Earth and Spirit Ministry
The mission of the Earth and Spirit program at Grace is to raise the environmental awareness of everyone in the parish as to our spiritual covenant to care for God’s Creation. Climate change is an unprecedented threat and an opportunity for people of faith to protect and restore Creation’s integrity, to facilitate earth-friendly practices within the parish and in our personal lives. Our faith is an engine of transformation for our deeply troubled human relationship with God’s gift of life and love. Earth and Spirit is here to support this holy and wholly necessary transformation.
Contacts: John Kydd, Marcy Lagerloef, Deborah Milton, Nancy Peregrine
January, 2024
Creation Care with Earth and Spirit kicks off its first after-church discussion group on February 4, 2024.
We will meet in the Grace living room 15 minutes after the 9:30 a.m. service. On the first Sunday of each month, we will explore how we as Christians can create a positive future, even when most of the news signals futility and despair. By addressing the challenges of a changing planet, we also nurture community, deal with uncertainties, offer positive solutions, and honor each other’s wisdom. Our first session will include a brief presentation about HOPE, as a prelude to engaging in conversation. As a group, we will choose future topics, decide on whether to invite guest speakers, and try other informational formats.
November, 2022
Here is a link to a blog post that Grace member and Missioner for Climate Care and Climate Justice John Kydd wrote from COP 27, the largest annual international gathering on climate action, organized by the United Nations.
Earth and Spirit Ministry Arises Anew
October, 2022
“Thank you so much, John and everyone, for this comprehensive and truly energizing - and Spirit-inspired - proposal. I am so glad to see Earth and Spirit (aka Creation Justice?) renew itself as Grace Church turns into a new year and a new era.” —Stephen
Thanks to our wonderful Interim Rector, Stephen Crippen, Earth and Spirit, long a program at Grace led by Marcy Lagerloef, is now a ministry. As the climate crisis escalates so does our devotion to Creation and Climate Justice.
Our proposed first eight activity areas and their leaders are
- Implementing the Climate Pledge proposed by the Bishop’s Task Force for Climate Justice – John Kydd
- Reducing our Carbon Emissions – at home, at Grace, in our communities – Marcy and Gary Lagerloef
- Sister Climate Congregations – Susan McDonald, John Kydd, Dusty Collings
- Cultural Transformation – Deborah Milton
- Creation Care Gardening – Nancy Peregrine, Renee Ziemann, Marcy Lagerloef, John Kydd
- Supporting and Sustaining our Youth – James Rufo-Hill, Anne Kundtz
- Supporting and Sustaining our Youth – Going out to go in – Emily Chamberlain
- Adopting a “Season of Creation” at Grace – John Kydd
You can read the details about each here.
Join us, because this is about us. Please contact the appropriate leader(s) above for activities you feel called to. If you have a different idea, then let us know!
— Marcy Lagerloef, Deborah Milton, Nancy Peregrine, and John Kydd.
