Denominational Contacts
We have a desire to be as comprehensive as we can. If you would like your organization to be included in this list, please contact us at wofc@lstc.edu.
The Buddhist Peace Fellowship invites Buddhists of many traditions to explore personal and group responses to political, social, and ecological suffering in the world. The BPF's mission is to make clear public witness to Buddhist practice and interdependence as a way of peace and protection for all beings; to raise peace, environmental, feminist, and social justice concerns among North American Buddhists; to bring a Buddhist perspective of nonduality to contemporary social action and environmental movements; to encourage the practice of nonviolence based on the rich resources of traditional Buddhist and Western spiritual teachings; to offer avenues for dialogue and exchange among the diverse North American and world sanghas. http://www.bpf.org/html/current_projects/environmental_initiatives/environmental_initiatives.html
Care For Creation
The Brethren Witness/Washington Office encourages a multifaceted response to the environmental crisis. They offer "a wide variety of materials call us to account for our own actions—and challenge us to live more responsibly and sustainably. A new study resource, "To Till and Keep: Living as stewards of God's creation in a consumer society," by Carol Lena Miller, invites serious study and concerted action. The Our Fair Share Series reminds us of our penchant for overconsuming, and suggests ways to cut back. Titles like "the Be(e/a)tles Guide to Saving God's Earth" and "The Average American" challenge each of us to think about our consumption patterns. A series of bulletin blurbs on living responsibly with God's earth is available for congregational use. Congregations and youth groups are encouraged to take part in programs like Turn Down The Heat and the Compact Florescent Lightbulb Project." They also have resource people available and links to resources at their Care for Creation site: http://www.brethren.org/genbd/witness/CareforCreation.htm
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
A project to promote environmental education, advocacy, and action in the American Jewish community. Sponsored by a broad coalition of Jewish organizations, it is a member of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment. In addition to articles and essays, the newsletter To Serve and To Protect, offers resource and advocacy information, including information about Jewish institutions given grants by the Coalition that offer educational programs for all ages. Their website can be found at: http://www.coejl.org/index.php
Earth Literacy
"Eco-justice ministries in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) grew out of the 1977General Assembly resolution that called for the development of a Task Force on Ecology. This group, comprised of 18 persons, six of whom represented denominational staff, was active for a number of years and authored the Alverna Covenant. Eventually, as the lifetime of that group ran its course, its responsibilities were moved to the general unit of the denomination that works most directly with congregations, Disciples Home Missions. DHM has continued that work by connecting Disciples to ecumenical resources and inviting them to make the Alverna Covenant as a demonstration of personal responsibility toward the environment. Additionally, DHM is developing a network that will carry on the work started by the original Task Force. Meanwhile, we are moving away from using "environment" as that word no longer conveys our relationship with and dependence on Earth's life systems, hence the term Earth Literacy." Their site offers resources for congregations, links to other sites and other ways to integrate creation care into ministry. See their website at: http://www.homelandministries.org/PublicWitness/Environment.htm
Episcopal Ecological Network
The Episcopal Ecological Network is a nationwide network within the that coordinates with the Peace and Justice Ministries Office of the Episcopal Church USA. As such we are part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and find our roots in the Celtic Spirituality of this tradition. The EEN includes all concerned Episcopalians who are helping our Church assume a leadership role in the worldwide environmental movement, just as our Church leads in other peace and justice issues. Find them online at: http://eenonline.org/
Evangelical Environment Network
Initiated by World Vision and Evangelicals for Social Action as part of a growing movement among Christians to respond faithfully to the biblical mandate for caring stewardship of God's creation. EEN recognizes many environmental problems are fundamentally spiritual problems. Publishes Creation Care magazine. Engages directly in advocacy. Produces curricula and other resources for pastors and laity. Find them online at: http://www.creationcare.org/
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The ELCA has published a Social Statement, Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice, which delineates their stance on the environmental crisis, and a call to action. The entire Social Statement may be viewed on-line at their Web site. The ELCA has even designated the second Sunday after Pentecost to be Stewardship of Creation Sunday. Find links to these statements on their advocacy webpage: http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Social-Statements/Environment.aspx
The ELCA's advocacy and action group, LENS (Lutheran Environmental Network of the Synods) offers information, support, and is continually building their network to support individuals and communities involved in care for creation. Their website is hosted here at the Webd of Creation: http://webofcreation.org/LENS/index.htm
Mennonite Creation Care Network
A network for Mennonite people and agencies actively engaged in the care and restoration of God's Creation as part of the missional commitment of Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada. They seek to equip lay people and leaders with tools, resources and models that will educate, encourage, and inspire the church to care for creation, which is an expression of God’s love. Find them online at: http://www.mennocreationcare.org/
The PC(USA) actively promotes sustainability and the health of the entire. In 1990 the General Assembly adopted its most comprehensive statement on the environment and social justice. The PC(USA) has produced various resources and educational materials for congregations, including the two volume Healing and Defending God's Creation, and provides support for various environmental justice projects.
