Resolution 2009 – 03: Environmental Stewardship
1 WHEREAS, the ELCA adopted the “Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope and Justice” Social 2Statement at the Churchwide Assembly in 1993 to address the church’s understanding of God’s 3 call to us to care for the earth; and,
4 WHEREAS, the ELCA has created materials to guide congregations, schools, and other groups 5 in conducting environmental audits; and,
6 WHEREAS, the knowledge and understanding of the impact of our individual 7andcongregational uses of natural resources is documented (for example, The 8MillenniumEcosystem Assessment) ; and,
9 WHEREAS, Scripture shows God’s love for creation and mandates humans to serve and keep 10 the earth; and,
11 WHEREAS, a Green Team can be a catalyst for transformation in a congregation; and,
12 WHEREAS, there is a relationship between global injustice and the degradation of nature. 13Our Companion Synods in the Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Colombia and the Central 14Dioces in Tanzania struggle from the imbalance of the use and exploitation of the world’s 15natural resources,
16 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Southeastern Minnesota Synod live out more 17fully the “Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope and Justice” Social Statement actions; and,
18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that each congregation of the Southeastern Minnesota 19Synod of the ELCA conduct the ELCA’s Environmental Audit; and,
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that congregations of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod of 21 the ELCA study caring for creation issues in Sunday School and Bible Studies, to learn more 22 about our call to be God’s stewards of the earth; and
23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Southeastern Minnesota Synod of the ELCA 24establish a committee or task force to address environmental issues in the synod and 25congregations; and,
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a goal be set for the year 2011 for 75% of all products 27 used by the Southeastern Minnesota Synod of the ELCA office and its congregations be 28environmentally conscious. This goal would include attention to the use of fairly traded 29products.
Submitted by the congregational council of Bethel Lutheran Church, Rochester,Minn., authored and approved by the“BIGG Idea” team (Bethel Individuals Going Green) A similar resolution was passed by the Blue Earth River Conference Assembly.