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RESOURCE INDEX:

NCC Eco-Justice Resources

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Biodiversity Resources

Tending the Garden: Stewardship of Biodiversity and Endagered Species

This education and worship resource examines issues of biodiversity and provides suggestions to help, preserve and promote biodiversity and protect the endangered species under our care.

Chesapeake Bay Resources

Stewards of the Bay: A Toolkit for Congregations in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

This Toolkit is designed for Christian communities living in the Chesapeake Bay region. It includes a guide for hosting a regional training event and worship resources.

Stewards of the Bay: Sacred Waters

A 5-week adult Christian education session by Beth Norcross

Stewards of the Bay: Lifestyles of Stewardship

This toolkit empowers congregations (primarily in Maryland) to take action to care for Creation in the Chesapeake Bay.

Stewards of the Bay: An Affirmation for Eco-Justice

This resource includes an affirmation to be signed by church leaders, progress tracking forms, sample judicatory reporting sheets, and sample outreach materials.

Climate and Energy Resources

Lead by Example: Climate Justice Congregations in the Southeast

Meet some champions of climate justice who combine energy-savvy with faith to save money, build community, and bear public witness for God's good Creation.

Prayer and Preaching Resources on Ending Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining

Liturgical resources on Mountaintop removal coal mining, which is destroying God's Creation and permanently impoverishing the people of Appalachia.

Faithful Reflection Guide: Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining

Discussion questions for reflecting faithfully on mountaintop removal

SmartGrids

Energy Stewardship: Using Smart Grids and Emerging Technologies for Protecting God's Creation

This resources examines how emerging technologies can help energy stewardship.

Seeking God's Grace for the Gulf

Seeking God’s Grace in the Gulf: a Day of Worship, Reflection, and Healing

African Americans and Climate Change

This two-session adult education curriculum provides information and activities to help African American congregations understand more fully the impacts global climate change will have on African American communities.

Climate and Church: How Global Climate Change Will Impact Core Church Ministries

This report outlines how core church ministries such as refugee resettlement, feeding the hungry, and disaster relief will be impacted by climate change.

Just Climate: Study Guide for Adult Christian Education

This educational guide is designed to help congregations better understand how our atmosphere works, why it’s heating up, and what impacts global warming is having on the planet.

Bottom Line Ministries that Matter: Congregational Stewardship with Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Technologies

Learn how congregations can save money and protect God's Creation.

Cry of Creation: A Call for Climate Justice

This resource from the former Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign provides information and action ideas for climate change.

It's God's World: Christians, Care for Creation and Global Warming

This resource contains five sessions designed to help Christians make some sense of the issues relating to global warming from the perspective of their faith.

Earth Day Sunday Resources

Ethics of Energy (2012)

This education and worship resource provides a Christian perspective on energy that acknowledges the abundance of God’s Creation and the call to care for Creation including our “neighbors.”

Ethics of Energy (2012) - United Methodist Church

This version adapted for use by United Methodist congregations.

Ethics of Energy (2012) - Presbyterian Church (USA)

This version adapted for use by PC(USA) congregations.

Ethics of Energy (2012) - Episcopal Church

This version adapted for use by Episcopal congregations.

Where Two or More are Gathered: Eco-Justice as Community (2011)

This education and worship resource examines how Christians are building sacred communities through ways ancient and modern in order to embrace all of God's creation, affirming our interdependance.

The Gulf Coast: Seeking Rebirth and Ressurection (2011)

The impacts of the Oil Spill on the Gulf Coast were and will continue to be devastating. Not only is God’s Creation suffering from the oil and chemicals from the spill, but communities along the Gulf Coast are struggling as well. As Christians, we feel a particular concern for those in the Gulf. For when a part of the body of Christ suffers, each of us feels and knows the pain and challenge.

Where Two or More are Gathered: Eco-Justice as Community - Episcopal (2011)

This version adapted for use by Episcopal congregations.

