Specifically, The United Methodist Church:
--designates one Sunday each year as a Festival of God's Creation, or Earth Sabbath, celebrating God's gracious work in creating the earth and all living things, incorporating it into the Church's liturgical calendar and developing appropriate ways for congregations to celebrate it;
--endorses the work of the Inter-religious Coalition for the Environment and the World Council of Churches Consultation "Accelerated Climate Change: Sign of Peril, Test of Faith" and urges conferences and congregations to support their activities and programs;
--recommends that annual conferences establish annual awards to honor prophetic defenders of God's creation from within their own constituencies;
--encourages a simplified and environmentally sound lifestyle throughout the Church, suggesting ways in which Church agencies, conferences, and congregations can be stewards of God's creation, reducing levels of consumption and participating in programs which reuse and recycle goods.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 20887-GJ-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference