Earth Stewards
The mission of the Earth Stewards is to foster awareness and deepen understanding of our lives as stewards of God’s creation, and to practice environmental responsibility and sustainability.
Goals
- To support a commitment to having concern for Creation throughout the Diocese by:
- Observing at least one creation-centered day such as Earth Day, Arbor Day, or St. Francis Day Taking consistent steps toward greening our buildings Promoting energy conservation in community and daily life
- To encourage congregations to protect the earth by:
- Avoiding the use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers.
- Working toward eating locally.
- To encourage congregations to protect our water by:
- Avoiding the use of harmful fertilizers
- Not using purchased bottled water
- To encourage congregations to protect our air and atmosphere by:
- Measuring and reducing our carbon footprints in our church buildings, using compostable, recyclable, or reusable products wherever possible
- Measuring and reducing our carbon footprints in parishioners’ homes, using compostable, recyclable, or reusable products wherever possible
- To provide suitable liturgies, with the assistance as needed from the Earth Stewards Committee, to support these diocesan goals.
These goals are reflected in the new Key Ministry Area 8, which was added to the Diocese of Vermont Strategic Plan when it was updated in 2010. Find a pdf of the updated plan here.
Is Your Parish a Fair Trade Church?
At its October, 2014 meeting, the St. James’, Arlington Vestry voted to use only Fair Trade coffee, sugar, and tea at all parish functions. The statement from the Vestry read, “Buying fair trade helps us respect the dignity of human beings around the globe. It costs us a little more, but it ensures that more people will be able to enjoy God’s abundance. This coffee and sugar will be purchased by the parish and will be available in the kitchen for use whenever needed.” Inspired by the new N.R.S.V. Coffee Hour Cookbook from Earth Stewards, the parish reports they are continuing to talk about ways to rethink several aspects of how they “do” coffee hour. Is your parish a “fair trade church?” or rethinking coffee hour in other ways? Let us know!
NRSV Coffee Hour Cookbook
The Earth Stewards Committee is proud to present The N.R.S.V. (Nourishing, Renewable, Sustainable, Vivifying) Coffee Hour Cookbook!
Click here to read the online version of the coffee hour cookbook, or if you would like to print your own copy, click here here to download.
Additional Resources for an N.R.S.V. Coffee Hour:
- Guide to Hosting a Zero Waste Event
- Zero Waste Hand-Out
- Zero Waste Sign
- “Thank You for Using Local Food” sign
- “Thank You for Using Reusable Containers” sign
- “Thank You for Composting Your Waste” sign