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Stewardship of the Earth
Stewardship of the Earth
As Stewardship of the Earth has become a new "hot topic," the Stewardship Commission has begun to put together a few resources for churches to review for use in their own congregations. We hope that you will find our recommendations helpful!* *Featured resources are provided for your convenience and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Click on the titles below to quickly search items found in this page.
Stewardship Blog ...coming soon! Check back in the months to come to see it and be a part of the new Stewardship Blog!
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 Earth Day - Why Should Christians Get Involved?
by Emily Ross
The Earth Day 2008 essay is a brief article that reflects the Stewardship Commission's
continued movement toward a biblical view of holistic stewardship. The emphasis
of this article is placed on Stewardship of the Earth in honor of Earth
Day. The Stewardship Commission looks forward to writing more articles based on other creation care topics in the near future. Click on the title above to obtain or read a copy in downloadable pdf format. Check back to join our Stewardship Blog, hopefully coming sometime this fall.
by Marianne Peters This article appeared in the Covenant Companion
under the Creation Care
section of the October 2008 issue. Marianne
discusses one small thing that we can do to care for the earth -
turning off the engine rather than letting it idle. This will save you
money as well as help reduce pollution. Click on the
title above to link to the article. *Originally appeared in The Covenant Companion.
Copyright October 2008, Covenant Publications.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.by Marianne Peters
This article appeared in the Covenant Companion
under the Creation Care
section of the September 2008 issue. Marianne
reveals statistics about the amount of money and number of resources
put into making one's lawn look "pristine." She also speaks about the
difference between dormancy and death and the importance of dormancy
for our lawns. Click on the
title above to link to the article. *Originally appeared in The Covenant Companion.
Copyright September 2008, Covenant Publications.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.by John E. Phelan Jr.
This article appeared in the Covenant Companion
in the September 2008 issue. Dr. Phelan does not take a scientific
approach to global warming, but rather speaks about the potential
affects that our actions may be having on the earth and the community
at large - disaster, famine, starvation, and death, to name a few.
"Whereas once upon a time it was a virtue to be frugal and careful, to
grow one's own food and to care for the earth, it is now seen as
'leftist' or 'elitist.'" Click on the
title above to link to the article. *Originally appeared in The Covenant Companion.
Copyright September 2008, Covenant Publications.
Used by permission. All rights reserved. by Marianne Peters
This article appeared in the Covenant Companion
under the Creation Care
section of the August 2008 issue. Marianne speaks
about the benefits of creating sanctuaries or "backyard habitats" -
benefits for wildlife and for ourselves. We are both part of God's
creation. Humanity can see God work through his creation in our own
backyard and, at the same time, expand our understanding of Him. Click on the
title above to link to the article. *Originally appeared in The Covenant Companion.
Copyright August 2008, Covenant Publications.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
by Marianne Peters
This article appeared in the Covenant Companion
under the Creation Care
section of the July 2008 issue. Marianne speaks
about the benefits of buying locally and how that intertwines with her
way to "practice Christian stewardship and compassion in practical ways." Click on the
title above to link to the article. *Originally appeared in The Covenant Companion.
Copyright July 2008, Covenant Publications.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
by Marianne Peters
This is the pdf of June 2008's Covenant Companion
article by Marianne Peters. It is an article about the benefits of composting and the sustainability of such practices. Click on the
title above to link to the article. *Originally appeared in The Covenant Companion.
Copyright June 2008, Covenant Publications.
Used by permission. All rights reserved. 
by Philip J. Anderson This is the pdf of May 2008's Covenant Companion article by Philip J. Anderson. It is an article about future Covenant pastors exploring the Christian call to creation care. Click on the title above to link to the article. *Originally appeared in The Covenant Companion.
Copyright May 2008, Covenant Publications.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
by Bob Smietana This article has been made available from April 2008's Covenant Companion. It features a conversation with environmental activist Matthew Sleeth. Click on the title above to obtain or read a copy in downloadable pdf format. *Originally appeared in The Covenant Companion.
Copyright April 2008, Covenant Publications.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
by Joel Olfelt This article has been made available from April 2008's Covenant Companion. In the face of global climate change, a biologist challenges Christians to become wise stewards. Click on the title above to obtain or read a copy in downloadable pdf format. *Originally appeared in The Covenant Companion.
