East Central IL District, NASW-IL Honorees

Wesley's Christian Social Action Ministry extends congratulations to Jeff Scott, member and former chairperson of CSAM, for recognition as the NASW IL Chapter East Central District Social Worker of the Year for 2010 and to Donna Camp, director of the Wesley Evening Food Pantry, for recognition as the NASW IL Chapter East Central District Citizen of the Year for 2010. They will be honored on March 23 along with Lifetime Achievement Award winner Carol Weissman-Acord, Co-founder of Circle of Friends Adult Day Center & Geriatric Consultants and Care Manages, Inc.

Conceptualizing Creation and Human Participation in God's Creating Works

People continue to come together to articulate a vision of creation and humanity's relationship to it in response to the effects of climate change and the harm wrought by humans upon the planet. A few examples stood out to those present at the Lenten Lentils study yesterday.

The first is the United Methodist Church's position on the environment as stated in its social principles.

160 All creation is the Lord's, and we are responsible for the ways we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God's creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. God has granted us stewardship of creation. We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect. Economic, political, social, and technological developments have increased our human numbers, and lengthened and enriched our lives. However, these developments have led to regional defoliation, dramatic extinction of species, massive human suffering, overpopulation, and misuse and overconsumption of natural and nonrenewable resources, particularly by industrialized societies. This continued course of action jeopardizes the natural heritage that God has entrusted to all generations. Therefore, let us recognize the responsibility of the church and its members to place a high priority on changes in economic, political, social, and technological lifestyles to support a more ecologically equitable and sustainable world leading to a higher quality of life for all of God's creation.

Recently the Council of Bishops of the UMC released a pastoral letter, "God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action" and launched an accompanying web site.

The development of “God’s Renewed Creation” reflects the purpose of The United Methodist Church to “Make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World.” We know the world is being transformed and we seek to cooperate with God’s renewing Spirit, especially through our denomination’s Four Areas of Focus: (1) developing principled Christian leaders for the church and the world, (2) creating new places for new people and renewing existing congregations, (3) engaging in ministry with the poor, and (4) stamping out the killer diseases of poverty. Focusing on these four areas will shape our discipleship such that those who seek God will see an image in our behavior that is inviting, encouraging, healing, and inspiring. This project, “God’s Renewed Creation,” furthers these goals.

The Earth Charter Secretariat, Earth Charter Commission members, National Committees, partner organizations and many other groups, organized consultations focused on the ideas and principles to be included in the Earth Charter. These meetings took place over a five-year period from 1995 to 2000. The preamble of the Earth Charter reads:

We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the peoples of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations.

Earth, Our Home

Humanity is part of a vast evolving universe. Earth, our home, is alive with a unique community of life. The forces of nature make existence a demanding and uncertain adventure, but Earth has provided the conditions essential to life's evolution. The resilience of the community of life and the well-being of humanity depend upon preserving a healthy biosphere with all its ecological systems, a rich variety of plants and animals, fertile soils, pure waters, and clean air. The global environment with its finite resources is a common concern of all peoples. The protection of Earth's vitality, diversity, and beauty is a sacred trust.

The Global Situation

The dominant patterns of production and consumption are causing environmental devastation, the depletion of resources, and a massive extinction of species. Communities are being undermined. The benefits of development are not shared equitably and the gap between rich and poor is widening. Injustice, poverty, ignorance, and violent conflict are widespread and the cause of great suffering. An unprecedented rise in human population has overburdened ecological and social systems. The foundations of global security are threatened. These trends are perilous—but not inevitable.

The Challenges Ahead

The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life. Fundamental changes are needed in our values, institutions, and ways of living. We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more. We have the knowledge and technology to provide for all and to reduce our impacts on the environment. The emergence of a global civil society is creating new opportunities to build a democratic and humane world. Our environmental, economic, political, social, and spiritual challenges are interconnected, and together we can forge inclusive solutions.

Universal Responsibility

To realize these aspirations, we must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying ourselves with the whole Earth community as well as our local communities. We are at once citizens of different nations and of one world in which the local and global are linked. Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of the human family and the larger living world. The spirit of human solidarity and kinship with all life is strengthened when we live with reverence for the mystery of being, gratitude for the gift of life, and humility regarding the human place in nature.

We urgently need a shared vision of basic values to provide an ethical foundation for the emerging world community. Therefore, together in hope we affirm the following interdependent principles for a sustainable way of life as a common standard by which the conduct of all individuals, organizations, businesses, governments, and transnational institutions is to be guided and assessed.

WASH For Lent Devotion

Check out WASH for Lent's devotion for the first Sunday of Lent.

Lenten Lentils: Melting Ice: Climate Change and the Humanities

Carolyn Merchant is the Chancellor's professor of Environmental History, Philosophy, and Ethics in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at the University of California, Berkeley. She spoke at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on February 22. These are notable pieces from that lecture.

