COP27 & You!
While the 27th Conference of Parties at the UN’s Climate Change Conference of 2022 may seem worlds away in Egypt, you and your church have a calling to pray and participate! Below are some ways to engage while the event is going on. Continue to stay engaged with Lutherans Restoring Creation to help your church […]
Doctrine of Discovery’s Role in Climate Injustice
The ELCA has been working to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery. As individuals and institutions continue to reconcile and repair relationships, let’s consider what specific role Creation Care Ministries can offer. One step in the process is to listen to people’s stories and recognize the roots of racism and inequity found throughout our nation and […]
Act of Solidarity in Support of the Earth Charter
An Act of Solidarity -All Synods – All Congregations– Earth Sunday April 24th The NY Metro synod asks all synods and all synod congregations to join us nationally on Earth Sunday, April 24th in a joint action of solidarity to raise up the importance of Creation Care and promote the Earth Charter (earthcharter.org). The ask […]
Who Are the People in your “Neighborhood”?
Connections Call conversation from October 26, 2021 about all the people in our web of creation care. Listen in to find out more about the host of helpers among us: Fellow Green Shepherds Creation Care Ambassadors Creation Care Coaches Community Organizers as trained via Organizing for Mission network Our past two Connections Calls have highlighted […]
What Can We Do?
AFFIRM: Personally, with your church council, or entire synod, review our ELCA’s 1993 call to action and commit to engaging in steps to live into that calling. Ask your Church Council to consider how Creation Care can fit into the context of your church community. This Convenant is an easy way to do that, with background […]
Sample resolutions from other denominations
Catholic: http://www.catholicsandclimatechange.org/ The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change national organization connected to the US Council of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Charities http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/ Action-response link from above, includes a tab for the St. Francis Pledge. Episcopal: http://www.eenonline.org/ Episcopal Environmental Network (national) similar to Web of Creation http://www.episcopalchurch.org/1829_ENG_HTM.htm Episcopal Peace and Justice site, base for Environmental Stewardship […]
Heidi Ann Michelsen
Advisor I’m currently an administrator and professor for the study abroad program of Valparaiso University, at the Praxis Center located in Costa Rica. I teach classes about Central American history, politics, religion, ethnicity, environmental issues, sustainable development and also Comparative Healthcare Systems. In addition, I occasionally lead short term service learning experiences for U.S. universities. […]
Lutheran Responses to Fossil Fuel Dependency
Some of us bemoan the fact that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has not committed to entirely divest from fossil fuels as many others have (see latest cohort of 42 religious institutions). Some of us are wary of pulling out entirely from shareholder positions when we may be able to have more leverage to […]
2016 Churchwide Assembly Passes Memorial To Move Towards A Responsible Energy Future
On August 13, 2016, after days of conversation, discernment, and prayer, the ELCA Churchwide Assembly voted to pass the memorial Toward a Responsible Energy Future. A grassroots divestment coalition had brought together several synod memorials, working through the proper parliamentary process to bring an amended version to the floor for a vote. 2016 Churchwide Assembly […]
Tools for Grassroots Advocacy: Full Spectrum
We have had several Connection Calls which lift up numerous ways we can represent what the ELCA’s Creation Care stance offers and how to implement action from where we are each planted. Since we are all living in very different spaces and each know our own audiences best there seems to be a spectrum of […]
What Do We Know About Carbon Pricing and How is it Part of a Just Transition?
We are grateful for the work of Faith Action Team with Citizens’ Climate Lobby and eager to share that a growing number of synods are lifting up policies endorsed by Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL). (See live spreadsheet here of those local efforts.) These efforts are all within our toolbox to urgently move to a just […]
Creation Care Ambassador Program
Since 2020 ELCA and ecoAmerica’s Blessed Tomorrow have trained over 300 members to reach out to their faith community in order to activate congregations to work towards climate solutions in their areas. There are dozens of certified Ambassadors ready to share their new skills and resources with your church and community. All “Certified Ambassadors” who […]
Congregational Covenant and Organizing Kit: An Overview
A step-by-step kit to help your congregation organize for creation care — worship, education, buildings and grounds, advocacy, and personal discipleship — plus a downloadable PDF.
My Daughter’s Inheritance
Reflections on “Public Witnessing” with your children by Phoebe Morad, Lutherans Restoring Creation As someone who has worked in some facet of environmental action for over 20 years, you’d think that fear, guilt, and longing would consume my anticipation of what world I leave for my children. Fortunately, since I found my place among faith-based […]
What does church have to do with it?
As many faith-based organizations are struggling with their place in relation to people’s daily lives, so does the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America look for ways the world can use what we offer. As part of an appeal for our churches to take on the uncomfortable challenge of being engaged in the public sphere, let’s […]
Earth Charter Memorial Passes at Churchwide Assembly
*** UPDATE as of June 4, 2019**** Colleagues, I write to inform you that this past Thursday evening the Upstate New York Synod approved the memorial requesting that the Churchwide Assembly endorse The Earth Charter by a vote of 192-13. No one spoke in opposition. So as of now we have four synods that are sending this […]
Prayers for Leadership on Climate Change
Representative, Ruth Ivory-Moore (Advocacy Energy & Environment) from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America joined the COP24 (the 24th Conference of the Parties) in Katowice, Poland. Light For Katowice 2018 >> Click here to download an easy-to-use copy of the prayer booklet. Thanks to Lisa Brenskelle from the Christ the King Church in Houston Texas for […]
Synod Resolutions: Synod Actions
Resolution to become an LRC Synod Central States Synod Approved June 2015 Resolution to become a Green Synod Northern Illinois Synod Assembly Approved April 2008 Resolution on Establishing an Environmental Stewardship Committee Metropolitan New York Synod, 2009