EarthCare Online Update

MARCH/APRIL 2005 "CARING FOR GOD'S CREATION" www.earthcareonline.org

"The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof..." (Psalm 24:1, KJV)

earthcare news
Report from Dr. Steven Bouma-Prediger's lectures at Covenant College

NCC's open letter "God's Earth is Sacred" calls for Christians to repent and to address the degradation of God's sacred earth

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for reflection

V "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

Steven Bouma-Prediger from Hope College gave a series of lectures dealing with God, earth, and ethics at Covenant College. Earthcare, Inc. coordinated with the college to offer these lectures as our spring conference as well. Steve arrived on Wednesday afternoon and Earthcare took him to dinner and opened that time to any members or friends who wanted to eat with us and discuss earthkeeping. We had 6 people in attendance besides our speaker.

The lectures held at Covenant College were on Thursday evening from 6 to 10 PM, Friday evening also from 6 to 10 PM, and Saturday morning from 8 AM to Noon. Breakfast was served outside the lecture hall for the convenience of those in attendance that morning. There were between 10 and 20 “visitors” at these lectures, depending on the day. Several were Earthcare members. There were also about 30 students taking this series for college credit.

Dr. Bouma-Prediger started the lectures by dealing with ecological literacy. He questioned us about our knowledge of how well we know our world, especially native plants, where our trash goes, where our water comes from, phases of the moon and many other mind tickling questions. Then he spent about an hour lecturing on the different way that our earth is being degraded through population problems, affluence and the wrong use of technology. After such a depressing lecture, he reminded us that there is hope and that our part does make a difference.

The second night in the series dealt with ecological complaints against Christianity and why or why not these accusations are true or false. As many of us in Christian earthkeeping know, most of the accusations are because of a misinterpretation of scripture. Steve talked about our being created as earthly creatures and embedded in creation. But we are also made in God’s image and are responsible for creation as stewards. Besides being, we are doing creatures, here to serve and protect the earth. The marmot and other creatures are not.

There was a lively discussion with the next part of his presentation on Friday evening. It dealt with whether the earth would be destroyed as many interpret 2 Peter 3:1-10. Dr. Bouma-Prediger believes that one of the oldest texts uses a Greek word for transforming and not destroying. Therefore, he espouses a purification of the creation into a new heavens and a new earth and not a destruction of the present and then a new creation. He believes this should make us better stewards of what we have and work toward Christ’s return, to dress the earth as He wants it dressed.

He finished the evening giving a list of why people care for creation, calling the list, from prudence to piety. A brief listing was self interest, future generations, live simply, ecojustice, animal rights, value of creation in itself, divine commandment, image of God and finally out of a grateful heart to God. The surprising thing to me was the answers given by so many of the young people were so much lower on the list than the last three. It is definitely a sign that this generation does things if they work and prudent, not because they are commanded.

Finally, on Saturday morning, Dr. Steven Bouma-Prediger addressed the question of what kind of people we should be as Christians. He looked at Wendell Berry’s ideas of community and how we don’t often realize that destroying God’s creation is an act of blasphemy against God. Looking at several passages from scripture, he showed how our minds need changing and that virtue should be against vice.

For those taking the course for credit, a paper was assigned. I thought you might like to see the question posed and ask yourself how you might answer it.

“Your best friend back home is suspicious of ‘environmentalists.’ A Christian she/he believes that ecological concern is an entirely secular matter and that ecological degradation is ‘unsubstantiated hype.’ Furthermore, they do not believe the Bible supports caring for the earth. They can’t remember ever hearing a sermon on earthkeeping, and stewardship means giving money to the church. What will you say and what will you do in light of your friend’s concerns?”

Lula Lake Land Trust - St. Patrick's Day Clean-Up
4pm - 6:30pm
Lookout Mountain, TN
Spend a little time before your Saint Patrick's Day party begins helping clean up downed pine trees at the Lula Lake Land Trust. Tools will be provided. Wear gloves and bring some water.
More information: Call (423) 821-2424; directions; website: www.lulalake.org.

Lula Lake Land Trust - Good Friday Volunteer Day
Lookout Mountain, TN
Join volunteers in this beautiful setting to clean up the lake area. Tools will be provided. Wear gloves and bring some water.
More information: Call (423) 821-2424; directions; website: www.lulalake.org.

Lula Lake Land Trust - Open Gate Date
9:00am - 1pm
Lookout Mountain, TN
Lula Lake Land Trust will be open for hiking, biking, and picnicking. Pets are allowed on a leash.
More information: Call (423) 821-2424; directions; website: www.lulalake.org.

