Christians Of The Earth In Flagstaff AZ

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

Volume Thirteen, Number Five
October 2004

One Church's "Earthkeeping Circle"

Christians of the Earth, an organization founded in 1996 and supported by members of Flagstaff Federated Community Church, is a denominationally inclusive study and activist organization concerned with environment and ecology, and open to all members of the Christian community. Our membership has grown from 4 or 5 people to a group of 30 which meets for lunch the first Friday of every month during the school year at 11:45 AM at the church, to discuss books being read by the group, and current environmental issues as they relate to Biblical teachings. Next year we will study Simpler Living, Compassionate Life, edited by Michael Schut and published by Earth Ministry, Seattle WA.

Our objectives are consistent with the objectives that God decreed for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden: to have "dominion" over all living things, meaning the caring relationship with creation that God seeks with humankind. Being created in God's image, we believe that we are to reflect God's love in our relationship with the natural world that He has declared is "good." Following the example of Christ, we believe that any mastery of this good creation must be achieved by service. Our objectives are to enjoy and celebrate the natural world; to study scripture and contemporary environmental writings; and with prayerful consideration, discern our faithful response to environmental and ecological issues. One of the most popular activities sponsored by Christians of the Earth is Nature Walks after church, which are open to the community. They have included visits to the black-footed ferret reintroduction site near Seligman; feeding relocated prairie dogs; visiting Dry Lake; planting pine seedlings at the Side Fire Site; seeing the work of spruce beetles at the Snowbowl; visiting Anderson Mesa and many others over the years.

This year we will go to Bosque del Apache, a wildlife bird refuge in New Mexico where we will stay two nights. Our group works with the worship committee and the pastor to plan an Earth Sunday each year in April, emphasizing concern for and celebration of creation. We sponsor the Blessing of the Animals each year in October. Ours is a key group in the newly formed Church Grounds project headed by a master gardener.

The church is now purchasing the Fellowship Blend of coffee from Equal Exchange Interfaith Coffee Program, which supports small farmers in developing nations to grow environmentally friendly coffee and receive a fair price for their labors. We use proceeds from our coffee sales to provide gift baskets for New Members and for other special needs.