Seek ways to collaborate with other Creation Care Teams and congregations locally
Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:
- If your faith community cooperates with or is affiliated with a larger body in Western North Carolina, make contact with the leader(s) of that body to inquire if their congregations/communities have existing Creation Care Teams
- Call for a gathering of those teams to explore ways to join together in various projects. Consider joint worship services, hikes, retreats, stream clean-ups, educational events, movie or book discussions, community gardens, etc.
- If the faith communities in your larger area-wide body do not have members with Creation Care Teams, discuss with leaders the possibility of having an educational event to encourage those communities to begin addressing Creation care in their congregations
- Offer to help fellow congregations begin a Creation Care Team
- Invite other congregations to participate with you in your Creation care events
- Join the Creation Care Alliance as a covenant partner
- Follow the Creation Care Alliance on Instagram and Facebook
- Attend the Creation Care Alliance’s yearly symposium for congregation creation care leaders.
- Connect with others using social media by following organizations such as Interfaith Power & Light or Creation Justice Ministries on Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms
General Information Related to this Strategy:
- GreenFaith Fellowship Program
- Denominational Resources on Creation Care:
- Presbyterian Church (USA) Environmental Ministries
- Presbyterians for Earth Care
- United Methodist Church Caretakers of God’s Creation & UMC Earthkeepers
- Unitarian Universalist Green Sanctuary and Environmental Justice
- Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
- Episcopal Ecological Network and Stewardship of Creation
- Lutherans Restoring Creation
- United Church of Christ Environmental Ministries
- Quaker Earth Care Witness
- Catholic Climate Covenant
- Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Green Chalice
- Mennonite Creation Care Network
- American Baptist Churches USA Creation Justice
- Baptist Creation Care Initiative
- Young Evangelicals for Climate Action
- Religious Resources on Creation Care:
- Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action
- Jewish Climate Action Network
- Green Muslims
- Green Ramadan
- Sacred Ecology Forum
- A Buddhist Declaration on Climate Change
- Religious Statements on the Environment from numerous traditions
- National Religious Coalition on Creation Care
- Blessed Tomorrow: Caring for Creation Today
Available Resources in Western North Carolina:
- Connect with your larger denominational body in WNC to work with leaders and engage the efforts of Creation care teams:
- Western North Carolina Baptist Fellowship
- Presbytery of Western North Carolina
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
- Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina
- United Methodist Church: Western North Carolina Conference
- United Church of Christ: Western North Carolina Association
- Friends General Conference: Quakers in North Carolina
- Creation Care Alliance
- Carolina Jews for Justice
Local Faith Communities Currently Utilizing this Strategy:
- St. Eugene Catholic Church, Asheville, NC (partnered with Audubon Society)
- New Hope Presbyterian Church, Asheville, NC (partnered with Audubon Society)
- Contact Rev. Kim Wells: pastornhpc@gmail.com
- Mission Earth, a collaboration across denominations and Asheville Youth Mission