Theology and Mission

Theology

As people of faith we are called to protect God's creation. The following resources provide an overview of ways to incorporate environmental themes in theological discussions and worship services. To learn more about the theological context of green building, Building in Good Faith is an excellent starting point.

Green Your Sermon
Whether lay or ordained, it is important for leaders within your congregation to communicate the importance of sustainability. These links may be a helpful starting point in developing a sermon that involves environmental concerns.

 Themes:
  http://www.eco-justice.org/3layers.asp
  http://www.neccsa.org.za/Documents-De%20Gruchy.htm
  http://www.greenfaith.org/spirit/scripture.pdf

 Samples:
  http://www.webofcreation.org/Worship/preaching/samplesermons.htm
  http://www.env-steward.com/lectnry.htm

Winners of EarthMinistry 2009 Sermon Contest:
In its 2009 annual Creation Care Sermon Contest, four finalists were selected to present their inspired messages calling the Christian community to action on behalf of God's good creation. Two awards were presented, the Franciscan Philanthropist Award, to the contestant whose sermon raised the most money in support of Earth Ministry's work and mission, and the People's Choice Award, to the contestant who received the most number of votes regardless of the amount of money donated.

• The Irresistible, Sustainable Future* by Elizabeth Freese, Austin Texas
  *Winner of the Franciscan Philanthropist Award
• Keepers of God's Beloved World*, by Rev. Anne Hall, Seattle, WA
  *Winner of the People's Choice Award
• May St. Francis Speak to Us Anew by Jeanie Graustein, New Haven, CT
• Christ the Hope for All Creation...and Humans, Too by Rev. Dr. Henry Langknecht

  http://www.earthministry.org/congregations

Green Your Worship
A good way to get your congregation involved in green projects is to incorporate green themes into your service. These resources provide ideas for adding creation care to your worship service.   http://www.greenfaith.org/spirit/guidelines.html
  http://nccecojustice.org/earthday/

Mission

Green Your Mission
You may wish to incorporate creation care themes within your mission statement,identity statement, and program goals. Sustainability and protection of God's creation can be present in the language of anything from your youth group's curriculum, to a retreat's theme, and even your congregation's overall mission statement.

Ideas and Resources for Ministry:
Visit these links to get ideas for eco-ministry programs. Whether you are looking for a project for your entire congregation, a youth group program, or a diocesan-wide initiative, these resources provide a starting point.

 Programming:
  http://www.webofcreation.org/Manuals/index.htm
  http://www.stewardsforcreation.org/spirit.htm

 Education:
  http://www.webofcreation.org/ReligiousEducation/index.htm