GREEN AWAKENINGS REPORT 2011identifying the assets and barriers to creation care on christian campuses

TABLE OF CONTENTSidentifying assets and barriers

1Green Awakenings

RENEWAL IS A CHRIST-CENTERED CREATION CARE NETWORK THAT STRIVES TO

INSPIRE, CONNECT, AND EQUIP STUDENTS IN THEIR SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS.

INTRO / 2Green Awakenings Report 2011

OUR BELIEFS / 3 the basis of our work

ASSETS / 4 helping you succeed

MATRIX / 8creation care on campus

BARRIERS / 11overcoming obstacles

RENEWAL / 16Christ-centered stewardship

PARTNER PROGRAMS / 17working together

INTRODUCTIONGreen Awakenings Report 2011

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Have you ever wondered what it takes to motivate a campus towards environmental stewardship? Have you ever felt frustrated by the failure or ineffectiveness of your projects or ideas?

Renewal’s 2011 Green Awakenings: Digging Deeper explores the conditions that lead to the success or failure of creation care initiatives on Christian campuses. As Renewal has witnessed more engagement with campus stewardship, we’ve recognized the need to identify the pressing assets and barriers to creation care. What helps projects take root? What prevents them from progressing? Wanting to know the answers to these questions we undertook a 10-month research project to find the answers.

First we interviewed key students, faculty, and administrators who are actively involved with creation care on their campuses. Through their responses we identified the most common assets—conditions that lead to successful creation care initiatives—and barriers—conditions that prevent creation care initiatives from happening. We then surveyed a more general audience to verify, quantitatively, the most important perceived assets and barriers to creation care initiatives. We collected 93 such surveys from students, staff, and faculty.

To determine the most significant assets we analyzed the survey responses from schools demonstrating high levels of sustainability (those with 15 or more initiatives present). We found agreement between the assets identified in the initial interviews and the top assets as determined by survey respondents. To determine the top barriers, we analyzed all of the responses and identified the most commonly cited barriers.

Green Awakenings: Digging Deeper presents our research findings through:

An analysis of the top four most influential assets and barriersAn updated sustainability matrix featuring over 50 campuses from the United States and CanadaReal life stories of creation care accomplishments

Green Awakenings: Digging Deeper outlines ways to focus your efforts to target the most important assets, build on your group’s pre-existing strengths, and overcome barriers. We hope the following pages inspire and instruct you as you seek to live out your love for God by actively caring for all he has made!

GRETCHEN PECK / Renewal National CoordinatorBRITTANY BENNETT / Eastern University, Renewal Student Leadership Team 2009-2011CURTIS WITEK / Wheaton College, Renewal Student Leadership Team 2010-2011

OUR BELIEFSthe basis of our work

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God created a good earth for us to enjoy and take care of as part of enjoying a relationship with him. But the world we see has gone off the rails. The Christian scriptures say that this breakdown is a consequence of humans choosing to go our own way, serving ourselves instead of God, and failing to fulfill our role as caretakers of his garden. We now find ourselves trapped in a system bent on self-destruction, while we try to ignore it or explain it away. Worse, we are part of a society that tolerates oppression and injustice against the vulnerable and permits the wanton destruction of the natural world. We know these things are wrong, yet we find ourselves participating in these structures of society. Individually and socially, we use good natural resources in bad ways. We ignore the care of creation and the impact of our activities on the poor.

God’s garden. He promises new life now to those who put their trust in him.We know the promise is true because Jesus who was put to death came back to life. His resurrection from the dead is a guarantee that Jesus can reverse the human condition, pull us out of our trap, and set the world right again. And that, after all, is why we believe God rescued us—not just to take us to Heaven when we die—but to have us join him now in his reclamation and redemption of the world.

Our reaction to this condition takes many forms: Sometimes, we treat these consequences as unavoidable. We decide that “what is” is good and take a laissez-faire attitude toward what we know is wrong.We may try to justify ourselves by pointing the finger at others.Or we create elaborate rules for environmental living. But we can’t follow all the rules, and even if we did, we wouldn’t be free of blame.

