We are called to join God in calling all of creation good and striving for the justice of the earth and its resources. As God’s trusted stewards, we recognize the value of creation and advocate for the care of the earth and the life of the creatures that inhabit this world. Through our Reformation mission of serving our neighbor, we commit ourselves to this work for generations to come. Learn more about Reformation’s Eco-Ministry here.
Below are resources to connect you with education, advocacy, and prayer for the care of the earth.
Plan to join us for Eco Sunday!
- Introduction to LAMPa and the work they do
- the need for both individual acts and public policy commitments to addressing environmental issue
- how advocacy dovetails with our calling to be caretakers of creation
- opportunities to connect with other Lutheran who are passionate about addressing climate change and other issues that call for advocacy
During the pandemic, what environmentally friendly practice or perspective did you adopt that will help us bounce back better?
Barely drove anywhere– no gas used. No hairdresser- no pollutants from there or electricity.
Fran Shore
As a wellness, eco friendly advocate for over 20 years, it does my heart good to see added awareness. I have increased our zoom wellness workshops significantly, educating people about safer eco friendly options. And I use only botanical based disinfectant to protect not only my family but also so as not to put pesticide-based cleansers like bleach and lysol down the drain into our streams.
Sue Pritchard
During the pandemic, I saw a lot of how the humans negatively impact the earth (and how our absence made it healthier), so I decided I wanted to be the change. Our family purchased several products from Earth Hero in an effort to divest from plastic packaging. We us toothpaste in a glass jar, reusable dental floss in a glass jar, reusable razors (the handles are made from recycled yogurt cups), powder laundry detergent in a paper bag, bars of soap for hair and dishes. We’ve been reusing metal straws, reusable grocery bags, and rubber sandwich baggies for a while, but our commitment is to purchase everything we can without plastic waste. We also use cloth masks when in public. We want to see less plastic production and use of single-use plastics.
Melissa Lavery
With lots more stay-at-home time during the pandemic, I’ve taken on what I like to call “The Pantry Challenge.” During “normal” times I often don’t pay much attention to our pantry inventory. However, knowing that reducing food waste can have a very positive impact on the environment, I decided to find those items languishing on shelves and match them to recipes that will put them to use. And since I enjoy cooking and I like to browse on Pinterest, it’s become a fun habit with delicious and environmentally friendly consequences!
Marilyn Berberich
Driving less and eating out less!
The Fontes Family
I have a “Short Distance” commute to work. It was delightful to not get into the car and burn the fossil fuel. In addition, I began each work day walking the dog by Ridley Lake. It is a great way to appreciate nature and get appropriately centered for the day.
John Grantland
The pictures that stood out to me the most during the pandemic, were the ones where wild animals all over the world were sitting, sunbathing, and relaxing on deserted man-made roads and highways. As an Environmental Engineer, I expected the air quality and roadside pollution to improve during this time but, for some reason, I didn’t think about the wild animals reclaiming their territories. It was a reminder that we ALL share God’s creation no mater what species we are. Even if we can’t see them on a daily basis, we all need to keep that in mind and to care for one another, no matter how small.
Kristen Chorney
About a month into the closures of most things due to the pandemic, I watched a video filmed by a drone flying through the almost completely empty streets of Philadelphia. It was such a counter to the noise and motion in which the city normally exists. The calm and quiet that even our busiest places in this world experienced because of these closures made me appreciate, in a new way, the need for all of creation to rest, to be re-created, to fully experience sabbath. My hope is that we remember and embody that as we move back into a more “normal” experience of our lives and recall the need for rest for ourselves and the earth.
Pastor Alina Gayeuski
Our concern for meat workers during this pandemic made me consider our family’s eating habits. As it turns out, eating less meat is good for the environment. It is perhaps one of the most effective things I can do on a personal level to address climate change. We haven’t gone completely vegetarian yet but we are on our way. I never knew there were such tasty vegetarian recipes out there! With better meal planning, too, we are throwing out way less food. These are the two environmentally friendly practices in which we are engaged at the moment.
Karen Matthias-Long
ELCA Advocacy – “Caring for Creation”
The Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice social statement explains the ELCA’s teachings on ecology and the environment, grounded in a biblical vision of God’s intention for the healing and wholeness of creation. This statement provides a Christian understanding of the human role to serve in creation, and a hope rooted in God’s faithfulness to the creation from which humans emerge and depend upon for sustaining life. It provides a framework for understanding the human role in creation, the problem of sin and the current environmental crisis.
ELCA Advocacy – “Caring for Creation Today”
Caring for God’s creation is an ever-evolving topic in this world, especially with each new natural or human made disaster. As stewards of this world, we are called to care for the earth and examine our behaviors toward creation. While we need to take from the land for food and sustainability, we also need to be careful that we maintain good stewardship and do not exploit the wonderful things the earth provides.
Lutherans Restoring Creation
LRC is a grassroots movement promoting care for creation in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We accomplish this by cultivating a community of dedicated stewards of earth and neighbor who proclaim God’s promise of hope and healing for all.
Blessed Tomorrow
Blessed Tomorrow is a coalition of diverse religious partners working to advance climate solutions in faithful service to God.
Interfaith Power and Light
Interfaith Power & Light is a network of organizations from around the country working on a faithful response to climate change.
GreenFaith
Because the Earth and all people are sacred and at risk, GreenFaith is building a global, multi-faith climate and environmental movement.
Project Drawdown
Our mission is to help the world reach “Drawdown”— the point in the future when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline, thereby stopping catastrophic climate change — as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible.
Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light
Communities of faith responding to climate change.
One Home One Future
One Home One Future is a seven-year multi-faith campaign to strengthen vitality, relevance and community connection across generations in local congregations nationwide.
“Exploring the Intersection of Faith and Environmental Justice”
A reflection on where the Catholic Church was putting stakes in the ground, and on what their own faith traditions teach about environmental care and stewardship, and shared their thoughts in a liturgy about the importance of water, which was published on several websites.
United Church of Christ – “Environmental Justice Issues and Resources”
The Toxic Wastes and Race and Toxic Wastes and Race at Twenty reports are the landmark study and follow-up study that demonstrated a direct correlation between the placement of toxic waste facilities and communities of poverty and/or color.
League of Women Voters – “The Environment”
The preservation of the physical, chemical and biological integrity of the earth’s ecosystem is essential for maximum protection of public health and the environment. The interrelationships of air, water and land resources should be recognized in designing environmental safeguards.
NAACP – “Environmental and Climate Justice”
Environmental injustice, including the proliferation of climate change, has a disproportionate impact on communities of color and low income communities in the United States and around the world. The NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program was created to support community leadership in addressing this human and civil rights issue.
Sierra Club – “Environmental Justice”
At the Sierra Club, we are diligently working to explore the integration of social justice and environmental concerns.
Fair Trade Campaigns
Fair Trade Campaigns is a powerful grassroots movement mobilizing thousands of conscious consumers and Fair Trade advocates on campuses and communities across the USA.
Climate Church, Climate World by Jim Antal (2018)
Creation Crisis Preaching by Leah D. Schade (2015)