The Episcopal Ecological Network (EpEN)

Diocese of
Minnesota

Episcopal Ecological Network

The EpEN Ministry Review and Visioning Retreat was 48 prayerful and intense hours of reviewing what the EpEN has done in its ministry to the Episcopal Church and how the EpEN can bring its ministry in line with the concerns of the Presiding Bishop as expressed in her Investiture Sermon.

From the discussions about what the EpEN has accomplished since 2002 and about what is happening around the Episcopal Church (see the previous several e-newsletters), a portion of time was set aside to reflect on the question, "I believe I hear the Holy Spirit saying to the EpEN ..."

There were many responses. The group broke them down into these common threads:

• Interdependency and community of creation
• Leadership role of the EpEN
• Helping the Episcopal Church strengthen its prophetic voice for creation.

We then reflected on the question, "What gives us hope?". We kept coming back to the sermon the Presiding Bishop preached at her Investiture with a focus on a "Shalom Home for all of God's creatures".

Working from what we hear the Holy Spirit saying and from the things that give us hope, we looked at a new vision for the EpEN. Through the course of the rest of the visioning, we modified the vision until we ended with the vision of the EpEN to be "a Shalom Home for all of God's creation."

We then looked at a mission statement for the EpEN, reflecting on the question, "how does the EpEN build a Shalom Home in the Episcopal Church?". Two possible mission statements kept coming forward:

• The EpEN will be a prophetic voice for creation calling the Episcopal Church to being a center of hope and healing for all God's creation.
• Bring resources to EC to build a sustainable, caring relationship with nature.

The group then looked at how to present this information to the Presiding Bishop during an upcoming meeting with her to discuss the ministry review and revised vision. During this discussion, the active leadership was divided into two parts, a Leadership Team that will manage and direct the day-to-day activities of the EpEN and an Advisory Team that will support the Leadership Team through advice and consultation. During a conference call of the whole on November 30, 2007, a majority approved this concept.

In 2008 the responsibilities of both teams will be worked out and the mission statement finalized.

Additionally, during one evening, several individuals and clergy from the Diocese of Chicago met with the attendees from the EpEN to discuss environmental concerns and what can be done in the Diocese of Chicago with the arrival of their new bishop. All involved felt that the meeting was informative and helpful.

The Episcopal Ecological Network consists of nearly 600 individuals in 99 dioceses of the Episcopal Church, USA, and in 6 other countries. There are 31 active environmental groups at the diocesan level with three more in formation. If your group is not listed on our website, please send an e-mail to chair[@eenonline.org] (remove square brackets before sending).

If you have questions or thoughts about the Chicago retreat, please send them to chair[@eenonline.org] (remove square brackets before sending).

Diocese of Rhode Island

Members of St. Augustine's, Kingston, and St. James, Woonsocket, have helped to form the 21st state chapter of Interfaith Power & Light. RI-IPL, formed in January 2007, has moved aggressively to articulate the moral dimensions of global warming in Rhode Island. Ten congregations agreed to a coordinated showing of An Inconvenient Truth, coinciding with Earth Day. Also, eight congregations and faith-based organizations signed written pledges to work with RI-IPL. In September a Catholic parish, St. Theresa's of Providence, joined St. James for an innovative children's program – an interfaith eco-hike. The "Greening Your Congregations" conference has been organized for January 10, 2008.

Diocese of Vermont

At the Diocese of Vermont's Convention in Burlington, on Saturday, November 3, 2007, the following resolution was passed:

Climate/Carbon Neutrality Energy Audit
The Rev'd Anita Schell-Lambert and the Delegation from Saint Peter's, Bennington
The Rev'd Canon Lee Alison Crawford and the Delegation from Saint Mary's, Northfield
The Rev'd Canon Diane Root and the Delegation from Church of Our Saviour, Killington

Resolved, that the Diocese of Vermont at its 175th Convention calls upon each of its parishes to conduct an in-house environmental audit of its energy use, consumption patterns, and plant use management and,

Resolved, that each parish be prepared to report by the 177th convention on its audit and its plan to address deficits in its local environmental stewardship, including a report of its comprehensive energy use.

