NCC Eco-Justice Working Group -- Capsules:

Summer 2004

Indigenous Environmental Network 13th Annual Protecting Mother Earth gathering. June 17-20, Elk Creek Resort, South Dakota.

Annual Thomas Berry Award and Lecture, May 11, Interfaith Center of New York. Contact Jonathoan Cerullo at 212-685-4242.

The North American Coalition for Christianity is sponsoring "Bringing the Church Back Down to Earth: How Progressive Christians Embrace Ecology," a conference to be held June 25-27 in St. Paul, MN. Click here for information.

The Witness online newsletter produced by the Episcopal Church dedicated its April 22 issue to eco-justice issues.

United Congregational Methodist Church (Salamanca, NY) produced a six week study on "Reconciliation: Repairing our relationships with God, each other and our planet." For an outline of the program, contact Rev. Bob Thomas at bobuc2@juno.com or 716-945-2120.

Read the spring Green Sanctuary newsletter from the Unitarian Universalist Association.

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

Island Nation Connections
by Vy Nygen

In the vast Pacific Ocean lies a small island called Tarawa, home to roughly 20,000 people. This island serves as the capital of Kiribati, a nation of 33 islands and 80,000 people. Many people from the northern hemisphere have never heard of Kiribati, never the less its capital, Tarawa. Amazingly, this island is filled with beautiful palm trees and sunshine, a paradise that is truly one of God's creations. Click here to continue. To the native people who have lived here all their lives and all of their ancestors who have lived here before them, the island is not just a piece of land, but instead serves as their home, their culture, and a place that shapes their faith.

Any visitors that come to this island will first experience the warmth and care of the natives, who display by their openness the essence of what it is to be a child of God. The natives here live in villages, which are composed of several families living in a small area rich in community and fellowship. The children are raised not only by the immediate family, but also by the village community. For them, family is their neighbors and their neighbors are their family. Food is representative of their connectedness. Each meal is prepared by a family and when it is time to eat, all the families in the village come together and share each other’s meals. Every meal is a welcome feast, blessed by dances and celebration, pouring out the love that was put into the preparation.

The people of Tarawa are truly children of God, and they show it every second of their lives. Their rich culture and ways of living are unique and beautiful. But sadly, everything on this island could be wiped out within the next ten years by environmental changes. The sea is rising and the salt water is seeping into their drinking water and agriculture, killing their crops and lowering their food supply. Each year, the sea creeps up more onto the land due to the effects of global warming from first-world emissions, making the island smaller and smaller each year. This has forced many to migrate to other areas of the world, subjecting them to the struggles of immigrant life in a foreign country.

The people on the island are experiencing climate change and are at risk of losing their world forever. These people are not the only ones who are experiencing this danger. Thousands of islands in the pacific are subject to the same environmental effects, and many are preparing to evacuate and leave the homes that their ancestors have lived in for thousands of years. Recently, the island hosted a consultation on climate change, sponsored by the World Council of Churches and the Pacific Council of Churches, in hopes to raise the awareness and attention of churches and governments from around the world.

As brothers and sisters of Christ, we were taught that in Christ there is no north or south, no east nor west. But in Christ north meets south, and east meets west. For when our fellow brothers and sisters are in danger, the rest of our global family is impacted. It is important for those of us living in first-world countries to recognize the privileges our governments take at the expense of those in the world who do not have a voice in the international policy. We need not be displaced from the plight of our sisters and brothers in Christ. Instead, by raising awareness of these issues in the world churches, we can find hope in a solution for the future.

To submit news from your congregation, stories, or articles or for information on ways to make your congregation more environmentally friendly, click here.