Global Warming & Your Congregation
A Response in Faith
Presentation by Bethany Jewell February 2007
Our Agenda for Today
• Understanding The Greenhouse Effect • Current Trends of Global Warming • PC(USA) Response – Denominational Outreach • Taking this Home.. “How can we as a church respond to Global Warming?” • Seven steps for a faithful response
• Tools for the Journey
The Greenhouse Effect
Trends In Global Warming
• Elevated gas levels since the Industrial Revolution • From 1860-2006 Carbon-Dioxide in the atmosphere rose from 280ppm to 380ppm • Current trends project 450ppm to 550ppm by 2050. • Sea Level Rise
(Source: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
Sea Level Rise Greenland’s Warming
Greenland 1986
Greenland 2007
Coastal Georgia Sea Level Trends
Sea Level Rise at Fort Pulaski, near Tybee Island, GA (1900 – 2000)
- Courtesy of NOAA
Coastal Georgia Sea Level Trends
Hammock & Island Transition
(due to Sea Level Rise)
- Courtesy of Dr. Clark Alexander
PC(USA) Denominational Response
• • 217th General Assembly Resolution calling all institutions and governing bodies to go Carbon Neutral “This appears to be the first time that a major religious denomination in any nation has called on each of its members to bear witness to their faith by becoming Carbon Neutral.”
John Topping, President of the Climate Institute in Washington, D.C.
Did You Know?
If all of America’s more than 300,000 houses of worship cut their energy use and costs 25%: • Nearly $500 million would be saved • More than 13.5 billion kWh of electricity would be available with no new power plants • More than 5 million tons of CO2 emissions would be prevented, equivalent to removing the pollution of about 1 million cars or planting 1.4 million acres of trees . (EPA Energy Star for Congregations)
Where Do We Go Now?
Organize your congregation
Seven Steps for Your Congregation
Leg Work
• Do some background work:
– Visit:
http://www.pcusa.org/hunger/features/climate.htm
– Create a Carbon Footprint for your congregation by visiting
– http://www.footprintnetwork.org/
– www.co2.org or – www.safeclimate.net/calculator
*You may need help from your office administrator, secretary, or treasurer.
Meet with Interested Members
• Publicize a day and time for you to come together as a church family to discuss the humanitarian & environmental issues and your congregations response. • Be creative with your timing. Pair it up with another event, such as a women’s bible study, a brief session meeting, or immediately following Sunday services.
Topics for Meeting
• Education: Newspaper clippings, General Assembly’s
Resolution on Global Warming, a chosen scripture to share.
• Share your congregation’s carbon footprint and the implications that this means. • Share some biblical scripture supporting creation care.
• Prepare a Sign-up Sheet to form a Creation Care Committee or Group
• Show the video "The Ecological Footprint: Accounting for a Small Planet" (can be obtained from
Andrew Kang Bartlett of PC(USA) Hunger Program)
Goals from the Meeting
• • • • Education and Awareness An open forum for every opinion to be accepted A committee that can transform these issues into action. Set a goal for including all members of the congregation.
– (You do not want to be an isolated committee…you want to involve everyone, of every age, of every ability.)
**Some may already have this committee.
Your Creation Care Committee
• • • • • • • Step 1. Create a Mission Statement Step 2. Establish 6 Measurable Goals Step 3. Prioritize Your Goals Work with Step 4. Create a Goal Timeline Step 5. Discuss Individual Roles Step 6. Publicize The Goal and Its Success Step 7. Implement the ministry into other areas of Christian Educator
Some Possible Goals
• Congregational Recycling Program • Sunday morning Park & Ride van service • Letter Campaign to Local, State & Federal government leaders (Bread for the World style) • Become an Energy Star Partner: Weatherizing windows, doors, etc. for energy efficiency
– Changing to LCD light bulbs and LED exit signs – Purchasing Energy Star appliances for any upgrade
An Example
• Goal: Replace all incandescent lighting with energy efficient bulbs – Task 1. Perform research on the cost savings. • Example
An Example
– Task 2. Go before the Session and ask for their commitment by investing in these bulbs.
– Present the Mission of the Committee – Present savings documents (Energy Star has many available.) – Present the Committee’s commitment to helping to follow this through.
An Example
– Task 3. Work with building committee or staff to get the goal implemented.
– Avoid isolating congregational members. – Educate them and assist in every way you can. – If necessary, help them see the costs and benefits not only from a practical view, but also biblical…sound stewardship.
An Example
– Task 4. Celebrate and Publicize to the full congregation.
– Create Awareness. » Newsletters, Bulletin Boards, Sunday Bulletin, Minute for Mission update, etc. – If the Goal is cost oriented (as in example) calculate savings after a time period & publicize. – Host a Global Warming Dinner Party to publicize the changes and successes of the congregation. » Invite members to prepare or buy food from local growers or restaurants that do.
Spreading the Awareness
Involve Youth Groups
(Adults enjoy these also!)
• • • • Adopt-a-Wetland Program Adopt-a-Stream Program Adopt-a-Highway Program River Cleanups
Special Interest Groups
Dinner Groups – Preparing food grown locally Women’s Bible Study Curriculum devoted to Creation Care or specific topics such as Global Warming
These are Everywhere. Look for them in your area.
Curriculum & Sermon Guidance
All Age Curriculums
Eco-Justice Ministry: http://www.eco-justice.org/CurricReview.asp 59 Titled Curriculum Reviews
Sermon
Eco-Justice Ministry: Three Layers of Environmental Preaching Rev. Peter Sawtell, Executive Director, Eco-Justice Ministries (Categorical Breakdowns & Examples) http://www.eco-justice.org/3layers.asp