Caring for Creation Teaches how to Go Green

LAKE JUNALUSAKA, N.C. — How can you ‘go green’? This popular way of taking care of the earth will be explored March 5-8, 2009 during the 4th annual Caring for Creation seminar at Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center. Speakers and workshops will address how to promote justice for the Earth and its people. The seminar will provide 15 workshops, including, how to map your ecological foot print.

Jimmy L. Carr, Lake Junaluska Executive Director, said this is the time to take action in caring for the world.

“Lake Junaluska is happy to host the fourth Caring for Creation event. We believe that churches and individuals will benefit from an event focused on helping the environment. These are crucial times where we have the opportunity be educated and act on promoting justice for the Earth. Being a part of Caring for Creation is one of many opportunities to do our part,” he said.

Dr. Norman Wirzba, Professor of Theology, Ecology and Rural Life at Duke Divinity School and one of the keynote presenters, explained why caring for creation is important.

“Christian scriptures teach that God is at work reconciling the whole world to Himself through the life and ministry of Christ. All members of creation are included in Christ’s salvific action because God loves all that He has made. Christians are called to participate in this reconciling and healing work. We are to care for creation because in doing so we acknowledge that God is not simply interested in the salvation of individual souls. Our most important task as creatures made in the image of God is to serve and keep the gardens of creation. Doing so we learn what it means to be a creature and why the worship of God the Creator is so important,” Dr. Wirzba said.

Other keynote presenters will be:

· Mr. John Hill, General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church;
· Mr. Charles Dayton, an environmental attorney;
· Dr. Michael Battle, president of the Interdenominational Theological Center;
· Dr. Matthew Sleet, a physician.

In addition to these presentations, participants will have the option to participate in three of 15 different workshops of interest to them. The new workshops offered in 2009 are:

· Water Quality Issues and Volunteer Stream Monitoring;
· Planning Earth Day Sunday and Earth Day Celebrations;
· Solar Solutions For Faith Congregations;
· Getting Started As A Vegetarian;
· Creating Local Food Systems;
· Back Yard Medicine: Weeds As Healers;
· How One Community Worked At Food Systems;
· Working With Faith Groups on Ecological Issues;
· Defending Creation From Nuclear Assault.

For a complete list of workshops and more information on the event, please visit www.lakejunaluska.com/caring-for-creation.aspx