Children and Youth

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Planting Seeds: Offer a children / youth event or class focused on care for Creation

Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:

  • Incorporate teachings about environmental issues and caring for Creation in a bible study class or another adolescent learning space
  • Hold events at the park or in other outdoor spaces instead of indoors, and talk about the significance of being connected with the natural world
  • Find a time to work in a community garden together and allow children and youth to get their hands dirty, connect with the earth, and learn about different plants, foods, and critters
  • Host a children or youth plant sale to raise money for your faith community or another organization, and sell only native/non-invasive species of plants
  • Include messages about caring for Creation during the children’s sermon or other moments during worship that are focused on your younger community members
  • Host an Earth Day outdoor event for children and youth

General Information Related to this Strategy:

Nurturing Growth: Provide extended children / youth events, such as VBS or camp, centered around Creation

Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:

  • Find curriculum for Vacation Bible School or other children and youth camps that focuses on Creation and environmental stewardship
  • Plan a week of outdoor conservation activities and invite children, youth, and their families to participate
  • Go on a field trip or special outing to experience wildlife rehabilitation, learn about the local ecosystem, and come to understand the importance of wild animals in our world while spending time with those incredible creatures!
  • Take children and youth on retreats focused on care for Creation or addressing environmental issues
  • Take children and youth to camps that meet in outdoor spaces

General Information Related to this Strategy:

Available Resources in Western North Carolina:

Deepening Roots: Incorporate teachings about Creation into regular children and youth education and programming

Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:

  • Regularly incorporate teachings about environmental issues and caring for creation in bible classes, Wednesday night programing for children and youth, or other adolescent learning spaces
  • Find weekly curriculum focused on connections found your sacred text around caring for Creation and loving our neighbors
  • Take children and youth on walks around the community and pick up litter, notice gardens and creatures, and talk about Creation
  • Learn the names of local species with your youth and children and name these species in congregational prayers
  • Say prayers together about environmental concerns and the ways they impact our neighbors
  • Invite youth and children to speak about why they care about Creation in a worship service
  • Invite youth to serve on your congregational creation care team, or to advise the committee for building/grounds regarding ways to care for the planet
  • Invite youth to host a film screening or other event on environmental issues that are concerning to them and why/how these issues are related to faith and loving our neighbors
  • Hold a fundraiser for an environmental cause through your children’s ministry or youth ministry.
    • Children could paint endangered animals and host an art auction for wildlife. Youth could make a meal that is sustainable, share facts about environmental issues during the gathering, and give proceeds to a local environmental nonprofit. The list of possibilities goes on and on!
  • Attend local environmental organization’s volunteer days and river clean-ups with older children and youth from your congregation

General Information Related to this Strategy:

Available Resources in Western North Carolina:

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