All of these responses cement our feet in despair and cynicism.Yet there is hope. There are clues that life can be lived in a different way, and there are signs of life and renewal. These signs are evidence that God is at work in the world and that he desires our participation in his work. Jesus described his work this way: “I have come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Jesus made it possible for us to be reconciled to God, each other, and Creation itself. He did it by becoming a part of Creation, by suffering at the hands of wicked people like us, and by taking the divine penalty we deserve through his death on the cross. The results: we can know God, love others, and re-engage in the task of taking care of

Creation Care and the Gospel of Jesus Christ by DR. RUSTY PRITCHARD / Co-Founder of Flourish

If you aren’t a Christian, and you are interested in learning more about Jesus, contact us. Or you might find a Bible and read the book of John in the New Testament (it starts with Jesus’ role as Creator of the world). Finally, check out these resources to learn more about knowing God:

http://download.redeemer.com/pdf/learn/resources/How_Can_I_Know_God-Keller.pdf

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

N.T. Wright, Merely ChristianRusty Pritchard, Ph.D., is a resource economist and the President of Flourish (www.flourishonline.org). He lives and works in inner-city Atlanta with his wife and three young children.

Green Awakenings

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An asset to creation care is anything that increases a school’s capacity or efficacy to engage in creation care activities. Among other things, assets can be people, monetary resources, natural resources, policies, and attitudes. They are the things that help projects move from ideas to deep-rooted programs that are widely appreciated and participated in. To determine which assets are correlated with successful creation care programs, researchers compared the perceived presence of assets with the number of initiatives present on different campuses. The assets included in the survey were:

Faculty members involved in research on creation care related topicsPlaces of ecological significance such as a river, wetland, forest, etc.Unused parcels of land available for creation care projects such as vegetable gardens or rain gardensPartnerships with external environmental programs Partnerships between the campus operations department and other departments or groups A campus food service provider that partners with the student-led creation care club to educate, promote, or increase sustainable practices related to foodInterdepartmental collaboration

Partnerships with other colleges/universities Partnerships between the campus creation care club and other student-led organizations Partnerships between the school’s creation care group and local community organizations An administration that actively supports creation care initiatives Faculty member(s) who actively support creation care initiatives by offering expertise, leveraging those initiatives’ credibility among other faculty members, or integrating creation care principles into their curriculumStaff member(s) who actively support creation care initiatives by offering expertise, leveraging initiatives’ credibility among other staff members, etc.Students who are generally aware of the importance of creation careGrants, awards, and/or recognitions available at the institution for creation care-related projectsA campus newspaper, radio station, or other media that covers creation care events or new initiativesA local newspaper, radio station, or other media that covers campus creation care events or new initiatives

What do the top schools have?At schools with the highest number of creation care initiatives (see matrix on pages 8 and 9):

100% of survey respondents indicated that they could identify specific faculty members who actively support creation care initiatives by offering expertise, leveraging initiatives’ credibility among other faculty members, or integrating creation care principles into their curriculum.94% of survey respondents indicated that they could identify specific staff members who actively support creation care initiatives by offering expertise or leveraging initiatives’ credibility among other staff members.85% of survey respondents indicated that the administration at their school actively supports initiatives that address matters of creation care.82% of survey respondents indicated that their campus newspaper, radio station, or other media covers creation care events or new initiatives.77% of survey respondents indicated that interdepartmental collaboration at their school has been successful in educating and taking action on creation care issues.77% of survey respondents indicated that students at their institution are generally aware of the importance of creation care.

Faculty members actively support creation care initiatives by offering expertise, leveraging initiatives’ credibility among other faculty members, or integrating creation care principles into their curriculum and/or research.

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DiscussionFaculty members are key to the success of many initiatives. They play a pivotal role by actively supporting creation care initiatives on campus, offering expertise, and leveraging creation care initiatives’ credibility among other faculty members. Professors can provide a healthy and holistic foundation for creation care work by integrating stewardship principles into their curriculum. As students discern what they believe, professors provide the guidance and resources necessary for their formation. Often, this classroom learning serves as a catalyst for student lifestyle changes. Many faculty members also conduct their own research on creation care-related topics. They may share this research with students or even involve students in the research process.

