Special Earth Day Message from Bruce & Carolyn Gillette

Dear Colleagues in Creation Care,

Presbyterians for Earth Care Steering Committee is grateful for your membership and commitment to caring for Creation. We hope your Earth Day Sunday will be particularly meaningful to you and others in your Earth Care community.

We are sharing with you a letter from PEC friends, the Revs. Bruce and Carolyn Gillette. We appreciate their sharing of resources. Please also access the excellent information from NCC Eco-Justice network as you prepare for our Earth Day worship, ritual, recognitions, and celebrations.

Finally, this is one last reminder that Earth Day is both the deadline to make a nomination for an award to be presented at GA, as well as the deadline for membership renewal.

 Grace and Peace,

 Diane Waddell

 Moderator, Presbyterians for Earth Care

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Dear Friends,

This coming Sunday, April 22nd, is also Earth Day. Guided by biblical teachings, our Presbyterian Church (USA) constitution (Book of Order) states:

"As stewards of God's creation who hold the earth in trust, the people of God are called to:
    Use the earth's resources responsibly without plundering, polluting, or destroying,
    Develop technological methods and processes that work together with the earth's environment to preserve and enhance life,
    Produce and consume in ways that make available to all people what is sufficient for life,
    Work for responsible attitudes and practices in procreation and reproduction,
    Use and shape earth's goods to create beauty, order, health, and peace in ways that reflect God's love for all creatures" (W-7.5003).

Click here for a resource, 50 Ways to Care For Earth, from Deleware Interfaith Power and Light that you might want to use as a worship bulletin and/or to email to your church members.

Our Presbyterian General Assembly approved a new major study (free download) titled "The Power to Change: U.S. Energy Policy and Global Warming" that lays out a clear and well documented path toward sustainability and equity to protect future generations.

National church resources:
Rebecca Barnes-Davies [national Presbyterian church staff] Associate for Environmental Ministries (PCUSA)
General Assembly Mission Council - Compassion, Peace & Justice Ministry
100 Witherspoon St, Rm 3221, Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: 502-569-5624
Toll-free: 888-728-7228, ext 5624
E-mail: Rebecca.Barnes-Davies@pcusa.org

Web site: http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/environment/
(author of 50 Ways to Help Save the Earth)

Presbyterians for Earth Care (PEC)
http://presbyearthcare.org/index.html
PEC Coordinator: Shantha Ready Alonso
110 Maryland Avenue, Suite 108
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 481-6688
presbyearthcare@gmail.com
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Presbyterians for Earth Care Moderator: Diane Waddell
Email: diane_waddell@sbcglobal.net

Local resources:  PC(USA) certified Earth Care Congregations will be happy to share ideas.

Here is a link to a theological paper on the understanding of creation by John Calvin (early founder of Presbyterian/Reformed tradition) and the Earth Care Congregation Notebook to show you the practical ways that local Presbyterian congregations are seeking to care for creation.

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette’s hymns with earth care themes can be found on the national web sites of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Sojourners, National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, Church World Service, United Methodist Church, Humane Society in the United States and used by many congregations in the USA and overseas. You can find them at
http://www.carolynshymns.com/lect_earthcare.html

This summer, Mid-Atlantic Synod Presbyterian Men’s Conference’s theme is on caring for creation:  http://www.midatlanticmen.org/conference-2012.cfm

Blessings on you and your care of God’s creation.

Grace and Peace,
Bruce

Bruce & Carolyn Gillette, Pastors
Limestone Presbyterian Church, 3201 Limestone Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19808-2198
Office Phone: (302) 994-5646 Church website: www.limestonepresbyterian.org
Home Phone: (302)-994-0220 Email: bcgillette@comcast.net

Easter Greetings from the Moderator

Dear Fellow Sojourners in this Ecology of Resurrection,

A word for this beautiful post-Easter week is certainly gratitude. As we have witnessed the beauty of the birthing of Spring and the miracle of the Resurrection, I am reminded of my gratitude for God's fullness and generosity.

I am also reminded of your dedication and ministry in working to care for this sacred creation. We work to co-create; to co-cultivate...with compassion.

As Bill Brown reminded us in his Easter meditation,...

"Resurrection is organic, and the results are beyond measure. Without the seed there would be no mighty cedar, no majestic redwood, no mustard bush. New creation emerges out of the shell of a seed, out of the ground of refuse and decay...

'There is something boldly bodily about Christ’s resurrection. And there is something quite cosmic about it as well. As our living bodies reflect the evolutionary legacy of life in all its interdependence and as the molecules of our bodies become dispersed in death and shared with future generations of life, then resurrection cannot be limited to the raising up of human life. Resurrection’s scope includes all of life, for resurrection is the forerunner to the new creation, to the cosmic banquet by which all life will be sustained.

'The empty tomb is not empty. It is fully charged with the renewing, transforming, healing power of God at work out in the world. The empty tomb points to the feast of grace."

Grace and the deep peace of the rich soil of Earth...be with you as we rejoice...and continue to dedicate ourselves to "Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice"!

Alleluia. Amen.

Diane Waddell
Moderator
Presbyterians for Earth Care

Three friendly earth care reminders:

1. The NCC is hosting a webinar on Fracking this Thursday at 1:00pm ET/10:00am PT. Sign up by the end of the day Tuesday to join.

2. Check out excellent NCC Resources for Earth Day Sunday, coming up on April 22.

3. We also remind you that Earth Day is the designated membership renewal day for PEC....please renew your membership and 'gift' someone else with a membership as well!