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: To get inspired for creation-focused worship, see the worship section of the Greening Congregations resource from Luther College. This Catholic resource contains beautiful creation-focused prayers of the faithful. For a somewhat lighter-hearted consideration of creation-focused worship, see Why We Need Bugs in Church. Creation-focused prayers for Lent in year A are available. Creation-focused commentaries on the lectionary can help with weekly sermon preparation.
- Education: A good topic for adult environmental education is energy efficiency/conservation. Good resources for engaging youth on the environment are the videos Human Footprint and Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home. On a more theological note, the video All Things Reconciled introduces some key creation theology for an adult Sunday School class.
- Discipleship: Make use of the “Bulletin blurb” eco-tips (Bible verses and creation-care quotes) on the synod leaders Facebook group each week. Assist members to keep a Lenten vegetarian fast by providing these great vegetarian recipes. Or, encourage members to engage in a Lenten carbon fast. A small group could use this Catholic Laudato Si Reflection for Lent or consider The Grace of Forests devotional resource for Lent.
- Building & Grounds: The Green Fields resource from Earth Ministry covers several aspects of faithful stewardship for building & grounds. The nonprofit, Groundswell, can assist you to examine renewable energy options for your congregation. Want to engage in energy efficiency building upgrades, but need financing? Check out Property Assessed Clean Energy. Creation Justice Ministries offers a Toolkit for Care of Local Watersheds. Concerned about cleaning products? See their Green Cleaning Toolkit.
- 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). Get a group together to volunteer at a school or community garden. Conduct a trash bash in a local park or in your church’s neighborhood. Petition the Bureau of Land Management not to allow new drilling leases near the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Texas Impact’s 2017 legislative priorities include energy, so keep an eye out for advocacy opportunities on this topic.
For creation care assistance and information, please contact Lisa Brenskelle of the synod’s Lutherans Restoring Creation Team.