Status

• Kyoto set aggressive goals, but did not have the support of the United States and Australia. Progress has been halted in recent months; however, Merchant believes that political will to address climate change is proportional to economic strength.
• The world has already experienced extensive environmental damage resulting from climate change: rising ocean temperatures, causing extensive bleaching of coral reefs; greater flooding; higher worldwide temperatures; and we are closer to creating the fabled northern shipping route.
• An example of coral bleaching: in Papua New Guinea reef fish communities were greatly impacted by coral loss due to ocean warming and sedimentation run-off from the conversion of forest to oil palm plantations.
• Polls Merchant quoted indicate a broad supermajority exists in support of action to mitigate the dangers of climate change with a spike after the release of An Inconvenient Truth.
• Glacier National Park is at risk, for it is losing its glaciers.

Climate Ethics

The Humanities can respond to the climate change crisis by developing ethics systems. Merchant believes that an ethics system must address:

• The impact of climate change upon socio-economic groups
• Actions taken to mitigate climate change are ethically grounded
• Contextually nuanced to account for differences in carbon needs (e.g., many communities’ greater carbon footprint is in the use wood to cook)
• The need to create a global governance structure to share responsibility for the atmosphere

How might the church (universal), the United Methodist Church, and Wesley particularly be part of the conversation about Climate Ethics?

Climate Justice

Merchant defines justice as “ethics on the ground”. She sees tensions between a utilitarian (needs of the many) and rights based (individual) approach to the question. Environmental hazards adversely and disproportionately impact persons in poverty, necessitating direct involvement of marginalized people in the conversation. Exacerbating the problem is the deep gap between wealthy and impoverished residents in the United States compared to other industrialized nations. A higher percentage of people in poverty live near toxic sites, spend a higher percentage of income on food, are susceptible to diseases caused by toxins, and do not have health insurance. Native populations—arctic native and native American populations—are burdened by the impact of climate change (e.g., shoreline dropping off into the ocean and the loss of spiritually acceptable water). Finally, the humanities should develop a justice centered on the common good that addresses species and habitat loss.

How might the church (universal), the United Methodist Church, and Wesley particularly be part of the conversation about Climate Justice?

Climate Change and the Arts

Perceptions are often developed through exposure to artistic expressions. Many artistic pieces relating to climate change challenge the notion that humanity is set apart from, more important than and at the center of creation. Examples include the Cape Farewell Project, the “Ice Car”, landscape art, and romantic poets and writers.

How can the church (universal), the United Methodist Church, and Wesley particularly use the arts to deliver a message about Climate Change?

Climate Change and Religion

Religious denominations have organizations that address the climate change crisis. Furthermore, interfaith and ecumenical groups are forming to mitigate climate change. The National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America (NCCCUSA) is a partner in stopglobalwarming.orgSome of the work is being done on a local level; for example, Green Faith in New Jersey is working to put solar panels on houses of faith.

Religions play a role in how people conceptualize creation, humanity’s role and responsibility within creation, and formation of ecological ethics.

How might the church (universal), the United Methodist Church, and Wesley particularly address Climate Change crisis? What graces and gifts—that is, what tools are in our toolkit—equip us for this endeavor?

Final Notes

Merchant envisions hope for the environment through eradication of class differences, by developing a framework through which humanity and creation are mutually interdependent actors, using responsible sustainable development practices that are culturally critiqued, and by creating bio-regional communities. Merchant encourages us to “listen” through our senses in creating a dialogue with nature.

Ecology at Ten Thousand Doors

The United Methodist Church site Ten Thousand Doors has information on ecological justice. This offers information and ideas for action steps.

Devotion: Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the 40 day journey of Lent. We start off this season with a reflection on water. Today's devotion comes from WASH for Lent. Wondering how you can contribute to our water and sanitation concerns? As with many other justice concerns, there is an Advance for that.

Lenten Lentils

Wesley will host a seven week study with topics revolving around climate change and sustainability. "Lenten Lentils" will meet each Wednesday evening at 6:00 pm (5:30 pm on Ash Wednesday immediately before the Ash Wednesday service) in Wesley's Etc Coffeehouse for a meal and conversation. Attendees are welcome to sign up to bring a side for the meal. The topics covered are listed in the schedule below.

