wfn.org | Maryland, Ohio, Michigan Ecumenical Events on Water

["Carol Fouke" <cfouke@ncccusa.org>]

'H2oly Water: Source of Life' Regional Training Events Focus on Water

For Immediate Release

June 7, 2004, WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Water is one of our most precious
resources. Yet, changes in land use such as an increase in urban sprawl and
housing developments, ongoing use of fertilizers, and inadequate water
treatment facilities are jeopardizing valuable water resources. 

In response to this growing environmental threat, the National Council of
Churches USA and its Eco-Justice Working Group, in partnership with local
faith-based organizations, have organized several regional training events
that will take place in cities across the country this year. 

Clergy and lay leaders will be able to participate in "H2oly Water: Source of
Life," a day and half program, in Annapolis, Md., (June 25-26) and Toledo,
Ohio (October 22-23).  The program will include basic information about
water, how to motivate and inspire congregations to take action, hands-on
field trip opportunities, fellowship, and congregational success stories. 

The first "H2oly Water" gathering was held earlier this spring in Tempe,
Ariz. (March 26-27).

Special clergy events with continuing education credits will be held in
Annapolis (June 28) and in Detroit, Mich. (July 19).

"All these training events will help empower clergy and lay leaders to
preserve and protect water, which is a fundamental necessity in our lives and
part of our Christian sacrament," said Cassandra Carmichael, NCC's Director
of Eco-Justice Programs, Washington, D.C.

ANNAPOLIS, MD., JUNE 25-26: In Annapolis June 25-26, clergy and lay leaders
will explore water issues affecting the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The event
will feature a presentation by John Flood, who is the Chesapeake Bay
Foundation's conservationist of the year. The Friday evening reception, held
at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's LEED-certified green building, will
feature a green building tour and a screening of the movie "Thirst!," a
documentary about water privatization. 

The training day will be held at Calvary United Methodist Church on College
Creek in Annapolis from 9am-4pm on Saturday, June 26, and will include lunch,
workshops, hands-on demonstration projects, fellowship and worship. All of
the training activities will be based upon a theological framework for
understanding the importance of preserving water resources. 

ANNAPOLIS, MD., JUNE 28: In addition, on Monday, June 28, in Annapolis, there
will be a clergy training on an historic Skipjack sailboat so that clergy
have an opportunity to learn about the Chesapeake Bay from both a scientific
and theological perspective. Featured instructors include Rev. David
Radcliffe from the New Community Project and Dr. Matt Baker, a scientist from
the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. A registration fee of $20 is
required for this event and continuing education credit is available. 

DETROIT, MICH., JULY 19: The Detroit interfaith clergy training event will be
held on Monday, July 19, and will focus on water and climate change issues.
Dr. Rolf T. Bouma, who is Director of the Center for Faith and Scholarship at
the Campus Chapel in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a lecturer on environmental
ethics at the University of Michigan, will lead a workshop and theological
reflection on water issues affecting the Great Lakes region. Continuing
education credit is also available for this event.

The focus on water grew out of a survey conducted in 2003 at NCC's bi-annual
Eco-Justice Conference in Seattle. Overwhelmingly, at a ratio of 2:1,
participants in the Seattle conference said the most important environmental
issue for them-and the one that resonates the most within their
congregations-is water. The training events were developed to respond to this
congregational need. 

For more information about training events or for information about
scholarships, contact Cassandra Carmichael at ccarmichael@ncccusa.org 

-end-

National Council of Churches
475 Riverside Dr, New York
New York 10115-0050
www.ncccusa.org

Media contact: Leslie Tune, 202-544-2350 x 11; ltune@ncccusa.org