I was thrilled to be able to speak at Ann Street UMC on April 23. They had invited me as a part of their Earth Day celebrations, which went on for two Sundays in a row.
I was very impressed by Ann St.’s commitment to good stewardship of what God had entrusted into their hands. We shared lunch together, eating off of reusable plates with reusable utensils and glasses, unlike the disposable ones I’m used to at most church meals. Volunteers washed the dishes, a true service of love.
As I walked around the grounds, I fell in love with their landscaping; the small flower beds that are found around the old church were each converted to pollinator gardens. The people of Ann St. were taking what they had at hand, and using it to love their neighbor by taking care of this earth that they share with their neighbor.
This is the sort of work we will be looking at and sharing with one another at Redeeming Creation 2023. You can register for Redeeming Creation by following this link, or you can keep reading for more information.
Redeeming Creation is a day-long seminar hosted by the NC Conference creation care committee. This year it is being held at First UMC Cary (117 S. Academy St, Cary, NC) on May 6 from 9:00-4:00. Participants can choose to attend in-person or online; all registrants will receive video copies of each presentation.
Our theme for the year is Inspire. We believe God is already at work doing great things in our local churches, and we believe that the breath of the Holy Spirit is even now breathing into you, to inspire you to take on this responsibility of creation stewardship.
In my time serving as the creation care chair, I have seen multiple ways that local churches spread the love of Jesus Christ through creation care. Trinity UMC in Southport works tirelessly to clean and protect local waterways, while St. Andrews UMC in Garner has a Sacred Circle ministry that gives life to people weekly in walking their prayer path.
At Center UMC in Sanford, neighbors are loved through the growing and giving away of healthy, organic produce at Selah Community Garden. Mt. Tirzah UMC in Timberlake includes creation care tips in their weekly newsletter. Benson Memorial UMC has a booming creation care team that regularly advocates for sustainable environmental practices. All eight of our Districts have creation care teams working to guide ministries in large and small ways.
There is no one way to do creation care; the possibilities are myriad. We hope you will join us on May 6 to learn from one another how we are all caring for God’s creation in our own ways, and to hear from our excellent speakers (all working for creation justice right here in North Carolina).
Please fill out the form below to register for Redeeming Creation 2023, and we will see you Saturday! (And don’t forget to share this information; others want to go but need to hear about it first.)
Sorry. This form is no longer available.