PEC Elects New Steering Committee Members

Introducing New PEC Steering
Committee Members

PEC is pleased to announce Barbara Chalfant as the new Central East Regional Representative and Dave Wasserman as the new Southwest Regional Representative. Also elected to another 2-year term are Moderator Dennis Testerman, Treasurer Sue Regier, and Northwest/Mountain Regional Representative Paul Heins. They were elected by the PEC membership in July and Barbara and Dave started on the Steering Committee in early August. We are grateful for the 6-years former Central East Regional Representative Nancy Fayer served and the 2-years former Southwest Regional Representative Jill Slade served.

Barbara Chalfant is currently the Associate for Mission for the Presbytery of West Virginia. Her responsibilities include ministry to older adults, peacemaking, social justice, hunger action and disaster response.  She is a graduate of Union Presbyterian Seminary, a certified educator and holds a certificate in older adult ministry from Columbia Seminary. She has served congregations in Virginia, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. She is a curriculum writer, artist, singer, and is prone to bouts of laughter.  Having seen the direct effects of bad environmental stewardship as she works in disaster ravaged communities, Barbara has become proactive concerning environmental issues, human caused disaster and damage, and working to reverse climate change. She can be reached at PECRepCE@gmail.com.

Dave Wasserman (Rev. Dr.) retired from active ministry in 2013. He has served as a county jail chaplain, associate pastor and new church development pastor twice (with his wife Marney). For 25 years, Dave continued in Administrative service as a presbytery executive in Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas and Arizona.  Since retiring, Dave’s ministry has focused on earth care education and advocacy.  Last year, his latest book Riding the Blue Marble was published. His sailing days showed him the coral bleaching in our seas, and life in the mountains has unearthed the challenges of drought, fires, and methane release.  Dave enjoys music, woodworking, photography and walking/hiking. Dave can be reached at PECRepSW@gmail.com

We also appreciate the continuing work of Vice Moderator Bruce Gillette, Southeast Regional Representative Tama Eller, Northeast Regional Representative John Preston, and Midwest Regional Representative Rick Person. Presbyterians for Earth Care is governed by a Moderator, Vice Moderator, Treasurer and six Regional Representatives who are limited to serving three two-year terms. Elections are held annually with half the steering committee being elected each year. One of the benefits of being a PEC member is the privilege of voting in these elections. 

To everything there is a season

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace." Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)

You are probably familiar with this verse from Ecclesiastes - if not from the Bible than from the song “Turn! Turn! Turn!” made popular by The Byrds in the 1960’s. The Season of Creation is a time for all these activities. A time to tear down fossil fuel burning plants and a time to build sources of renewable energy. A time to weep for the irreparable damage humans have caused to God’s planet and a time to laugh at the folly of climate solutions such as sucking carbon dioxide out of the air with direct carbon capture technologies. A time to mourn the species that have been lost and a time to dance when one has been saved from extinction. A time to be silent while you are learning about climate impacts and solutions and a time to speak when you feel called and are ready to make your voice heard.

The Season of Creation started on September 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and ends on October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I proclaimed the first of September as a day of prayer for creation for the Orthodox in 1989. Pope Francis joined the observance of the day in 2015 for the Catholic Church. Since that time, Christian churches have been celebrating the Season of Creation in various ways.

The theme for this year is “the web of life: biodiversity as God's blessing,” reminding us that all life is interconnected. Animals (including humans) and plants are most directly connected through breath. Animals breathe out carbon dioxide for plants to breathe in, and plants breathe out oxygen for animals to breathe in. One cannot survive without the other.

The Season of Creation website offers many theme-based resources for celebrating and observing the season including a prayer for 2019, ideas for prayer and worship, a sustainability event, sustainable living, and a campaign. Also, remember that the Climate Strike is September 20 where you can take your faith voice to a gathering near you. Consider what activity you might engage in as an individual, family or church during this Season of Creation.