CREATION CARE
"The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it."
Psalm 24:1
As Christians we are called to care for all of God's creation. As United Methodists, we believe that we are not called to merely be observers. Rather, we are called to actively love and tend to all of God's creation. We are called to seek justice and liberty for all of God's creation. The Social Principals of the United Methodist Church speak to the issues in the contemporary world from a sound biblical and theological foundation. One of the United Methodist Church's Social Principals is to care for The Natural World. God has charged us to be stewards of God's creation. "Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are useful to human beings".
The Aldersgate Creation Care Team works towards living into the United Methodist Social Principal: The Natural World and our Aldersgate UMC Strategic Priorities of Missional Outreach and Social Justice. To help educate, disciple, and model ways to transform for the better those people and causes we seek to serve locally, nationally, and internationally.
The Creation Care Team comes together every 2 months to find ways that Aldersgate can improve the way we care for God's creation. We talk about engaging this ministry in the following ways: Worship, Learning and Teaching, Lifestyle, and Community, National and Global Involvement. Our key focus areas for 2024 are energy efficiency; native trees, shrubs, and flowers; and plastic reduction policy for Aldersgate UMC. We are open to all subjects and ideas for creation care education, events, and policies.
Upcoming Meeting Dates
Tuesday, June 10th • 1-2pm • Room 203
Tuesday, September 9th • 1-2pm • Room 203
Tuesday, November 11th • 1-2pm • Room 203
For more information, please contact Lorrie Rezendes (lorretired@aol.com or 571-309-6001).
United Methodist Creation Justice Monthly Tips
The United Methodist Creation Justice Movement provides tips each month to help us respond to God's call to care for creation and do justice with our neighbors. Share these tips with your family, friends, and neighbors. CLICK HERE to see more tips and to subscribe to receive the monthly tips in your email directly from the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement.
For more about the UMC Creation Justice Movement, visit to umcreationjustice.org.
April 2025 Tips
Heart and Earth
The same letters, a definite connection!
Heart/Earth—Earth/Heart
As Christians, we are to love God above all else. How do we show love to our Creator? By loving God’s Creation. Put your HEART into loving EARTH.
Remember that our creation justice work of restoration, regeneration, and renewal grows from God’s gift of the Resurrection, the Easter-faith that sustains us in our lives and our calling to love both Creator and Creation.
“Our Power, Our Planet,” the theme of Earth Day 2025, invites everyone around the globe to unite behind renewable energy. The gifts of God—sun, wind, oceans, and land—are there for us and with us. Using them rather than continuing with fossil fuels will save our planet. Join with others and use your power—your voice, your actions, your advocacy—to love Earth.
Take 10 minutes to watch Chasing Arrows: The Truth About Recycling. The “arrows” are the recycle sign—often a source of great confusion. Discover the truth about recycling. What is really recyclable. What happens after it’s collected. What solutions we need to pursue. With this knowledge, you’ll be better able to love Earth every time you recycle.
When trees live, they absorb carbon dioxide (as a “carbon sink”) and produce life-giving oxygen. But when trees burn, they release CO2 into the atmosphere, adding greenhouse gases that negatively affect our climate. Wildfires devastate land, habitats, and homes. As an expression of your love for Earth, wholeheartedly support organizations that replant trees after wildfires.
Go local. Connect with neighbors and community organizations to understand the environmental challenges and opportunities specific to your area. Then use your united people power to have a heart to heart with local officials to get the change that’s needed. Show your love for Earth.
Buy community renewables. Not every home, business, or development can go all solar or put up a wind farm, but more utilities and private companies are offering power from shared renewables for a buy-in. Lower your monthly electricity costs, support the expansion of clean energy sources, and show some love from your heart to Earth.
Follow your heart and invest in the future. Choose what you can: solar and wind, energy-efficient appliances, hybrid or electric vehicles, voting for electric public transit, quality and long-lasting fashion made of natural textiles, insurance and banks that do not support fossil fuels. Let God use your financial resources, your love, and your power to aid the healing of Earth and the righting of injustices.
One youth celebrated his birthday with a litter pick-up party for his “adopted” street. The friends snagged the trash, bagged it, weighed it, photographed it, and spread the story to encourage and challenge others to do better about caring for our home. Cake, music, and fun followed—a joyous celebration of one person with a heart of gold, showing how to love Earth.
Take heart this Earth Day—our Creator God has gifted us with an amazing planet, complete with renewable sources of the power that will help all people have access to better health and enough of what is needed. Uniting and raising our voices, we can bring about that vision and show hearts filled with love for Earth.
Green up your closet. Purchase items from brands that make sustainable clothing. Visit local thrift or consignment shops, which often offer unique, gently worn, or even new garments at a lower price than retail. Donate clothes that no longer fit or send your worn-out textiles to ReTold. You’ll love the new you and you’ll be loving Earth too.