It’s happening now. Human beings and the natural world are on a collision course. Our climate is changing, the earth is warming, and the chances for ecosystems to adapt naturally are diminishing. Awareness of these issues is inspiring many faith communities to become more informed and transformed environmental stewards. Cognizant of how much human societies continue to derive their life and nurturance from the rich but fragile diversity of our living environment, people of faith are more involved than ever in “greening” all areas of their community’s life.
As president of the Sustainable Sanctuary Coalition, I have grown in my own awareness that the Earth has a limited capacity to provide for us. The task of managing our resources and taming our environmental degradation may constitute some of the most critical challenges our human family has ever faced. The stakes are quite high and include our future material, communal, and spiritual well-being. The best resources of our society’s scientific, political and faith communities will need to be marshaled in collaborative endeavors if we are to realize the future we wish for human society and the whole of creation.
The Board of Directors and the members of the Sustainable Sanctuary Coalition believe that winning the heartfelt and mindful support of the general public can begin in our own faith communities. To that end, the SSC understands its role as a collaborative one – building networks of support among a diverse combination of partners and participants. We hope that you will join us in that endeavor.
In the coming year, the SSC will work with local faith communities to provide a range of educational opportunities, material resources, consultations and training events to inspire creative and promising ways of being more effective stewards of all creation. Descriptions of our events and services will be published in future newsletters and here on our website. We invite your comments and support.