Petition Text: 22902-GJ-NonDis-O

Understanding Petition Numbers

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As disciples of Christ, we are called to be good stewards of God's creation. Accordingly, we call upon The United Methodist Church to adopt fresh ways to respond to the perils that now threaten the integrity of God's creation and the future of God's children.

Specifically, The United Methodist Church:

*designates one Sunday each year as a Festival of God's Creation, celebrating God's gracious work in creating the earth and all living things, incorporating into it the Church's liturgical calendar and developing appropriate ways for congregations to celebrate it;

*endorses the work of the Interreligious Coalition for the Environment and the World Council of Churches Consultation on "Accelerated Climate Change: Sign of Peril, Test of Faith" and urges conferences and congregations to support their activities and programs;

*supports the annual observance of the United Nations Environmental Sabbath and encourages conferences and churches to participate in their program;

*recommends that annual conferences establish annual awards to honor prophetic defenders of God's creation from within their own constituencies; and

*encourages a simplified and environmentally sound lifestyle throughout the Church, and requests that Church agencies, conferences, and congregations be stewards of God's creation by reducing levels of consumption and participating in programs that reuse and recycle goods.

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Petition Text: 22902-GJ-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference