Did you miss Earth Day? It’s never too late! You and your congregation can still honor the Earth with a 2017 pledge for stewardship of creation. With a few words at the offertory and these pledge sheets, you can inspire people to make the connections between their faith and climate change, and empower them to make a difference.
Consider celebrating Rogation Sunday sometime this spring or summer, (officially May 21) by blessing garden implements and giving thanks for the abundance of the Earth that feeds us.
Every congregation is invited to conduct a pledge drive for the stewardship of creation to help members recognize their contribution to greenhouse gas pollution, and commit to changes for the healing of creation.
- Use the Bishop’s Committee for the Environment (BCE) pledge form to inspire action in your congregation.
- Gather the pledges and tally the individual commitments.
- Share the results joyfully with your congregation, and then,
- Forward your results to the diocese at BCE@ecww.org, so that we can celebrate the commitments made throughout the diocese.
Your congregation can also evaluate church buildings and make a similar pledge.
The BCE is available to offer support – speakers and preachers are available to encourage your congregation in this pledge campaign, as well as to educate about calculating and reducing your individual or parish carbon footprint, participating in the Carbon Offset partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Philippines, spirituality and stewardship of creation, and related topics.
