Quick Info:
Number of weeks: 2
Price: $65
CEUs: 1.0
Required books?: Yes
Live video session?: No
Part of a certification or series of courses?: No
“In the beginning, God created…humans in God’s image, and gave them dominion among all the creatures of God’s creation.” What does that mean for us American Christians in 2022? Does God care how we live on the earth? Is how we treat our environment, and our fellow human and non-human inhabitants of the planet, only a political issue, or is it primarily a spiritual issue? Is it just a private lifestyle matter, or can and should our churches “go green” as well? And if so, how do we start processes of change that some might consider controversial – for ourselves and our congregations?
This course expands Bishop Sally Dyck’s and Sarah Ehrman’s exploration of faith, science and the message of Jesus, providing facts, inspiration, and practical help in beginning such change. The emphasis will be on personal and congregational ways to leverage small steps to enable bigger leaps in living lightly on the earth for the sake of loving God and loving our neighbors, doing no harm, doing good, and staying in love with God.
This course offers many ways to help a person or a congregational Green Team dig in and get started. So you’re invited to bring along a friend or a team and put June downtime to good purpose!
You must have a copy of Sally Dyck and Sarah Ehrman’s book, A Hopeful Earth: Faith, Science, and the Message of Jesus for this course.
This course is eligible for 1.0 CEU.
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About the Instructor
Rev. Beth Galbreath is a United Methodist deacon, but for over 50 years she’s been an activist for solar and wind energy and eco-sustainability, chairing the Rockford, Illinois area’s first Sun Day celebration (quite a few decades ago), and now serving as a solar ambassador of the Illinois Solar Education Association.
She serves on the pastoral leadership team of Compassion UMC in Brookfield, Ill., a new church plant, whose rooftop solar system provides all its electricity. The photovoltaic system on her home powers not only the home but also an all-electric car.
But her passion for the environment extends to many other practices of living lightly on the earth, and to her participation in her conference’s eco-sustainability task group and efforts to encourage churches to do what they can to conserve and protect the planet, our common home.
