The Episcopal Ecological Network (EpEN)

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In the spring of 2003 the Bishops of Province One issued a Pastoral Letter on the Environment, the first time in memory that the Bishops were unanimous on an issue of major concern.

As a follow-up, the Bishops agreed that the annual Province One Convocation be devoted to the discussion of environmental matters.

The planning committee provided a study guide to the pastoral letter (note this is a large PDF document and may take a few minutes to download).

The Convocation was attended by over one hundred-fifty individuals and presenters.

Last fall representatives from six of the seven Dioceses and other faith-based organizations gathered for a two night retreat on Lake Winnepisaukee in New Hampshire. The goals of the gathering were: to build fellowship and support; to share ideas and learn from one another; to discuss the ways in which we could work together across state and diocesan lines.

Our next retreat takes place in February in Connecticut. Again, we hope to continue building community, sharing ideas and developing new means of cooperation. A highlight of the gathering will be a tour of the solar homes of the two local hosts: Barbara Putnam and Lynn Fulkerson. We also look forward to welcoming a representative of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative also known as RGGI. RGGI is an effort being undertaken by nine northeastern states to reduce our greenhouse gas initiatives. The leaders of RGGI have asked us to help out. The retreat should be formative in answering the call.

Representatives from two Dioceses in Province One are working up resolutions for the upcoming General Convention.

A progress report will be posted after the February retreat.

SBM

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Province 2 received a budget allocation from the Provincial budget to organize and conduct Province-wide conference calls and a regional meeting on environmental issues and organizing within the Province. If you are interested in taking part in planning these calls or the meeting, contact Fletcher Harper.

The Diocese of New Jersey has completed an energy audit of its diocesan headquarters and is preparing to implement significant energy conservation measures as a result. The Diocesan Environmental Commission, chaired by the Rev. Joe Parrish, has spearheaded this effort along with GreenFaith, New Jersey's interfaith environmental coalition. GreenFaith also worked with the Diocese of Newark on a similar energy audit, and identified substantial energy savings opportunities.

In the Diocese of New York, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City organized an environmental forum this past November featuring author Bill McKibben and representatives of area religious-environmental groups, including the newly formed New York chapter of Interfaith Power and Light and GreenFaith. The Cathedral also worked with the United Nations Environment Programme and GreenFaith to sponsor a trial dialogue for religious-environmental leaders aimed at helping them find ways to speak publicly about environmental issues from a religious perspective. Plans for future similar programming at the Cathedral are being planned by the Cathedral, GreenFaith and UNEP.

Please send news about other environmental action in Province 2 to Fletcher Harper for inclusion in the next electronic newsletter.

The Rev Fletcher Harper

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Peter Kreitler was invited to lead a 5-day course on stewardship of creation at Virginia Seminary (by the Dean). He asked Elizabeth Sedlins to join him on the last day of the course to share activities going on in the Diocese of VA. He was as inspiring as ever!

The environment committee in the Diocese of Virginia remains active and involved. We now have a website – which needs a lot of work, but at least has been started.

The Diocese of Washington approved a resolution on environmental stewardship at its annual convention on January 28. The resolution encourages the Diocese’s 93 parishes to become more aware of the environmental consequences of their energy use and to participate with Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light.

In addition, the Diocese of Washington will be sponsoring a similar resolution for consideration at General Convention this summer. Details in the next EpEN Newsletter

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Province 4 Webpage on the environment

Practical Ways Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville Cared for God's World in 2005

Source of Light & Breath - respond to global warming by promoting green renewable energy, energy conservation, energy efficiency and clean air.
Purchased blocks of green energy from the TVA Green Power Switch program, promotes energy conservation in all buildings and encourages church members to buy green power for their homes and businesses.

House of the Lord - greening our church facility, grounds and programs.
Key parish leaders are promoting sustainable products and processes in our remodeling, in the plans for our new educational building including benefits of US Green Building LEED certification and a green vegetative roof

Gift of Water- protect and enhance all watersheds, restore water quality.
Collaboration with Cumberland River Compact – members are asked to work/support watersheds groups in their neighborhoods and to support the water programs of ERD.

Trees of Life – endorse sustainable *forest management and road-less forests.
Support and promote the work of Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy and The Land Trust for Tennessee, Cumberland Plateau forest conservation. Expanding our use of tree-free paper and 100% recycled paper as much as possible! Reducing the amount of paper used in some programs by expanding use of electronic communications. Encouraged members to attend The Book of Nature, OBN retreats, a branch of RCFC, Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation.

