Dear Companions in Creation Care,
I hope this newsletter finds you well with the election right around the corner. In a time where there is so much that we cannot control, I invite you to a chance to engage in meaningful conversation about the intersections of racism, inequality, and the environment. “Called to Arise: Standing at the Intersection of Racism, Inequality, and the Environment,” are hosted virtual conversations sponsored by the EcoFaith Network and Together Here Ministries of the Northeastern Minnesota Synod and the St. Paul Area Synod Care of Creation Work Group.
Through the original videos being created by the Ecofaith Network and supplementary articles, this conversation explores the intersection of racism, inequality, and the environment. It is being offered as a Zoom workshop series open to all.
The workshops are offered Tuesdays from November 10 – December 8 from 6:30-8:00 pm. A second series will take place in January and February of 2021. Register (free) at http://bit.ly/called2arise to receive the Zoom link.
Join us at the intersection of racism, inequality, and the environment as we explore God’s invitation to arise in a year of Jubilee!
-Erica Bjelland, EcoFaith Communications
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Synod Sustainability Stories |
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In 2014, the Northeastern Minnesota Synod, meeting in Assembly, affirmed earth stewardship as integral to every faith practice. Each month, Green Blades Rising will offer information and highlight one or more examples around the synod and region of integrating creation care in our worship, community action, education, congregational life, stewardship, and care of building and grounds. |
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Creation Care in Place:
Fjordhaven on Mille Lacs Lake
In October, I (Erica) had the joy of going to Fjordhaven, a beautiful Minnesota Land Trust-protected space on Mille Lacs Lake cared for by Sue Lyback and Doug Jacobson (Faith Lutheran, Isle). There is something uniquely beautiful and sacred about this place! Doug and Sue have a deep connection to their surroundings and an authentic way of sharing that sacred connection with people that visit Fjordhaven.
"Inspired by the woods and waters of Fjordhaven Forest, our programs and services seek to honor the Creator and to enhance healing and renewal for all who encounter Fjordhaven, and especially for those persons engaged in the helping professions and/or in caregiver roles."
Read more about Fjordhaven here.
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A beautiful photo reflection eyes on creation from this season
by Will Stenberg
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We want to continue sharing synod stories like these! If you
have a sustainability story to share from your congregation, please email ecofaith@nemnsynod.org
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EcoFaith Microgrants Available
Did you know your congregation is eligible for an EcoFaith Microgrant of $100-$1,000? You can apply to help support new earth stewardship initiatives in the areas of Worship, Education, Congregational Life, Building and Grounds, and Community Engagement.
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Announcements & Resources |
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Preaching for the Whole Creation:
Commentary on the Lectionary
November 15th & 22nd
"We approach the end of the church year, this time around, in the aftermath of one the most hotly contested election in memory. With final results likely delayed, preachers on this Sunday may well face highly emotional congregations of voters, whether online or in person. Some may be awash in sweeping triumph, others under a cloud of fear, mongered by politicians who warned of the disastrous consequenes – chaos!, corruption!, fascism!, socialism!-- of the victory of the other side. The readings for these two Sundays have the potential to stir up these feelings afresh. Special care is warrented for their interpretation, lest these annual “final reports” of God's love for us and all creation be swamped by convictions, on either hand, about what lies ahead for us as a nation."
Read more of the lectionary commentary here.
Written by Rev. Dennis Ormseth. Rev. Ormseth has been writing ecologically oriented commentary on the lectionary for many years. He is active in Lutherans Restoring Creation, the EcoFaith Network of the Minneapolis Area Synod, and a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Minneapolis.
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Moments of Arising:
A Video Series for the Jubilee Year of Earth Day
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Watch the latest Moments of Arising video, Lament!
Now the Green Blade Rises
IV - Lament
Now our world is wounded, scarred by human greed.
Now the earth is ravaged by unbridled need.
O Lord, how long must your creation cry?
Darkness soon may come to shroud the once bright sky.
Lament features an opening litany by Professor Diane Jacobson, and conversation on the importance of lament in liturgy and hymnody between Pastor Mark Ditmanson and Paul Jacobson.
The November 18th video, Death, stanza 5, will feature a litany by seminarian Mac Mullins and reflection by the Rev. Dr. Anna Madsen.
Linda Kalweit is the video designer and Paul Jacobson the music director and composer of each stanza's arrangement.
Here is the full list of the videos and you can see all the videos here.
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Lutherans Restoring Creation Invites You...
Join the November nationwide, churchwide Connections Call
How can churches genuinely acknowledge Native lands?
Thursday, November 12th 7pm Central Time
In preparation for the call, please check out these materials (click).
OR just use your phone to call 888-602-2749
(Don't do both or there will be an echo)
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This Month's Green Tips
Feel free to use these helpful Green Tips created by two Synod members for your bulletins and general knowledge! These are meant to inspire earthkeeping action!
Here are Laura Raedeke's Green Tips Lutheran Church of the Cross in Nisswa and here are Steve Spigarelli's Green Tips from First Lutheran in Aitkin.
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Book Review
Richard Rohr is a Franciscan priest, founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, N.M. This is primarily a theological treatise on who Jesus is in Rohers estimation. Yet it has many ties to creation care; especially in quotes like: “God loves things by becoming them.” And the following: “Two thousand years ago marked the human incarnation of God in Jesus, we Christians believe, but before that there was the first and original incarnation through light, water, land, sun, moon, stars, plants, trees, fruit, birds, serpents, cattle, fish, and “every kind of wild beast, according to our Judeo-Christian creation story (Genesis 1:3-25).”
Roher’s term for the incarnated Jesus is the “Cosmic Christ”. He ties the Christ’s presence in the world to God ever present reality in and under the creation, quoting Ephesians 1:10 to show God’s eternal purpose in the Christ to gather all things in him, the whole creation.
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Rohr covers other aspects of God’s identity in Jesus the Christ, including love as the primary aspect and motivation of God, what it means that God had a body, why Jesus died, and what the resurrection means and its implications for our lives. Roher writes in simple terms with many illustrations of his theological ideas. It is a good and thought provoking read for clergy and laity alike.
This book review is by John Hanson, a retired pastor living on Turtle Lake, north of Grand Rapids, with his wife, Linda. He is a member of the NE MN Synod EcoFaith Leadership Team.
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What We've Been Reading
Here are a few other resources the Leadership Team is reading!
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The EcoFaith Network of Northeastern MN is a growing network of ELCA Lutheran congregations and their members in northeastern Minnesota with a mission to live out God's call to be stewards of the earth for the sake of the whole creation. Through social media, seminars, resources on current environmental justice issues, project micro-grants and active inter-and intra- congregational conversations, the EcoFaith Network encourages grassroots creation care actions among the Synod’s 133 congregations and leadership within their communities.
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