Copyright April 2008, Covenant Publications.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Covenant Resolutions: Resolution on Creation Care, 2007
Resolution on the Environment, 1992 return to top of page
Other Covenant Articles and Resources: Fair Trade Event Reflects Good Stewardship Theme
This article is made available through "top stores" on the Covenant webpage. West Peabody Community Covenant Church hosted an interfaith event on Sunday, October 26, 2008 to promote fair and environmently-friendly trade. Click the title above to read more. 100 Students Put Feet to their Faith
This article is made available through "top stores" on the Covenant webpage. One hundred students attended the first-ever Feet to Faith gathering in the North Pacific Conference
and gained a better understanding of how they can respond to poverty
and other hardships faced by their neighbors and those around the world. Click the title above to read more. NPU Cafeteria Becomes a Tray-free Zone
This article is made available through "top stores" on the Covenant webpage. North Park University
and ARAMARK, the school’s food service provider, hope to save thousands
of dollars, positively affect the environment, and improve students’
health by removing trays from the cafeteria. Click the title above to read more.
Caring for the Earth – Good Stewardship, Not Politics
This article is made available through "top stores" on the Covenant webpage. First Covenant Church of Omaha, NE will host J. Matthew Sleeth, author of the well-reviewed book Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action. Click the title above to read the article in its entirety. Cizik Speaks Out on Global Warming, Criticism by Stan Friedman
This article is made available through "top stores" on the Covenant webpage. In recent years, Cizik has become a leading evangelical proponent in the
fight against global warming and helped guide the writing of the NAE’s
2004 document, “For the Health of the Nation: An Evangelical Call to Civic Responsibility”
and the 2007 “Evangelical Declaration against Torture.” TIME magazine
recently named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world... Click on the title above to read more. Youth Group’s Cleanup Effort Stirs City into Action
This article is made available through "top stores" on the Covenant webpage. What began last year as an effort by First Covenant church’s youth
group to clean the shoreline of a local lake turned Saturday into a
community wide effort to clean up the city. Click the title above to read the article in its entirety. Covenant Village (FL) Receives ‘Green’ Award
This article is made available through "top stores" on the Covenant webpage. Covenant Village of Florida is one of seven businesses to win Broward County’s Emerald Award for environmentally friendly business practices. Click on the title above to read more. "Going Green - It's Easier Than You Think"
This article is made available through "top stores" on the Covenant webpage. It highlights a number of local churches and organizations that have been and are starting to "go green." Click the title above to read the article in its entirety. Film Critic Honored for Litter Campaign
This article is made available through "top stores" on the Covenant webpage. Mercer Island Covenant Church honors the conservationist efforts of a well-known film critic. Click the title above to read more. "Become the Greenest Congregation"
This article is made available through "top stories" on the Covenant webpage.
"Become the Greenest Congregation" pertains to a challenge given by
Richard Cizik at a North Park University chapel service given in the
Spring of 2008. Click the title above to read the article in its
entirety. Creating an Earth-Safe Church, various authors
This resource has been made available by Christianity Today. This downloadable resource is designed to introduce the local church to the topic of creation care and provide practical tips for your church property. Click on the link above to read the table of contents and determine if it is a resource that will prove to beneficial for your local church body. "Dreaming of a Green Christmas" by Heidi Griepp
This article is made available through the webwatch section of the Covenant webpage (www.covchurch.org/blogs/webwatch). Webwatch of December 2007 took a look at a way to give God's creation a present throughout the holiday season. Click the title above to read more.
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 Books:For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care
by Steven Bouma-Prediger
Thomas Aquinas once stated that "any error about creation also leads to
an error about God." At a time when it seems humans have erred much in
their treatment of the planet, this book explores the relationship
between Christianity and the natural world in the most thorough
evangelical treatment available on a theology of creation care. An
esteemed scholar of ecology and theology, Steven Bouma-Prediger claims
that "authentic Christian faith requires ecological obedience." This
substantive yet accessible book argues that true Christianity
acknowledges the responsibility and privilege Christians have been
given as stewards of the earth.
Sure to provoke dialogue, For
the Beauty of the Earth will be welcomed by professors and students of
theology, ecology, and contemporary culture. -Baker Academic Press
 Serve God, Save the Planet
by J. Matthew Sleeth
Not long ago, J. Matthew Sleeth had a fantastic life and a great job as
chief of the medical staff at a large hospital. He was living the
"American dream" until he saw an increasing number of his patients
suffering from cancer, asthma, and other chronic diseases. He began to
suspect that the Earth and its inhabitants were in deep trouble.
Turning
to Jesus for guidance, Sleeth discovered how the scriptural lessons of
personal responsibility, simplicity, and stewardship could be applied
to modern life. The Sleeths have since sold their big home and given
away more than half of what they once owned. In Serve God, Save the
Planet, Sleeth shares the joy of adopting a less materialistic,
healthier lifestyle, stronger relationships, and richer spiritual
lives. With the storytelling ease of James Herriot and the logical
clarity of C. S. Lewis, Sleeth lays out the rationale for
environmentally responsible life changes and a how-to guide for making
those changes.
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Annotated Bibliography of sources...coming soon!return to top of page
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