Does your church have a creation care team? Do you ever hear about caring for God’s good creation in Sunday worship? If creation care hasn’t been on your church’s radar, the Corridor District Creation Care Team is challenging you to plan now to do one thing in September to observe the Season of Creation. Here are a few ideas.
- Replace some light bulbs with LEDs.
- Plant some native plants on the church grounds.
- Take a groups from your church to participate in a hike or workday led by a local environmental group or park rangers.
- Preach a creation-focused sermon
- Craft one prayer of confession lamenting environmental destruction.
Reach out to the Corridor District team to learn more about incorporating creation care discipleship into the life of your church. The options are many. Plan now to join with churches across the District, the Conference, and around the world in loving and healing God’s good creation.
The Corridor team invites you especially to participate in these district-wide activities:
- Worship Service – Mt. Sylvan UMC is hosting a district-wide worship service at 4:00 pm on Sunday, September 17. DS Mike Frese and Rev. Steve Murphy are preaching.
- Bible Study – Eight churches (maybe more!) are hosting a Bible study using “Climate Justice: A Call to Hope and Action” by Rev. Pat Watkins. You’re invited to join the church closest to you for this very popular study.
Host churches include: Mt. Sylvan, Bethany, First-Graham, Parkwood, First-Elon, Asbury/6:8/La Semilla, University, and Fletcher’s Chapel. Times to be determined soon. A Zoom option will also be available.
Other opportunities:
- Advocacy Training – Rev. Keith Sexton has developed a 3-part process to prepare creation care advocates for a Zoom meeting in August or September with key US House legislative aides to express environmental concerns from the church’s perspective. Everyone is welcome to help with the research and join the Zoom in a show of solidarity. Contact Keith at ksexton@nccumc.org for details on how to participate. Excellent learning opportunity for youth!
- Disaster Mission Training at Lake Junaluska– September 22-24 Learn to lead mission trips where participants learn about community culture, economy, and ecology as well as doing repair work.
If you have questions about the district team or how you can participate in the care for God’s Creation, reach out to the Corridor District Creation Care Team.