I am The Reverend Betty Whitted Holley, Ph.D., Academic Dean, Director of the Master of Divinity Degree Program and Associate Professor of Ecological Theology at Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, OH. I am also a presiding elder, superintending 28 churches in the Columbus, Springfield, Xenia District, located in the Ohio South Ohio Conference, Third Episcopal District, in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. I also represent my denomination, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, on the board for Creation Justice Ministries (CJM). My work with various congregations and the seminary requires me to have ready access to a wide variety of educational materials, especially related to climate change, racial justice, and Earth Day, just to name a few. I can always count on Creation Justice Ministries for applicable resources for presentations, sermon starters, and information about a plethora of topics. Over the years, Creation Justice Ministries has been able to expand the types of resources offered because of individual gifts from our community. When I needed information about preserving the history of various cultures through parks and monuments, it was CJM that aided me in preparing an op-ed paper that I wrote to have placed in the editorial section of my local newspaper. This is why I choose to support CJM all year round by being a monthly donor.
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When I felt the call to ordained ministry, I was confused and resistant. I ignored God and then tried to bargain my way out of it. I did not feel worthy, and I did not want to be a minister. It was not until I took a course in seminary called, “The Body of God” did my call make sense to me. In that course, I was introduced to Sallie McFague, a feminist eco-theologian. Through her writings I came to understand the purpose of my call to ministry and the connection between my passion for ecology and my faith came together. In that course the idea for what is now called the Green Chalice ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was born. In 2011 in my position as minister for Green Chalice, I was asked to represent Disciples of Christ on the National Council of Churches Ecojustice Working Group board which is now Creation Justice Ministries. Working with this incredible group of people has been one of the greatest blessings of my environmental ministry. Ecojustice work can be isolating and stressful. The members of the CJM board support each other and cheer each other on. The work of our individual denominations and communions is amplified by our working together. The climate catastrophe is greater than any one person or denomination, but working together we can have a huge impact. We are truly all in this together, living out our faith by caring for God's creation.
Creation Justice Ministries has been for me an important, fun, creative, and inspiring space to connect with colleagues in diverse denominations and communions around issues of caring for the earth and all people. When I was just a few years out of college and working in the Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Environmental Justice around 2001, I was delighted to find this ecumenical environmental space to share resources, events, and relationships. It was thrilling to know such a roundtable existed! In young adulthood, my path took me in and out of office PC(USA) work and thus in and out of the ecumenical CJM space. However, since again taking a PC(USA) position in 2011 and working with the Presbyterian Hunger Program (which includes our denominational programs and resources on environmental and climate justice) I’ve been blessed to reclaim this community. I earned an MDiv and MAR from Louisville Seminary crafting a thesis on the sacraments in my tradition (baptism and communion) and the environmental and social justice implications thereof. I continue to be grateful for Creation Justice Ministries providing the annual Earth Day Sunday worship resource that I use on my own, share with my congregation, and make available throughout the PC(USA). It’s lovely to have an ecumenical resource that can be adapted to local contexts without each of us having to craft out own. While our sacraments and traditions vary across our communions and denominations, the clear correlation between our Christian faith and caring for God’s world is ever-present and encouraging and I’m grateful for the space CJM continues to hold for these conversations. The richness of the resourcing, advocacy opportunities, and community provided by Creation Justice Ministries and the uniqueness of this organization are key reasons I give financially to support Creation Justice Ministries. It is a privilege to be connected to this meaningful work and it’s an honor to support it, knowing that it isn’t a large budget operation. Also, I haven’t found any other comparable network in the U.S. and I find it invaluable for my ministry. While Creation Justice Ministries engages important faith-based environmental justice work through receiving grants, we want to also have grassroots people of faith supporting the work so that the Board, and those denominations and communions that are part of CJM, can prioritize and engage work that isn’t always easy to fund through grant support. Having individual and congregational donors enables us to plan widely, broadly and imaginatively about where we feel God is calling us to go each year.
Women have long been power houses in any movement they’ve joined. This is no different for the women that have both joined and led movements of environmentalism around the world. This past month we have highlighted just a small number of women doing great work to ensure more people are involved in caring for this great earth and those inhabiting it.
