RESOLUTION
THE DIOCESE OF VERMONT
DIOCESAN CONVENTION
November 7 - 8, 2003
TITLE:
Environmental Ministry and the Development of a Green Church
Resolved, That the 171st Convention
of the Diocese of Vermont encourage each parish to develop an
environmental policy and action plan through a process of study
and reflection and; be it further
Resolved, That the environmental
action plan encourage parishes to commit to reduce, reuse and
recycle; conserve energy; seek renewable sources of energy; buy
products made from recycled materials; and “seek to understand
and uproot the political, social and economic causes of environmental
abuse.”
Proposers:
Libby Hillhouse
Ellen Maloney
Environmental Ministry Team
Explanation:
The Mission of the Environmental Ministry Team is to understand
and live out our Baptismal Covenant by being faithful to our sacred
relationship with God’s creation. The Province One Bishops’
Pastoral Letter on the Environment recognizes that, as people
of faith, we share “an urgent concern for the health and
stewardship of the world.” The Bishops of Province One “encourage
all members of the Episcopal Church in New England to see in the
promises of the Baptismal Covenant a call to serve Christ in all
creation.” We are urged to “act together to honor the
goodness and sacredness of God’s creation.” We are further
asked to consider “the urgency of the planetary crisis in
which we now find ourselves,” to pray and take action to
restore a right relationship between humankind and creation. We
are called to “lift up prayers in personal and public worship
for environmental justice, human rights and sustainable development.”
[All quotes are taken from the Pastoral Letter on the Environment
written by the Episcopal Bishops of New England, 2003.]
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