Earth Care & Christian Education May 2014 webinar Environmental Ministries, Presbyterian Hunger Program

Environmental Ministries, Presbyterian Hunger Program   Resources  Webinars  Reflection/Action Trips  Earth Care Congregation certification  Advent, Lent, Earth Day Sunday

Children, youth, young adults, and adults of all ages…  How have churches been engaging members of all ages around issues of earth care and Christian discipleship?  What models have been most successful?  What challenges have been surmounted?  What resources can be used in other settings (rural, urban, small, large churches)?

Guest Leaders  DAISY RHAU is a preschool teacher, mother of 2, and a member of the Christian Education Committee at Hunter Presbyterian Church in Lexington, KY.  ERIN PRATT is the Program Director at Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light and a youth group leader and co-director of the Creative Arts and Nature Camp at St. Luke Presbyterian Church in Wayzata, MN.  VICKIE MACHADO recently graduated from the University of Florida with her Masters of Arts in Religion and Nature. She is one of the leaders for Eco-Stewards Gainesville.  WILLIAM SEAMAN is an environmental scientist and educator, and leader of the Earth Ministry Team of Montreat Presbyterian Church.

Hunter Presbyterian Church (KY)

Children’s Curriculum Ideas  God’s Creation: Our Health, Taking Action Together  Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at the Table

Vacation Bible School  Living Waters for the World atersfortheworld.or g/vbs.php  Solar Under the Sun derthesun.org/vac ation-bible-school/  justice.org/ CurricR eview.asp justice.org/ CurricR eview.asp  typroject.org/pdfs/ operation_creation.pdf typroject.org/pdfs/ operation_creation.pdf

St. Luke Presbyterian Church (MN)

 Project Homecoming (New Orleans)  Appalachia  Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center  Goodness Grows food justice mission trips Mission Trips for youth National summer trip opportunities for Presbyterian (and other) youth!

Young Adult Eco-Stewards

Montreat Presbyterian Church (NC)

Adult education options  Seasonal commitments:  Lent 4.5 series  Season of Creation  Monthly focus in adult education (PCUSA resources, Ken Burns’ series, Northwest Institute)  Wednesday evening dinner and convo  Presbytery; speaking to other churches

Questions & Answers time

For more information:  Links to the resources mentioned in this slideshow, and presentations from guest speakers will be available at:  ries/environment/education/ ries/environment/education/ 

Tips for Education  Environmental “education for action:”  Awareness, Knowledge, Values, Action Skills, Action  Celebrate successes  Connect outside your own church for resources and relationships  Learn and use assets (people, skills, natural world) to shape your initiative  Know your audience:  What is your church’s history? What do people get passionate about? How can you connect these pieces?  Provide good earth care information to Christian education team  Use highly skilled, passionate people to lead