Starting May 31, 2011 the Eco-Journey blog will have a new home at www.pcusa.org/eco-journey. All of the content that is currently on the blog will be moved to the new address, and we'll continue to blog there on issues related to faith and environmental justice. If you have this site saved on any bookmark lists, please change it to our new address at www.pcusa.org/eco-journey, and continue to follow the Eco-Journey blog. Thanks for your readership! Continue reading

Are you planning on coming to the Big Tent in Indianapolis, June 30-July 2? There is still time to register. At Big Tent there will be many opportunities to explore how environmental stewardship and faith connect, including at the Peacemaking conference. Sign up for the Peacemaking conference, where Environmental Ministries will be leading a coffee and conversation session. I'll also be there leading a Big Tent common workshop on Earth Care Congregations, and at the Compassion, Peace and Justice booth in the exhibit hall. Read more about the Peacemaking conference, reposted from Swords into Plowshares: The registration deadline for the... Continue reading

Rev. Peter Sawtell, Executive Director of Eco-Justice Ministries, sends out a wonderful weekly e-newsletter "Eco-Justice Notes" that reflects on eco-justice issues from a theological perspective. These weekly columns are inspiring, and I wanted to direct you to Rev. Sawtell's most recent issue from May 20. In this issue of "Eco-Justice Notes," Rev. Sawtell focuses on "Dominion: a challenge for preachers." He explains that the Revised Common Lectionary gives pastors a perfect opportunity to incorporate eco-justice into sermons on Sunday, June 19. The lectionary text that day includes Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Psalm 8, both of which incorporate the idea of human... Continue reading

Environmental Ministries is excited to be presenting workshops at and helping to sponsor the upcoming Presbyterians for Earth Care (PEC) Conference. Register now. Be sure to register by June 1 for Early Registration Discount! The event will be a wonderful time of learning, worship, fellowship, and networking with other Presbyterians working on earth care. Read more about the conference from PEC: 2011 National PEC Faith & Environment Conference "God's Earth: Too Big to Fail? An Eco-Justice Conversation Among Faith, Science and Culture" August 31 - September 3, 2011, at Highlands Presbyterian Camp and Retreat Center in the mountains of Colorado.... Continue reading

Sustainable Pathways: Creation Care and Best Practices for Camp and Retreat Ministries will take place September 19-23, 2011 at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. The conference will provide participants with ideas for incorporating sustainability into their camp and conference centers in many areas, including maintenance, facility planning, energy efficiency programs, and food service. Download the event flyer and register for the event at Ferncliff's website. The event is endorsed by the Presbyterian (PCCCA), United Methodist (NCRC),and Evangelical Lutheran (LOM) camp and retreat ministry networks. Camp and Conference Centers are a natural partner for environmental sustainability education... Continue reading

The National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program sent the following email, announcing an exciting DVD giveaway opportunity, and a new worship resource. “The land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants.” Lev 25:23 God’s Creation is a gift and one that we are called to protect and to serve as tenants – not as owners. And yet we treat Creation as if it’s ours, altering it to meet our needs. In no place is this more apparent than in Appalachia, where Mountaintop Removal mining – the practice of blowing off mountaintops to extract coal – is destroying... Continue reading

My colleague Brian Frick with PC(USA) Camp and Conference Ministries wrote this blog post on hydraulic-fracturing, or fracking. Brian's post on the "Here I Am" blog looks at fracking from the point of view of a camp and conference center, but this way of looking at it can be translated to any setting, as we're all charged with caring for God's good creation. BREAKING NEWS: Fracking (extracting natural gas from underground shale deposits through fracturing) has been scientifically linked to water contamination. Take a moment and listen to the "Here and Now" episode discussing the issue. ‘Fracking’ Scientifically Linked To... Continue reading

The Faith and Money Network is planning a "Trip of Perspective" focused on Faith, Mountains and the Economy to Wise County, Virginia to explore the impact of mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mining. The trip aims to foster awareness of injustices related to the practice of MTR, build relationships, make connections between our use of energy and environmental impacts, and move participants to personal and political action to make a difference in this issue. The trip will take place July 27-31, starting and ending in Washington D.C., for preparation and reflection. Download a flyer about the trip. Find more information on... Continue reading

McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago is going to offer a Certificate in Environmental Ministry and Leadership, through a partnership with Faith in Place, a Chicago-based organization educating faith communities about clean energy and sustainable farming. The program is designed for pastors and leaders of religious and nonprofit institutions who want to infuse eco-justice and care for the earth into their communities and missions. Courses will take place over two four-day sessions in Chicago, which will explore faith and environmental issues through many disciplines. Sessions are scheduled for September 21 –24, 2011 and February 29 – March 3, 2012. The curriculum... Continue reading

Reposted from Swords into Plowshares. Sign up for a webinar on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. Learn more about the Colombia Free Trade Agreement and take action. Join us for a Webinar on May 27 Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar Seat Now The Obama Administration is pushing to pass the three Free Trade Agreements – Korea, Colombia and Panama – by summer. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is organizing its voice now to speak on behalf of those who do not have a seat at the negotiating table – indigenous groups, small farmers, Colombia’s millions of displaced people and persecuted... Continue reading

Eco-Notes is the e-newsletter from Environmental Ministries that is delivered approximately monthly. Sign up to receive Eco-Notes. The May 2011 edition of Eco-Notes is below. Join the Environmental Ministries Action Network Environmental Ministries is launching the Environmental Ministries Action Network (EMAN), which is open to anyone who is involved in environmental stewardship in their congregation and/or presbytery. The goal of EMAN is to inspire and equip Presbyterians to care for God’s earth and to increase the channels of communication between Environmental Ministries and congregations and presbyteries with environmental stewardship programs. Participants in EMAN will work with their churches and/or presbyteries... Continue reading

Colleagues in the Presbyterian Hunger Program sent the following action alert regarding the Colombia Free Trade Agreement: Momentum is building fast in Washington to approve the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Colombia along with the Korea and Panama FTA. We are especially concerned about the Colombia FTA. We know that a fair and humane trade agreement cannot be implemented in an environment in which union leaders are assassinated, and where the land rights of indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities and small-scale farmers are consistently undermined. We need your help today to remind our government that we should not even be considering... Continue reading

Chloe Schwabe, the Environmental Health Program Manager for the the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program sent the following information about an opportunity to join an upcoming webinar on healthy aging: "In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." -From the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy While growing up, my grandparents told me to eat my vegetables and made sure I exercised. We know that diet and exercise are still important. But some of the foods we eat and toxic chemicals in our homes and neighborhoods, might actually contribute to... Continue reading

Rev. Craig Goodwin, a pastor at Millwood Community Presbyterian Church in Millwood, Washington asked if I might be interested in reading his new book Year of Plenty and mailed me a copy earlier this year. It is always exciting to hear from Presbyterians who are involved in sustainability. Subtitled “One Suburban Family, Four Rules, and 365 Days of Homegrown Adventure in Pursuit of Christian Living,” the book chronicles the Goodwin family’s year of sustainable Christian living and makes many theological connections to a way of living that takes into account God’s people and earth. Learn more about the book and... Continue reading

First Presbyterian Church in Asheville, North Carolina, which is an Earth Care Congregation, has shared some exciting news. The church has been received an Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM) Greener Pastors Climate Fellow Award. This award will help the church in its continued efforts to become a greener congregation, as well as provide opportunities for unemployed residents in Asheville to find work through ABCCM’s Green Job program. What an inventive eco-justice program. Through the program, First Presbyterian Church will receive a free energy assessment for their church facility; help in identifying grant opportunities to fund recommended upgrades; and educational... Continue reading

The following blog post is reposted from Swords into Plowshares, the blog of my colleagues in the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program and the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations. The issue of conflicts minerals includes many concerns, from violence against women and children to eco-justice. Learn more and sign a petition to ask Secretary Clinton to work for an effective certification system for conflict minerals in Congo. Tell Secretary Clinton: we need a credible certification system for Congo's conflict minerals. Take Action | RAISE Hope for Congo. RAISE Hope for Congo provides a way to help address the issue of conflict... Continue reading

