Earth Day Sunday 2007 theme: The Food that Sustains Us
NCC Worship, Study, and Action Resource Now Available!
Washington, February 7, 2007 ? "The Food that Sustains Us" is the theme of the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program's observation of Earth Day Sunday this April 22.
The NCC is asking supporters of Earth Day Sunday to take part in a coordinated campaign to let Congress know that America needs a more just farm bill.
"The farm bill is one of the most important pieces of conservation legislation our country enacts," said Cassandra Carmichael, Eco-Justice Program director for NCC.
"It has the potential to deliver justice, not only to God's creatures, land, water, and air, but also to rural communities, small and mid-sized farmers, and people living in poverty. We, as people of faith, should strive for a farm bill that is just and sustainable."
The Eco-Justice Program is distributing "Sow Justice" postcards that ask representatives to support policies that "will help American farmers save their farms, nourish all of God?s children, and restore God?s good creation."
The postcards can be signed by individuals and returned to the Eco-Justice Program for an en masse delivery to Capitol Hill around Earth Day. Postcards can be obtained by contacting Karen Galles at kgalles@ncccusa.org.
Each year, the Council produces a resource to help congregations engage in the Earth Day Sunday theme. This year's resource, "Our Daily Bread: Harvesters of Hope and Gardeners of Eden," acknowledges the brokenness of the United States' current food production and consumption practices, and explores food and farming ideas that can be restorative to God's creation and deliver justice to all people.
"Our Daily Bread" introduces faith-based principles for a more just farm and food policy in the United States. In addition to these elements, the resource also includes information on farm and food justice, sermon starters, sample liturgy, bulletin insert, ideas for youth and adult study, and suggestions for individual and congregational action. The resource is available to download for free from the Eco-Justice Program website: http://www.nccecojustice.org/faithharvestworship.html
Earth Day Sunday is part of the Council's work, through the Faithful Harvest Campaign, to encourage people of faith to speak out to uphold the principles of justice and equity for all of God's creation as Congress crafts a farm bill.
Earth Day Sunday falls each year on the Sunday closest to Earth Day (this year, on Earth Day) and is observed by thousands of congregations across the United States and Canada.
To learn more about "Our Daily Bread," see http://www.nccecojustice.org/faithharvestworship.html
To download "Our Daily Bread," see http://www.nccecojustice.org/network/forms/downlogin.php _____
For the latest information about the National Council of Churches, see www.councilofchurches.org. The National Council of Churches USA is composed of 35 Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, historic African American and peace communions representing 45 million Christians in 100,000 local congregations in the United States.
Contact NCC News: Daniel Webster, dwebster@councilofchurches.org, 212-870-2252
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