Hope and Action

RENEWAL – Religious Groups’ Take Action

admin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:09:15 +0000

The first feature length (90 min) documentary that captures the vitality and diversity of the religious-environmental advocates and activists. Muslin, Christian, Jewish and Buddhist Americans are becoming caretakers of God’s Creation.

View the Trailer here or at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZvC_sz9KdQ.

You can show the feature length all at once, or just one of the eight stories in shorter venues. Go to RENEWALPROJECT.net for curriculum, seminary classroom, small group materials and tips on holding a screening in your own congregation or group.

Trailer:

Study and action move into our communities

admin — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:53:48 +0000

Next Phase of God’s Renewed Creation: from STUDY to ACTION

Action and advocacy-the next critical steps

The Pastoral Letter, Foundation Document and Study Guide have been used in classrooms, study groups, retreats and camps, congregations, young people’s groups over the last two years.

It has been two years since the Council of Bishops issued their documents, God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action drawing urgent attention to three interrelated threats to God’s Creation:

pandemic poverty and disease,
environmental degradation, and the
proliferation of violence and weapons.

Resources for studies, retreats, sermons and meditations, video clips and slideshows have been available at this website, www.hopeandaction.org, and have been used by many around the United Methodist world and beyond.

The Pastoral Letter and Documents are still available at the quick links box in the lower right corner of this homepage, and available in 6 languages used around the world.

Current video clips are available at youtube.com/UMTV to enhance your study sessions, and to share your activity as you “stand up” for religious and faith-based environmental action.

The E-Newsletter will now focus on your stories in response to the challenge laid before us in God’s Renewed Creation. So please send us a few sentences of what’s happening in your community, church, school or group – we need to share the inspiration of your efforts.

This website will become a virtual “library” of resources, stories, visuals, and helpful tools to support your ongoing work of justice ministry and study.

So sign up for the newsletter, and send us your highlights from study and action. Blessings on you as you respond to this call to hope and action.

Pat Callbeck Harper, Project Manager 2008-11

Specially Designed Presentations

admin — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 01:46:15 +0000

Multi-Media Resources

1. Slideshow Overview: God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action, 9:24 min. The video is highlighted in this web article and requires pre-downloading for smooth showing. More instruction on at this link.

2. Carbon Nation-the Movie Trailer: a solutions movie about climate change (and you don’t even have to believe in climate change), 2:24 min.

3. Nuclear Tipping Point-Prologue: a call to urgent action from four Cold Warriors (Schultz, Perry, Kissinger, Nunn with intro by Gen Colin Powell), 4:24 min.

4. UMTV Nets Fight Malaria news clip, 2 min.

5. National Council of Churches Homepage with news of the ecumenical Council especially in poverty, creation care, and peace advocacy. July 23, 2011 news clip:

Leaders Say Obama Understands Faith Concerns for the Poor: Religious leaders who met with President Obama in an “extraordinary” 40-minute meeting Wednesday said they are confident the chief executive sees the need for a circle of protection around government programs that support the poor.

6. “Poverty, wealth and ecology: impact of economic globalization” – article on ecumenical economic and ecojustice concerns of the NCCCUSA.

7. Church World Service issue on Women and Climate Change – excellent handout loaded with stories of how women are addressing environmental degradation and poverty in their communities around the world.

8. Making Poverty History – Resources on the UN Millennium Goals – excellent handout from Church World Service on global poverty efforts.

9. The Journey: Forgiveness, Restorative Justice and Reconciliation Trailer - the brief introduction to the 2011 Schools of Christian Mission Spiritual Growth Study, emphasizing the themes of reconciliation and peace. A good companion or followup to the God’s Renewed Creation Six-part Study Guide; 2:27 min.

Earth Day 2012 – 968,872,958 Acts of Green

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:49:28 +0000

This year Earth Day is Sunday, April 22. For many people of faith, it is a Celebration of God’s Creation.

For over 40 years, Earth Day has inspired and mobilized individuals and organizations worldwide to demonstrate their commitment to environmental protection and sustainability. This image (above) from the EarthDay.org website points us to many resources, including the calculator for the campaign to register “A Billion Acts of Green”…

As of April 17 there are 968,872,958 Acts of Green AND COUNTING…

A Movie for Climate Change Advocates and Skeptics

admin — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:59:40 +0000

“Carbon Nation” (1 hr, 22 min)–airing in theaters in US starting February 2011. See the Official Movie Trailer below.

That Byck’s script… and… narration remain positive, proactive and gingerly apolitical should help widen the film’s viewership tent.*

Carbon Nation The Movie – check out the information on this positive, solutions-based documentary for those who believe in climate change and those who do not. It describes solutions for cleaner water, cleaner air… action on behalf of the planet regardless of what you think are the causes.

Browse this excerpt from the Gary Goldstein review in the LA Times:

Los Angeles Times Review by Gary Goldstein*

Movie review: ‘Carbon Nation’

By Gary Goldstein, February 17, 2011

“Although it contains its moments of doom and gloom about the potential effects of climate change, the excellent documentary ‘Carbon Nation’ is an inspiring look at the many recent advances in clean energy and green technologies.