God’s Covenant with Noah – preserve bio-diversity, native habitats and wilderness areas.
Honeysuckle Pull & Advent Wreath project - eliminate plants that destroy varied native plants. The non-native, Japanese honeysuckle vines are turned into circle wreaths, used for base of advent wreaths or for garlands at Blessing of Animals programs. This eliminated Styrofoam advent wreath bases, minimized man-made decorations on the wreaths that can not break down in landfills. We use and reuse pine cones, dried berries. A variety of greens from church member’s yards are used to decorate the wreaths. After Christmas the greens can be composted. This whole project promotes – reduce, reuse, recycle.

Garden of God – implement healthy practices for agriculture and land.
Buy shares of CBG/A – community based gardens/agriculture, serving and selling Bishops Blend shade grown, fair trade coffee.

Celebration of the Word – integrate creation into our liturgy.
May & October First Friday worship were devoted to Care of Creation liturgies. This worship service is grounded in the Book of Common Prayer, each service is unique and contemporary. Many services are enhanced by the Epiphany Dancers - Ancient Ritual, Artistic Expression, and Spiritual Renewal. After the worship service we host an Environmental Ministry: Care for Creation Exhibit.

Province IV has released a Bishop's Pastoral Letter on the care of creation, which includes a study guide.

Joyce Wilding

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Contacts:

In 2005, the Minnesota Episcopal Environmental Stewardship Commission (MEESC) took joint possession (with St. Mary's Episcopal Church of Ely, MN) of a house left to the MEESC and the church. Since then the house has been renovated and named the Mary Brown Environmental Center (named after the donor). The house, located close to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota, is available for retreats, seminars, and other environment-related activities.

The MEESC also published its User's Guide on the Spirituality of Food Production (implementing General Convention Resolution C-036 from 2003), which was distributed at the Episcopal Communicators' Conference in Salt Lake City, to contacts in the Dioceses of South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Iowa in Province VI, and to the Diocese of Utah (Province VIII). At the annual diocesan convention the MEESC presented a resolution that passed establishing an annual creation season celebration of 6-8 weeks in the Diocese of Minnesota.

The Rev Wanda Copeland also attended the annual convention of the Diocese of Iowa and distributed information about the EpEN.

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The Environmental Stewardship Committee of the Diocese of West Texas is always trying to find a way to slip in the thin edge of creation care wedge to diocesan attention. Right now we are putting together a presentation packet related to green building practices, because there are several new building and remodeling projects coming up in the diocese, and we are creating an account with Office Depot wherein parishes and schools in the diocese can order environmentally sensitive office supplies.

If you are interested in being the contact for Province 7, please send an e-mail to eenchair@env-steward.com.

Contacts:

The Rev Sally Bingham has been in negotiation with the General Convention office at Church Center to have a climate neutral convention in Ohio. They have agreed to purchase green tags to offset our carbon emissions for the duration of the convention. that is good news!

The Environmental Commission of the Diocese of Oregon is deep in the planning of a water event for 2006. The commission offered courses and workshops on “simplicity as compassion,” climate change, and how congregations can make a difference. Triangle Lake continues to offer opportunities for sustainable building and provide ecological education in its summer camp program.. We are planning a program that provides congregations with resources in the areas of energy efficiency and climate change, clean and accessible water, simplicity, environmental justice, food issues, and environmental health. Liturgical materials will also be available for St. Francis Day, Earth Day, and Rogation Days. Materials are available as library resources, downloadable prayers, and liturgies on the website.

The Diocese of Arizona has planned several events throughout the year in the greater Phoenix area.

Contacts:

As a member of EpEN, this last year found me doing the following:

I spent a good deal of time coordinating the fiftieth anniversary observance of the death of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin iun April of 2005, facilitating two days of conferences at the United Nations on the subject of Global Spirituality and Sustainability. Both days were well attended, with keynoters such as Brian Swimme and Mary-Evelyn Tucker of the Forum on Religion and Ecology.

I planned also a symposium on Science and Faith at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, which was followed by a liturical event in the Cathedral attended by over 1,000 persons that featured the vision of Teilhard, the music of Paul Winter and addresses by environmental leaders.

I have continued to chair the Interfaith Partnership on the Environment of the United Nations Environment Programme. Several meetings have been held recently to assure its future at a time when UNEP's international leadership is in transition. In all of these processes, I represent myself as a member of EpEN.

Skip Vilas

Take time to visit he EpEN Website. This issue we recommend the Conferences, Retreats, and Meetings Page. If you have information to share on upcoming events in your area, please send an e-mail to: input@env-steward.com

The EpEN also seeks individuals interested in being contacts within Provinces and Diocese as well as individuals interested in reseaching and writing about topics of interest. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to: theiceismelting@yahoo.com or input@env-steward.com.

The next issue will come out in May with information of interest and concern at General Convention.

Please direct comments about this newsletter to Chuck Morello.

Chuck Morello
EpEN Webminister