Practical ApplicationFOR FACULTY: Consider the difference you make by encouraging and advising students. Discuss difficult ideas with them. Students need mentors to:

Provide them with feedbackSteer them to important considerations Keep them on track and accountableKeep them fueled with questions Encourage them to explore new answersProvide them with resources Connect them with opportunities to be engaged (e.g. through creation care clubs, research internships, community connections)

FOR STUDENTS: Professors are an extremely valuable resource. They possess knowledge, experience, and wisdom. They care about your education and formation into mature individuals. Faculty advisors, in particular, provide clubs with structure, accountability, resources, and opportunities. Ask them about their research and their ideas for engaging the campus, talking to skeptics, or thinking about new concepts. Their wisdom and experience can help your club take root and flourish, so take time to know and appreciate them.

Highlightby CURTIS WITEK / Wheaton College

At Wheaton College, Dr. Van Dyke has served as A Rocha’s adviser since its launch in 2004. Since then, he has been instrumental in facilitating smooth transitions in student leadership, offering guidance and insight during club meetings, and developing leaders for the creation care movement. Dr. Van Dyke is an effective adviser because he invests time and energy in developing leaders that are creative and self-initiating. We have been blessed to have him as our adviser and wish him the best in his new role as Executive Director of Au Sable.

ASSETShelping you succeed Green Awakenings

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Staff and administrators actively support creation care initiatives.

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DiscussionThe cooperation of administrators and staff help projects progress from seeds and saplings to strong, deep-rooted, programs. Staff and administrators have access to funds, human resources, land, etc., making their participation and cooperation crucial to the success of creation care initiatives. While faculty and staff desire the best for their campus, they may not be willing to support a project that does not appear financially sustainable or likely to continue after the student initiator has graduated. They are responsible for making decisions that will reap both short and long term benefits for the college. To that end, they want to know that a project is financially and logistically feasible, as well as ideologically sound, before they approve it.

Practical ApplicationAt times, working with and through the administrative systems of colleges can feel frustrating and bureaucratic. It is important to remember that administrators and staff are people like you, with objectives, constraints, and busy schedules of their own. Keep the following in mind when working with administrators:

Be courteous and professional. Go in with a plan: know what you are asking, what your objectives are, and how you will accomplish them.Form personal yet professional relationships with your higher-ups. When an administrator or faculty knows your work ethic and motivations he or she will trust you more readily.Be persistent and patient. Don’t be discouraged if an e-mail or phone call goes unanswered. Try again!Show them why your idea or project is important. Show how the school will gain, whether it is by saving money, saving energy, or having material for promoting the school.

Highlightby BRITTANY BENNETT / Alumna of Eastern University

At Eastern University, cooperative relationships between students and the administration have led to the implementation of several creation care initiatives. Many ideas and projects have started with students, but gained momentum through building bridges with our president, vice-president, facilities manager, grounds manager, school directors, academic department heads, and dining services managers. Recently, solar panels were installed on one of our buildings. This happened because student demand for energy independence was increasing, and the administration then leveraged its relationship with a local energy company to become the site of a pilot project. It has become clear over the past few years that the stewardship of our natural resources has increased with the stewardship of these relationships.

Different departments and organizations collaborate to educate and take action on creation care issues.

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DiscussionCampuses are stratified into numerous academic departments, offices, centers, and student organizations, each with the potential to engage in some aspect of creation care. Every group has its own perspectives and resources that can be shared in ways that benefit everyone. It may be necessary to work with a certain group, like a school’s administration, to get a project approved. Sometimes the appropriate channels clearly present themselves, but in other cases it may take some work to discover whom to involve in the best approach to a task. In these cases, it is helpful to have a sustainability staff person whose familiarity with the school gives him or her insight into which interest groups to involve in a project and how those groups might best work together. Having direct access to administrators or advisers to interview and confirm information can also benefit creation care groups. These people can help facilitate meetings, utilize their influence to gain resources, or share resources and connections they already have. Involving various perspectives in a project benefits everyone involved, and helps root creation care into every stratum of the campus.

