EARTH DAY EVERYDAY: ACTIONS to take During COVID 19
What can you do now OR plan for the fall.
Earth Day Anyway! - organizations from the Baltimore area have combined forces to provide a whole resource of safe activities that individuals and families can take on your own to go outside to celebrate Creation and to live a more sustainable life. Additional resources for the first Digital Earth Day can also be found at EarthDay.org.
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay - Activities to do at home during COVID 19
Plan a Fall Stream Clean Up - Plan to participate in Project Clean Stream - now scheduled for Fall. The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay provides supplies for cleanups anywhere in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Watershed Stewards Academy - Take Action for Clean Water at Home (LOTS of activities!)
Plant trees - You can plan trees in your yard! Learn about how to choose trees, plant them and use this coupon from the MD Dept. of Natural Resources.
Online Book Group: Suggested IPC Reading List Start a book study or series for a group!
Watch Party: IPC's Movie and Video List Show an environmental film series. For other film ideas, see this rich list of Educational Videos HERE from the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
Spiritual Resources for inspiration during COVID 19.
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Use any of the Resources below for Worship, Scripture study, or Reflection.
Creation Care Ministry Resources:
Biblical Principles of Earth Care
Scripture Themes on Care for Creation
Jewish Environmental Resources
Catholic Guide to Applying Laudato Si' (Pope Francis' Encyclical)
Steps to Form a Green Ministry
Menu for Action (click for regional & generic versions)
Teaching Tools:
Faith based Watershed Stewardship Activities
Spiritual Walk Reflections/Activities
Lectio Devina Bible Study Method
Vacation Bible School Lesson Plan
Caring for God's Creation Handout - Prayers, Activities, and Ideas - Christian
Caring for God's Creation Handout - Prayers, Activities, and Ideas - Muslim
Children's Watershed Program on Care for Creation
"A Day around the Bay" activity for understanding sources of water pollution
Sacred Water, Creation Care Workshop (PDF) (View this Workshop on Video here.)
Spiritual Practice: Examen - Observing Local Waters
YEAR-ROUND
Toolkit for Faithful Stewards: Making the Most of Watershed Projects to Raise Awareness and Build Momentum
The Toolkit for Faithful Stewards offers a “faith-filled” response to heal Creation. This toolkit is designed to provide you the means to formulate your own faith-filled response to the challenges we face in our local watershed communities. IPC's Toolkit contains:
Watershed Literacy
Spiritual Foundation for Watershed Stewardship
Publicity & Community Engagement
Groundbreaking Ceremonies and Dedications
How to Build a Green Team
Worship & Liturgy Resources
Spiritual Education Resources for all ages
"Stewards of the Bay" Toolkit
In conjunction with the National Council of Churches we developed a toolkit for churches. This toolkit contains a variety of resources to help you get started. Stewards of the Bay: A Toolkit for Congregations in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Resources for Worship
Prayer Card from IPC - prayer on one side and action steps on the other
GreenFaith provides excellent resources for faith communities, including this guide to "green worship."
Earthcare online list of relevant Bible verses.
Commissioning of Faithful Stewards, Caring for Sacred Waters - Christian
Commissioning of Faithful Stewards, Caring for Sacred Waters - Muslim
Resources for Bible Study & Reflection - IPC Recommended Reading List
The Genesis of Environmentalism -- Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin
The Biblical Basis for Creation Care -- George W. Fisher
Sources in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures
Stewardship of the Earth : Keynote Address from the Chesapeake Covenant Community-Chester Valley Ministers Association gathering, May 12, 2011, by Roderick Miller
Videos
TEND AND KEEP: A reflection on creation, with beautiful paintings
FOLLOW THIS LINK TO DOWNLOAD: http://vimeo.com/67515529
WHY WE NEED TO CLEAN UP THE CHESAPEAKE BAY A short, dynamic clip from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7kB7-UN7m4&feature=youtu.be
CONGREGATIONS REDUCE POLLUTED RUNOFF: a video from Clean Water Coalition
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1aEWjbC7Wo
DIMINISHING SMITHFIELD-Two Morgan State students reveal this story about a historically black community on the Eastern Shore and their efforts to save their church: https://www.mdsg.umd.edu/news/sea-grant-film-explores-diminishing-smithville.
Save the Anacostia River Video - Teen Video- Earth Conservation Corps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXZX2LWAnAM
The Dangers of Single Use Plastics in Maryland by GreenGrace (Episcopal Diocese of Maryland)
Waterways: Ellicott City Flood-features an Episcopal pastor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=18&v=32R8AOOiHEY
Congregational Covenants, Pledges and Commitments
Many congregations have chosen to express their commitment to loving and caring for creation by adopting a declaration, variously described as a "covenant," a "pledge" or a "minute." We provide links to some of those here.
