United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church – Church Statement on Climate Change 2011
God’s Creation and the Church
2004 http://archives.umc.org/interior_print.asp?ptid=4&mid=963
Environmental Justice for a Sustainable Future
2004 http://archives.umc.org/interior_print.asp?ptid=4&mid=959
Environmental Stewardship
2000 http://archives.umc.org/interior_print.asp?ptid=4&mid=962
UMC Social Principles & Resolutions (2016-2019)
–Climate Justice: https://www.umcjustice.org/search?q=Social+Principles&issue=climate-justice&type=&principle=&date=
–Clean Water: https://www.umcjustice.org/search?q=Social+Principles&issue=clean-water&type=&principle=&date=
Excerpted from the current UMC Social Principle, “The Natural World.”
“All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. Therefore, we repent of our devastation of the physical and non-human world. Further, we recognize the responsibility of the Church toward lifestyle and systemic changes in society that will promote a more ecologically just world and a better quality of life for all creation.”
Caretakers of God’s Creation (UMC)
United Methodist Church Care for Creation
Resources for Creation Care
A Biblical Foundation for Creation Care
John Wesley on God’s Creation
Historical Voices on God’s Creation
Sermon Suggestions, Liturgy, Prayers, Books
Teach Creation Care and Appreciation
Creation Care Outreach Ministry
Christian, incl. United Methodist Church
Prayers:
https://greenfaith.org/site/data/000/000/Energy_Shield-Christian_Prayers_on_Climate_Change.pdf
https://creationcarealliance.org/resources/ (Western NC)
Sermons & Worship Resources
- Earth Day Sermon by Rev. Kevin Bates as preached for Brooks-Howell Home, April 2020
- Keepers of the Garden by Rev. Dr. Rob Blackburn at Central United Methodist Church, Asheville, NC, May 2016
- Now About That Oil by Rev. Steve Runholt, Pastor at Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church, Swannanoa, NC, November 2014
Meditations
- On Creation Care by Maureen Linneman
- Ecological Stations of the Cross – an ecumenical, ecological prayer service sponsored by the six churches of Christian Discipleship Center
Books
Seasonal Resources:
September Season of Creation
Advent:
- The first week of Advent: Daily meditations with Laudato Si’ (Pope Francis, 2015)
- Week 2 of Advent meditations with Laudato Si’: Shift to a deeper vision
- Week 3 of Advent meditations with Laudato Si’: Putting ourselves out there
- Week 4 of Advent meditations with Laudato Si’: Can I be all embracing?
Liturgies:
https://seasonofcreation.com/worship-resources/liturgies/
(Uniting Church of Australia—Merger of Methodist, Presbyterian & Congregational).
https://www.greenliturgy.org/liturgies
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (UMC)—Green Seminary Initiative
Science (from Interfaith Creation Care of the Triangle (NC)
In order to inspire and engage people to address climate change, it is crucial that part of your message delivers current, accurate scientific information about climate change. It is also important that the focus of your message initiates discussion, offers hope and inspiration, motivates the audience to take action and offers an opportunity to participate in the solution. You will find written resources and video links among these Science-Based Resources that offer advice for starting climate change dialogue and that provide inspiring and up-to-date science content on climate change.
In my science classroom, I relied heavily on two resources that offer hope and inspiration and an opportunity to participate in the climate change solution, the Drawdown Project and the Hotmess PBS video series. I highly recommend these resources as educational tools.
~ Gail Powell, former science teacher
Project Drawdown
Hotmess is a 2018-2019 science video series about Earth’s changing climate. It explains current teachings on climate science and solutions to climate change in a series of short videos (~5-10 min each), suitable for use with adults and young adults (8th -12th grade). They deliver a hopeful message with inspiring ideas for personal action, which aligns well with the message of the Drawdown Project.– Gail Powell, former science teacher
Subscribe to Hotmess
View a playlist of the first 29 Hotmess videos
I (Gail Powell) highly recommend this series, particularly the following videos:
#2 Why We’ve Ignored Climate Change for More than a Century
#4 Why Climate Change is Anti-Justice
#5 The REAL reason We Confuse Weather and Climate
#8 Why Don’t We Hear About the Ozone Hole Anymore?
#9 What If We Burned ALL the Fossil Fuels?
#10 Beef is Bad for the Climate…But How Bad?
#13 Is Climate Change Supercharging Hurricanes?
#14 Climate Change Will Make MILLIONS Homeless. Where Will They Go?
#15 The Best Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint | Hot Mess
#16 Which Greenhouse Gas is Actually the WORST?
#18 Will Climate Change Stop If We Stop Emitting Carbon Tomorrow?
#23 Coral Reefs Are Dying. Here’s How We Can Save Them.
#24 Could Everyone Have Solar Power?
#25 Why One Conservative Texas City Went 100% Renewable
#29 Why Climate Change is So Hard To Talk About
#30 Our Food System is Rigged, featuring Sheril Kirshenbaum
Climate Change: Are You Scared Enough? featuring David Wallace-Wells
Feeling Guilty About Climate Change, featuring Hank Green
Books for Study:
http://matthewsleethmd.com/books/serve-god-save-the-planet-2/ Matthew Sleeth
Has taught at Annual Conference
https://hospitableplanet.com/author/sjurovics/ Steven Jurovics, Ph.D.
on NC Caretakers of God’s Creation team
https://laudatosi.com/watch Pope Francis’ 2015 Encyclical, Laudato Si’
https://divinity.duke.edu/news/nature-creation-christian-vision-understanding-and-loving-our-world
Dr. Norman Wirzba (Duke Divinity School
https://www.amazon.com/Scripture-Culture-Agriculture-Agrarian-Reading/dp/0521732239
Dr. Ellen Davis, Duke Divinity School