Sequatchie Valley Institute - Spring Wildflower Hike and Open House
Open house - starts 9am Central Time with ongoing tours
Sequatchie Valley Institute, Whitwell, TN
Hikes start at 11am Central Time.
Cost: Contact the SVI for a brochure which explains the schedule and fees (available in spring). All workshops at the Sequatchie Valley Institute are intentionally affordable using a sliding scale based on your income. Food exchange is available.

Reflection Riding - Spring Wildflower Festival and Native Plant Sale
Friday and Saturday, April 8 and 9: 9am - 5pm / Sunday, April 10: 1pm - 5pm
Crabtree Farms. 1000 E. 30th St., Chattanooga
19^th Annual Reflection Riding Spring Wildflower Festival & Native Plant Sale features the sale of native trees, shrubs and wildflowers – all propagated in the Reflection Riding greenhouse – as well as guided wildflower walks, talks on a variety of gardening topics and exhibitors from other nonprofit organizations.
Admission: Free

April 9 Saturday
Household Hazardous Waste Collection - Chattanooga
2nd Saturday of each month. 8am-noon.
Household Hazardous Waste Facility, 3925 North Hawthorne St., Chattanooga
Information: Chattanooga Public Works (423) 698-9531

April 12 Tuesday
EarthCare Monthly Planning Meeting
2nd Tuesday of each month. 6:30pm.
Chattanooga State (follow the signs or contact us for info.)
Information:

Customers can choose from medicinal and culinary herbs, and flowering annuals perfect for spring and summer gardens. Start a tasty garden featuring vegetables. All plants are cultivated in the greenhouse at Crabtree Farms using sustainable methods.

April 16 Saturday
Household Hazardous Waste Collection - Dalton, GA
3rd Saturday of each month. 7am-2pm.
Household Hazardous Waste Facility, Old Dixie Landfill, Dalton
Information: Dalton City Landfill (706) 277-3389

Crabtree Farms opens May 3 for the 2005 season
Open Tuesday - Saturday, 9am -1pm. (Closed Sundays for the Chattanooga Market.)
Crabtree Farms. 1000 E. 30th St., Chattanooga
Crabtree Farms will be open 6 days a week for purchasing organic fresh flowers, veggies and herbs grown on-site at the Farm.
More information: www.crabtreefarms.org

May 10 Tuesday
EarthCare Monthly Planning Meeting
2nd Tuesday of each month. 6:30pm.
Chattanooga State (follow the signs or contact us for info.)
Information: Jerry Faulkner

May 14 Saturday
Household Hazardous Waste Collection - Chattanooga
2nd Saturday of each month. 8am-noon.
Household Hazardous Waste Facility, 3925 North Hawthorne St., Chattanooga
Information: Chattanooga Public Works (423) 698-9531

May 21 Saturday
Household Hazardous Waste Collection - Dalton, GA
3rd Saturday of each month. 7am-2pm.
Household Hazardous Waste Facility, Old Dixie Landfill, Dalton
Information: Dalton City Landfill (706) 277-3389

"And God said, 'Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.' And it was so. God called the dry ground 'land,' and the gathered waters he called 'seas.' And God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:9-10 NIV)

If you eat fish, you may have been concerned about the contaminants that you consume and what impact your decisions have on the environment.

On their websites, the Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation and The Vegetarian Society offer information about the benefits of getting our essential fatty acids (EFAs) from plant sources rather than animal sources. Their suggested alternatives for EFA-containing foods include flax seed, rape seed oil, walnuts, and tofu.

For those persons who wish to eat fish, the website The Fish List offers information to help you make better seafood selections. The Fish List recommends which fish should be avoided and tells reasons for their recommendations. The site also offers tips for making healthier selections and includes a chart of fish health advisories, which was calculated using the EPA's risk assessment methodology. Oceans Alive by Environmental Defense also offers its own fish lists: "Eco-Worst" and "Eco-Best." For each fish listed, you may access the following information: a picture, general information, commercial sources, capture methods, and eco and health comments.

The 2005 Earth Day Sunday "Sacred Oceans and Seas: S.O.S." materials published by the National Council of Churches of Christ (NCC)'s are now available. The materials include worship helps, a bulletin insert, and other resources. To download resources, visit the NCC's Eco-Justice Working Group's website <www.nccecojustice.org>.

Other ocean-related materials for Earth Day Sunday are posted on the Evangelical Environmental Network's website <www.creationcare.org>. The EEN used the topic "Oceans" as their focus for Creation Sunday in 2004.