Practical Guides
Landscaping Around Your House of Worship : A helpful guide from the Ecological Landscaping Association.
Composting for Congregations : An updated guide for composting at your house of worship or at home
Earth-friendly Lawn Care for congregations : A practical guide
Water, Holy Water from Creation Justice Ministries. A resource for worship, reflection, study and action on caring for water, our most sacred resource. This year's Earth Day resource explores water as a gift from God that is beingthreatened by overuse and pollution. Included are sermon starters, worship resources, and a bulletin insert. Note: Use the following links to download denominational versions of the resource adapted for the Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ, and United Methodist Church
GreenFaith had a special focus day on water with resources for prayer and action. Click here to find the resource to download.
Earth Day Liturgy from the Anglican Church of Canada.
Greening of the Cross A joint worship service of the congregations of Capitol Drive, Divine Word, Good Shepherd and Pentecost Lutheran Churches. Sunday, April 26, 1998, Capitol Drive Lutheran Church, 5229 W. Capitol Drive , Milwaukee, WI 53216
Earth Day Resources - Observe Earth Day Everyday!
Earth Day Resources
From Green Muslims - Green Ramadan Earth Care Resources HERE and this Green Ramadan Calendar of activities.
30 Ways for Faith Filled Greener Days – As we all struggle to find ways to cope with the current crisis Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake has developed a list of spiritual reflections and simple actions individuals and families can take to honor creation. Hopefully we can still find it in our hearts to rejoice in the gift that God has given us in our great beautiful Earth.
CLICK HERE to download the Earth Day Anyway! calendar.
From the National Cathedral, watch a recording of a Multi-Faith Earth Day Service that occurred on Sunday April 19, 2020.
From Creation Justice Ministries - 52 Ways to Care for Creation Bulletin Insert
The Fierce Urgency of Now: Earth Day Sunday 2020, which features stories of congregations taking climate action, liturgical resources, and faith-rooted interpretation of recently released dire Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.
From Earth Day Network - Protect Our Species, A Toolkit for Faith Leaders, which includes resources for clergy, lay leaders, religious educators, and people of faith to learn, reflect, and act to Protect Our Species. It includes lesson plans and conversation starters to engage children, youth, and adults.
From the Catholic Climate Covenant -
Earth Day at 50/Laudato Si’ at 5: An Urgent Appeal for Action 2020, a free, one-hour educational program designed to complement the Earth Day Network’s 50th anniversary theme, “Climate Action” and help us commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Pope’s encyclical letter, Laudato Si’.
All Creation Gives God Praise: Protecting Biodiversity in a Time of Climate Crisis (2019, but still relevant), grounded in scripture, Catholic social teaching, and Laudato Si, this Earth Day program will help mobilize the Catholic community to take urgent action to protect all of God’s creation. The one-hour educational program includes prayers, readings, a short video, and suggested activities.
Earth Day/Month Sermon ideas, homily helps and sermon starters.
Earth Day Network, Faith & Environment Resources: Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Interfaith prayers, study guides, liturgy and music.
Creation Justice Ministries, Earth Day Sunday 2018: Sense of Place: A Christian education resource. Sign up to reserve a free copy now.
Catholic Climate Covenant, Beyond a Throwaway Culture: Reduce Waste—Grow Community focuses on how our overuse of single-use disposable plastics contributes to what Pope Francis calls “the throwaway culture.” It includes prayers, readings, actions, and a video.
Jewish Resources
Canfei Nesharim, Sustainable Living Resources
Hazon, Why Jewish Environmentalism?
GreenFaith, Jewish Teachings on Environment
Muslim Resources
Green Muslims, Resources on Environment
GreenFaith, Muslim Green Worship Resources and Muslim Green Worship Tips
Worship in Celebration of Creation (McCormick Theological Seminary) A complete service in recognition of Earth Day.
While many of the following Earth Day resources are listed on Catholic websites, their language is not exclusively Christian.
- A beautiful Video Reflection and companion piece for the video, a Prayer of Intercession, should a group want to pray together in conjunction with the video.
- Poems, Prayers and additional reflections:
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- Prayer Card: Respect for Creation — Pope Francis
- A blog that shares a variety of Earth Day prayers
- Earth as Our Home booklet (Catholic Sisters for a Healthy Earth)
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