Explanation

2006 General Convention Resolution C018, Environmental Stewardship (below), reaffirmed Resolution 1991-A195 that declares "that Christian Stewardship of God's created environment, in harmony with our respect for human dignity, requires response from the Church of the highest urgency." 2006-C018 also reaffirms 2000-A048 that "encourag[es] all members, congregations, dioceses, and other church institutions to use environmentally safe and sustainable energy sources." 2006-C018 encourages all members, dioceses, congregations and other institutions to partner with Interfaith Power and Light, and to show respect for creation by "reducing energy use through conservation and increased efficiency, and by replacing consumption of fossil fuels with energy from renewable resources." Congregations are urged to join Vermont Interfaith Power & Light, which promotes energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy, and conducts energy audits for congregations. One way to reduce emissions that has proven to be successful is to work together in groups called "EcoTeams" of five to eight households using a workbook called "Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5,000 Pounds." A leader from Vermont Interfaith Power & Light visits a congregation and gives an introduction to the workbook and helps organize EcoTeams.

The Diocese of Massachusetts has passed a like resolution. The religious community must do its part to increase its efforts to address global warming.

The Diocese of Vermont needs every congregation in this effort as the resolution requests. The goal of the diocese and its parishes is to have every congregation reduce its energy consumption and its greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible, as soon as possible. Ultimately, together, we can set and meet a goal to achieve carbon (or climate) neutrality, a day when we will consume no fossil fuels.

There are practical steps that each congregation can take to achieve this objective.

• Go to Vermont Interfaith Power & Light and click on their "Taking Action" page, and follow "Ten Steps Vermonters Can Do To Stop Global Warming." On their links page, there are also useful organizations.
• Contact Efficiency Vermont for an energy audit to show you how worthwhile it is to insulate and to seal windows, doors, and hatches.
• A checklist as well as contact information will be available on the diocesan website.

Undertaking an energy audit will entail some upfront costs. Small grants will be available from the McClure Discovery 2000 or Irish grant funds.

Diocese of Western Massachusetts

Province 2

Diocese of Albany

A group of nine parishioners at St. James Episcopal in Lake George, NY will be attending a three session course entitled To Serve Christ In All Creation, using as course materials a Study Guide written in 2003 by members of the Connecticut Diocese Committee on the Environment, based, in turn, on the 2003 Pastoral Letter on the Environment issued by the bishops of Province 1, New England. Topics to be covered include: The Theological and Biblical Foundations for an Environmental Ethic; Deepening our Understanding of the Impact of Environmental Degradation; Climate Change; Impact of Consumer Choices; Environmental Justice; Becoming Better Stewards of All Creation.

Other church entities and congregations interested in learning more about these resources and/or arranging sessions of their own may contact Oliver Nichols.

Diocese of New York

Province 3

Diocese of Maryland

Activities at the Episcopal Cathedral of the Incarnation in Baltimore during 2007. We put together a dedicated Creation Care committee that has accomplished much this year, and is developing significant plans for 2008.

One area of focus for us that may be unique is our membership in the Quiet Garden Movement. The focus of that movement is the vision of the "garden" as a place of nurture and grace that energizes and propels us into the world in service to those in need, and in caring for God's creation. One of our Quiet Garden areas is dedicated to the children of Baltimore who have died in violence in the city. Another area, the Bishop's Garden is being developed as a model for environmentally sensitive gardening, certified under the Maryland Master Gardeners "Bay Wise Program," and a place of solitude for all who venture there.

	Scenes from the Cathedral's Quiet Garden

Diocese of Southwestern Virginia

The Diocese of Southwestern Virginia is composed of 57 parishes. Although we are a small diocese, our youth ministry is very active, and very green. We are situated in the beautiful and biologically rich Southern Appalachians and this October our Bishop Neff Powell led 50 youth and their parish youth leaders on a hike up Mount Rogers, Virginia's tallest peak at 5729 ft. The Mass on the Mountain may become an annual event. "It was a glorious experience and far surpassed anything I could have imagined this event to be," said Aimee Bostwick, Diocesan Youth Coordinator. To learn more see our youth website.