NCC's open letter "God's Earth is Sacred" calls for Christians to repent and to address the degradation of God's sacred earth

On February 14, 2005, the National Council of Churches released an open letter encouraging Christians to respond to God's call to care for creation and to repent for failures and sins in this area. Proposing in their letter that this mission is "the moral assignment of our time," the NCC affirmed the following social and environmental responsibilities:

Justice-creating right relationships, both social and ecological, to ensure for all members of the Earth community the conditions required for their flourishing.

Sustainability-living within the bounds of planetary capacities indefinitely, in fairness to both present and future generations of life.

Bioresponsibility-extending the covenant of justice to include all other life forms as beloved creatures of God and as expressions of God’s presence, wisdom, power, and glory.

Humility-recognizing, as an antidote to arrogance, the limits of human knowledge, technological ingenuity, and moral character.

Generosity-sharing Earth’s riches to promote and defend the common good in recognition of God’s purposes for the whole creation and Christ’s gift of abundant life.

Frugality-restraining economic production and consumption for the sake of eco-justice.

Solidarity-acknowledging that we are increasingly bound together as a global community in which we bear responsibility for one another’s well being.

Compassion-sharing the joys and sufferings of all Earth’s members and making them our own.

Understanding our responsibilities as those who live within the United States of America - the part of the human family that represents five percent of the world population and consumes 25 percent of Earth’s riches.

Integrating this understanding into our core beliefs and practices surrounding what it means to be “church,” to be “human,” to be “children of God.”

Advocating boldly with all our leaders on behalf of creation’s most vulnerable members (including human members).

Kyoto Treaty
February 16, 2005, the Kyoto treaty, an international agreement addressing global warming issues, went into effect in 140 nations of the world. The United States and Australia were not among those nations that signed the treaty. The Kyoto agreement, negotiated in Japan in 1997, aims to reduce carbon dioxide and other emissions that are believed to cause warming of the earth's atmosphere and altering of weather patterns. It is also believed that the resulting weather changes causes an increase in extreme weather events, more disease epidemics, and a reduction in agricultural output.

U. S. Global Warming Legislation
Although the United States is not reducing emissions according to the Kyoto protocols, there are efforts in some U.S. states to write legislation to address the global warming issue. Also, currently before Congress there is the bi-partisan Climate Stewardship Act, which has been introduced both in the U.S. Senate and House.

The "Climate Stewardship Act of 2005" bills HR759 and S342 were introduced February 2005. The intent of the proposed legislation is "to provide for a program of scientific research on abrupt climate change, to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by establishing a market-driven system of greenhouse gas tradeable allowances, to limit greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and reduce dependence upon foreign oil, and ensure benefits to consumers from the trading in such allowances." For the complete text of the Climate Stewardship Act of 2005, see HR759 and S342.

Write or call your federal and state officials to voice your opinions regarding global warming.
To locate officials by name or zip code, you may visit Project Vote Smart <http://www.vote-smart.org/>.

The U.S. EPA's Oceans and Coasts page <http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/kids.html> offers several online resources as well as links to other educational resources on the Internet. Among the listed resources are free ocean posters that can be ordered online or by phone.

NOAA also has an ocean education site: Kids' and Teachers' Corner <http://www.yoto98.noaa.gov/kids.htm>, which they compiled during the International Year of the Ocean (1998).

The Discovery School <http://school.discovery.com/> offers a lesson plan on Tsunamis that includes the online streaming video "How Tsunamis Are Formed" (6:50-min. long).

The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.
(Numbers 6:24-26, NKJV)

EarthCare Online Update is a free email newsletter published by EarthCare, Inc. Published approximately six times a year, the newsletter focuses on Christians' call to care for the earth, news of EarthCare activities, and resources to assist with daily aspects of creation care.

Please note that the views expressed in resources listed in the Update are not necessarily those of EarthCare. In the Update we attempt to include a variety of books, websites, etc. in order to facilitate readers' education and exploration of ideas regarding the care of God's creation. It is our hope and prayer that before embracing new beliefs or practices, readers will examine them in context of the teachings of the Bible and God's personal call in their lives.

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About EarthCare
EarthCare, Inc. is a non-profit Christian organization that exists to promote creation stewardship within the Christian community. For more information about EarthCare, caring for God's creation, and links to other creation care resources, please see our website www.earthcareonline.org.

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"EarthCare Stewards" are what we call the generous individuals and churches who contribute to the ministries of EarthCare. We invite you to become an EarthCare Steward and join with us in supporting creation care in the Christian community. The ministries of EarthCare are funded entirely by gifts from folks like you who want to make a difference. Most gifts we receive are small, but because we're all volunteers any amount that you give will have a big impact! Your gift will go directly to support EarthCare ministries (projects, conferences, website, email list, mailing services, and other EarthCare activities). All gifts are tax deductible.

You may contribute by mailing a check or money order to the address below. Thank you!

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