Where Two or More are Gathered: Eco-Justice as Community - Presbyterian (2011)

This version adapted for use by Presbyterian congregations.

Where Two or More are Gathered: Eco-Justice as Community - RCA (2011)

This version adapted for use by Reformed Church of America congregations.

Where Two or More are Gathered: Eco-Justice as Community - United Methodist (2011)

This version adapted for use by United Methodist congregations.

Sacred Spaces and an Abundant Life: Worship Spaces as Stewardship (2010)

This education and worship resource examines how we have responsibilities to be good stewards of our sacred worship spaces.

Sacred Spaces and an Abundant Life: Worship Spaces as Stewardship - PC(USA) (2010)

This version adapted for use by PC(USA) congregations..

Sacred Spaces and an Abundant Life: Worship Spaces as Stewardship - UMC (2010)

This version adapted for use by UMC congregations.

Sacred Spaces and an Abundant Life: Worship Spaces as Stewardship - RCA (2010)

This version adapted for use by RCA congregations. .

Sacred Spaces and an Abundant Life: Worship Spaces as Stewardship - ELCA (2010)

This version adapted for use by ELCA congregations.

Celebrating and Caring For God's Creation Earth Day Sunday Resource (2009)

This education and worship resource examines the importance of the relationships between God and Creation and between humans and Creation.

Climate and Poverty Earth Day Sunday Resource (2008)

This education and worship guide recognizes the interconnectedness of poverty and climate change and offering a resource for worship, adult study, and youth activities.

Our Daily Bread: Harvesters of Hope and Gardeners of Eden (2007)

Explore the process of putting the Spirit of God back into the life-giving acts of producing and consuming food in thisstudy, worship, and action guide.

Through the Eye of a Hurricane: Rebuilding Just Communities (2006)

Using Hurricane Katrina as an example, this education and worship guide allows congregations to study how to rebuild communities through environmental justice and provides opportunities for action.

S.acred O.ceans S.eas (2005)

This education and worship resource examines how to enjoy the oceans, but also to care for them as a sacred gift from God.

2005 Bulletin Insert

Additional prayers and ideas for action relating to the 2005 Earth Day theme.

Life-Giving Breath of God: Protecting the Sacred Gift of Air (2004)

This education and worship resource provides information on air quality and ideas for personal, congregational, and community action to protect the air we breathe.

2004 Bulletin Insert

Additional facts, prayers, and ideas for action relating to the 2004 Earth Day theme.

Environmental Health Resources

healthyaging

Healthy Aging for an Abundant Life

This education, worship, and action resource is perfect for older adults seeking to learn how to incorporate healthy aging actions into their spiritual practice.

Healthy Spa Workshop: Guide and Toolkit for People of Faith

Learn more about how to make safe personal care products and how to host a
Healthy Spa workshop with your own faith community.

Mindful Living: Human Health, Pollution, and Toxics

This education and worship resource gives congregations the hope and the tools to protect the sacredness of our bodies and all Creation.

Massachusetts Healthy Kids, Healthy Churches, Healthy Communities

The Massachusetts Council of Churches, in partnership with the NCC, presents activities and study sessions on health and wholeness, love of creation, and love of neighbor.

Made in the Image of God: Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (Two-sided flyer)

Flyer providing information on cosmetics that can contain toxic chemicals because of weak government regulation. .

Cleanliness and Godliness: A Gathering Guide for Green Cleaning

A green cleaning activity at your church or in your home is an opportunity for fellowship and becoming better informed. It will build support in your church and community for environmental health and justice issues.  As a host, you can help facilitate these goals by setting concrete expectations for yourself and by following the steps below.

Cleanliness and Godliness Toolkit

There are many good reasons to us non-toxic cleaning products. They are safer for you, much safer for children, and are a part of hospitality. They are generally less expensive, widely available, and may involve less packaging and advertising. Also, they are quite effective. Experiment for yourself!