Bishop Powell and Diocesan Youth at Mount Rogers, Virginia	Diocesan Youth during service at the event at Mount Rogers
Youth from Diocese of Southwestern Virginia at Mount Rogers

Province 4

Diocese of Alabama

With a grant from the World Wildlife Fund, in October we sponsored an all-day workshop and a weekend retreat, entitled Watersheds and Warming. We included faith, community and environmental leaders, scientists and science educators.

Keynoter speaker Don Elder, President of River Network, said that "saving energy by saving water ought to be at the top of the list (for saving energy and reducing CO₂ emissions) because it will keep coal and oil in the ground, carbon out of the air, water in our streams, and money in our pockets. Saving energy by saving water will actually improve the environment."

Don Elder has offered his materials to be downloaded until November 30. A Webcast script (attached, and available anytime), from an October 3 EPA presentation, has excellent, detailed information from Don¹s presentation. (Susan Kaderka of NWF did the first half of the webcast.) If you are interested in also having slides to go with Don's presentation (available only until November 30). This presentation is also now archived on EPA¹s website, where you can also listen to the audio of the presentation.

Diocese of Atlanta

From Bp. J. Neil Alexander's episcopal address to Diocese of Atlanta Annual Council Nov. 9th: (making environment 1 of 5 focal points for entering our second century as a diocese):

"The fourth area that is going to get my attention this year is the environment. We are not the owners, sisters and brothers, not the owners but the stewards of God's creation. We must hear the call to lead the way on environmental issues, not simply as good citizens, but as people of faith, as daughters and sons of the God of all creation. To this end, I intend to form a working group to lead our efforts toward greater environmental stewardship. This task force will have three objectives: to provide the parishes and people with the necessary resources to develop deeper biblical and theological understandings of our obligations for the care of the earth, resources that will be available to all of our people at every age to deepen their sense of participation in the stewardship of creation; secondly, to provide practical tools for our parishes and our people to cut waste, reduce energy consumption, contain and reduce our carbon footprint, and other practical means to make a difference; and to organize appropriate advocacy at the local, state, national, and international levels that contributes positively toward the accountability of our government leaders for the wise use of the riches of creation.

Now we are not starting from zero here. The Diocese of Atlanta, for example, is a founding member of GIPL - that is, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, a green power and energy conservation initiative in which a number of our people are involved and to which Woody and Carol Bartlett give important leadership. I want publicly acknowledge that the Church of the Epiphany was recently recognized by GIPL as the faith community in Georgia that has done the most to promote wise environmental stewardship and to live green. St. Bartholomew's received this award last year. It would suit me if an Episcopal parish brought home that award every year! There's lots of talent in our diocese to make this initiative a powerful witness to our faith. David Stooksberry, the official climatologist of the State of Georgia, a faithful Episcopalian, and a member of this Council from St. Gregory's in Athens, has already volunteered for service and I haven't even asked him yet. The members of our Commission on Architecture are committed to efficient, green buildings. So keep an eye out for the work of this group. Volunteer to support their efforts. Let's not wait for other people to come to us. Let's lead the way on the care of God's creation!"

Diocese of Atlanta

St. Francis Green Art
The global warming Sunday School Class ("Global Warming: A Christian Response") has grown into St. Francis Green. We've decided to meet every second Sunday at 5 pm in the Library. Our mission statement comes right out of The Prayers of the People IV...

"...To create a reverence for the earth as God's creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to God's honor and glory."

We welcome each and every member of our community who wants to be part of St. Francis Green regardless of age! God needs all our help and talents when it comes to loving mother earth and using her resources "rightly."

Diocese of Tennessee

Greening Advent in Diocese of Tennessee

WEEDS TO WREATHS – a few parishes are removing non-native plants that threaten native growth in local nature parks. They turn the vine into circle wreath that can be decorated for Advent wreaths. This project began about 10 years ago and has been annual event for some parishes. This is picture of the first intergenerational groups that removed the invasive plants and turned them into wreaths.

Some groups are adapting the Georgia Interfaith Power & Light "Advent New Light" guidelines with their advent wreath projects. Parish members are encouraged to put in one energy efficient (CFL) light bulb during each week of advent.