This weekend we will celebrate Mother's Day. The National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program is offering a couple of ways to celebrate Mother's Day. A material environmental health gift for Mom: If you are looking for ideas for a homemade gift for your mother, consider making a non-toxic cosmetic with recipes from the NCC Eco-Justice Program's "Healthy Spa" resource. (Choose from several recipes including honey tonic, lip balm, and coffee scrub.) An environmental health gift of advocacy for Mom: May 5-6 are "National Call-In Days to Honor Moms' Work for Healthy Families." Take a few minutes to call your Senators... Continue reading

Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22. Presbyterian churches are urged to reflect on caring for God’s creation on a Sunday near Earth Day. PC(USA) Environmental Ministries promotes the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program Earth Day resources. This year’s resources focus on the eco-justice as community and the Gulf Coast Oil Spill. As Earth Day fell on the same day as Good Friday this year, some Presbyterian Churches will be celebrating in May this year, so more Earth Day Sunday stories may be coming. Below are several stories of how Presbyterian churches are celebrating Earth Day Sunday... Continue reading

World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated on June 5. If your church didn’t have the chance to celebrate Earth Day Sunday this year, or if you’d like to take another Sunday to focus on God’s creation, this is another natural opportunity. The United Nations Environment Programme sponsors WED, and the theme for 2011 is “Forests: Nature at Your Service.” Find materials to help plan a WED event. Find resources from the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program to incorporate care for creation in your church service on June 5. Choose from many resources, including this year’s Earth Day resource, or... Continue reading

Recently I received an exciting update on environmental stewardship projects in Presbyterian churches in the Presbytery of Nevada from Elaine Noble, the presbytery’s Stewardship of Creation Enabler. Read about some of the exciting projects going on in the presbytery: Covenant Presbyterian Church in Reno started the Covenant Community Garden in 2010, with help from a church member who is a Master Gardener. The church decided to put vacant land on their property to use, creating an opportunity for church members to create community through gardening together, and to share the garden’s harvest with others in the community. Half of the... Continue reading

Are you active in an environmental stewardship ministry in your church or presbytery? If so, or if you would like to become involved, please join the Environmental Ministries Action Network (EMAN). Environmental Ministries is launching this new network that is open to anyone who is involved in environmental stewardship in their congregation and/or presbytery. The goal of EMAN is to inspire and equip Presbyterians to care for God’s earth and to increase the channels of communication between PC(USA) Environmental Ministries and congregations and presbyteries with environmental stewardship programs. Participants in EMAN will work with their churches and/or presbyteries to care... Continue reading

Brad McFall, the Stewardship of Creation Enabler in the Presbytery of Susquehanna Valley submitted the following article and picture about a recent eco-justice oriented youth trip. You can find out more at the Tagging Turtles website. Presbyterian youth in New York traveled to South Carolina this spring to study eco-justice through the "Tagging Turtles for Jesus" program of Restoring Creation Enabler, Dr. Lehr Brisbin. Ten youth from four different Presbytery of Susquehanna Valley (PSV) churches stayed at Camp Fellowship in Trinity Presbytery in South Carolina from April 14-18 2011, to learn about restoring creation for ecology and justice and worship... Continue reading

World Fair Trade Day is celebrated the first two weeks in May in many places throughout the world. In the United States, World Fair Trade Day is coordinated by Fair Trade Resource Network. The theme for 2011 Fair Trade Day celebrations is “100,000 Taking a Fair Trade Coffee Break.” Find events near you, resources for planning an event, and materials for education and promotion. Fair Trade Resource Network is urging people to plan events and be counted in the 100,000 people who take a break for fair trade between May 1-15. A fair trade coffee break during your church coffee... Continue reading

There are many presbyteries that have active committees or groups focused on earth care. These groups have different structures and go by many different names – environmental stewardship, creation care, earth care, etc., but they usually have the same purpose – helping churches and their members care for God’s earth. I’d like to lift up a few of the presbytery groups that I am familiar with that are doing great work in this ministry, and that have helpful websites. As I mentioned, there are many of these groups out there, and all aren’t mentioned in this blog post. I’d love... Continue reading

The National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program sent the following action alert: Through the waters of our Baptism we are reborn into the spirit and the community of Christ’s Holy Church. As faithful members of that community we are called to care for each other and all Creation. One year after the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf Coast we must remember our call and care for the communities and Creation affected by this devastation. Please help ensure a viable future filled with restoration and renewal for the Gulf. The BP Oil Spill, a year later, continues to devastate the... Continue reading