Creation Care
THOUGHT Provide a contextual and practical frame (or reason) for addressing climate change for our diocese, which aligns with the commitments and programs of The Episcopal Church, and is unique to the environment and climate of our diocese.
WORD Describe how the work of this group will deepen, strengthen, and renew our capacity to live into Jesus’ commandments.
DEED Provide resources, methods, and approaches our faith communities can use to understand the effect of everyday choices and behaviors with respect to creation care. Interpret critically and realistically the ways individual actions might/can affect global efforts regarding climate change.
“The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for God has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.”
Psalm 24:1-2
Resources
Creation Care Covenant
The Episcopal Church’s Covenant for the Care of Creation is a commitment to practice loving formation, liberating advocacy, and life-giving conservation. It is centered around the following topics:
LOVING FORMATION For God’s sake, we will grow our love for the Earth and all of life through preaching, teaching, storytelling, and prayer.
LIBERATING ADVOCACY For God’s sake, standing alongside marginalized, vulnerable peoples, we will advocate and act to repair Creation and seek the liberation and flourishing of all people.
LIFE-GIVING CONSERVATION For God’s sake, we will adopt practical ways of reducing our climate impact and living more humbly and gently on Earth as individuals, households, congregations, institutions, and dioceses.
The Episcopal Church’s Creation Care website contains information and resources for individuals and churches, including creation care liturgies, ideas for ministry and Christian formation, advocacy, and life giving conservation.
Recent Blogs
Restoring and Healing the Land and Soul – the Blessing Woods Labyrinth and Nature Park at Christ Episcopal Church in St. Helens
The project began with a question, How can two acres of land make visible and nurture...
Introduction and a brief survey from the Housing Crisis Working Group
In July of 2022, Bishop Akiyama commissioned a Housing Crisis Working Group for the...
Called to care for God’s creation
Dear friends in Christ, Recently, I was chatting with a stranger, and eager to find...
Helpful Links
A place to start: A letter from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
“Sustaining Earth, Our Island Home: A Call to Action for All Episcopalians”
Bishop Curry encourages all Episcopalians care for God’s creation, beginning by using The Carbon Tracker, a web-based application developed by the Diocese of California that helps individuals, households, congregations, and dioceses to measure their carbon footprint and take steps to shrink it to fit a sustainable life.
Getting Started: Congregational Resources for Creation Care – A gathering of resources to help congregations get started on implementing a plan to achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2030.
Authorized Home Energy Assessors – A crucial step in moving towards carbon neutrality is gaining information. An energy assessment on the property is the tried and true way to accomplish this. This is a robust list of every home energy auditing resource operating in Western Oregon.
The Good News Gardens – A church-wide movement focused on food and creation care ministries – gardening, farming, beekeeping, composting, gleaning, feeding, food justice advocacy.
Upcoming Events
MEMBERS
JB Hoover, Chair
St. Thomas, Eugene
The Rev. Dcn. Allan Miles
Trinity, Ashland
Cheryl Braginsky
St. Michael & All Angels, Portland
Katharine Hunt
St. Mary, Eugene
The Rev. Dawn Reynolds
St. Andrew, Florence
Arun Sharma
Graduate of Oregon Episcopal School
Richard “Dick” Zeller
St. Mary, Eugene
Contact the working group
[email protected]