THE EPISCOPAL CREATION TRUSTEE NETWORK
Last year, the Archbishop of Canterbury announced the Anglican Communion Forest Project. The goal of the project is to help protect and restore forest, grasslands, prairies, wetlands and coastlands to stabilize the climate and protect people from climate injustices. As a part of that initiative the Episcopal Church, at the General Convention, passed a resolution committing the Episcopal Church to work toward carbon neutrality and increase nature-based solutions. The Creation Trustees Network in each diocese would be formed to guide these goals.
These Creation Trustee Networks have two main tasks. One is to work toward transforming church owned properties into native-plant green spaces and food gardens, when possible. (Go to Good News Gardens at https://www.episcopalchurch.org/good-news-gardens/ ). The plan is to use any special ceremony such as baptism, confirmation, weddings and burial as a time for planting trees and or native plants on church property or in the community or home yard. The second task is to form a working network with Episcopalians who are landowners or stewards of land or water who are willing to devote part of their land to reforestation, prairie restoration, wetland or coastland preservation and will initiate and continue in the practices of regenerative farming, ranching or fishing. The network, besides owners, will include bird-watching groups, hunters, gardeners, climate activists, political entities, and academics and students who are located in specific areas. Different areas will have different needs, practices and issues to solve, but with the goal of protecting the natural environment and restoring health as well as addressing mitigation of climate related problems.
The Climate Trustee Network has begun its work in our diocese and will have a lot to discuss as many sections of our state are in the midst of a brutal drought. Preserving and sharing of precious aquifer water is critical to those who live there and to The rest of us who depend upon their products to fill our plates. Therefore, a n0n-party group’s input will be important in reaching solutions for the common good.
Earth Steward Action: Please pray for the people of our state dealing with drought, especially for the Creation Trustee Network. Resolve to conserve water in our everyday activities.
Sources: https://greenanglicans.org/launch-of-the-anglican-communion-forest , https://episcopalchurch.org/2022/o7/11/general-convention-creation-care-measures/ (click on A087) Also information from a flier give by Bishop Bascom when she visited Trinity for Confirmation recently.