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Event focuses on church's role in caring for environment
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A UMNS photo by Cintia Furtado Listenbee
Ellen Hassler (from left), Janet Lilley, Susan Carlyle and Phyllis Putman identify plants on a nature walk at Lake Junaluska.
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| Ellen
Hassler (from left), Janet Lilley, Susan Carlyle and Phyllis Putman
identify plants on one of the nature walks at Lake Junaluska (N.J.)
Conference and Retreat Center, operated by the United Methodist Church's
Southeastern Jurisdiction. The April 20-23 Caring for God's Creation
event drew participants from all over the United States to discuss how
the church is responsible for safeguarding the earth and its
environment. A UMNS photo by Cintia Furtado Listenbee. Photo #06434.
Accompanies UMNS story #240. 4/26/06 |
April 26, 2006
By Cintia Furtado Listenbee*
LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (UMNS) — A concern for God's creation drew
participants from across the United States to an event focused on the
environment.
"All creation is the Lord's, and we are responsible for the ways we
use and abuse it," states Paragraph 160 in the Social Principles, in the
United Methodist Church's Book of Discipline.
Participants at "Caring for God's Creation" discussed the church's
responsibility for the world during an April 20-22 event at Lake
Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. Event organizers with the
denomination's Southeastern Jurisdiction said it was the first time the
jurisdiction had sponsored an event focused on the environment.
The training started with tours of the Lake Junaluska wetlands and
native garden. Workshops offered opportunities for training and
preparing churches and individuals to start "creation committees" in
local churches.
Charles Jansen of Asheville, N.C., led the "reunions with nature"
workshop during the event. He said churches should get more involved
with nature.
"I think this is the perfect way to get the word out. The message of
caring for creation is in the Bible. It's a message that we overlooked,"
he said.
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A UMNS photo by Cintia Furtado Listenbee
Caring for God's Creation drew participants from all over the United States.
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| Caring
for God's Creation drew together participants from all over the United
States to discuss how the church is responsible for safeguarding the
earth and its environment. The April 20-22 event was held at Lake
Junaluska (N.J.) Conference and Retreat Center, operated by the United
Methodist Church's Southeastern Jurisdiction. The training started with
tours of the native gardens and wetlands, and workshops offered
opportunities for training on starting "creation committees in local
churches. A UMNS photo by Cintia Furtado Listenbee. Photo #06433.
Accompanies UMNS story #240. 4/26/06 |
"The workshops were very worthwhile, the topics were very good. It
revitalized me," said Bruce Mulligan of Winston-Salem, N.C. "There's a
small possibility of optimism in the future of the world, although in
the face of it, it looks very negative right now."
It was long time coming for Martha Lyle Ford of Brownsville, Tenn.,
who is concerned about environmental justice and the role of the church.
"I felt that the church is not fulfilling its obligation for caring
for creation. It always bothers me that we look for government and
nonprofit organizations to do what we are called to do in the first
chapter of Genesis," Ford said.
Lynn Barnes of Elkin, N.C., said it was encouraging to be able to see the environment through the eyes of faith.
"Being a child of the '60s, I've been interested in the environment
since I was young. I am an avid recycler," Barnes said. "It seems so
obvious that from the beginning it's been God's creation, but
traditionally people intended to use it however they wish. I hope that
my congregation will begin a green initiative and help others relate
their faith to environmental issues," she said.
Stephen Mallett and a group from Belmont United Methodist Church in
Nashville, Tenn., came to receive training in environment and advocacy
issues.
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A UMNS photo by Cintia Furtado Listenbee
Gretchen Smith of Atlanta looks at a display during the Caring for God's Creation event.
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| Gretchen
Smith of Atlanta looks at a display during the Caring for God's
Creation event held at Lake Junaluska (N.J.) Conference and Retreat
Center. The center is operated by the United Methodist Church's
Southeastern Jurisdiction. The April 20-22 gathering was the first time
the jurisdiction had sponsored an event focused on the environment. The
training started with tours of the native gardens and wetlands, and
workshops offered opportunities for training on starting "creation
committees in local churches. A UMNS photo by Cintia Furtado Listenbee.
Photo #06432. Accompanies UMNS story #240. 4/26/06 |
"If we let the environment deteriorate, we can't facilitate justice
for anyone," Mallett said. "The initial focus is how the church itself
can become more environmentally friendly and energy consumption aware,
and helping families and individuals bring it to their own lives."
"For years we've been interested in organically grown products, clean
water, clean air and clean world. (The event) brings to the forefront
that human beings were given the responsibility by God to be caretakers
of this world. It's one of our primary responsibilities towards God,"
said Linda Crane from Glade Spring, Va.
Gretchen Smith of Atlanta said the event was groundbreaking. "I
really enjoyed the opportunity to network with other people of same
interest."
Next year's event will be April 12-14. Event organizer Loy Lilley,
with the Southeastern Jurisdiction office, looks for positive results at
the local church level.
"Our hope is that people will go back and establish creation
committees in their church so they can be a greener space and
environmentally friendly, and they will influence members of their
congregation to be more aware of and caring for the environment," he
said.
*Listenbee is communications specialist for the United Methodist Church's Southeastern Jurisdiction at Lake Junaluska, N.C.
News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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