Mindful Living Gathering Guide

Host a two-hour Mindful Living Gathering to learn more about environmental health and toxics. This guide has tips on how to organize a gathering and activities to motivate your faith community to act as stewards of Creation and human health.

Environmental Justice Resources

Environmental Racism: An Ecumenical Study Guide

In the U.S., and around the world, more people of color live and work in unhealthy, polluted environments than white people do. This guide explores the definitions of environmental racism and defines a set of environmental justice principles from which people of faith can work. Based on these principles, this guide provides activities for personal and congregational reflection, study and action.

Food and Farming Resources

At the Lord's Table: Everyday Thanksgiving

Eat mindfully--mindful of the farmers and rural communities, the rich soil and clean water, and God's plentiful provision--without which our tables would be empty. Doing so instills thanksgiving and calls us to right relationship with all of creation. Explore and celebrate the blessing of every bite with this guide for study, worship, and action.

Sacred Food: Sunday School and Group Activities for Youth

Food is not merely fuel for our bodies. It is nourishment for our bodies and our souls. When we consider food as more than a commodity, as a miraculous result of the mingling of sun, rain, soil, and seed, we are swept into the deep mysteries of life and begin to recognize and appreciate the interdependence of all of God’s creation. These lessons are intended for use in Sunday School classroom or as youth group activities.

General Eco-Justice Resources

Opening the Letter: A Congregational Guide to God's Earth Is Sacred

Teaching about God’s Creation can be exciting and fun. This new theological resource can be used with adult education classes to teach about the principles in the 2004 ecumenical environmental statement, God’s Earth is Sacred. This guide uses hands on learning, reflection and scripture to explore these principles and the mysteries of creation.

Green Building Resources

Building a Firm Foundation: "Green" Building Toolkit

A practical resource guide to building with energy efficient technologies and sustainable building techniques. This is a great companion guide to the Bottom Line Ministries That Matter report.

Earthkeeping Ministries: A New Vision for Congregations

Designed as a congregational toolbox, this manuel provides very basic theological reflections about earthkeeping, presents in detail organizational ideas for starting or enhancing a ministry, and offers practical suggestions, instructions, and resources for implementing earthkeeping projects.

Land and Wilderness Resources

Out of the Wilderness: Building Christian Faith and Keeping God's Creation

The wilderness is deeply woven into Christianity and other faith traditions. They were central to the spiritual journeys of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. This new resource will help us in our modern day efforts to reflect peacefully and reconnect with the Creator through study, worship and congregational action.

Rooted in God's Word and Lands: A Celebration of the Earth That Nourishes Us

"Like tree putting down roots in the soil, we are deeply imbedded in the land–physically, culturally, and spiritually. Sharing the land with our neighbors and with creatures gives us a sense of place and belonging within our communities and the whole of creation. Experiencing the solitude and beauty of wilderness reminds us of God's power and grace in our lives."

Land Stewardship Bulletin Insert

Additional prayers and ideas for action related to land stewardship.

Opening the Book of Nature

An Arizona specific resource designed to creatively educate congregations and people of faith on the connections between their faith and protecting and caring for the wild parts of God's Creation.

Water Resources

For I Was Thirsty: A Resource for World Water Day

For the Christian community, water is symbolic of our relationship with God,
carrying the image of renewal, promise, and hope. It is through water that we are baptized into the community of the church. Furthermore, water is essential to all life on Earth, and it links human life to the rest of God’s Creation.

For I Was Thirsty: Bulletin Insert

It is through water that all of Creation is gifted with life, and life, in all of its forms, is not possible without water. The protection of water for use by the rest of Creation, future generations, and those living in poverty is the responsibility of all of God’s people.

Water Stewards: A Toolkit for Congregational Care of Local Watersheds

"The purpose of this Water Stewards guide is to provide Christian communities with a simple manual that suggests ways to contribute to watershed protection. In this guide we provide tips and resources to enable your congregation to discuss what wise choices and positive actions you can make to help restore your watershed for this generation and those to come."