Province 5

Diocese of Chicago

At Church of the Holy Spirit (CHS) in Lake Forest, IL, our Rector Jay Sidebotham started a series styled Faith and the Environment in May 2007. The group that came together agreed to have CHS be a collection point for recycling dry cell batteries using the commercial services of Battery Solutions, Inc. There has been a delay in execution, but we are on the verge of action.

The rector called for the showing of An Inconvenient Truth in spite of adverse comment from several parishioners. It was lightly noticed and lightly attended, but it was screened.

On the weekend of November 16-19, Katherine and David Lucey + were expediters and hosts to Bishop Alden Hathaway (retired Bishop of Pittsburgh and founder of Solar Light for Africa) to engage in various venues with our congregation about the mission of Solar Light for Africa.

A quote from Katherine's report from CHS publication, the Witness, is as follows: "Last summer I had the privilege to join Bishop Alden Hathaway on the annual Mission Trip for Solar Light for Africa. Along with a team of 30 youth, we spent 3 weeks installing solar panels on schools, clinics, and homes in rural Uganda. In one mountain village, we installed solar electricity in each of 100 homes, bringing the first electricity these villagers had ever had in their homes.

Diocese of Chicago

Over the last five years our committee has emphasized the following:

• Pooling parishioners' household chemical waste and electronic discards to transport them to recycling or safe disposal sites twice a year.
• Promoting energy efficiencies in the church facility including an energy audit and (current) advocacy on behalf of a geothermal installation to meet the desired replacement of the current heating system and addition of air conditioning.
• Once yearly educational events, including a sustainable home products display, an outdoor mass for Earth Day, children's celebration of and learning about the value of trees while assisting in planting a new tree on the church property.
• This upcoming year we are planning on involving the youth in a "Let there be Light" friendly challenge, encouraging them to do lighting audits of their homes, with a goal of increasing the number of CFLs therein.

Province 6

Diocese of Iowa

Iowa Interfaith Power and Light, which has a major fundraising campaign underway, has in 2007 trained 100 congregations as "Cool Congregations" (solving global warming one family at a time), as noted in the attachment about that program, and aims to reach another 300+ in the coming year, including a number of Episcopal congregations.

Cool Congregations got its start at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, and a summary of our parish results with carbon footprinting and reduction in the first year is noted in the attachment. "CC" was also presented at the annual gathering of IPL directors and coordinators in Colorado this past summer, with so much interest expressed that other states are beginning to model this carbon stewardship programs for their congregations and households.

Our latest diocesan convention (The Great Turning: God's Earth, God's People") had a twin focus on global poverty (MDGs) and global warming (Cool Congregations), and the close links between them were made in compelling ways by both our bishop Alan Scarfe, the Eu2charist preacher Mitch Smith, and E4GR executive director Michael Kinman.

Diocese of Iowa

Cool Congregations 1st Awards Ceremony

We are very pleased and proud to announce the results of year one of our pilot congregation's efforts. The 25 participating families from St. Luke's Cool Congregations stewardship program have collectively reduced their carbon footprint or the amount of global warming pollution they produce by 67 tons, with an average decrease of 9%! They saved collectively just on electric and heating gas bills more than $5000!

Diocese of Minnesota

For the second year in a row, the Commission provided placemats with an environmental theme for the diocesan convention. At its September meeting, the Commission decided to create regional "chapters" that will meet more frequently to focus on more local issues. To date a group in the Duluth area has met and a group in the Twin Cities' area is forming.