• Ash Wednesday
  02/17/2010 5:30pm - Introduction to the study
  The main dish is Lentil Pate with crackers & vegetables. Bread will also be provided.
  02/17/2010 6:00pm - Ash Wednesday Service (Sanctuary)
  02/17/2010 7:00pm - Food Pantry Setup
• “Melting Ice: Climate Change and the Humanities”
  02/22/2010 7:30pm - Lecture at the UIUC Levis Faculty Center, Third Floor
  02/24/2010 6:00pm - Discussion of the lecture
  The main dish is Lentil & Sausage Soup. Those who would like to bring side dishes are welcome to sign up on the CSAM bulletin board or by emailing Anthony. Sides may include fruit, bread, and a dessert.
• “Food, Inc.”
  03/03/2010 6:00pm - View and Discuss the Film, “Food, Inc.”
  The main dish is Lentil Apricot Soup (Armenian style). Those who would like to bring side dishes are welcome to sign up on the CSAM bulletin board or by emailing Anthony. Fruit, tossed salad (or vegetables), and bread would nicely complete the meal.
• “Slow Violence and the Drama Deficit of Climate Change”
  03/09/2010 7:30pm - Lecture at the UIUC Levis Faculty Center, Third Floor
  03/10/2010 6:00pm - Discussion of the Lecture
  The main dish is Lentil Tacos. Those who would like to bring side dishes are welcome to sign up on the CSAM bulletin board or by emailing Anthony. Good sides to share would include fruit and toppings for the tacos (e.g., shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, avocado, black olives, salsa, and cheese).
• "The Earth Fights Back"
  03/17/2010 6:00pm - Discussion of chapter 5 of the book Sins of Scripture: Exposing the Bible's Texts of Hate to Reveal the God of Love by John Shelby Spong
  The main dish is Creamy Lentil Soup with Carmelized Onion. Those who would like to bring side dishes are welcome to sign up on the CSAM bulletin board or to contact Anthony. Good sides to share would include fruit, bread, and vegetables.
• "Bad Theology Creates Bad Ecology"
  03/24/2010 6:00pm - Discussion of chapter 6 of the book Sins of Scripture: Exposing the Bible's Texts of Hate to Reveal the God of Love by John Shelby Spong
  The main dish is Red Lentil, Sweet Potato & Curry Soup. Those who would like to bring side dishes are welcome to sign up on the CSAM bulletin board or to contact Anthony. Good sides to share would include fruit and bread.
• "Global Warming"
  03/31/2010 6:00pm - Discussion of chapter 7 of the book Resistance: The New Role of Progressive Christians
  The main dishes are Lentil & Hazelnut Patties ("burgers"), Barbecue Lentils, and Lentil Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Those who would like to bring side dishes are welcome to sign up on the CSAM bulletin board or to contact Anthony. Good sides to share would include fruit and toppings for the sandwiches (e.g., mayo, catsup, mustard, lettuce, onion, cheese).

Stewardship of Creation: Where to Begin?

As we approach Lent, let us consider a dimension of spiritual disciplines that makes use of humanity's role as co-creator with God. As you discern what spiritual disciplines you wish to incorporate into your life in this stewardship capacity, it may be to see how your actions impact the world. American Public Media offers an interactive resource, Consumer Consequences, that can help you start the Lenten journey.

Preview of Lenten Activities

Everyday we make personal, communal, and national choices that affect the environment and ecological diversity of our world. Nearly every climate scientist believes humans are causing climate change. This Lent you will be invited to post on the Christian Social Action Ministry bulletin board actions or practices that negatively impact the environment that you plan to give up for Lent and actions or practices that positively impact the environment that you plan to take up for Lent. In tandem with these exercises, Wesley will offer opportunities to gather for lentils and conversation about the environment and our impact upon it. More information about this study, “Lenten Lentils”, will be provided as Lent approaches.

2009 Giving

In addition to the Wesley Evening Food Pantry and seasonal special offerings, Wesley’s generous giving has reached into the community and around the world to address education, poverty, and violence through contributions to the following organizations and UM Advances.

• Connie Wieck, a United Methodist missionary teaching English as a Second Language at Luzhou Vocational College in China
• Cunningham Children's Home
• Empty Tomb
• Henderson Settlement in Kentucky
• Oklahoma Indians (pastoral support)
• World Hunger/Poverty Advance (UMC General Board on Global Ministries)
• A Woman's Fund
• Center for Women in Transition
• Council of Congregations
• Daily Bread Soup Kitchen
• Eastern IL Food Bank
• Restoration Urban Ministry
• Safe House
• Wesley Foundation Service Projects
• Champaign County Health Care Consumers
• Champaign-Urbana Interfaith Alliance
• Illinois Great Rivers Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action

CSAM will be highlighting these organizations and their missions throughout 2010.

Update: Interfaith Immigration Reform

Wesley collected postcards—some from members’ relatives as far away as Alabama—over the holidays lobbying our congressional delegations for comprehensive immigration reform. All collected postcards were sent to the General Board on Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, where they will be combined with postcards from faith communities from many religious traditions. The Interfaith Immigration Coalition plans to hold a press conference in the middle of the month in hopes to bring media awareness to the widespread support for reform from faithful Americans from across the country.