EARTHKEEPING NEWS
A NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN COALITION FOR CHRISTIANITY AND ECOLOGY

Volume Six, Number One
November/December 1996

Call to Action:

Take Earth Seriously!

"Take Earth seriously if you want to have anything to say to the next century," said John Surette, SJ, at the Earthkeeping Ministries Congress plenary, quoting Catholic theologian Elizabeth Johnson.

In an intensive 44 hour weekend, September 13-15 in Milwaukee, over a hundred highly creative, committed men and women pooled their wisdom to give people and communities of faith a variety of ways to take the earth seriously. They worshiped, talked, ate, sang, and danced together. They heard from resource persons who spoke from their own experience about four current revolutionary movements: Christian ecofeminism, science and new cosmology, eco-justice, and alternative economics.

They addressed these same topics in facilitated workshops in which participants expressed their hopes and dreams for the church, (a five year vision ); undertook the difficult task of analyzing why their vision was not already in being; and moved to create strategies that would enable faith communities to overcome the blocks and go in new directions. The substance of the four workshops is contained in the Congress Document that every participant took home.

This Advent season of hope and repentance (turning in a new direction), may be a good time for individuals, families and faith communities to test some of the activities suggested by Earthkeeping Ministries Congress participants:

  • Promote "earth literacy"; study science and cosmology in an adult education class.
  • Risk the new – use earth sensitive, inclusive language in prayers and liturgies.
  • Be a model in simplifying the consumer life style (celebrate Buy Nothing Days).
  • Mobilize the churches to join partnerships for eco-justice (e.g., Campaign for a Dioxin Free Future).
  • Become engaged in issues of land use.
  • Engage your faith community in some form of alternative economics (e.g., use local scrip "Church Checks" for the rummage sale.)
  • Form a Local Agenda 21 study group.

The formal summary of the Congress will be sent to current, new and renewing members of NACCE. For resources to help you get started write NACCE, PO Box 40011, St. Paul MN 55104; 612/698-0349.

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