Lisa Brenskelle
The mission of Lutherans Restoring Creation is to promote incorporation of care for creation into the full life and mission of the church, working in five areas: worship, education, discipleship, building and grounds, and public ministry/advocacy. For some timely tips in these areas, see below:
- Worship: Check out this new book, Eco Reformation – Grace and Hope for a Planet in Peril when planning your Reformation observance. Given the ELCA’s resolution on stewardship of water, make use of the worship resources in Our Watershed Moment. Creation-focused resources for All Saints and Thanksgiving are available. Creation-focused commentaries on the lectionary can help with weekly sermon preparation. Use these creation-focused prayers for the Sundays after Pentecost in year C.
- Education: The Sunday Evening Conversations on Creation continue on September 25, with a presentation on Reducing Waste in the Home. Plan now to attend the Creation Care Retreat – What about Justice? in Galveston Oct. 28 – 30. Our Watershed Moment contains educational resources for kids, youth and Interfaith Power & Light has a listing of educational materials for kids/youth as well as a similar listing of educational resources for adults..
- Discipleship: Make use of the “Bulletin blurb” eco-tips (+ Bible verses & creation-care quotes) on the synod leaders Facebook group each week. Our Watershed Moment includes a section on discipleship at home. Encourage members to eat sustainably. Participate as a congregation in the annual Eco-Challenge October 14 – 28, or join the Lutherans Restoring Creation – Gulf Coast team. Here are some activities to encourage discipleship by kids (see section 4 on this site).
- Building & Grounds: Check out the action suggestions in Our Watershed Moment. Learn to use Portfolio Manager, a free building management tool for energy & water from the EPA. Learn about integrated pest management (required in all Texas public schools), and how to apply it to your property. The Lutherans Restoring Creation Team has information from Harris County on do-it-yourself, less toxic pest product recipes. The same source also addresses do-it-yourself less toxic cleaning products.
- Public Ministry/Advocacy: Use the Opportunities to Care for, Learn About, and Enjoy God’s Good Creation that is updated weekly. Invite your local community to join your congregational environmental events. Join the Lutherans Restoring Creation Bike Team on October 15 – 16 for Bike Around the Bay, a fundraiser for the Galveston Bay Foundation. Learn about air pollution in your area and how you can advocate for clean air. Materials on environmental justice can be found here.
To contact the synod Lutherans Restoring Creation Team for creation care assistance/information, write to Lisa Brenskelle.