God's Renewed Creation

Description

Pandemic poverty and disease Environmental degradation The proliferation of weapons and violence God’s people and God’s planet suffer; God’s people cannot remain silent. Answer the Call God’s creation is in crisis. This beautiful natural world is a loving gift from God, the Creator of all things seen and unseen. God has entrusted its care to all of us, but we have turned our backs on God and on our responsibilities. Our neglect, selfishness, and pride have fostered poverty and disease, environmental degradation, and the proliferation of weapons and violence. Despite these interconnected threats to life and hope, God’s creative work continues. Despite the ways we all contribute to these problems, God still invites each one of us to participate in the work of renewal. We must begin the work of renewing creation by being renewed in our own hearts and minds. We cannot help the world until we change our way of being in it. The bishops of The United Methodist Church urgently call all United Methodists and people of goodwill around the world to confront these global threats to God’s good creation. How? Use this resource to raise awareness through worship and congregation-wide study; encourage individuals to get involved and respond to the call that leads to transforming change. Death and destruction do not have the final word. Will you participate in God’s renewing work? The Pastoral Letter – read aloud in worship, classes, gatherings, and at events The Pastoral Letter for Liturgical Settings – the pastoral letter with congregational responses included, created especially for congregational worship The Foundation Document – in-depth background on the urgent issues of our time that affect God’s creation Guide for Group Study – a six-week study guide for use with small groups of adults or older youth Guide for Teachers of Children – ways to help children learn the joy and responsibility of caring for God’s good creation God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action is a pastoral letter of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church. Hopeandaction.org