ELCA members have the opportunity to be public witnesses through the process of submitting, educating fellow members, and eventually passing synod resolutions. Some of these public statements and declarations of change also move along to be a Memorial to be passed by the entire Church-wide body which meets every three years. For details about your local submission requirements contact your synod office.
We have a history of creation care-related ELCA synod resolutions and related materials. Please contact us ASAP if you are preparing a draft or see something that we are missing! Many of these are supported by important footnotes and talking points per each topic area:
Recent resolutions:
Connections Call: Advocating and Acting for Reducing Greenhouse Gases
A Call to Advocate and Act for the Reduction of Greenhouse Gases for the Health of All >> Be sure ...
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Upcoming Connections Call: A Spectrum of Tools to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (9/28)
What are all* the tools we, as ELCA churches and individual members, bring to the table to achieve 50% Reduction ...
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Central States Synod Assembly Resolution Calls for “Green Action” (2017)
At the 2017 Synod Assembly in Kansas City, voting members adopted a resolution that encourages "its leaders and congregations to ...
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Resolution on Caring for Creation: North/West Lower MI Synod in Assembly 2004
WHEREAS, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America adopted the social statement “Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice” by a ...
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Synod Resolutions: Caring for Creation – general
Resolution on Caring for Creation North/West Lower MI Synod Assembly Approved May 14-16, 2004 Resolution on Environmental Stewardship Southeastern Minnesota ...
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2021 Eco-Justice Related Synod Resolutions
The following is a list of Resolutions that we know have been adopted in 2021 - but we know there ...
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Upper Susquehanna (PA) Synod Assembly passes three eco-related Memorials/Resolutions (2015)
At the Upper Susquehanna (PA) Synod June 2015 Assembly three eco-related Memorials/Resolutions were passed. The following is a summary of ...
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Southeastern Synod’s Green Task Force
What a wonderful story of regional advocacy! The Southeastern Synod decided to enlist a caring for creation "task force" at ...
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Consider Caring for Creation Coaching
What is ELCA Coaching? Click here for a Ministry Description Why would you need a Creation Care Coach for your Synod ...
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So We Can Restore Creation
While caring for the environment can feel overwhelming, it’s when we stand together, each doing our part, that we find ...
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*Carbon Pricing: Suggested Resolution for 2021*
The Board of Directors of Lutherans Restoring Creation has unanimously endorsed the resolution (see here) adopted by Upper Iowa River ...
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Eco-Reformation & Environmental Justice: In Word & Deed
The Grace Gathering ran parallel to the 2016 Churchwide Voting Assembly in New Orleans. The goal in gathering was to ...
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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 ...
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How Do We Truly Commit to the Earth Charter?
During the 2019 Churchwide Assembly the ELCA voted to officially sign onto the principals of the Earth Charter. For a ...
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Eco-Resources for Your Synod Gatherings
What can YOU do to get congregations in your area thinking about Caring for Creation as part of church? 1 ...
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MN Area Synod Passes Climate Change Resolution
Download the Resolution & Rationale they used to discuss the issues behind the considerations. What do we do to make sure our ...
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New England Synod Takes the Challenge (2013)
At the New England 2013 Assembly, June 7-9, voters agreed to urge the restraint of hydraulic fracturing and request an ...
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New England Synod’s Bishop Hazelwood Connects with Catholics over Climate (and other) Changes
On the heels of the Pope's Encyclical encouraging caring for our common home, two religious leaders in New England came ...
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Metro NY Synod Resolution on Energy Stewardship (2010)
A Resolution on Energy Stewardship – Metro NY Synod Whereas, we in the industrialized world are consuming energy and Earth’s ...
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Carbon Fee (and Dividend) Resolution Passed at Churchwide (2019)
The following Synod Resolution was passed by the SC Synod of Wisconsin and passed at Churchwide Assembly in 2019. See ...
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2016 Churchwide Assembly Passes Memorial To Move Towards A Responsible Energy Future
2016 Churchwide Assembly Passes Memorial To Move Towards A Responsible Energy Future During the months leading up to the August ...
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Florida/Bahamas Synod Energy Audit Resolution (2009)
Florida/Bahamas Synod, 2009 Congregations to do Annual Energy Audits Targeted to 25% by 2020 WHEREAS, we face urgent climate perils ...
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Synod Resolutions: Synod Actions
Resolution to become an LRC Synod Central States Synod Approved June 2015 Resolution to become a Green Synod Northern Illinois ...
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Synod Resolutions: Divestment from Fossil Fuels
Transition to Cleaner Energy Memorial Upper Susquehanna (PA) Synod June 2015 Study Impacts of Divestment Resolution Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod's Creation Care ...
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Oregon Synod Divestment Resolution (2013)
St. Luke Fossil Fuel Divestment Resolution passes at Oregon Synod meeting On Saturday, May 18th, 2013, the St. Luke Fossil ...
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Metro NY Resolution 2015 Release: Fossil Fuel Divestment
NYC-AREA LUTHERANS RESOLVE TO DIVEST FROM FOSSIL FUELS CULMINATION OF EFFORTS BEGUN SHORTLY AFTER LAST YEAR'S PEOPLE'S CLIMATE MARCH June ...
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Northeastern Pennsylvania to Study Divestment (2015)
The following resolution was passed at the June 2015 Assembly of the Northeastern Pennsylvania: WHEREAS, Jesus calls us as his ...
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Memorial for Transition to Clean, Renewable Energy; Upper Susquenanna Synod Assembly (2015)
WHEREAS, God created heaven and earth and everything therein and proclaimed it good (Gen 1:1ff); and God has entrusted humankind ...
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Southeastern Minnesota Environmental Stewardship Resolution (2009)
Resolution 2009 - 03: Environmental Stewardship 1 WHEREAS, the ELCA adopted the “Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope and Justice” Social ...
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Metro New York Resolution: Establishing an Environmental Stewardship Committee (2009)
Submitted by the Tappan Zee Conference, St. Luke’s (New Rochelle), St. John’s (Mamaroneck), Our Redeemer (Chappaqua), Chapel of Christ (Yonkers), ...
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