Our History

Lutherans Restoring Creation (“LRC”) grew out of a long Lutheran tradition of caring for God’s creation. It began with a small, dedicated network called the Lutheran Earthkeeping Network of the Synods, or LENS, which has existed since 1997.

LENS connected people in congregations, synods, and the wider Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) who cared for creation.

From May 15–18, 1997, more than 250 people from many Christian traditions met at the Eco-Justice Working Group Summit in Estes Park, Colorado. About two dozen were from the ELCA.

The conference set aside an hour each day for denominational meetings. Some attendees used that time to talk about building a network among synod environmental committees — something that had never existed before. Region 5 (Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula) already had experience organizing a regional retreat and staying in touch about environmental stewardship. Jim Schwab, chair of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod’s Environmental Concerns Working Group, worked with Dr. Job Ebenezer, the ELCA’s Director of Environmental Stewardship, to plan a nationwide network.

Everyone at the meeting agreed a network was needed. Over four days, they wrote a mission statement and mapped out ideas for future action.

At the National Council of Churches (NCC) Eco-Justice conference in Washington, D.C. in 2001, ELCA earthkeepers met again to plan their work. They discussed filling the position Dr. Job Ebenezer had left at ELCA churchwide, and set four goals for LENS:

• It needed structural support from the institutional church.
• It should mainly educate and connect people, separate from public policy advocacy.
• It should connect Lutheran youth, synod offices, environmental committees, colleges, campus ministries, and other groups — including the National Council of Churches — with Lutheran perspectives and resources.
• It should have an advisory committee of volunteers from across the country for support and advice.

The group also began organizing a website and email list, connecting with other Lutheran justice organizations, and working to change ecological practices in the ELCA.

The Caring for Creation Now Consultation met in Mundelein, Illinois, November 5–7, 2003. Sixty people from ELCA synods and congregations attended, along with eleven churchwide staff members.

The group affirmed the ELCA’s Caring for Creation social statement and looked for ways to put it into action. They wrote a Caring for Creation worship liturgy and began drafting a sample synod resolution making creation care a priority for the ELCA. New workgroups formed, and members kept in touch through the LENS email list and website, and through ELCA communications.

In January 2005, a small group of LENS members met in Mundelein, Illinois, to plan strategy and prepare for a larger gathering that fall.

In October 2005, more than 20 ELCA earthkeeping leaders gathered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Together they:

• built the foundation for a network of active Lutheran creation care advocates
• learned basic advocacy and organizing skills
• planned LENS activities for 2006–2007
• left with excitement and a clear sense of their next steps

In January 2008, an earthkeeping “visioning” consultation was held at the ELCA Churchwide Offices. Long-time LENS participants, several churchwide staff, and one bishop met to discuss how to bring creation care to every part of the ELCA. A summary was shared with the ELCA Council of Bishops in March 2008.

Fourteen people took part, representing different ELCA units along with theologians, laity, and rostered leaders. The meeting was made possible by shared funding from the ELCA’s stewardship unit (Keith Mundy) and its environmental education and advocacy office (Mary Minette). Kim Winchell, a diaconal minister in the N/W Lower Michigan Synod, served as meeting planner, convener, and discussion facilitator.

Participants:

• Keith Mundy, Stewardship, EOCM
• Mary Minette, Director, Environmental Education & Advocacy, ELCA Washington Office
• Tammy Devine, Diaconal Minister and ELCA Wellness Coordinator, BOP
• Russ Senti, Director, Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center, Oregon, IL
• John D. Schleicher, Bishop, N/W Lower MI Synod and Bishops Environmental “Ready Bench”
• Dr. David Rhoads, LSTC, Web of Creation, Green Congregations Program
• Dr. H. Paul Santmire, theologian, author, ELCA pastor, and co-author of the ELCA’s 1993 social statement on creation
• Lynette Stott, Director, ELCA State Public Policy Offices
• Heidi Hagstrom, Director for the ELCA Youth Gathering 2009
• Bob Sitze, Director, ELCA Hunger Education Program
• Mark Peters, Director, Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in Minnesota
• Rev. Dennis Ormseth, Green Congregation program, Minnesota
• Rev. Nelson Bock, Faculty, Religion Department, Wartburg College, and Colorado Interfaith Power & Light
• Kim Winchell, Diaconal Minister, Earthkeeping Ministries, N/W Lower MI Synod

Goals for the consultation:

• Gather and identify leaders in ELCA earthkeeping efforts.
• Find ways to connect and deepen earthkeeping efforts across the ELCA.
• Look for ways ELCA units could work together and share information and best practices.
• Develop recommendations for next steps to share with ELCA units, synods, and other leaders.

What came out of it:

• Participants described it as a powerful meeting — a hopeful turning point.
• The 14 participants agreed to continue as an Advisory Group, with a five-member Steering Team, and planned to add more members for broader representation.
• They saw it as the start of a conversation that could ripple out across the ELCA.