Environmental
Ministries
Commission
The
Environmental Ministries Commission was organized by Bishop Shand in
May 2009 in response to a diocesan resolution (see below) that called
for
the formation of a committee to assist and guide the people of
the
diocese in “recognizing that the stewardship of our environment is a
spiritual
issue and provide study materials and practical information for our
action,
advocacy, and theological guidance.” Our work is based on the belief,
stated in
the resolution, that “we are called through a covenant with God to be
stewards
of creation.”
The
commission meets on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m.
at the diocesan office in Easton,
and new members are always welcome.
We
are collecting information about existing environmental
stewardship activities in the parishes of the diocese. Environmental
stewardship encompasses a
variety of practices and projects, from
small to large: recycling; using programmable thermostats; upgrading
heating,
cooling, lighting, or septic systems; installing insulation,
energy-saving
windows, or solar power arrays; planting trees or a rain garden;
collecting
rainwater runoff in rain barrels; landscaping with native plants; or
restoring
shoreline in an environmentally appropriate way. It
also includes organizing a committee,
study group, or Sunday School class to learn more about environmental
stewardship, or adding liturgical elements (prayers, sermon themes,
etc.) on
God’s creation and our responsibilities in caring for it. Let
us know what your parish is doing! Please
contact me at the e-mail address below.
Our
goal
is to provide here a source of
practical information on environmental stewardship, especially as it
relates to
the Eastern Shore, as well as its
theological
foundation. We very
much appreciate any suggestions.
Please
feel free to contact me for further information or if you’d like to
help.
George
Kaplan, chair
gkaplan@zoominternet.net
410-658-0484
List of Web Resources
139th Diocesan Convention
(2007) Resolution 14 — passed
Diocesan
Environmental
Awareness Committee
Our society has become
increasingly aware and concerned over
the deteriorating condition of the physical environment. Our God, who
created
the universe and the infinity that stretches beyond it, calls creation
good. We
believe that we are called through a covenant with God to be stewards
of
creation.
Here on the Eastern
Shore
we can see examples of human impact on the environment. We are
increasingly
aware that changes in our physical environment may adversely affect our
way of
life. We are aware of a need to become better educated about and more
fully
committed to that stewardship, and believe that as faithful followers
of Jesus
Christ, we are called to this ministry as a diocese, as parishes, and
as
people.
Therefore, be
it
resolved, That this 139th Convention of the Diocese of Easton call
upon our
Bishop to appoint an Environmental Awareness Committee to assist and
guide us
in recognizing that the stewardship of our environment is a spiritual
issue and
provide study materials and practical information for our action,
advocacy, and
theological guidance.