It is no coincidence that we call the earth, Mother Earth. From this incredible planet sparks life. The plants and animals that feed us, the medicines that heal us, the waters that nourish us. Our lives are in the hands of this incredible mother that cares for us no matter how harsh or ungrateful we may be. The ways in which the earth nourishes us, are the ways in which women around the world care for their communities. These communities are the spark for women to stand up and fight for the earth, to arrange recycling programs, and start education around seed sharing and sustainable planting. The innate love that a woman holds ties her to this earth. The love that God has shown us in creating such an incredible place to keep us not only alive, but hopefully thriving. We acknowledge and appreciate these continuous works of women, not only in March, but every day of the year. Women we uplifted this Women’s History Month: -Violet Sage Walker’s NowThis video: Video onTwitter: linkhttps://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1359880622366457860 Video on FB: Ocean-Going Tribe Wants to Buy Back California Coast Land -May Boeve, co-founder 350.org, organization dedicated to connect leaders across the globe against climate change. Goal of org is to reduce levels of carbon dioxide so global warming is not a threat. Combatting the fossil fuel industry. -Reverend Mariama Hammond White’s NowThis video: https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1367860704737304579 -Vanessa Nakate, 23 year old activist from Uganda. Protests Ugandan parliament because of rising temperatures in her country. -Isatou Ceesay, Gambian activist given the nickname of ‘Queen of Recycling’. Started recycling movement One Plastic Bag, works to educate citizens on recycling and reducing the amount of waste created. http://oneplasticbag.com/ -Margaret Bullit-Jonas "How does our perception change when we begin to experience the natural world as sacred? How does our heart change when we begin to care not only about our own children and grandchildren, but also about future generations?" https://revivingcreation.org -Ruth Ivory-Moore, Ruth informs, equips and encourages ELCA members, congregations and synods to engage in advocacy as a faith practice focused on stewardship of creation, creation justice, sustainability, energy use, investments and engagement with people living in poverty and struggling with hunger with the underlying principle of leaving no one behind. Behind God, family is most important and drives her enthusiasm and love for this work in preparing for future generations. -Wangary Maathai, land conservationist and women’s rights activist. Founded the Green Belt movement which focuses on environmental conservation and women’s rights in Kenya. Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 due to her approach to sustainable development, democracy and peace. http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/ -Vandana Shiva, Indian environmentalist working on defense of biodiversity. Founded Navdanya, a research institute aimed at protecting diversity and integrity of native seeds in conjunction with fair trade practices. http://www.navdanya.org/ -Sarah Macias, working on bringing examples of sustainable farming practices to more of Texas. https://www.sistergrovefarm.com/ -"Maybe Latinx communities don't call it environmentalism, but they are actually conserving resources," Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Founder and Director of Azul. https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1377016031248453632 Quotes from https://www.glspirit.com/post/the-wisdom-and-voices-of-women?postId=605153b5ede16b0057ec6b69 -“To think that we little human beings can really do this without the intervention of something much deeper and bigger than ourselves is a bit arrogant, I feel. And so it seems to me that all of the faith traditions can come together. We all have a piece of this truth and that if we can all come together and understand the best of our own and how to work together, that we might actually be able to have a shot at addressing this." -Michele Naar-Obed, a member of the Hildegard House Catholic Worker in Duluth, Minnesota and part of “The Four Necessity Valve Turners,” who await trial for attempting to turn off a valve on Enbridge Energy Corporation’s Line 3 pipeline. -“We get maybe overeager as to what we can do to help, and then we don’t really sit back and really listen to the environment. Or really watch and observe it. It has its own cycles. Resilience has been a huge theme in my life up to this point. And I think resilience is something that we see all the time in nature. So, I feel we have a lot to learn in terms of patience, resilience, understanding, appreciation from our lakes.” -Stephanie Prechter, a Michigan-based professional photographer whose work has also included suicide prevention and promoting brain health. “I read a chapter by a woman named Jennifer Harvey in a book called Buffalo Shout, Salmon Cry. That was a book done in collaboration with white descendants of settlers, Christians in Canada, as well as indigenous thinkers, both Christian and non-Christian. And Jennifer Harvey wrote an article that really pricked my conscience and got me thinking. She said, ‘Christians who are concerned about the environment and working for the land must take seriously (and if they don't take it seriously, it's almost as good as not doing it at all) must take seriously the idea of reparations or return of land to the people whose land this originally was, must take seriously land reparation to Indigenous communities.’” -Brenna Cussen-Anglada, a member of the St. Isidore Catholic Worker Farm in southwest Wisconsin and part of “The Four Necessity Valve Turners,” who await trial for attempting to turn off a valve on Enbridge Energy Corporation’s Line 3 pipeline. Black history can be viewed through many lenses. Most often the lens of environmentalism is not on the forefront of people's minds. Communities of color suffer the most as they have borne the brunt of climate change, had factories and pipelines built in their neighborhoods affecting their health, and have had a lessened ability to get resources that help mitigate the adverse health effects that come with all of these things. This means that a whole sector of black environmentalists have cropped up to do the work on the ground and help their communities. As a faith based environmental organization. Creation Justice follows the responsibility God has given us to care for God’s creation. This includes our fellow humans, we are called to care for those who have not been cared for.
