News
Lisa Jackson Addresses the NCC General Assembly in New Orleans In an address at the National Council of Churches/Church World Service Centennial Gathering, EPA Administrator Jackson thanked the National Council of Churches for its good work, and issued an invitation for strengthened partnership. Read a reflection on Jackson's remarks here.
Chesapeake Covenant Community: Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Savings Program. Click here to learn more about a home energy conservation project that trains volunteers to provide energy audits for Baltimore City families.
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Rock Creek Churches Care for Creation.Thirty eco-justice champions from Maryland and DC gathered November 17 at Chevy Chase Presbyterian church to talk about how to "green" their congregations to better care for Rock Creek, and, by extension, the Chesapeake Bay. Download resources for congregations in the Chesapeake Bay here.
Get Involved
Sponsor the Jerry Muys Water Fellowship. In memory of lifelong eco-justice advocate, Jerry Muys,the water fellow will strengthen the Council’s work to defend water. For more information or to contribute click here
Protect the Clean Air Act. Right now, elected officials are trying to undermine the Clean Air Act, and limit its ability to regulate pollution. This is particularly alarming for those who are mostly likely to bear the burden of toxic chemicals from power plants: low-income communities, communities of color, children, and the elderly. Click here to tell your U.S. Senators to protect communities and God's Creation by protecting the Clearn Air Act.
Toxic Toys are Naughty- Not Nice. Ask Congress to make Christmas toys safe. Christmas first and foremost is to celebrate the birth of Jesus and all he promised. But it is also an opportunity to gather with loved ones and to see the twinkle of delight in a child’s eyes when they receive a new toy. But not all toys bring joy. Some toys contain harmful neurotoxins and reproductive toxics such as lead, tin, cadmium, and phthalates that can severely harm a child’s health. It is time that industry stop toying with our kids' health. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, gather with our families, and especially the little ones, we have an opportunity to ensure Christmas toys and other products are safe for kids. Click here to ask your member of Congress to make products safe for kids in 2011.
Events
Earth Care Summit January 31, 2011. Ecumenical ministries of Oregon (EMO)’s Interfaith Network for Earth Concerns invites all congregations interested in being better stewards of Creation to a celebration and gathering of congregations going green. The event will include a locally grown dinner, silent auction, and presentations from congregations about theirgreening efforts. Click here for details.
Ecumenical Advocacy Days Development, Security and Economic Justice: What’s Gender Got to Do with It? March 25-28, 2011 in Washington, D.C. Check out the website: http://advocacydays.org. Sign up for the eco-justice track.
2011 Presbyterians for Earth Care (PEC) National Conference: “God’s Earth: Too Big to Fail? A Conversation between Faith, Science and Culture,” August 31 – September 3, 2011 at Highlands Presbyterian Camp and Retreat Center near Estes Park, Colorado. Email PEC Coordinator Lizzie McGurk pecmcgurk@gmail.com for more details
Eco Stewards Training Program: The Eco-Stewards Program is actively seeking passionate, dedicated young adults (20 -30) to come together the 3rd week in May, 2011 for the annual Eco-Stewards Program weeklong training event in eastern Montana. Opportunities for summer internships following the training event are also available. Click here for more information.
Resources
Ideas for Reclaiming Advent and Christmas. Download a resource designed to help communities of faith celebrate Advent and Christmas in more meaningful ways than mainstream culture provides. Click here to download the resource.
Whose Birthday is it, Anyway? Ideas for a Christ Centered Holiday 2010. From Alternatives for Simple Living, this resource includes activities that can be used by congregations families and individuals.Click here to learn more.
New Fact Sheet on Faith, Disabilities, and Environmental Health.The NCC Environmental Health Initiative and the American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Religion and Spirituality Division have released a fact sheet on intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The fact sheet explains why people with IDDs are uniquely vulnerable, how toavoid unnecessary toxic exposures, and why this is an issue of faith. Download the fact sheet here. Read our blog post here
Interfaith Power and Light Launches an Updated Version of the Cool Congregations Program. It has the same great features to help you measure your congregation's carbon footprint, only now it has customized tips based on your results. You can create an account to store your results and measure your progress over time. Click here to learn more.
Book: Dark Green Religion: Nature Spirituality and the Planetary Future. By Bron Taylor. This book provides a fascinating global tour of green religious phenomena, enabling readers to evaluate its worldwide emergence and to assess its role in a critically important religious revolution. Click here to learn more
Faith and Nature: the Divine Adventure of Life on Earth. By Phyllis Strupp.
Click here for more information on this eight-session, downloadable, intergenerational, faith-formation resource focused on appreciating and living in harmony with God’s Creation.