“Director Peter Byck covers an impressively wide range of ground within his film’s compact running time as he introduces us to a stirring cross-section of pioneers, researchers and innovators committed to helping the world reduce its carbon footprint.

“Byck hopscotches across America and beyond interviewing such notables as Richard Branson, former CIA Director R. James Woolsey, Earth Day founder Denis Hayes and charismatic environmental advocate Van Jones, among many others, who weigh in on the issues, problems and solutions surrounding the climate change phenomenon.

“… The world’s largest wind farm, a refrigerator recycling plant and a green initiative project for low-income neighborhoods are just a few of the many ecology boosters — and job creators — that get a big-screen close-up here.” (Full Review, Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times)

Schedule Screenings in your congregation, in your community, or in your organizations’ events and conferences. For more information see the official website for the movie.

Need Help with A Carbon Footprint?

admin — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:09:09 +0000

Advice is available with tools, calculators and procedures for conferences, congregations and episcopal Areas…

The God’s Renewed Creation Project team can provide assistance with these items:

How do we organize ourselves to get a carbon footprint assessment started in our conference or episcopal area?
Which calculators or tools are best for us to use?
Who should be involved in our office/program?
What assistance is available from the Bishops’ Project on God’s Renewed Creation by telecom or in person?
What do we do with the footprint assessment once it’s calculated?
How can we reduce or offset our footprint once it’s measured?
How can we get a “Green Team” or Creation Caretakers group going in our conference or episcopal Area?

Contact Project Manager Pat Callbeck Harper at pharper@umc-gbcs.org to get started. The Council of Bishops will be examining the results of our carbon footprint assessments and reports at their May 2011 Meeting. That’s our deadline for this “illuminating” and significant exercise. Blessings.

An Episcopal Carbon Footprint

admin — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:34:33 +0000

“Illuminating” contributions to global climate change…

The Florida Area of The United Methodist Church is one of the first to meet their Bishop’s Pledge in God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action…

“We pledge to measure the ‘carbon footprint’ of our episcopal… offices, determine how to reduce it, and implement those changes.”*

For the full Florida Episcopal Area report, Click Here.

(*from God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action, Pastoral Letter, November 2009, The United Methodist Council of Bishops.)

Seven Simple Steps to Green Your Church is by Rev Rebekah Simon-Peter and is available along with other of her helpful resources at Cokesbury.com.

God’s Renewed Creation – ASL

admin — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:08:35 +0000

Bishop Johnson of the Philadelphia Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church is a committed leader and friend of the United Methodist Deaf Community. She signs many faith messages and documents for the hearing impaired community within and around the church. View it here or on YouTube.com.

Season of Peace brings Hope in New START

admin — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:46:28 +0000

On December 22, 2010, during the Christian Season of Peace, the US Senate ratified the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) Treaty.

The World Council of Churches issued this statement of affirmation and hope for continuing progress in the effort to rid the world of the fear of nuclear disaster. The statement of the worldwide fellowship of 349 churches begins…

It is heartening that 20 years after the end of the Cold War, the United States has ratified a verifiable new treaty to reduce nuclear arsenals. Such a decision is especially meaningful in what is for Christians the season of peace. With member churches around the world we thank God for this small but significant demonstration of progress on a problem that continues to deny the hopes of people everywhere.

We also welcome cross-party support in one nation for a decision that concerns all nations. The US and other nuclear powers do not possess weapons of mass destruction in isolation. They do so against the best interests of humanity.

The New START treaty not only sets practical goals to reduce warheads and launchers. It also sends a signal that governments can do more than block international progress year after year for narrow national interests.

For the entire statement, click here. The message is available in French, German, Russian, Spanish and English at the WCC website: www.oikoumena.org/resources.

Related Statements… The Arms Control Association statement, New START A Victory for Common Sense, is an important one from the greater nuclear disarmament advocacy community. See this statement here.

Meditation Sampler-God’s Renewed Creation

admin — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:12:32 +0000

Here are links to recent meditations and sermons offered by United Methodist pastors (including a bishop) focusing on themes within the Bishops’ Pastoral Letter and Foundation Document: God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action…

“The Dream–Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” by Bishop Forrest C. Stith* in celebration of Human Rights Day and Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., January 19, 2011.

*Retired Bishop-in-Residence and Director of World Missions at Asbury United Methodist Church in Washington DC; Adjunct Professor, Wesley Theological Seminary, and Chairperson of the proposed Afican American Methodist Heritage Center, Inc.

“Naked Vegetarianism” by Rev Pat Wakins* of Caretakers of God’s Creation, January 26, 2011.

*Rev Watkins is a United Methodist clergy appointed as a Church and Community Worker in the Virginia Conference, serving as the Exec. Dir. of Caretakers of God’s Creation, www.vaumc.org/caretakers.

“With Liberty and Justice for All” by Rev Tom Parkinson, Pastor of Faith United Methodist Church in Fox Chapel, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA on February 2, 2011.

Updated frequently – send us your own work and we can share it here.