Throughout the month, we have been highlighting and uplifting black voices that have been and are doing environmental work every month of the year. As a wrap up to this month of uplifting voices, highlighting resources and linking articles that speak to the experiences of black people in the environmental sector, we wanted to compile a list of all those things as more! Here is a comprehensive list of everything we uplifted this month and the extra things we wanted to share with you but didn’t have time for because a month is only so long. Articles: 5 Black Environmentalists You Should Know About, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/black-environmentalists_n_5190393 Why Environmental Protections are Important to Black History Month https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/why-environmental-protections-are-important-to-black_us_58a4a30be4b0cd37efcfefe0 Blogs: Blog on urban farming, https://www.intersectionalenvironmentalist.com/ie-stories/urban-farming-breathing-life-into-low-income-communities Podcasts: How to Save A Planet Social Media Handles: Black In Marine Science, @blackinmarinescience Intersectional Environmentalist social handles: @greengirlleah, @intersectionalenvironmentalist and on twitter, @isxenviro Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, @ayanaeliza Kendra Pierre-Louis, @kendracanwrite Resources: Intersectional Environmentalist, https://www.intersectionalenvironmentalist.com/ OPAL Environmental Justice Organizing People/ Activating Leaders https://www.opalpdx.org/ Outdoor Afro, https://outdoorafro.com/ On January 20th 2021, we all listened mesmerized and energized by the words of youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman as she read her inaugural poem ‘The Hill We Climb’. The first line of her poem reads “When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?” Shrouded in grief and tragedy, the shade of a global pandemic, disproportionately impacting communities of color and exacerbated by the pre-existing condition that is environmental racism, still looms over us in this moment. Our communities both local and global are suffering, with millions rendered unemployed, homeless, food insecure and vulnerable health wise. Where indeed can we find light in this never-ending shade? With these inequities at the forefront of our consciousness in the wake of historic structural inequalities coupled with a global health crisis, Amanda’s poem reminds us that we can find light within each other; light that illuminates a willingness to grow, hope, and try even in the face of grief, hurt, and exhaustion. It is through this intentional endeavor that we heed the words of 2 Peter 3:12-13, which calls us to “…look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” This day will bring about “…a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells,” but it will not come on its own. As Earth Day Sunday 2021 approaches, we at Creation Justice Ministries have put together a Christian education resource centered around the nexus of health, environmental racism, and ecological justice, a pertinent intersection in our current time. I am hopeful that this resource will provide some insight into the ways in which these injustices manifest in our communities, so all who come across it feel empowered to heed the words of 2 Peter 3:12-13, and brave enough to be the light. Sincerely, Sign up HERE to be notified as soon as the Earth Day resource becomes available.
by: Shantha Ready Alonso Today is my last day as Executive Director of Creation Justice Ministries. My heart is full as I reflect with gratitude on the powerful ecumenical relationships we have built in service to our shared mission. I give special thanks to our member communions, represented through our Board. You have built powerful ecumenical community, and those ecumenical relationships lie at the heart of Creation Justice Ministries identity. Special thanks to our devoted officers: Board President Rev. Rebecca Barnes of Presbyterian Church (USA), Vice President Bishop Carroll Baltimore, Vice President Deacon Sergei Kapral of the Orthodox Church in America, Treasurer Ruth Ivory-Moore of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Secretary Rev. Sarah Macias of the Alliance of Baptists. I am thankful for Creation Justice Ministries staff and volunteer colleagues Amanda Robinson, Annika Harley, Helen Smith, Avery Davis Lamb, Dr. Jim David, and Andrea Folds. This team does not hesitate to go the extra mile to ensure the Creation Justice community is educated, equipped and mobilized to protect, restore, and more rightly share God's creation. Thank you to the many (many!) coalition partners who have accompanied Creation Justice Ministries in the season of growth we experienced during my five and a half years as Executive Director. To the Washington Inter-religious Staff Community: You have been instrumental in my spiritual formation as well as professional development. To environmental justice community leaders: When you speak from your experience for yourselves about ecojustice realities on the ground, you call our country to accountability for racism and economic injustice. I have learned so much from you about intersectionality and leadership that centers people who are most impacted. I have especially been formed by my work with the Next 100 Coalition, founded on the centennial of the National Park Service to center diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in our US public lands and waters. To Indigenous leaders: Thank you for profoundly broadening as well as deepening my understanding of the spiritual significance of our human relationship with God's creation. I have been forever changed for the better by my time building spiritually-rooted alliances with Indigenous leaders who are out front in efforts to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Bears Ears National Monument, the sacred land at Standing Rock, and the Grand Canyon. To the many coalition partners working on public lands stewardship, endangered species protection, ocean conservation, and climate action: Thank you for many ways you have shared your policy expertise, scientific knowledge, and communications capacity. I am so very grateful for the Creation Justice community. We are tens of thousands of people active in our own respective congregations and communities, united by our love for God's creation and each other. Together in 2021, we are shifting into a new time in our country's history: one in which climate action, conservation, and racial justice will come to the fore of public policy and social change-making. We feel the fierce urgency of now to confront the ecological crisis before us. Now more than ever, our ministry must be rooted in faithful community, as I articulated in my acceptance speech for the National Council of Churches Excellence in Ecumenical Leadership Award. My Prayer for the Creation Justice Community Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer: I pray that your animating words "Let there be life" touch every Creation Justice community member in a fresh way in 2021. With your help, God, may we each echo Christ's call for just relationships among all of creation, amplifying your saving grace so it reverberates through this Earth, which is so desperately in need of your divine healing. Strengthen the Creation Justice community in our commitment to Christian unity, to foster eco-justice transformations, and to raise a collective witness in the public arena. Amen. Shantha Ready Alonso was the Executive Director of Creation Justice Ministries from Summer 2015 - January 2021. Creation Justice Ministries values the ocean highly. The creation story tells us that the ocean was first created and everything else came after. The ocean cleans our air, feeds our souls and reflects the mystery of God. The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is a biodiversity hub. If we are to protect and regenerate the ocean, the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts must be protected. The full petition and signature list is below. Reinstate The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National MonumentThe Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument consists of 4,900 square miles on the floor of the Atlantic ocean. It is the size of Connecticut and rests off the coast of Massachusetts. It was established by President Obama in 2016. It is a virtual Noah's ark, teeming with God's creatures: from endangered whales, seabirds, and sea turtles to rare thousand-year-old deep-sea corals. Unfortunately, that protection was rescinded by the Trump Administration this summer, requiring us to advocate for this important monument once again.
