North American Region Climate Justice Student Conference - June 10-13, 2010
Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Click here to get more information and fill out an application. Early bird registration due April 30th.
Greening our Spirits, Greening our World - June 28-July 4, 2010
At Ghost Ranch Retreat Center, Abiquiu, NM. Click here for more information.
Environmental and Peacemaking Travel Study Seminar to Armenia - November 1-12, 2010
Environmental Ministries and the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program are leading an Environmental and Peacemaking Travel Study Seminar to Armenia on November 1-12, 2010. While Presbyterians will receive first priority to participate, if space is available we are glad to include people of other denominations. Click here for more information.
Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN)
"Hope For Creation" Simulcast - April 21, 2010
EEN invites you to join us for a one-night, live simulcast event on Wednesday, April 21, sponsored in partnership with EEN and our friends NAE, Joel Hunter and Northland Church, Asbury Seminary, and many other Christian organizations around the world.
Follow link, www.blessedearth.org, to sign-up and view.
Creation Care Sunday & Other New Resources
Looking for a way to place Christ into the 40th anniversary of Earth Day? Forty Years Too Long a sermon by EEN's president The Rev. Mitch Hescox uses Luke 4:1-13 and Jesus' 40 days wilderness trial as an analogy to our struggles to care for God's creation. Jesus' 40 days of temptations mirrors Earth Day's attempt to engage the American Church in caring for our majestic creation. Jesus overcomes temptation with utter dependence on the Father. Earth Day and our failure to give serious attention to the creation both stem from the same root - our independence. For a PDF copy or related PowerPoint presentation, please send an email.
EEN announces a joint project with Care of Creation, Inc. to produce an adult study guide for churches and student groups that will provide an introduction to the biblical, theological and scientific principles necessary for an effective and God-glorifying response to the present worldwide environmental crisis. This material will be presented in six lessons that can be completed in either six or twelve weeks in a small-group or Sunday School class setting, and will be available on-line at no cost and complete with teacher guide. The small group resource will be complete and available by mid-summer, just in time to launch a new small group in the fall. Visit EEN's website or send an email
for additional information.
Creation Care Walk - Starts May 8-25, 2010
Lace up your walking shoes, stretch your legs, and join Rev. Mitch Hescox, Ben Lowe, Renewal, and a host of others as they begin the first Creation Care Walk from Ansted, WV to Washington, DC starting May 8, 2010. Each day the walkers will walk 15 -20 miles as they tell the good news in Jesus and his care for creation, especially how the least of God's children are in greater risk because of poor creation stewardship. Many local churches along the route will open their doors to hear the importance of creation care, invite their neighbors, and offer the walkers hospitality. For more information or to join the CCW check out our new website at www.PrayerForCreationCare.org.
National Day Of Prayer For Creation Care -May 25, 2010
The National Day of Prayer For Creation Care worship & prayer service begins at noon on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC as the Creation Care Walk ends. The National Day of Prayer For Creation Care focus is a call for covenant renewal, to repent of our failure to care for God's creation and renew God's covenant to tend his garden and care for the least of God's children. The day will include a prayer breakfast joining evangelical leaders and members of congress, the noon prayer service, an afternoon of creation care service projects in the DC area, and the Creation Care Concert featuring Mark Schultz at 7 pm. For additional information or to enlist as a satellite location, please check out: www.PrayerForCreationCare.org
ALLIES
Interfaith Power and Light
Interfaith Power & Light put together resources for you to use in your community this Earth Day, April 22nd. Please join us and be a part of the global interfaith community that is standing up to insist that loving God and God's creation in our hearts goes hand-in-hand with our words, our actions, and our legislation.
Earth Ministry
See Earth Ministry's website for numerous resources, news items and events happening in the Pacific Northwest and around the country.
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