Creation Justice Congregations is an environmental education, stewardship, and justice program sponsored by the Creation Justice Network of the American Baptist Churches USA. Through this program your congregation can earn certificates of achievement for implementing eco-justice measures in your building, within your congregations, and in your ministries of outreach and justice. Creation Justice Congregations has three stages, each with a checklist of suggested education, worship, and other action items that can help bring Baptist churches into the wider movement for peace, justice, and reconciliation with all of God’s creation.
To begin the process of becoming a Creation Justice Congregation, your church commits to the program with written approval from leadership. As you move through the stages, your congregation will be invited to educate, worship, network, imagine possibilities, build capacity, and take action. At each stage, your congregation will be recognized and encouraged. You will be invited to share your stories with other member congregations of the ABC Creation Justice Network, and receive support and encouragement. The beauty of the Creation Justice Network is that it unites Baptist believers who are active in the work of environmental justice, weaving a web of relationships that makes us all stronger.
It is our hope that the Creation Justice Congregations program will make each community feel proud about the work that they are doing for the sake of God’s creation, while inspiring them to take further action. Download the Creation Justice Congregations Brochure (PDF) here. Fill out and submit a Creation Justice Congregations Application to Tom Carr at psbcarr@aol.com.
STAGE 1
Commit
1. Board or Congregation votes to join the program
2. Clergy and/or senior lay leader submits application
Educate
1. Study what the Bible and other theological sources say about creation care
2. Raise awareness about local and global aspects of the ecological crisis, like climate change and water scarcity
Take Action
1. Increase the energy efficiency of your church building and homes
2. Plant trees or gardens
3. Test your tap water for lead and other toxins
Share Your Story Below
STAGE 2
Worship
1. Clergy preaches at least two creation justice themed sermons
2. Consider worshipping outdoors
Build Capacity
1. Form a Creation Justice Team of at least 3 people
2. Reach out for support within and beyond the congregation
3. Invite local environmental justice activists to speak
Take Action
1. Adopt green technologies; recycle, reduce, reuse; eat lower on the food chain, etc.
2. Engage in a local environmental advocacy issue like healthy air, soil, water; partner with other sustainability and justice groups
3. Build on all earlier efforts of education, worship, etc.
Share Your Story Below
STAGE 3
Network
1. Strengthen relationships with other local faith communities and eco-justice groups; be in touch with other leaders around the country and the world.
2. Become active in the ABC Creation Justice Network and related ecumenical and interfaith organizations.
Develop a Local Vision
1. Develop a vision among your creation justice team, congregation, and local allies.
2. How can you care for and protect creation in your local context?
Take Action
1. Take an action that relates specifically to your local vision.
2. For example, protect an endangered species; advocate for clean, affordable water; work to protect our climate for future generations; provide your community with access to nature for education and recreation.
Fill out and submit a Creation Justice Congregations Application to Rev. Rebecca Driscoll at Rebecca.Driscoll@abc-usa.org.
Share Your Story:
At this stage your story will be shared on ABCUSA’s website and your congregation will receive recognition at your region’s Annual Gathering and at the next Biennial.
Return to the Creation Justice Network