As leaders in the faith community, we know how critical it is to protect sacred spaces and the importance of honoring all of God’s beautiful creation. Please add your name today to encourage President elect Biden to keep his promise to reinstate the protections for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. This sanctuary is the definition of caring for the earth. It is the only marine monument in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean, providing lasting sanctuary from oil and gas drilling, commercial fishing, mining, and other destructive activities. Within the sanctuary there are several protective acts carried out; the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Act and the Fishery Conservation and Management Act to name a few. All of these acts protect God’s precious creatures. The ones that when created, were looked upon and told, “you are good.” We have signed on to urge President Elect Biden to reinstate the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine Monument as part of his First 100 Days Agenda. Sincerely, Deacon Meg Nielsen Rev. Ann Hayman Rev. Holly Hallman Reverend Cynthia Lapp Mr. Todd Garcia Bish Jennifer Hansen Rev. Mark Terwilliger Linda Granato Ms. Sister Carol Boschert Peter Sergienko Rev. Alice O'Donovan Ms. Joyce Stoffers Rev. Dr. Michael Adee Mrs. Julie Squire Mr. Stephen Weissman Rev. Douglas Mitchell Shay O'Reilly Mr. Thomas Devers Ms. JL Angell Rev. Steve Garnaas-Holmes Ms. Mary Love Mr. Richard Hirai Rev. Betsy J. Sowers Rev. Bebb Stone Natalie Eline Ms. Connie Raper Mr. Danny Watspm Ms. Donalyn Gross Elizabeth Pixley Mr. Kyle Crider Rev. Tonya Eza Sister Mary Hamilton Rev. Dr. Sylvia Karcher Sr. Barbara Bartlett Mr. Chris Drumright Mr. John Oda Dr. Virginia Jones Jacob Short Mrs. Nancy Ross Rev. Charles Marks Ms. Sally Grenzow Ms Sandra Franz Dr. Dawn M. Nothwehr, OSF, Ph.D. Nancy Moore Suzanne Phillips Smith Mrs. Jane Wiley The Rev. Dr. Shannon Clarkson Rev. Sandy Williams Sr. Lesley Block Mary Ann Dowdell Mrs. Marty Van Lenten Becker Rev. Joyce de Velder Mrs. Violet Simpson Rev. Rob Mark Ms. Nancy Gehman Yvette Bellerose Mr. & Mrs. John and Dorothy O'Neal Ms. Judith Ackerman Mrs. Laurie Rowan Mr. Jonathan Knight Rev. Priscilla Dreyman David Babcock Mrs. MaryAnn Gregory Mrs. Nancy Gault Rev. Dr. Jessica McArdle Jo Ann Florek Keith Schue Mr. Den Mark Wichar Mrs. Karen Ritz-Perkins Ms. Ernestine H Brown Ms. Twyla Meyer Elizabeth Dekker Ms. Rose Gansle Dr. Lorraine Hartmann Dr. Kathleen Moore Rev. Leigh Goodrich Rev. Larry Trover Mrs. Christie Ruppel Ms. Carol Devoss Mayre Hammond Rev. James A. Oines Mr. Philip Dooley Sr. Joanne Lafreniere Dr. Patricia K. Townsend Reverend Doctor William Godwin Ms Karen Esslinger Dr. James R. David Steve Callahan Esther Garvett Susan Alice Mufson Mary Cawley Margie Lindhorst Mrs. Barbara Shuck Rev. John Paarlberg Allyson Pyers Rev. Naomi C. Kelly Rev. Monica Styron Mr. and Mrs. Slowomir and Irene Przybysz Abigail Hancock Lance Kittel Mrs. Ginger Comstock Jean Jones Richard Patenaude Jane Parker Ms. Deb Martin Ms. Constance Otto Madeleine Gregoire Rev. Dr. Eileen Altman Paul Allen Mr. and Mrs. Tony and Cindy Guarnieri Su Flickinger Dr. Barbara Darling Ms. Phyllis Ballata Mr. Gary Bailey Mr. Jerry Rivers Mrs. Lucille Wiggin Mary Elva Smith Ms. Kathryn Rose Sister Dolores O'Dowd Craig Norton Bruce Lind Ms. Elaine Becker Mr. Steve Hill Ms. Geraldine P Kaller Rev. Cheryl Raine Mr. Bernardo Alayza Mujica Fr. David Robinson Jeffrey Hancock Miss Denise Lytle Mrs. Phyllis Park Chris Pinney Rev. Lori Dick Mr. Stanley Naimon Ms. Elizabeth Gifford Ms. Anneliese Schultz Ms. Suzy Clarkson Holstein Doska Ross Heidi Handsaker Rev. Gary Vencill Mrs. Patricia Always Mr. Ralph Jones Ms. Priscilla Payne Mr. Scott Grinthal Ms. Phoebe Morad Dr. Jo Anna Hebberger Mr. Bruce M. Cratty Mrs. Loretta Kerns Jared Meek Ms. Lucy Mueller Rev. Jonathan Hancock Rev. Lauran Heidenreich Ms. Lorraine Johnson Mr. Mark M Giese Deb Christensen Rev. Mark Meeks Mrs. Helen Findley Ms. Betsy Windisch Mrs. Valerie Sotere Robin Walkup Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas Ms. Kathy Newman Mr. and Mrs. Heath Hancock James O'Dowd Katherine Gibson Revs Drs Gerritt and Elizabeth Baker-Smith Lucy Robinson Ms. Nancy Lorence Rev. Susan Feurzeig Jane Marstaller Mr. Eric Lind Richard Johnson Ms. Elana Katz Rose Rev. Carla Pratt Keyes Chaplain Craig Clark Ms. Julie Fissinger Janet Frankl Mrs. Melissa Carlson