Reading for Any Era
Silent Spring, Rachel Carson
Braiding Sweet Grass,
Robin Wall Kimmerman
Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold,
The Driftless Reader,
Meine and Keeley editors
Gaylord Nelson and Earth Day in Wisconsin
Sigurd Olson
Creation Care Team
The mission of the Creation Care Team is to reveal the connection of the
La Crosse Area Synod and the communities they inhabit to God's presence in the natural world, by fostering a culture of environmental reflection, engagement and stewardship.
We recognize that we are long down the list of peoples who have named this space holy. We seek to learn from the past and walk in the present with the indigenous peoples, to repair and better serve the place, the lives, and the future.
As Christians, we are called to know and care for our neighbors. We work to expand our image of just who that neighbor might be. What if we walk out the door of our church and try to name the first plant or creature neighbors we see? Do we know them, their colors, their needs, their origins, how we are connected to them?
Is our yard at home or church more of a good scenery backdrop for a web page, or a fitness venue, than it is a community we share, know and tend? Humans are assigned dominion in/over creation. Dominion implies domicile, our home; we dwell together with these neighbors. dominion also suggests lordship and with it, holiness. This synod has a unique network of land and buildings; how could that serve as network of care for creation, sacred space, in our region?
Many of us live in the unique Driftless Region; others to the east in sand plains. How well do we, as faithful people know the sacred place we dwell in: its 700 million year history of land, water, and even trout? How do humans help or hurt this system in which we have so much power. How well do we connect with the abundant organizations that focus on, celebrate, and tend the earth in the specific areas in our region? How do we find friendly practices for inside our buildings, our structures, and our surrounding yards or land?
This is our calling for all the land, air, and water we tend. The small or rural parish can have as big an impact as the largest city congregation. Like every neighbor, every square foot has roots and sky, every square foot matters.
The small group that forms the committee that has gathered, has divided up the realms of this care.
Each one of these arenas informs our spiritual journey.
Inside Our buildings: church and home. Choices for daily life together.
Our Structures: making them living monuments to and in Gods generous creation. Outside the walls: property use that reflects creation needs in our particular settings.
Community Partnerships with organizations to learn about/help our unique settings.
Advocacy: care for the policies and behaviors that tend creations. Spirituality: observation contemplation expression.
An engaging place to start: Decoding the Driftless DVD at Sustainable Driftless
Resources:
Earthcare ELCA church checklist
DVD - Decoding the Driftless(1hr 4 min.) Created locally. Great intro to the area.
Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale - a clearing house for earth care and religion
Regional Center Partners
Upcoming Events
Organization Contacts
Synod Care Stories - Possible Projects
We are looking for passionate folks to gather and provide church friendly resources. Anyone in your congregation may attend our next meeting at the synod office.
Please contact Janet Wollam at 608-738-5505 or fishwoll@aol.com
