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of our lives, which recognizes the value of other people and living things, present and future, and that our collective needs are intimately tied to our shared environment.


Not only does this expansive practice of Sabbath help the church be more environmentally sustainable, but it contributes to sustaining the church as a religious body. In an era in which pews are clearing at an alarming rate, dedication to God’s work for creation and our fellow human beings demonstrates to our communities what we stand for as Lutherans. This work is visible proof that the church remains aware, concerned and ready to solve problems. In turn, this opens the door to share the gospel and to attract and retain active members. Putting this notion of Sabbath into practice requires an understanding of how our modern way of life dif- fers from that of the Old Testament. Most of our church buildings aren’t situated on farm fields. Your congre- gation probably isn’t growing a lot of grapes or olives either. But that’s not really the point of this Scripture passage.


Many churches do have buildings and grounds, and these facilities have significant implications for wildlife in the ways that we landscape and use water and energy. Likewise, there are streams, parks and other public lands that we don’t own, but which are part of the universal gift of creation. By managing our own properties respon- sibly and by serving through shared places, we can live this principle of Sabbath for stewardship.


Wet, muddy evangelism For Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, located in Gaith- ersburg, Md., and the Potomac River watershed, great opportunities for stewardship existed beyond the church grounds. Members worked with a local conservation group, the Muddy Branch Alliance, to raise awareness and reduce negative impacts on the stream. Integrating environmental stewardship into liturgy and sacrament, Prince of Peace made its tributary the venue for a bap- tism last August.


Owing in part to this connection, the Muddy Branch


Alliance held its first interfaith event at a local Lutheran church, also in 2012. As a result, area churches orga- nized stream cleanups or participated in those hosted by others, creating a public opportunity for Lutherans to practice environmental stewardship. Not far from Prince of Peace, the National Wildlife Federation (www.nwf.org) is piloting a program that can help congregations get started with creation-friendly grounds-keeping. The forthcoming Sacred Grounds Habitat program, based on the NWF’s popular decades-


old Backyard Habitat program, provides advice and simple guidelines for caring for creation, one place of worship at a time.


Good Shepherd Lutheran, also in Gaithersburg and the Potomac River watershed, is one of three congrega- tions working with the NWF to test and refine the Sacred Grounds program by adopting the draft guidelines. Together with nearby Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation and the East Washington Heights Baptist Church in the Anacostia watershed, Good Shepherd is using an NWF grant to landscape with native, seed- bearing plants; install rain barrels; and educate members about how to do the same at home. The three congregations bring the challenges of urban and suburban landowners to the project. With close proximity to major roads, residential and commercial neighbors and, in some cases, with limited green space, the congregations are learning about local wildlife and how to design their spaces effectively. The pilot projects emphasize a combination of plants to attract and sup- port birds and beneficial insects, and measures to reduce water needs for landscaping. ELCA congregations are also supported from within the denomination by Lutherans Restoring Creation (www.lutheransrestoringcreation.org). Sprouted from the ELCA’s 1993 social statement, “Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice,” the grassroots organization provides resources to individuals, congregations and synods through its network of laypeople, clergy and theologians.


“LRC really speaks to our theology and what we


believe as Lutherans,” said Phoebe Morad, the organiza- tion’s synodical training coordinator. These core beliefs are the basis for LRC’s resources to integrate stewardship of creation into educational pro- grams, facilities management, worship, and the personal and public ministries of members. Moreover, the group works to appeal to churches’


existing member-leaders, such as stewardship or finance committees. Morad has observed that many churches become interested when they see that saving energy can free money for other ministries.


LRC hosts “train the trainer” events, at which individu- als from several churches come together to study Scrip- ture pertinent to environmental stewardship. Participants exchange ideas and challenges, hear from experts, and discuss practices and tools that have served other congregations well, which they then take back to their home churches and communities. 


Download a study guide for this article (free to print/Web members) at www.thelutheran.org (click on “study guides”).


April 2013 17


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