The Rev. Dr. Marsha Fowler Mrs. Michelle Dugan Mr. Dan Esposito Mrs. Elaine Fischer Mr. Josephâ Wasserman Rev. Nizzi Digan Joyce Hancock Amy Crocker Mrs. Susan Domey-Allen Ms. Maureen Wheeler Susan Moore Mr. David Antos Dr. Jeffrey Richards Rev. Jennifer Mihok Mr. John Beamer Ms. Karla Devine Brother Kevin Cawley Sister Francine Koehler Julian Begg Rev. Dr. Leonard Bjorkman Rev. Lynn Bozich Shetzer Ms Gail Vincent Re. Dr. Susan E. Davies Mrs. Martha Spencer Rev. Rebecca Barnes Obie Hunt Mrs. Rebecca Brown Phil young Carl P. Young Rev. Jeffery Hammonds Dr. Emily Castner Barclay Hauber Sister Ruth Battaglia CSA Mr. Jon Krueger Ms. June Fait The Rev. Shanda Mahurin Lorraine C Mitchell Ms. Marjorie Ho Vince Mendieta Al Blake Cindy Snyder Maria Asteinza Dr Emily Welty Mr. George Marsh Rev. Walter Ramsey Rev. Jay Campbell Rob Seltzer Mr. James Logan Ms. Lily Turner Mrs. Brenda Campbell Anne Shumway Mrs. Char Hoffman Mr. Jason Miller Mrs. Mary Arnold Samuel Smith Rev. Heather Bailes Baker Ms. Jean Roberts Ms. Katherine Martinez Ms. Eleanor Joyce Ms. Cris Fischer Mr. Eric T Simpson Dr. Beverly Hancock Mrs. Julia Skelton Mr. Gene Fox Barbara Brierley Ms. R. Zierikzee Mrs. Elaine Boles Mr. and Mrs. Bruce and Maureen DeNunzio 1. Eat Those Leftovers!After the holiday season you will likely have leftovers from Christmas & New Years. A great way to be a steward to the Earth is to consume your food. Did you know that Americans throw away 25% of the food they buy? Not only is this a waste of money but it is also harmful to the environment. Producing food takes land, water, and heavy machinery. By eating your leftovers you are not only saving money but also preventing energy waste from food production. Not to mention you are keeping them from taking up space in a landfill. 2. Bookmark & Visit Creation Justice Ministries' Action Center Each month, the Creation Justice Ministries team will update www.creationjustice.org/action with a new set of timely events, advocacy opportunities, and education resources. Set a reminder to check this website monthly, and take the actions that are possible for you and your community. 3. Green Your Laundry Routine
4. Plan to Participate in Faith-Rooted Ecumenical Advocacy efforts, including virtual Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2020 Creation Justice Ministries is one of more than 40 co-sponsoring Christian organizations for the annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days. This year the conference is virtual! This is a valuable gathering that connects Christian communities nationally to worship, learn about timely issues, develop leadership skills, and take action for justice. This year's theme is "Imagine! God's Earth and People Restored." Learn more at www.advocacydays.org. 5. Celebrate Black History Month February is Black History Month and there are many ways to celebrate and get involved. Follow Creation Justice Ministries on social media to follow our Black History Month campaign. We also recommend that you check out these organizations who are making black history: Outdoor Afro, Black Millenials for Flint, & the NAACP Environmental and Climate Program. 6. Plan a Lenten Devotional that Will Benefit God's Creation The Creation Justice online community is doing a "Tread Lightly for Lent" devotional this year, adapted from the Presbyterian Hunger Program's Environmental Ministries 2018 resource. You may also consider trying a carbon fast. If you live in a place with an active state chapter of Interfaith Power and Light, it can be fun to find a local community doing a carbon fast together. 7. Use Green Cleaning ProductsDid you know some cleaning products have toxic chemicals that can harm your health as well as pollute God's creation? Check out our "Cleanliness and Godliness Toolkit" for ideas on greener cleaning. 8. Change Light Bulbs to Eco-Friendly Types CFL and LED bulbs can emit 25-80% less energy than traditional incandescents, plus they last longer! Consider this greener alternative when it comes time to replenishing those bulbs. 9. Celebrate Women's History Month March is Women's History Month! Follow Creation Justice Ministries social media to learn about amazing women who have made a positive difference in God's creation. Also check out "Desertification in Africa is an Intersectional Problem, and Women are Stepping up to the Challenge" by CJM board member Susu Lassa and last year's "Women's History Wrap Up".