Practical ApplicationConsider how you might foster community among the different departments of your campus. For example, interdisciplinary panel discussions allow different departments to interact academically: each group has the opportunity to share its discipline’s perspective on a single topic or theme. Purely social gatherings can also encourage interdisciplinary interaction. Host a coffee house or light dinner around a particular theme, or consider going to a play, art display, sporting event, or other college-sponsored activity and discussing it together afterwards. With a little creativity, the possibilities are endless, so have fun!

Highlightby CRAIG DALEN / Sustainability Coordinator, Adjunct Instructor at Messiah College

One of the first things passersby of Messiah College in Grantham, PA saw this summer was a five-acre field planted with nothing but sunflowers swaying in the summer breeze. The sunflowers will help to produce cooking oil for Messiah’s dining operations as well as biodiesel to run campus utility vehicles.The sunFLOWER Power project at Messiah is truly a cross-institutional endeavor. From operations to academics, students, faculty, and staff are all working to make this project a reality:

A local farmer is planting and harvesting the seedsEnvironmental Science students will press the seeds into cooking oilDining services will use the oil in its fryersEngineering students will process waste vegetable oil into biofuelsOperations and grounds crew will use the biodiesel in campus utility vehicles

The project saves cost, builds community, and demonstrates stewardship.

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KEY

/ Established initiative/ New initiative since 2009/ In progress

MATRIX creation care on campus

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Abilene Christian University

Anderson University

Asbury College

Azusa Pacific University

Baylor University

Belhaven University

Belmont University

Biola University

California Baptist University

Calvin College

Cambellsville University

Carson-Newman College

Cedarville University

Covenant College

Davidson College

Dordt College

East Texas Baptist University

Eastern Mennonite University

Eastern Nazarene College

Eastern University

Geneva College

George Fox University

Gordon College

Goshen College

Grace College

Greenville College

Hope College

Houghton College

Indiana Wesleyan University

John Brown University

Liberty University

Messiah College

MidAmerica Nazarene University

Milligan College

Montreat College

Moody Bible Institute

Northwestern College (IA)

Northwestern College (MN)

Oral Roberts University

Palm Beach Atlantic University

Philadelphia Biblical University

Point Loma Nazarene University

Redeemer University College

Roberts Wesleyan College

Seattle Pacific University

Southern Nazarene University

Spring Arbor University

St. Mary’s College of Maryland

Tabor College

Taylor University

The King’s University College

Trevecca Nazarene University

Trinity Christian College

Trinity Western University

Wayland Baptist University

Waynesburg University

Westmont College

Wheaton College

Whitworth University

Campus Stewardship & Sustainability Overview

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Bethel University

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Students at your institution are generally aware of the importance of creation care.

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DiscussionColleges and universities are very fortunate if the student population is aware of the importance of creation care. Awareness is the first step to action and is critical for the success of student- or administrator-led projects and programs. But how does creation care awareness happen? And how do students start to identify it as important?Often, awareness happens organically through conversations with friends and family, exposure to media coverage of world events, or meaningful experiences in the natural world. Although some of these factors are unpredictable, there are definite controllable influences that have the potential to change how students perceive creation care.

Practical ApplicationModes of awareness in your control:Courses and programs: Environmental science classes are an obvious form of creating awareness, but creation care principles can also be incorporated into other courses. Required science classes, first-year seminars, social science classes, and even literature courses can all discuss environmental issues and responses to them.Presentations in freshman classes: Invite the creation care group to make a short presentation about what every student needs to know about sustainability.External programs: Ironically, many students point to their time off-campus as the most formative aspect of their college career. The Creation Care Study Program (creationcsp.org) and the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies (ausable.org) are both known for challenging the way students think about creation care.Chapel: Students remember speakers who talk about something different. Bring a creation care speaker to campus and have him or her speak at a campus-wide gathering as well as in smaller group settings.Visibility of initiatives: Put the campus garden or solar panels in places that students often pass.Get the word out: Advertise what the campus is doing to be sustainable. Set up promotional tables, hang posters, and include information and pictures in campus-wide announcements and the school’s website.