Presbyterians for Restoring Creation
Presbyterians for Restoring Creation is a faith community dedicated to environmental wholeness with social justice, seeking to be a prophetic voice for substantive change in the church and in the world. PRC is a member-based, grassroots, non-profit organization operating primarily in the Presbyterian Church (USA) but also in ecumenical circles. They offer great resources, information and advocacy support. Find them online at: http://www.prcweb.org/
Quaker Earthcare Witness is a spiritually-centered movement of Quakers and like-minded people seeking ways to integrate concern for the environment with Friends' long-standing testimonies for simplicity, peace, and equality. Find them online at: http://www.fcun.org/
The RCA urges the protection of the earth's resources, stressing that the land belongs to God, not to human beings. They also affirm the vocation of farming, stressing that farmers serve an essential function in God's creation.
Caring For Creation
The RCA Care For Creation programs seek to encourage leaders in congregations to work to assist congregations in learning about environmental issues and the biblical theology of creation, help churches and families with ideas for more creation-friendly lifestyles, provide information about important legislation on environmental issues, receive training, resources, and support from the RCA Office of Diaconal Ministries and from other caring for creation coordinators. Their site offers theological background, resources and other advocacy tools: http://www.rca.org/mission/witness/creation/index.html
Roman Catholic Church - U.S. Catholic Conference
Environmental Justice Program
The Environmental Justice Program (EJP) calls Catholics to a deeper respect for God’s creation and engages parishes in activities that deal with environmental problems, particularly as they affect the poor. Their website offers theological background, useful resources and a project for Children's Environmental Health, see this at: http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/
Unitarian Universalist Association
UU Ministry for the Earth
This ministry seeks " to facilitate and support the work of Unitarian Universalists by affirming and promoting the Seventh Principle of the UUA, "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part." Our members believe that the Earth is in peril from human activities, and for us as people of faith, this is a moral and spiritual crisis of utmost importance." They offer a great deal of resources and advocacy.Green Sanctuary Program
"A Green Sanctuary is a congregation that lives out its commitment to the Earth by creating a sustainable life style for its members as individuals and as a faith community. Sustainable living is not about our material comfort (though these choices are an important part of the overall life style); it is about choosing to live in a way that nurtures life, builds relationships, and rejects material consumption as the sole determinant of happiness. " The program seeks to integrate this through four program elements: (1) Worship and Celebration, (2)Religious Education, (3) Environmental Justice and (4) Sustainable Living. Find them on the web at: http://uuministryforearth.org/cgi/news.cgi
Environmental Justice
The UCC's commitment to peace and justice ministries offers a number of resources for integrating environmental justice concerns on the overall peace and justice pages. These offer resources, information, stories and advocacy. Find them online at: http://www.ucc.org/justice/environment.htm
Faith in Action: Environment
The UMC website on the environment offers denominational statements on the environment, various resolutions on environmental issues and a number of resources.
If you are aware of a denominational link or resource that is not listed here, please let us know at webofcreation@lstc.edu