Earth Care Commission

          

Sedona & Oak Creek                                                Red Mountain & Salt River

***MOST CURRENT EARTH CARE COMMISSION REPORT TO COUNCIL***

Purpose Statement
As delegates of our respective Christian communions who believe that we are called by God to heal, defend, and care for the earth, we pledge ourselves as stakeholders in the quest for eco-justice to:
Pray for the earth and all her creatures
Gather and Disseminate information regarding eco-justice and environmental committees and agencies of all Christ churches and denominations
Educate our respective communions and the community-at-large concerning the gravity of environmental isues and the promise of spiritual, sociaological, and technological solutions to those problems.
Promote action on eco-justice by acting as a catlyst for change through the processes of the Arizona Ecumenical Council and by providing opportunities for our members to experience Christian unity while caring for creation.
The primary events which the Commission presently sponsors are:
Caring for Creation Conferences
Earth Day Celebrations--held in various locations each year
The Feast--an autumn festival of stories and food to celebrate the goodness of the earth.  Check back for details.

 FAITH LEADERS STATEMENT ON WILDERNESS

As people of faith, we see Creation as the glorious work of God. The wild lands and ecosystems throughout the United States provide congregations and communities the opportunity to experience God and to dwell in the beauty of all that God called “good.” God’s lands nourish life, provide the foundation of terrestrial ecosystems and human communities, supply blessings of sustenance like soil, water, timber and minerals, and offer natural space for prayer and spiritual renewal. Stewardship of the land and wild places God has entrusted to our care is a critical part of our call to protect Creation.

As these threats to God's gifts become more pronounced, our call to continue conservation of God’s sacred spaces becomes more immediate.

Preserving public lands helps us answer God's call to equality among people by providing shared resources that nurture our communities Public lands and wilderness play are central to biodiversity, native communities, maintaining the diverse ecosystems that God created and provide the space for faithful reflection and rejuvenation. Overlooking the importance of these spaces and places disregards the role that land and wilderness have had in revealing the mysteries and wonders of God and the Holy Spirit as well as the needs of future generations.

We believe we can and should retain wildlands and public lands as places of intimate connection with God for all generations and protect these vital and irreplaceable pieces of God’s Creation.