Rev. Jenny Phillips, the guest preacher for 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. worship this Sunday and the Creation Care Program Manager for Global Ministries, writes about her work with EarthKeepers and our own upcoming Earth Day celebrations. She and her family attend Glenn and are grateful for the warm welcome they have received since they moved from Seattle to the Atlanta area last year.
Photo by Mel Caraway, GBGM
Global Ministries’ creation care program equips United Methodists to participate in the church’s work of healing creation. When extreme weather events and other disasters disrupt life, UMCOR provides humanitarian relief. But it is not enough to respond to crises; we must do all we can to prevent them. This means addressing the modes of living that cause climate change and environmental degradation, including overconsumption, deforestation, poor water management and agricultural practices that diminish the land. People of faith should be at the forefront of the transformation of the world that includes clean energy and stable access to healthy food and water for all, and that protects creatures and sacred spaces.
Easter and the season following it bring the promise of abundant life for all people and all of God’s creation. In its 2009 pastoral letter on caring for creation, the United Methodist Council of Bishops states, “Christ’s resurrection assures us that death and destruction do not have the last word. Paul taught that through Jesus Christ, God offers redemption to all of creation...God’s Spirit is always and everywhere at work in the world, fighting poverty, restoring health, renewing creation, and reconciling peoples.”
As we live into the season of Eastertide, let us open ourselves to new opportunities to join with God’s spirit in this work. I hope you will join us this Sunday, April 22, as well celebrate Earth Day in worship, enjoy Sunday School led by Stephen Jurovics, author of Hospitable Planet, and offer resource tables to help you engage in creation care. If you’re interested in developing a creation care project or initiative, consider attending the Global Ministries EarthKeepers training May 17 - 20 at our headquarters at Grace UMC. More information is available at
umcmission.org/earthkeepers.
And please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be a resource to you at jphillips@
umcmission.org.
Watch this Global Ministries video to learn more about Jenny's work with EarthKeepers: