Resources and Ideas for Celebrating Earth Day Sunday with Your Congregation

Resources and Ideas for Celebrating Earth Day Sunday with Your Congregation

by Mindy Hidenfelter and Jane Laping

Earth Day is April 22nd and you can celebrate Earth Day Sunday with your congregation any time in April, or throughout the year.  All Creation praises God’s name, and we can give thanks to God for the wonder and beauty of the world around us!

Here are some resources that may be helpful in planning an Earth Day or Creation Care Sunday at your church.  We know that many congregations have creative and original ideas of their own for how to celebrate.  It is our hope that we can share ideas in inspire discussion in the Comments Section of this Blog post.

Creation Justice Ministries 2022 Earth Day Resource, "Weathering the Storm: Faithful Climate Resilience" Download Document HERE

Interfaith Power and Light’s (IPL) Faith Climate Action Week is ten days in April (Earth Month)when IPL congregations focus on taking action to protect climate. The 2022 theme is “Sacred Trust: Our Children’s Right to a Livable Future.” https://www.faithclimateactionweek.org/

PEC's 2021 Online Conference Workshop with Janet Adair: Creation Care in Your Worship Service can be found on YouTube HERE

Interfaith Power and Light (IPL) Educational Resources for Children and Youth Lessons and activities from various faith-based and secular sources about the creation story, climate change, Native Americans, and related topics: interfaithpowerandlight.org/educational-resources/

Earth Day Resources from PC(USA), including helpful materials from past years' themes: presbyterianmission.org/ministries/environment/earth-day-sunday/

Christianity and Climate Change, a nine-part film series featuring Katharine Hayhoe, the internationally renowned Christian climate scientist tearfund.org/campaigns/christianity-and-climate-change-film-series

Don't forget that National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday in April each year.  This national holiday celebrates the benefits of trees, and typically involves planting trees.  Your church could incorporate tree planting into its Earth Care activities.  You can take a look at the recorded PEC workshop from 2021 for ideas on YouTube HERE

Please comment with projects, resources, and ideas YOUR church's congregation has enjoyed and found successful!

Mindy Hidenfelter is the Presbyterians for Earth Care Coordinator and Jane Laping serves as the Vice Moderator of PEC.