HighlightOnce students acknowledge the importance of creation care, the next question is, how do students move from awareness to action? This jump may be different for each person, but in general the process is summarized in “The Awareness to Action Continuum for Environmental Education” (from insticee.org):

AWARENESS & APPRECIATION

KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING

ATTITUDES & VALUES

PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY & ACTION

Bethel University student Patty Lin shares about her own journey from awareness to action:

“Studying abroad in Belize with the Creation Care Study Program placed me in a very nurturing environment where I could learn about and live out many ideals regarding creation care and sustainability. Fortunately, when I returned home I was quickly plugged into other circles that helped me continue growing. For one, I joined the Renewal Student Leadership Team, a national group of student leaders working for creation care on their campuses. Being part of Renewal gave me the opportunity to surround myself with people who were able to continue supporting, challenging, and teaching me. On campus, I became the Student Sustainability Coordinator and took a leadership position in the campus club (Creation Restoration). Both of these positions gave me an avenue to move my passion into action.”

BARRIERSovercoming obstacles

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A barrier to creation care is anything that decreases a school’s capacity or efficacy to engage in creation care activities.Barriers are fences that prevent progress on an idea or project. They can be a shortage of resources, permissions, excitement, or ability. To determine the top barriers, researchers identified the most commonly perceived barriers from all survey respondents.The barriers included in the survey were:

Administrators are disengaged from creation care issuesCampus president does not support creation care initiativesAdministration or faculty are skeptical about student initiatives (i.e. their ability to follow through or plan long-term)Students are opposed to creation care because it is allegedly aligned with liberal ideasStudents are skeptical of the environmental crisisStudents fail to see the connection between creation care and their Christian identityStudents lack incentive for caring about creation

Students lack knowledge and awareness about creation care issuesStudents have extracurricular priorities that take precedence over involvement with creation care initiativesThe creation care group experiences difficulty resuming momentum each year because of poorly executed leadership successionThe creation care group often experiences periods of inactivityMembers of the creation care group fail to follow through on tasks or ideasLeaders of the creation care group experience burnout because of too many responsibilities and commitmentsThe creation care group has too few people to accomplish what it wants to doThe creation care group lacks consistency and structureThe creation care group lacks a clear and effective advertising strategy

What are the most commonly perceived barriers?68% of survey respondents indicated that students at their institution have extracurricular priorities which take precedence over involvement with creation care initiatives58% of survey respondents indicated that students at their institution lack knowledge and awareness about creation care issues56% of survey respondents indicated that their creation care group has too few people to accomplish what they want to do54% of survey respondents indicated that students at their institution lack incentive for caring about creation52% of survey respondents indicated that students at their institution often fail to see the connection between creation care and their Christian identity

Green Awakenings

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Students have extracurricular priorities which take precedence over involvement with creation care initiatives.

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DiscussionStudents have the opportunity to get involved in a variety of activities during their college years. Classwork, sports, extracurricular activities, volunteering, church, Bible study, floor activities, concerts, friends, and more all vie for those valuable 24 hours. Faced with so many options, college students have to choose which activities will take priority in their schedules. Unfortunately, many creation care clubs find that they are far down on that priority list. Why is this?

Practical ApplicationFirst it might be helpful to examine what does draw people to different activities. Think about what you do in your spare time and why you do it. With your answers in mind, consider how you can address the following motivators in your creation care club or with environmental initiatives:

Connect to Christian spirituality and growing in Christ. How is what you’re doing connected to your relationship with Christ? How is it obeying commands found in the Bible?Make change happen. Is your club actually making change happen? Are you doing those cleanups, challenges, and trips, or are you just talking about them?Find fun. Are your club meetings and activities a place to socialize and let off a little steam, or is it all business? Consider intermixing the dirty work with fun events. Offer incentives to get people involved in club meetings and events. What college student can resist free pizza?

Check out the “Highlight” section for fun event and incentive ideas.

HighlightFun Event Ideas:

Poetry readingPotluckCommunal art displayWorship under the starsSilent canoeingConcert by a local bandWorkshops on how to make granola or how to fix a bike tire

Incentive Ideas:Ask biology professors to give their students extra credit for attending club meetings.Plan your event as an alternate or make-up chapel.Provide free food!

Students lack knowledge and awareness about creation care issues.