11. Turn Off the Lights When Not in UseIf you’re not in the room, the light doesn’t need to be on. Leave yourself post-its to help you remember to flip the switch off when you leave the room. You can even consider installing automatic timers for the lights in your home. 12. Observe World Water Day March 22, 2021 World Water Day is this week! Support various campaigns and check out the water resources provided by Creation Justice Ministries. 13. Donate to a Faith-Based Organization that Supports Care and Justice for God's Creation Our ecological crisis is a spiritual crisis. We are facing systems of greed and racism that require a moral response. Give to faith-based organizations that devote time and resources to caring for God's creation. Consider becoming a monthly recurring donor, to help the organization build a strong, predictable grassroots funding base for their work. If you don't yet contribute to Creation Justice Ministries, consider joining the #CreationJustice Monthly Giving program. 14. Cut Your Shower Time by Five Minutes Cut five minutes off your shower to save water. According to a study done by Harvard the average American shower uses 2.5 gallons per minute. You will save 12.5 gallons of water if you shorten by just 5 minutes. Or, consider turning the water off while you lather up and only turn it on to rinse. 15. Start a Garden, Indoors and Out! Start a garden in your own backyard or share the work with your community by creating a neighborhood garden. Do you have space in your church’s yard, at a vacant lot, or in a nearby park? Gardening is good for creation and saves you money. If you do not have space outdoors, you can grow veggies or herbs in pots in your place of residence. Indoor plants will produce oxygen to improve your indoor air quality. 16. Observe Earth Day Sunday on April 25, 2021 This year is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! Make use of the Earth Day Sunday resource developed annually by Creation Justice Ministries. This year's theme is "The Fierce Urgency of Now" and is all about how to live faithfully in urgent times. This year's theme is "Environmental Racism, Public Health, & Eco-Justice" and past years can be found through www.earthdaysunday.org. 17. Eat a Plant-Based Meal or Meals with Ingredients from Local Farms Eating plants is good for your body and good for the earth. Find a new recipe to try this week! 18. Wait to Run the Dishwasher until it is Full Consider only doing dishes when you have a full dishwasher load or full sink. If you do dishes by hand, use a basin to conserve dish-washing water. This reduces your water use and saves you money on your water bill. 19. Advocate for Environmental Justice Learn about imminent threats to communities near you. Learn whose health and livelihood is most affected by local pollution issues, and who is on the front-lines of counteracting the harm. If you need a place to start, check out the Oil and Gas Threat Map. Join an existing grassroots organization, talk to your family and friends about environmental justice, or set up a meeting between your faith community and local environmental justice advocates to build solidarity. 20. Observe Endangered Species Day May 21, 2021 Did you know one in five species is threatened or endangered? There are many things everyday people can do to save God's creation from extinction. Check out www.creationjustice.org/endangered to find materials to raise awareness in your faith community. 21. Fend Off "Energy Vampires."Make sure to turn off and unplug items when they're not in use. The socket draws electricity even when items are "turned off." Some items that are often plugged-in when not in use are blow-dryers, phone chargers, electric kettles, and coffee pots. Other items that are often left in the "on" position when not in use are televisions, computers, and video game consuls. Using the battery-saving function on smart phones and computers helps them last longer, as well as saves energy. Perhaps you have a spare refrigerator you only need to run when you're preparing to entertain guests. Look around your house and find what can be unplugged. You might be surprised by your energy savings! 22. Research How Your Community Regulates Waste Each city or town has their own trash, recycling, and compost system. What is the system where you live? Regulations change frequently so take some time today to update yourself. Here are some questions for you to find the answers:
23. Bring a Reusable Container for Leftovers to the RestaurantNext time you go out to eat, bring a reusable container for your leftovers. One-time use plastic and styrofoam containers are easily replaceable with a reusable container. You can leave one by the door, in your backpack, or in your car so that you always remember it. 24. Honor World Oceans Day Tuesday, June 8, 2021 Plan to honor World Oceans Day with your faith community. Check out www.worldoceansday.org for ideas, and find faith-based resources at www.creationjustice.org/oceans 25. Watch a Documentary on Creation Care and/or Environmental Justice Some examples include faith-based films such as Behold the Earth and Renewal, as well as other educational films such as The Story of Stuff. Learn something new, and make a commitment to yourself to make a positive change in your life. 26. Contact Your RepresentativeTake initiative today and call, email, or write one of your state representatives regarding any creation care issue that you are passionate about. Positive environmental change starts with the individual and continues with larger scale change. You can contact your representative by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. You can find out who your US Representative is here and your US Senators here. 27. Reuse. You Don't Have to Use an Item Just Once Right?What disposable items in your life could you replace with a reusable option? Do you use cloth napkins or paper? Do you have a reusable water bottle or disposable? Do you use cleaning wipes or clothes? Do you pack your lunch in plastic bags or in reusable containers? 28. Make Your Next Shopping Trip GreenConsider the before-life and after-life of purchases. Patronize second-hand or fair trade stores. You can buy clothes, jewelry, shoes, furniture, books, movies, and toys conscientiously. If you cannot find what you need at a second-hand store, try a fair trade store for ethically sourced products. 29. Pick Up the Trash in Your CommunityGo outside and pick up trash. You can invite a friend or small group from church to join you. You can enjoy fellowship and increase the amount of garbage collected. 30. Read a Book Concerning Creation CareWe recommend titles by members of the Creation Justice community, including:
31. Use Green TransportationHow do you get from place to place? Make a plan for how you can reduce your footprint. Does your city/town have public transportation? Are there places where you can walk or bike instead of drive? Make a commitment and plan to improve your transit carbon footprint. 32. Calculate Your Water FootprintFind out what your water footprint is and how you can reduce your impact. This calculator will show you how your lifestyle impacts the rest of the world and how you can make a positive difference. Share with us ways you plan to reduce your footprint! 33. Use Gray WaterGray water is water that has been used but is not necessarily contaminated. You can use dish washing water, hand washing water, and cooking water to water plants. There are even systems you can install now that allow you to make use of gray water more effectively. 35. Honor the Season of Creation September 1-October 5 Beginning with the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on September 1 and ending with St. Francis Day on October 4, the Season of Creation is a time-set-apart to express gratitude for God's good creation, care for creation, and call for justice. Learn more at www.seasonofcreation.org 36. Check Your Car's Tire Pressure Properly inflated tires improve the car’s gas mileage. This will not only decrease your carbon emission but also save you money. 37. Try Composting at HomeCheck out this guide to learn how to compost at your home, or go here to see if your neighborhood has a curbside compost pickup option. 38. Invest in Green Arts and Crafts SuppliesDo you or the kids in your life enjoy art? Buy recycled paper and products for projects. Nature is another great way to find art supplies. Twigs, leaves, and flowers are excellent for art projects. The recycling bin can also be great place for creative minds to find materials. 39. Track Your Use of Paper and Disposable ProductsThis week, watch how often you use paper plates, disposable utensils and straws. See which of those items you can replace with reusable Tupperware and flatware that you can take with you. You can keep this in your car, purse, or backpack to use at a moment’s notice. 40. Looking for a New Book? Check Out Your Local Library.Instead of buying your own copy, check out your local library for your next read. Libraries are valuable community centers, and chances are you'll only read the book once - no need to purchase every copy for yourself! If you like using e-readers, the Libby app allows you to borrow books from the library digitally. 41: Track Your Waste for a Week Keep track of the waste that you create for a week. How much of it can be replaced with recyclables or reusables? What can you challenge yourself to live without? 42. Try Cooking One-Pot Meals By using one pot to cook your meal, you save on electricity, gas, and water, which reduces your footprint and may even give you leftovers for the week! 43. Evaluate Coffee and/or Tea Habits Does you use a reusable or disposable cup and filter? Do you use loose leaf tea or tea bags? Where does your beverage come from? Is it ethically sourced? If not, find out how you can make the sustainable switch. 44. November is Native Heritage Month--Learn About the Indigenous Peoples to the Places Where You Live, Work, and Pray Monday, October 12 is recognized by some as Columbus Day, and others as Indigenous Peoples' Day. November is Native American Heritage Month. These are good times to brush up on your knowledge about Indigenous Peoples. Consider using Creation Justice Ministries' Environmental Justice with Indigenous Peoples resource. Take time to acknowledge the Indigenous Peoples from where you live. Consider remembering them by name when you pray. Some questions to research are:
46. Plan to have an Eco-Friendly Thanksgiving Make environmentally sustainable choices this Thanksgiving. Cook your food in reusable cookwear instead of the disposable aluminum foil cookwear. Also, replace paper napkins with cloth during your meal. Reduce your leftover waste by replacing plastic wrap with beeswax wrap or stretchable rubber lids. 47. #OptOutside this Black Friday Some families depend on the deep discounts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday to be able to afford essentials. For many, though, Black Friday and Cyber Monday can become a frenzy of consumer culture and unnecessary purchases. If you need to make a purchase on a discounted item, please do so with intention. If you don't need to make a purchase, consider joining the movement to go for a walk: #OptOutside & #FindYourPark. This alternative can allow you to use the precious holiday season to spend quality time outdoors. 48. Invest in a Reusable Water Bottle Cut down on plastic by carrying your own water bottle with you. Preferably a reusable one made of aluminum rather than plastic. You will find that you save money by bringing your own water instead of buying new bottles every time you are thirsty. 49. Check Cabinets for Expired Medicine and Properly Dispose of ThemAvoid flushing medicines and other dangerous chemicals in the toilet or washing them down the sink. Instead, find your local med disposal location and take them there. This will help keep water clean and drug-free for other people drink and animals and plants to live in and consume. 50. Opt to Wrap Gifts in a Reusable Bag Instead of Wrapping Paper
51. Plan a Green Meal Challenge yourself to cook a one pot meal and buy from local farmers. Get creative and try something new-- who knows, it could be a new favorite recipe! 52. Make Your New Year's Resolutions Green Take some time to reflect with your family on ways to be more green in 2022! Can you invest in solar energy panels? Share your New Year's Resolutions with us at Creation Justice Ministries for the chance to be featured on our social media.
