Green Congregation Program
Resolved, that the 152nd Convention
of the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota support congregations
seeking to reduce their carbon footprint by establishing a 'Green
Episcopal Congregations in Minnesota' program. This program
gives congregations resources to move toward more sustainable
practices in a variety of areas (buildings and grounds; worship;
education, community life; and outreach). These resources help
congregations affirm the sacredness of God's creation, spread
hope about God's reconciling work in creation and an understanding
of environmental stewardship and ecological justice; and be
it further
Resolved, that the 152nd Convention
of the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota direct the Environmental
Stewardship Commission to develop and coordinate the program
for the Diocese including working with congregations, and publicly
recognizing the successes by congregations; and that it report
its work to the 153rd and subsequent Diocesan Conventions.
Proposer: The Reverend Wanda
Copeland/Minnesota Episcopal Environmental Stewardship Commission
EXPLANATION:
Congregations regularly seek resources to help them better care
for creation. Our members and associates earnestly desire to
be good stewards. But they are often overwhelmed with the number
of issues, the pile of good suggestions to implement, and how
to sift through the various claims of smaller 'carbon footprint'.
They want to have a good-faith process by which they can engage
this timely issue.
MEESC has been the organization that
has been the go-to organization within the Diocese regarding
environmental issues and concerns for the last fifteen years,
and has generously offered their substantial expertise to a
variety of congregations. They stand willing and able to administer
this program.
NOTE: Implementation of this
plan may be found on the MEESC
Website.
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