Diocese of Minnesota

Here are Environmental initiatives of 2007 at St. John's, Eveleth, MN:

1. Installing reversible direction auto-speed ceiling fans
2. Recycling all paper & cardboard
3. Using recycled paper and low ink setting for great majority of church and Vestry documents
4. Installing automatic programmable thermostats
5. Lowering thermostat settings in winter
6. Reducing waste by donating and sharing weekly service Lectionary handout/insert to St. James, Hibbing, for their re-use
7. Sending 71%+ monthly newsletters via email
8. Fertilizer & pesticide free landscape
9. Using beeswax candles as opposed to instead of petroleum-based
10. Initializing CFL bulb replacement program

Diocese of North Dakota

The committee was established/appointed October of 2006, with membership from 11 congregations. We have concentrated during this first year on educating ourselves and the community of the Diocese regarding environmental stewardship, with particular emphasis on reducing the human impact in climate change. Symposia and panels, films such as An Inconvenient Truth, have beenheld and shown in four different communities by congregations of our committee. Effective displays laden with brochures describing ways of reducing a household or congregations carbon footprint have been mounted at Diocesan Convention. Just a week ago, a one page survery was sent to all clergy and wardens over the bishop's signature to assess each congregation's role in this climate stewardship task. The committee voted to become a partner of the Prairie Climate Stewardship Network. As members, we seek to educate and create awareness in our communities and in the public media. That summarizes our activity for our first year.

with thanks for the work of EpEN....Bruce MacDuffie

Diocese of South Dakota

St Paul's Episcopal, Brookings, South Dakota sponsored an environmental resolution that was accepted at the Diocesan Convention. The resolution encouraged all parishes to follow the three step process of the EpEN – reflection, education, action. As for action, St. Paul's shipped 50 lbs of alkaline batteries for recycling into steel, new batteries, and other products.

Diocese of South Dakota

An interfaith pilgrimage/retreat center focusing on our environmental responsibility is located in the heart of the Black Hills of South Dakota. No diocesan or congregational affiliation by design, the Board of Directors intentionally consists of half first nations' persons and half European descendants. The mission is reconciliation - personal, cultural and environmental - and they are working toward preserving the high back country prairie upon which they are located which is at risk for development. Founding Director, the Rev. Linda Kramer; has hosted 40 J2A pilgrimages. More info on Borderlands Education and Spiritual Center.

Province 7

Diocese of Kansas

2007 activities of Trinity Environmental Stewardship Team, Lawrence, Kansas, included the following:

• Conducted an "Earth Day Fest": sold CFLs and dispensed information on living green. Proceeds purchased two goats for Heifer International.
• Wrote monthly newsletter articles for our parish newsletter.
• Continued "after-coffee" cleanup to promote use of reusable ceramic cups.
• Promoted an online service for parishioners to reduce their junk mail.
• Added a recycling bin to our parish kitchen.
• Donated CFLs for a Habitat house.
• Presented booth at Kansas Diocesan Convention, encouraging other parishes to start environmental stewardship groups.
• Made several monetary donations to environmentally proactive groups.
• For fun, made spiritually fulfilling field trips to Prairie Festival; Salina; Powell Gardens, Kansas City; and Bowersock Mills and Power Company, a small hydroelectric plant in Lawrence.

Province 8

Diocese of Arizona

Diocesan Ministry Fair for Laity – offered workshops on Celtic spirituality and "Natural Outreach" (bringing nature into outreach activities).

Diocesan Survey – Out of 53 parishes, 40 completed surveys. Key findings: congregations are already acting on basics such as recycling, reducing use of water, energy, and disposable items. Almost every parish has at least one person with "green passion"! They need our help in launching green teams and finding resources for green liturgies and green programs.

Leadership Team – strengthened our leadership team through reaching out to key people in diocese and people with "green passion" identified at ministry fair and in survey. We have almost achieved our goal of having one "green passion" contact in every parish!

Stone cross from Chapel Rock, Diocesan camp and retreat center where we had our leadership team meeting in August 2007

Diocese of California

With encouragement from Bishop Marc Andrus, the Diocese of California has identified over sixty liaisons from our 80 parishes to be the transmitters of information between the diocesan commission for the environment and the parishes. We are having regional meetings with the liaisons with special events incorporated in the meetings. These events include a presentation from the authors Claire Foster and David Schreeve on How many Lightbulbs does it take to change a Christian, an award for the most energy efficient parish and an 'eco-rap' dancer. The Commission members host these events in regions convenient to the liaisons in order to prevent driving long distances.

Diocese of California

The major project of the Environmental Team was the organizing and conduct of the year-long All Souls Creation Journey: a Year to Help Stem Global Warming. Forty-seven households representing over 100 people pledged participation, finding many creative and tried-and-true way to effect smaller carbon footprints.

