Caring for God’s Creation Team

Climate change could push more than 100 million people into poverty in just the next 15 years. “Climate change hits the poorest the hardest,” says World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, “and our challenge now is to protect tens of millions of people from falling into extreme poverty because of a changing climate.” ELCA World Hunger blog (www.bit.ly/ELCAHungerClimate)

Church in the Wild Event

Church in the Wild
Saturday, May 4, 2024
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Bethel Horizons Camp (Dodgeville) – More Information

Not just an outdoor church service, Church in the Wild is an invitation to worship in the cathedral of earth and sky. After a brief opening liturgy, we’ll wander into nature individually or in small groups to see, listen, contemplate, and sense our connectedness to all living things. Then we’ll regather to share how we’ve experienced the sacred in the creation, to “give thanks for the peace of wild things,” and to join in Holy Communion with Bishop Joy Mortensen-Wiebe. We’ll conclude with fellowship at a free earth-friendly lunch prepared by Horizons Chef Cena.

So we can plan for the appropriate number of people, please RSVP by completing the form below:

Ministry Care for Creation Plans

In May, the Synod Assembly passed a resolution for congregations to submit a Care of Creation Plan. An email was shared with all congregations and leaders on September 8, 2023 that provides details on sharing a plan along with resources to help congregations get started with this important work. Click on the link below to read more and to report a Care of Creation Plans through a simple form. It’s really just a couple questions about what your congregation has done and what it is willing to do.

Resources for Congregations

• January 18, 2024 Solar Panel Conversation
  Part 1 of the solar panel presentation offered by the SCSW Care for Creation Team. Ron Vandeberg shares some information about solar energy and how to get started with solar at your congregation or ministry!

• Nature Meditation from Deacon Judy Nolde
  A meditation involving all of our senses, intended to be used in nature. No supplies needed, just yourself and a space in God’s creation.
• First Steps for Your Congregation
• ELCA Caring for Creation Resources
  If your congregation is interested in actively caring for creation, please follow this link to a list of resources including educational books, films and YouTube links, to practical information from how to start (and fund) a church garden to installing solar panels.
• ELCA Caring for Creation Social Statement
• Climate Change 101
• ELCA World Hunger
  Find Hunger & Climate Change Connections, Community Gardens How-To-Guide, water resources, bulletin inserts, etc. We are an ELCA World Hunger Team
• ELCA Advocacy
  State and Federal action alerts and updates, plus the Paris Agreement, Green Climate Fund, energy policy, and more.
• Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin
  Taking a lead on these issues for our state’s congregations
• Journal of Lutheran Ethics: “Facing Climate Change”

Other State & National Resources:

• Clean Wisconsin
  Protecting Wisconsin’s clean air and water.
• Citizen’s Climate Lobby
  The main source for Carbon Fee & Dividend solution (a solution supported by our Care for God’s Creation Team).
• RENEW Wisconsin
  Working to increase renewable energy. 
• 52 Creation-focused Bible passages
• Earth Day Resources
  from Interfaith Power & Light
• Creation Justice
  (formerly National Council of Churches’ Eco-justice Program)
• Lutherans Restoring Creation
  500th Reformation Anniversary eco-reflections on the Small Catechism & more.
• Eco-Lutheranism
  Lutheran Perspectives on Ecology and The Forgotten Luther: Reclaiming the Social-Economic Dimension of the Reformation (from Lutheran University Press).
• EnergyStar.gov
  Action Workbook for Congregations

South-Central Synod Care for God’s Creation Team:

• Deacon Meg Nielsen, Chair – churchladymeg@hotmail.com
• Nina Schutz, Secretary
• Rev. Cindy Crane for LOPPW – cindyc@loppw.org
• Bob Lindmeier, Climate Change Presentations – boblindmeier@gmail.com
• Deacon Judy Nolde
• Rev. Peder Johanson
• Todd Fansler
• Eleanor Siebert
• Rev. Nick Utphall