Creation Justice Blog
News and Stories From Across the MovementSearch by topic for resources to help you make creation justice a priority in your community. We add new topics all the time so check back frequently!
Most Recent
Green Teams Resolution: New Video Walkthrough Available
By Crys Zinkiewicz It’s one thing to have a positive vote for forming Green Teams, it’s another to form those teams. Recognizing the need for...
St. Matthews UMC Earn Green Church Award
The Green Church Initiative of the Western North Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church By Karlah Y. BurtonNorth Carolina...
Loving People and Planet in God’s Name Update
By Bob Downs The Leader's Guide for this Advanced Lay Servant Course includes lesson plans for five two-hour sessions to help lay servant ministers...
Building Momentum Step by Step
By Kim RichmondStep 1: Pass the Resolution The Western North Carolina Conference adopted the Local Church Creation Care Team resolution at its June,...
Meadow Project Brings More Than Hope
By Cammy Freed Hope Meadow is a project I undertook after enrolling in the Pennsylvania Master Naturalist program in Lancaster County in...
November 2023 Tips: Saying Thank You
In your every day and holiday choices you can express gratitude to the Creator and Creation. Your actions speak loudest.Here are some suggestions....
Topics
Annual Conferences
West Ohio Conference Moving Ahead
By Robert Downs The West Ohio Conference of the UMC includes about three quarters of the state geographically, ranging environmentally from the southeastern region of Appalachia with mining and fracking interests to the southwestern region of industry and agriculture...
New England Conference Working for Climate Justice
By Rev. Kim Hornung-Marcy In June of 2022 the New England Conference passed a very exciting resolution, asking at our the Conference to— Hire a part-time Climate Coordinator to organize efforts to educate New England UMC members on efforts to go green, to help...
Oregon-Idaho Now Has Two Solar Sites
By Rev. Todd Bartlett, Executive Director, Camp and Retreat Ministry of the OR-ID United Methodist Church. Header photo: Solar Installation at Wallowa Lake United Methodist Camp.The Board of Camp and Retreat Ministry of the Oregon-Idaho Conference of The United...
Model Resolutions
Passing a Resolution It’s just a piece of paper—why bother? Creating a resolution starts a conversation. The people initiating the resolution do more than talk about it. They come with conviction and passion for God’s creation. They delve into Scripture to assure...
Upcoming Jurisdictional Networking Gatherings
South Central: The next SCJ meeting will be Tuesday, December 13 at 3:00 p.m. CT. At that time we will have a recap of COP27 and a discussion of episcopal assignments and how they may potentially impact creation justice. Meetings are generally on the 2nd Tuesday of...
Climate Questions for Episcopal Candidates
United Methodist Jurisdictional Conferences are coming up in November. One important role of jurisdictional delegates is the process of interviewing and selecting new Bishops to lead our church. Please share this information with the jurisdictional delegates from your...
Callings
Creation Justice Callings: A Simple Typology
Author: Dr. Daniel Joranko Creation care along with justice has become central to our understanding of our faith commitment as United Methodists. People are increasingly feeling called to serve both in the church and in communities in ways that express this...
A Vocational Call to a Creation Care Ministry
Author: Pat Watkins As a missionary in Nigeria in the 90’s, I learned a very important life lesson. Because of the isolated nature of our village (even the Nigerians who lived there said we lived at the “end of the earth”), I had to learn to live my life in...
Creation Justice Calling Story
Author: Dr. Daniel Joranko My creation justice calling story is something of a long and winding road. I graduated from Garrett-Evangelical in 1984. I was uncertain at the time about ordained ministry, but felt a strong call to urban mission work. I secured a position...
Just Don’t Call Me an Environmentalist
Author: Jarrod Davis I never wanted to be called an environmentalist. Growing up in the countryside, I spent my childhood outdoors. I freely roamed the fields and forests near our house and around our family’s farm. I loved the trees and streams, the birds and...
My Calling to Creation Justice Ministry
Author: Paul Slentz Love for the natural world has been an important part of who I am for a very long time. That love was taught to me by my parents, who took my four siblings and me on wonderful camping trips every summer. I especially fell in love with...