Large projects included installing new solar panels, purchasing energy efficient washers and dryers, hybrid car purchases, home remodeling for energy efficiency. Many installed CFLs, walked, biked and took public transportation more, saved hot water many ways, bought locally produced, organic food, reduced junk mail, carpooled or pooled errands to reduce gas use, and much more.

Dioceses of Hawaii and Eastern Oregon

Prof Willis H A Moore, Dioceses of Hawai'i and Eastern Oregon, was contacted by the current leadership of Sierra Club, Honolulu Group, to consider running for the Board ofDirectors. Moore was a founding member of Sierra Club in Hawai'i 40 years ago; and he is Adjunct Professor of History and Religion for Chaminade University of Honolulu. There has been increased dialog and conversation in Hawai'i about "people of faith" making Environmental concerns the "spiritual issue" Al Gore insists they really are. Moore also worked for the National Audubon Society Membership development in the 1980's. He is currently President of the National Episcopal Historians and Archivists.

Diocese of Northern California

During 2007 we began to form a diocesan network in Northern California. We now have more than twenty interested persons from ten congregations. We are asking congregations to focus on the church's unique contributions to the environmental movement: greening our congregations, reflecting theologically as a foundation for action, and developing better resources for creation-themed worship.

Our emphasis as a group is on greening diocesan events. We began with a resource table, report and informal audit at our diocesan convention in Redding in November. We made seedling trees available at our table, and focused our issue education on using refillable water bottles. The environmental group at Trinity Cathedral in Sacramento sells bottles with their TREE logo.

Officially we are "Celebrating Creation: Episcopal Ecological Network in Northern California." Convener: Deacon Phina Borgeson; Bishop's Staff Liason: The Rev. Eric Duff. Next meeting Saturday, March 8, St. Francis in the Redwoods, Willits, California.

Results of an informal congregational survey taken at convention will inform our work.

Diocese of Oregon

Christ Church, Lake Oswego, Oregon, has completed an audit of its carbon footprint for transportation and purchased carbon offsets. With the help of the Girl Scouts, they quantified the number of trips to church per person, the mileage to church, and the gas consumption of each specific car in order to understand better their impact on climate change. Then they had a specialist lead them through a process for choosing carbon offset projects to buy.

Diocese of Oregon

Emmanuel Parish, Coos Bay, Oregon, received the Diocesan Environmental Award at convention for 2007. They replaced their oil furnaces with high efficiency gas furnaces, and are now purchasing all their electricity from renewable sources.

Province 9

About this Project

This is the first of several issues of the e-Newsletter where we will address environmental stewardship activities occurring within the Episcopal Church. The 30 or so submissions represent a sampling of environmental stewardship activities undertaken in Episcopal congregations and their surrounding communities during 2007.

Many of us struggle to bring our concerns about stewardship of God's creation to others in our congregations, communities or dioceses. Part of what we hope this issue will do is hold up to our readers the successes of our brothers and sisters in Christ and provide ideas of things they can do locally or at the diocesan level.

We were blessed with tremendous amounts of input for this issue. If I missed listing your input, please send me another copy. If your congregation or diocese is not listed here or if you have more to say about what is happening at a location listed above, please send your information to news[@eenonline.org] (please remove the square brackets before sending). The webpage for this newsletter will be updated about every 2 weeks through the Winter to add additional information. Submitted photos will be posted starting in mid-December.

Take time to visit the EpEN Website. If you have information to share on upcoming events in your area, please send an e-mail to news[@eenonline.org] (please remove the square brackets before sending).

The EpEN also seeks individuals interested in being contacts within Provinces and Dioceses as well as individuals interested in researching and writing about topics of interest. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to: chair[@eenonline.org] (please remove the square brackets before sending).

The next issue will come out in late February 2008 (deadline for submissions to be around February 28, 2008). If you have information to share with the wider church, please send your input at any time to news[@eenonline.org] (please remove the square brackets before sending).

Please direct comments about this newsletter to Chuck Morello (please remove the square brackets before sending).

Chuck Morello
EpEN Webminister