Update on a grant from LCF Creation Care Environmental Initiative
Lutherans Restoring Creation (LRC) was awarded a two-year, $50,000 grant in 2009 to establish a grassroots movement dedicated to fostering care for creation throughout the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). That grant cycle and initial project agreement has been completed. Director David Rhoads said, "We at LRC are extremely grateful for LCF and for your support of this work, which would not otherwise be happening."
Here are the some highlights of their work:
- A steering team was organized to carry out and determine strategies to promote caring for creation, trying to reach a large number of ELCA organizations, institutions, and people.
- A website, lutheransrestoringcreation.org, was created to provide resources and to foster networking opportunities among various sectors of the church. Included are areas for congregations, pastors, synods, Lutheran seminaries, Lutheran college/universities, Lutheran outdoor ministries, public policy offices, and Lutheran Social Ministry organizations to network and share their creation care projects and activities.
- In October of 2010, LRC sponsored a two-day training session for five ELCA synods: Greater Milwaukee, Louisiana-Texas Gulf Coast, New England, Oregon, and Southeastern Minnesota. Each synod now has trained leaders to continue training congregations in their respective synods.
- Training manuals have been designed and made available for congregations, synods, and seminaries.
- An Energy Stewards program has been initiated to assist congregations in reducing energy use and carbon footprint. This is a collaboration with Lutheran Climate Change Coalition, an informal group of concerned ELCA folks working to reduce carbon output in institutions of the ELCA.
Currently, participants are being recruited to take part in utilizing lutheransrestoringcreation.org. If you are interested, check it out. (Questions? Contact David Rhoades at drhoads@lstc.edu)
LRC will continue to received funding from the LCF Creation Care Environmental Initiative over the next 3 years. The focus of the initiative is to help church congregations reduce their energy footprint and promote leadership around creation care among pastors, laity and resident theologians within the Lutheran community, while engaging our donors around the concern of creation care.
Each gift helps make sure that the LCF can continue tackling the changing needs of our shared community for generations to come. To make your gift:
Or send a check to:
Lutheran Community Foundation
625 Fourth Ave. S.,
Suite 1500, Minneapolis, MN 55415. Please indicate "Creation Care Environmental Initiative" in the memo field of the check.
Related:
Grants from Collaborative Funds