"Go back and read the Biblical record carefully and you will discover God’s love and care for all of His created order. It is not just people that catch His attention. He also cares for all that He made in addition to human flesh. In Genesis 1:26-27, man is given dominion and the responsibility of stewardship for the planet. Plants, shrubs, birds, fish, livestock, are all placed under humankind's care. God expects us to practice good stewardship of our resources. A “go green” conversation is a responsible, moral, and needed conversation for Christians to have. It is not a political issue to be debated; it is a “people of God” responsibility to undertake. Why would anyone be opposed to responsible care for our planet? We need to care about the earth and it’s resources. We need to figure out ways at the individual and corporate level for our “care-taking” task to be accomplished. The problem is that ecology is such a huge task. It’s one of those jobs that is everyone’s responsibility which means from a practical standpoint it becomes “no one’s” responsibility. The earth must receive our consideration, not our exploitation.
"It is interesting to me that in all of our conversations about rethinking, reviving, and renewing our church, in all our dialogues and town hall meetings, that the topic of green earth as a moral/spiritual imperative never came to the surface. We need to get a better handle on this topic as a congregation. Sure we recycle cans, but is that enough? Is that all that we should consider doing? How much paper could we recycle? How many Styrofoam cups do we use to keep our coffee hot and our soft drinks cold? How much water do we waste? How many plastic bottles do we toss out? Let me give you some figures to consider for a moment. That Styrofoam cup that you use and simply toss aside, will take up to a million years to decompose. A glass bottle? The same decomposition time. A plastic water bottle? It’s going to be around for another million years as well unless it is recycled. An aluminum can will decompose in about 500 years. Monofilament fishing line in about 800 years. That little plastic ring that keeps a six-pack together in your grocery cart… it’s here for another 450 years. We really do have to get serious about recycling initiatives, reusable packaging, and earth-friendly products. Each family needs to look for ways to be more responsible. And quite honestly, we need someone to emerge in the life of our church who will help to understand this issue more fully so that we can act more responsibly. A green earth policy is a part of the stewardship that God has placed at our feet. He is serious about His creation."
"It is interesting to me that in all of our conversations about rethinking, reviving, and renewing our church, in all our dialogues and town hall meetings, that the topic of green earth as a moral/spiritual imperative never came to the surface. We need to get a better handle on this topic as a congregation. Sure we recycle cans, but is that enough? Is that all that we should consider doing? How much paper could we recycle? How many Styrofoam cups do we use to keep our coffee hot and our soft drinks cold? How much water do we waste? How many plastic bottles do we toss out? Let me give you some figures to consider for a moment. That Styrofoam cup that you use and simply toss aside, will take up to a million years to decompose. A glass bottle? The same decomposition time. A plastic water bottle? It’s going to be around for another million years as well unless it is recycled. An aluminum can will decompose in about 500 years. Monofilament fishing line in about 800 years. That little plastic ring that keeps a six-pack together in your grocery cart… it’s here for another 450 years. We really do have to get serious about recycling initiatives, reusable packaging, and earth-friendly products. Each family needs to look for ways to be more responsible. And quite honestly, we need someone to emerge in the life of our church who will help to understand this issue more fully so that we can act more responsibly. A green earth policy is a part of the stewardship that God has placed at our feet. He is serious about His creation."
The response from those words has been exciting. I have heard from a number of members who are excited about moving this issue to a more prominent point of discussion. Several have already volunteered to be part of a Ministry Team that can provide some helpful suggestions. I'm interested in your thoughts. I will be glad to post your ideas and thoughts about the ways in which we can make a difference here at Woodmont.
I noticed yesterday that glass coffee cups were available by the coffee pots in our Sunday School area. It's a small step, but certainly in the right direction.
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