Children and Youth
Who Suffers Most? Climate Change Effects on Children
By Karen McElfish, MD As temperatures rise due to climate change, what effects does this have on children? Because of theirimmature physiology and metabolism, incomplete development, greater minute ventilation, greatersurface-area-to-body-mass ratio, unique behavior...
Disaster Preparedness
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Food Security
Community Gardens
Growing Good Food and Good Ministry!
By Karlah Y. Burton In July of 2019, I attended the "Just Energy for All" training on behalf of United Methodist Women and the Creation Care Summit, Nashville, TN, for the first time. I received so much information, met so many people; but most of all I was inspired...
From Emptiness to Abundance
Tending the garden turns into mission ...This is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches. - Matthew 13:32 In the small Southern town of...
Agriculture
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Global Stories
Sowing Hope: Planting Trees in Zimbabwe to Counter Climate Change
By Shamiso Winnet Mupara, Environmental Buddies Zimbabwe Trust My life began in the dusty streets of Marange communal area where I was born over three decades ago to two United Methodist Church Pastors. Both my parents were parishioners in rural communities for the...
Manila Episcopal Area Re-Affirmation of Creation Care Towards Disaster Risk Reduction: Building on the Gains in the New Quadrennium
By Romuel “Dojoe” S. Flores, Lay Leader, Bulacan Philippines Annual Conference, Manila Episcopal Area. Disaster Risk Reduction Anchored on Stewardship of Creation In 2018, the United Methodist Manila Episcopal Area of the Philippines Central Conference in the...
Infrastructure
Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions
By Bob Downs The Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions resolution is a call for Annual Conferences to “DO SOMETHING” about the degradation of our environment caused by global warming and its resulting climate change. As defined by the UN Climate Action: Net-Zero...
Oregon-Idaho Now Has Two Solar Sites
By Rev. Todd Bartlett, Executive Director, Camp and Retreat Ministry of the OR-ID United Methodist Church. Header photo: Solar Installation at Wallowa Lake United Methodist Camp.The Board of Camp and Retreat Ministry of the Oregon-Idaho Conference of The United...
Global Ministries Environmental Sustainability Program Update January 2023
It was a full year in 2023 for the Global Ministries Environmental Sustainability department as we got back up to speed from pandemic disruptions. Two online Global Ministries EarthKeeper Trainings saw 29 newly commissioned laity & clergy prepared for carrying out...
Energy Efficiency, Buildings, and Human Movements Around the World
by Josh Richardson, photo from UM News Service As churches in the United States (US) continue to do the important work of reducing their energy consumption, faith communities and other environmental movements across the world can provide inspiration and guidance to...
November 2021 Creation Justice Update Newsletter
This month’s newsletter focuses on energy efficiency with an eye to what our churches can be in a time of climate disruption. The stories exemplify acts of solidarity to reduce the suffering of Environmental Justice communities around the world. The actions around...
Preparing Churches for Climate Disruption
By Josh Richardson To assure the ability to serve their communities in times of climate-related crises, church buildings need attention now. Now is the time to do the careful planning and design that focus on reducing the overall energy consumed by the building, which...
Seasonal
Advent & Christmas
December 2021 Creation Justice Tips
This Christmas season take to heart John Wesley’s Rule for Christian Living: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can!”...
Greening Christmas
By Crys Zinkiewicz Christmas is a challenge for Christians. We get pushed and pulled by our faith and our culture. Don’t tell me I also have to juggle being green! probably screeches into your mind when you hear about “greening Christmas.” However, you may find that...
Plastic-Free July
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Season of Creation
Resources for the Season of Creation
We’ve rounded up a collection of resources, both United Methodist and ecumenical, to aid in planning for your congregation’s celebration of the Season of Creation (September 1 through October 4). The website for the Season of Creation worldwide movement. Find help...
A Goat?! Reflections on the Blessing of the Animals
I didn’t expect a goat! Of course, there would be dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, turtles, the occasional lizard, or hermit crab. I had even been prepared for the ferrets that climbed up my arm and around the back of my neck. But I never expected a...
Seven Ways to Embrace the Season of Creation this Fall
By Cara Fleischer, FLUMC Creation Care Task Team Chair Originally published here Around the world, United Methodists and other Christian denominations are celebrating the Season of Creation from September 1 through St. Francis Day on October 4. The theme for 2020 is...