Most of my life I have lived in rural Appalachia. For me, that means walking a far distance to catch the school bus, and then riding it over one hour each way. It means grocery shopping only a few times per month and never letting your vehicle get below a quarter tank of gas. I have no idea what it is like to have fresh and clean water readily available. This has been an issue for my community for ages, but the covid-19 pandemic has brought the lack of access to light in new ways. Since the age of six my family has not had enough water and the small supply has been riddled with iron that turned my blonde hair orange. When I was teenager, I became very ill from contaminated well water and required extensive antibiotics to rid my body of the bacteria. I live in a small unincorporated area located in Clay/Braxton/Nicholas County, West Virginia that is called Wilson Ridge. My neighborhood has thirty homes, a church, a foster home, local farms, and a fruit and vegetable nursery. None of them have permanent access to water, and as I learned through phone interviews as part of a community organizing project for my Master’s degree in Social Work, most of them do not have clean water. Many rely on wells that do not produce enough water to sustain them all year long. Most of the residents live in poverty, and most of the families are aged sixty or older and are increasingly living in poor health. Some of the elderly require clean and sterilized water for feeding tubes and other health conditions. For the past 10 years the community has been told that city water is coming to our neighborhood-yet the promise has not been fulfilled. Until my community organizing class at Concord University, and creating a relationship with Creation Justice Ministries, I perceived my lack of access to water as normal, and the price to pay for living in a rural area. I have always felt helpless to any other outcome. Not having access is how I have always lived. My family’s current water situation consists of letting rain water come off our home gutters into a cistern that is located in the ground under my home. Our well produces very little. We preserve every bit of well water that we can. During dry times, my husband has to haul city water in the back of a pickup truck from a fire hydrant two miles away from our home. The only tank we can afford is a 250-gallon tank and the average person uses at least 80 gallons per day. Our home houses five people, so it is easy to see how frugal we are with our water. Showers have to be five minutes or less with a shower head that limits the amount of water coming out for preservation. My oldest son has what I have determined as a long-term trauma from having to take very quick showers all of his life. This is evidenced by his behavior in taking one hour showers (or longer if permitted) when he stays somewhere that has permanent access. Access to clean, drinkable water is a human right that my community is being denied. Most are living in poverty and do not have higher education. We are being denied this right due to our silence and lack of power. Whether 500 or 30 people are served, access to water is still a right that we should not be denied. Money or lack thereof is the driving factor for not gaining access. Covid-19 has been a scary time for everyone, but for those of us without water access the risks skyrocket. We rely on bottled water for drinking as the water in our cistern is not suitable for drinking due to bacteria presence. During the hoarding phase of the pandemic- there was not always water available to those who most needed it. Further, clean water is needed for hand-washing and sanitation, which we must now do an extraordinary amount of during this pandemic. God has also continued to provide the rain, and we have not gone without water for laundry and showers during this trying time. Due to social distancing, I have been taking a few gallon jugs of water per week to my place of employment and filling them up for cooking purposes. It is embarrassing to explain to people that I need clean water for cooking. While the lack of clean water has been problematic for years- the covid-19 pandemic has heightened the need for readily available clean water and spotlighted the needs of these communities. Water is a human right and a gift from God. All people should have access to clean drinkable water. It is past time my community and others without clean water in West Virginia, gain access. Bryanna Baker-Meckley is a resident of Duck, West Virginia. Baker-Meckley is a Mental Health Therapist with a focus on Substance Use Disorder. She is passionate about water issues after being introduced to the notion that her community should not have to live without access to water. Concord University and Creation Justice Ministries helped Baker-Meckley to understand that having access to water is a human right. Bryanna Baker-Meckly (left) at the West Virginia Water Retreat in October '19
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About this BlogThis blog shares the activities of Creation Justice Ministries. We educate and equip Christians to protect, restore, and rightly share God's creation. Archives
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