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 & grounds, and public ministry/advocacy. For some timely tips in these areas, see below:
- Worship: Consider these prayers for lighting of a Christmas tree. Also, a creation-focused prayer is posted on the synod leaders Facebook page each week. A new hymn resource is available, Celebrating with Creation. Or, consider this listing of creation-focused hymns. Creation-focused commentaries on the lectionary can help with weekly sermon preparation.
- Education: The Sunday Evening Conversations on Creation continue on Nov. 20, with a discussion on the Theology of Earthkeeping (see separate article). A new creation care resource for kids just became available. Several new books could form the basis of adult classes: Transfiguring Luther: The Planetary Promise of Luther’s Theology, Eco-Reformation: Grace and Hope for a Planet in Peril, and Seeing-Remembering-Connecting. A slide deck on caring for creation from Churchwide Assembly could be used for adult or youth Sunday School.
- Discipleship: Make use of the “Bulletin blurb” eco-tips (+ Bible verses & creation-care quotes) on the synod leaders Facebook group each week. Encourage members to “green’ their holidays. Offer this information on Advent prayer gardens. Point members to the devotional A Journey Toward Home for use from Advent to Lent. To make the connection for kids between meals & creation, consider this rhyming table grace.
- Building & Grounds: Questions about water conservation? – Contact [email protected]. Your questions on energy efficiency/savings may be answered on Energy Star’s Ask the Expert Not sure where to begin in greening your congregation? This list of six steps to get started can help. Guidelines on building an effective green team can also help. For those in Houston who will be building soon, visit the Green Building Resource Center for information on how to build “green”.
- Public Ministry/Advocacy: Use the Opportunities to Care for, Learn About, and Enjoy God’s Good Creation that is updated weekly (see upcoming opportunities link). In response to the ELCA’s resolution on stewardship of water, consider joining the Watershed Discipleship Alliance, which has a strong advocacy component. Team with a local environmental non-profit to protect your watershed through a trash bash or restoration activity. Advocate for stewardship of the Arctic with this petition. To learn more about environmental justice issues, see Creation Justice Ministries.
To contact the synod Lutherans Restoring Creation Team for creation care assistance/information, please contact Lisa Brenskelle.