Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice Mission Group
New Hampshire Conference, United Church of Christ

Members are Rev. Roger Burkhart, Eric Chamberlain, Rev. Robert Grabill, Sue Moore, Rev. Dr. Robert Shore-Goss, and Robin Walkup, Chair.

And God saw everything that had been made, and behold, it was very good. --Genesis 1:31a

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; --Psalm 24:1 (NIV)

What brings joy to your heart, peace to your spirit, a smile to your face? For many of us the unfolding of the seasons, the rising and setting of the sun, the intricacy and beauty of nature is a central aspect of our lives, what it means to be human, the place where our spirits are most fed. What would you be willing to do for the planet you love, for the beauty of the Earth, for the Creator who called it good?

Believing deeply that all creation is formed by a loving God, and that we are called to be wise and compassionate stewards of this good Earth, the Environmental Justice Mission Group of the NH Conference UCC is committed to joining in this holy work. Scripture reveals a God who comes to us in many ways, making a lasting covenant through nature and cross, rainbow and empty tomb. The God of scripture and human experience, revealed in the magnificent and the miniscule, vast cosmos and tender crocus, in a newborn child, the wisdom of age, is also the One who calls us to participate in loving, healing and restoring all creation.

Responding to that call, the Environmental Justice Mission Group seeks to engage others in deeper appreciation for the beauty, wonder and awe toward the natural world and to take up the call to care for the integrity of creation. We invite others to work with us to translate the love we feel for creation into tangible acts of celebration, education, preservation and restoration on behalf of Earth. This work takes the form of:

Educational events and programs, Conference-wide or in local churches
Trainings in energy efficiency and the greening of congregations
Celebrations and worship opportunities to enjoy nature
Increasing collaboration with other denominations
Resources connecting Earth care and personal faith
Support for policies and practices that promote sustainability

The Mission Group is welcoming of others who care about God's creation and whose faith leads them to act with compassion, creativity and courage to fulfill our calling as stewards and caretakers.

For further information about the Environmental Justice Mission Group, its work, resources or events, please contact Chair, Robin Walkup, or watch the NH Conference website for updates to our weekly e-newsletter, The Weekly News

Meeting Schedule

We meet the first Monday of the month from 3:00 - 5:00 pm

New Hampshire UCC Conference Center
140 Sheep Davis Road
Pembroke, NH 03275

Remote access is possible through Zoom Meeting.

Current News/Events

The Youth Climate Movement: A Webinar with Jamie Margolin

Click on the image to watch a rebroadcast of the Creation Justice Webinar with Jamie Margolin, Youth Activist with the Climate Movement.

November United Nations Sustainable Goal of the Month: Clean water and sanitation

What we take for granted in our comfortable lifestyles is a fight for survival in many other parts of the world. Once in a while we may lose power, and for those people who depend on private well water, it is a reminder of how life can be in poorer countries. Others depend on municipal supplies, and expect the water to be safe to drink. When neither of these options is available, what then? Someone must go out to find water, and as the world gets warmer and rain fall patterns become erratic, that quest for water could take hours and is usually the responsibility of girls and women. Think about what that means for them: no time for school, no one home to watch younger or elderly family members, no one to prepare food, walking for hours with up to 40 pounds(lbs.) of weight. A gallon of water weighs 8 lbs., so a full 5 gallon bucket weighs 40lbs. If the water is more than 5 miles away, which is not unlikely, it is an all-day task, and the water may not even be sanitary. Besides that, that 5 gallon bucket is all the water you get to use until the next trip to find more!

It is difficult and expensive to ship water to areas in need, but supporting bore hole projects and rain water collections systems are just a couple of ways to get clean water to the people. Using less at home ensures our supplies won't run too low during dry periods, because it can happen here, too.

Bill McKibben congratulates the UCC on adopting a witness resolution to support the Green New Deal. We are the first Christian denomination to do so.

Check out his Facebook post at:
https://www.facebook.com/PollinatorUCC/posts/387808855177019?notif_id=1561504549715882&notif_t=page_post_reaction

United Church of Christ Webinar: Panel on Food Justice

View at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCsRj9d1E8U&feature=youtu.be

Environmental Resolutions at the 2019 Synod

Webinar discussion of all the climate related resolutions being brought forth at General Synod 32, June 21 - June 25, 2019.

View at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCpP4X3oLMA&feature=youtu.be

Standing Rock and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance.

Webinar featuring Nick Estes on Standing Rock and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance.

View at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmSIeMOcsow&feature=youtu.be

EnergyMatters E14 - Eco-Spirituality

In an interview with Mary Ewewll, Cheshire TV, the Rev. Dr. Robert Shore-Goss discusses Eco-spirituality and the need for Green Teams in Churches.

View the complete segment on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/-rHWevN7wIY

Webinar on Climate Change

Watch a Replay of the People of Faith as Climate Messengers webinar by Dr. Katherine Hayhoe of the University of Texas, sponsored by the UCC Environmental Justice Council. Dr. Hayhoe is an evangelical Christian and environmental scientist.

News

A Green New Deal Resolution to be Proposed at the 2019 UCC General Synod.
Click here to read the proposed resolution from the UCC to advocate for the Green New Deal legislation being worked on in Congress.
The Federated Church of Marlborough Celebrates New Solar Installation
On April 14, 2019 the Federated Church of Marlborough held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate its newly installed 70 panel solar array, which will provide all the church's electrical power needs. The installation was done by Revision Energy with no up-front costs.
New Hampshire Youth Taking on Climate Change Creatively (April 17, 2018)

Related Websites

United Church of Christ Environmental Ministries
New England Regional Environmental Ministries
Indigenous Environmental Network (ienearth.org)
The Pollinator: UCC Environmental Justice Blog
Peter Sawtelle's Eco-Justice Web site (eco-justice.org)
350.org
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (un.org)
Congress.gov: the Green New Deal Resolution (H Res 109)