Land and Wilderness NEWS! The Department of Homeland Security, with the permission of congress, waives over 30 environmental laws to continue the construction of the U.S- Mexico Border Fence. Click Here to learn more about how this is affecting the nearby wildlife. Check out the work of the NCC in Wyoming and Arizona. Faith and Lands and Wilderness Humans who inhabit and use the Earth's land do not own it. The Earth is the Lord's, and we are tenants who hold the land in trust from God and in partnership with all creatures. Through God, the land nourishes all life and provides us with the space and resources we need to survive. As part of our call to be stewards of creation, we have a duty to use the land responsibly, to manage it so that it serves the good of all, and to protect it for future generations and for all life. Learn More about Public Lands and Wilderness In the United States, there are 623 million acres of land held by our government in the public trust and managed to serve the good of society. As people of faith, we are called to ensure that our public lands are managed in a responsible manner that contributes to the good stewardship of creation and protects the shared resources that sustain our cultures and economies and God's glorious web of life. To learn more, visit NCC's Public Lands Initiative Page. Wilderness provides spiritual and recreational opportunities. Wilderness also provides essential habitat for wildlife, including endangered species. And wilderness is a natural retreat from the stress of our everyday lives. Wilderness is designated by Congress on federal public lands -- National Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Refuges, and Bureau of Land Management lands -- and is the highest form of protection for federal lands. Learn more about NCC's wilderness program, and our work on the National Landscape Conservation System. Get Outside! Take your congregation, adult study class, or youth group outside to experience and enjoy God's sacred gift of land. Whether you roll up your sleeves for trail maintenance or a tree planting, hold a worship service outdoors, or just go for a hike in a nearby conservation area, witnessing the glory of God's lands firsthand is a great way to kindle the stewardship ethic and share in fellowship. Visit Renewal in the Wilderness, which offers spiritual retreats in nature for adults. They take people out of normal environments for a week (or weekend) of wilderness sojourning to give you a chance to spend time with God in ways that have been proven for at least 4,000 years. On God's Wild Land photo contest! View the winner and the pictures! People of Faith Take Action Working with States Arizona Wyoming Letters sent to West Virginia's members of Congress and Governor supporting Monongahela National Forest Episcopal Bishops Call on Congress to Protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge National Public Lands Day - Saturday, September 27, 2008. Join an NPLD event taking place near your church or worship center! At hundreds of sites nationwide, volunteers will join in work parties to perform trail maintenance, improve wildlife habitat, plant trees, protect cultural resources, and more. Click Here for more information. Christians for the Mountains is taking action to protect against mountaintop removal. Resources Faith Based Resource! Rooted in God's Word and Lands Resource! Land Stewardship Anthology Resource! Out of the Wilderness Visit Renewal in the Wilderness, which offers spiritual retreats in nature for adults. “Spiritual Importance of Wilderness” by Jim Doenges. “Christianity and Wilderness” A theological and historical commentary posted by Christians for the Mountains. “Encounter at Ghost Ranch: Reflections on Desert Spirituality” by Belden Lane. “Peace with God, Peace with the Land: A Reflection on Religious Responsibility for Wilderness” The East Texas Wilderness Cathedral Statement from the Religious Campaign for Wilderness. Essays on Tending the Garden from Boise Vineyard Christian Fellowship. “Food and Faith” wilderness sermon on Exodus 16 by Leonard J. Vander Zee. “The Liturgy of Abundance, the Myth of Scarcity” by Walter Brueggemann. Other Resources What is Wilderness? A brief commentary examining various definitions. Give the Land a Hand 2006 National Public Lands Day The Wilderness Society Campaign for America's Wilderness   wilderness and faith wilderness and faith wilderness and faith wilderness and faith wilderness and faith