This Month's Green Tips

Use these in your congregation's bulletins, Facebook pages, websites, or newsletters!

Here are Steve Spigarelli's 

Green Tips from First Lutheran, Aitkin

Here are John McDonald's Earth Stewardship Tips from Gloria Dei, Duluth

Here are Laura Raedeke's Green Tips from Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa

EcoFaith Leadership at the Synod Journey

by Pastor Seth Wynands, Bethesda Lutheran Church, Carlton

On July 23, at 12:33 pm, 180 energetic teenagers from across Northeastern Minnesota (plus their adult leaders!) piled off of four charter buses and clambered into the somewhat cramped fellowship hall of Rivers Edge Church in Carlton, Minnesota.

Thankfully, we were there, and we were prepared for them!

Mary Jo Mettler, Pastor John Stiles, Rachel Wyffels, Russ Schultz, and I had the chance to work with these excited young disciples and to teach them a bit about caring for creation by planting milkweed near their homes or church buildings. Mary Jo led a lively discussion about Monarchs and Milkweed, then Rachel told us about Ecofaith and the importance of creation care.

By the end of the hour, each disciple got to decorate and fill a toilet paper roll with soil, plant milkweed seeds in them, and put them in empty yogurt cups for safekeeping. Some youth made plans to plant them together at their church buildings while others thought of taking them home. Regardless of where they plant them, though, milkweed seeds will get the chance to grow in new yards and gardens across our synod, and young disciples will get the chance to grow seeds of creation care in their lives and congregations. Thanks be to God!

EcoFaith Facebook Reboot

The EcoFaith Facebook page will be posting regularly starting in August! FB posts will include Tuesday green tips, reflections from the Green Blades Rising preaching roundtable, Thankful Thursday questions centered on creation, and environmental advocacy opportunities.

If you haven't already, like EcoFaith Network NE MN Synod on Facebook and join in the conversation!

The annual EcoFaith Leadership Retreat is two weeks away!

The 2022 EcoFaith Leadership Retreat is taking place on August 14-16 at Camp Onomia (Onamia, MN).

We are excited to have representation from five synods! Those who have registered will receive a packing list soon.

We look forward to this time to nourish relationships and discern our direction for the coming year!

If you are interested in attending and have not yet registered, please send an email to ecofaith@nemnsynod.org!

Co-Sponsored Green Blades Rising To Begin in September

After a brief summer hiatus and transition between Communication Coordinators, Green Blades Rising will return in September.

And we have exciting news to share! Green Blades Rising will now be co-sponsored by the St. Paul Area Care of Creation through a grant from their synod! We are grateful for this ongoing relationship and look forward to expanding the reach of the newsletter even further.

Want to contribute an article? Email ecofaith@nemnsynod.org!