Eco-Justice Working Group of the National Council of Churches USA

March 2004

Mikhail Gorbachev and his organization, the Green Cross, recently hosted an Earth Dialogues Conference in Barcelona. It brought together UN civil servants, government leaders and ministers, and NGO and civil society groups to discuss "The Ethical Dimensions of Evolving Security and Sustainability Agendas."

Agricultural Missions, Inc., sponsored Water for All, a study session and annual board meeting March 11-14 at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico.

Conference in Washington for the Health, Environment, and Community Development of Vieques, Puerto Rico, March 27-29, 2004. For more information, contact Sonia Ivette Dueño at 202-488-5618 or John Lindsay-Poland at 415-495-6334.

Caring for Creation: Joyful Living as God Calls Us will be held Saturday April 17, 2004 at San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo, CA. For more information, contact Rebecca Barnes-Davies.

Care for God's Creation: the Blessing of Water will be held on May 22, 2004. For more information, click here.

2004 Earth Day Resource produced by the NCC Eco-Justice Working Group.

Eco-Justice Working Group

Church of the Brethren

Environmental Justice Office of Presbyterian Church (USA)

Presbyterian Washington Office

Episcopal Ecological Network

Greek Orthodox Church in America

Luthern Earthkeeping Network of the Synods

Reformed Church in America

United Church of Christ

United Methodist Board of Church and Society

Congregations Celebrate God's Gift of Air
Congregations around the country will be celebrating God's creation with Earth Day Sunday worship services and activities. Held April 25 (or any designated Sunday), this year's theme is "God's Gift of Air." The National Council of Churches' resource, produced by the Eco-Justice Working Group, helps congregations celebrate Earth Day with worship resources, suggested actions, and educational information on the quality of our air. Click here to learn more about the 2004 Earth Day Sunday.

Arizona Hosts H2oly Water Event
Southwestern lay leaders and clergy will gather in Tempe, Arizona, to focus on water issues from a faith perspective during H2oly Water: Source of Life, Saturday, March 27, at Community Christian Church. Sponsored by the Arizona Ecumenical Council and the National Council of Churches, this caring for creation conference features keynoter David Radcliffe (pictured above), New Community Project, and Carl Pope, Sierra Club. Click here for more information.

Faith & Eco-Justice Fellowship Announced
Emerging practioners (age 22-40) engaged in religious environmental work will gather in July for training, community-building, and collaboration. Deadline to apply to this new Faith & Eco-Justice Fellowship program, developed by the National Council of Churches, is May 15. Click here for more information.

Congregational Highlights:
Maryland Church Touches the Earth Gently in April
Towson Presbyterian Church is expanding their creation stewardship program by naming April Earth Month. Events to help their church community celebrate Earth Day include tree plantings, an all-age musical called "Peace in the Kingdom" that will focus on earth stewardship, and conservation landscaping educational activities. In addition, youth activities include a trip to a local park to learn about water ecosystems.

To submit news from your congregation, or for more information on ways to celebrate Earth Day in April, click here.

Come to the Feast: Young Adults Gather
Young adults and those who minister to young adults are invited to "Come to the Feast," an ecumencial gathering Tampa, Florida, for inspiration and renewal. Participants will explore the theme "The Art of Ministry and Play" on May 26-31. The two-part event will develop young adult ministry ideas and test them in "ministry labs." A special eco-justice track is available. For more information, click here.

Creation Care Awards Announced
The National Religious Partnership for the Environment will be offering Creation Care Awards for congregations and faith-based organizations that have carried out an environmental program, activity, event, or project. Awards range from $150-$500. To apply, click here.

Advocacy Alerts and Legislative Update
Mercury. Power plants are the biggest source of mercury emissions, yet the Bush administration has directed the EPA to weaken a proposal that would have required strict limits on mercury pollution from power plants. Exposure to mercury can cause neurological damage and poses a hazard to children and to women who are pregnant or nursings. Click here to urge the EPA to curb mercury emissions. If you are located near or in Denver, Portsmouth, or Tampa and want to participate in the public hearings March 25-31 and April 3, contact Cassandra.

Air Quality. Join other people of faith to urge President Bush to abandon his "Clear Skies" initiative. Under this proposed plan, reductions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury that were expected under the current Clean Air Act would be delayed for years, despite the proven negative health impacts of these substances among the poor, elderly, and very young. It also fails to set mandatory standards of reduction of carbon emissions. Click here to take action

From the Desk of . . .
by: Cassandra Carmichael, NCC eco-justice program director
Although I've been during congregational outreach for many years, its only in the past year that I've really begun to "dig in" at my own church. By the time I came on board, they had already done an energy audit and taken energy conservation measures. Looking to the future, with the re-formation of the environmental ministries committee, we plan to focus on water quality by putting in a stream buffer and a rain garden. Although these are important landscaping elements to undertake since the church sits right on College Creek in Annapolis, they can be a bit daunting--especially when I envision back hoes and formal conservation plans coupled with my full plate of work at my NCC "day job." Yet, I can already feel the difference it makes to be part of a team. I hope that you, too, in your congregational work can find the fellowship and teamwork needed to take action in meaningful ways.

"Two are better than one, because they have good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other."
-- Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a