Earth Day Sunday Puts Gulf Coast into Focus
After America was struck by the biggest wave of natural destruction in the nation's history, the focus of this year’s Earth Day is on rebuilding the Gulf Coast with justice in mind.
Christians are being called to observe Earth Day Sunday in April and recognize the ongoing rebuilding efforts of the churches in the U.S. Gulf Coast and the connection between God's people and God's creation.
After America was struck by the biggest wave of natural destruction in the nation's history, the focus of this year’s Earth Day is on rebuilding the Gulf Coast with justice in mind. The National Council of Churches has developed a free church resource outlining the underlying issues of environmental justice and racism, toxics and consumer lifestyles raised after the Katrina devastation. The resource also outlines how Christians can respond.
Through the Eye of a Hurricane: Rebuilding Just Communities, developed under NCC's Eco-Justice Program, notes that the hurricanes are not isolated to a subsection of God's world but instead raise important questions for all of God's creation.
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"In the days and weeks following the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, communities of faith sprang to action and assumed important leadership roles in the efforts to collect and send money, supplies, and relief workers to the Gulf Coast region. By focusing our Earth Day resources on the Gulf Coast region, we hope to remind people in our churches that the efforts to rebuild continue and the needs are beyond urgent," said Cassandra Carmichael, NCC director of Eco-Justice Programs, according to NCC.
"It is critical that we do all that we can to keep the victims and survivors of the hurricanes in the hearts and minds of Americans and others around the world."
Volunteers have yet to depart from the Katrina victims as they continue to pour out aid. The victims themselves have felt the care and compassion of the aid workers.
In a released testimony from a Red Cross volunteer in USA Today, Sherry Tanko spoke of the gratitude among Katrina survivors for the continual help of volunteers.
"Their gratitude toward the volunteers was so enthusiastic and heartfelt that I felt embarrassed to be the recipient. They wore their belief in God proudly," Tanko said.
A devastation as large as the Gulf Coast disasters put into focus the treatment of God's creation and people, according to the resource. And in the upcoming observance on Apr. 23, Christians are being urged to acknowledge their connection to all that God created.
As Earth Day approaches, NCC intends to organize participating congregations and pursue coordinated legislative action. In addition to this resource, the Eco-Justice Program is convening a meeting in New Orleans to facilitate communication between green building experts and community leaders, and has issued a statement on recovery, clean-up, and rebuilding. The NCC has also designated a Special Commission for the Just Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast that has called for the separation of FEMA from other Homeland Security efforts as well as other radical changes in relief efforts.
More than 2,000 congregations have celebrated Earth Day in the past few years with special worship experiences, education programs, and other environmental activities. The Eco-Justice Programs office of the National Council of Churches works in cooperation with the NCC Eco-Justice Working Group to provide an opportunity for the national bodies of member Protestant and Orthodox denominations to work together to protect and restore God's Creation.
For a copy of the Earth Day Sunday resource, visit www.nccecojustice.org