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DiscussionOften, students do not act because they do not know what is happening with the environment. Environmental issues are often large and complicated and far away. Most people are not confronted with the daily consequences of deforestation or disappearing coral reefs. In developed nations, we can take and use without feeling the loss of valuable resources. We are disconnected from the people who do suffer the effects of climate change, loss of habitat, and pollution. Education and awareness are lifelong pursuits that can be expanded on a daily basis.

Practical ApplicationHere are some ideas you can use to increase general knowledge about environmental issues:

Show documentaries. Documentaries are great ways to share knowledge and are easy events to plan and attend. Hang “did you know” posters around campus that highlight interesting facts or statistics. For example, put information in the dining hall about how much food is wasted or how much fuel the average meal requires. Connect, explicitly, our actions and their impacts on other communities. For example, advocate for reusable water bottles by creating awareness about the communities affected by the plastic industry and pollution.Host panel discussions. Invite professors and local professionals to discuss current environmental issues. Have informational sessions. Present information about a single issue and strategies for addressing it. Create a bulletin board to display news stories about environmental concerns.Utilize the “Resources” section on Renewal’s website. There you can find synopses of current environmental issues as well as documentaries, books, and websites.

HighlightThese books are great resources:

FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH / Steven Bouma-Prediger An overview of environmental issues and a biblical response.THE STORY OF STUFF / Anne Leonard Discusses the people and places affected by the manufacture and disposal of everyday items.EARTHWISE / Cal DeWitt Designed as a curriculum to study the provisions and degradations of creation.

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The creation care group does not have enough members to accomplish its goals.

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DiscussionMany creation care groups have felt the frustration of seeing a project falter due to lack of involvement. They often begin the year with high spirits and grand plans for change, but become jaded when there are too few members to put those plans into action. While striving to increase membership is important, creation care clubs should also set manageable goals that they can accomplish with the resources they have.

Practical ApplicationHere are some strategies for dealing with low membership:

Try to gain one or two members a semester. It may seem small, but in the long run it will help build a solid group. Aim to retain individual leaders for more than one year. Long-term leaders can give advice and share their experiences by investing in other members and keeping good notes for club records.Set manageable goals and accomplish them. Don’t simply talk about things you wish you could do; go out and make change happen. Smaller projects, like campus cleanups, don’t require a large group but can send a powerful message that may inspire others to get involved.Utilize campus media. School newspapers, radio stations, and websites can all inform students about creation care events. Write up all the information about an event so that it is easily distributable. Keep a list handy of who to contact for various channels of promotion and how much notice each person needs. Advertise! People notice unique advertising, so get creative. Write on chalkboards and sidewalks, use cardboard instead of paper or paint instead of marker, go dimensional instead of flat; the possibilities are endless.

Highlight“We have to recognize that there cannot be relationships unless there is commitment, unless there is loyalty, unless there is love, patience, persistence.” / CORNEL WEST

Students lack understanding of the connection between creation care and Christian identity.

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DiscussionOnce students start to become informed about environmental issues, the next step is connecting the importance of those concerns with their Christian faith. For example, students may know about fresh water depletion but not understand how conserving water relates to loving God.

Practical ApplicationHere are some points to keep in mind when trying to help people form those connections:

God created everything and called it good. This alone should motivate us to care for creation. God values life in every regard and so should we (Genesis 1:31).The Earth is God’s. He gave it to us to use but not to abuse (Genesis 2:15 and Psalm 24:1).Nearly all environmental issues compromise the health or wellbeing of people. Caring for nonhuman creation is inseparable from caring for human creation (Matthew 22:37-39).Caring for creation should not compromise our care for the physical or spiritual states of people. Instead, our work should be multi-faceted as we seek to spread the gospel of Jesus.

HighlightTelling your own story can help others understand the connection between creation care and faith. Take time to reflect on how you first learned about creation care, any skepticism you had, and how it is now part of your decision to follow Jesus. Then, come up with a five-minute summary to share with others.

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AcknowledgementsThis report was made possible through the hard work of many people, including:

PROJECT MANAGER Gretchen PeckRESEARCH MANAGERS Curtis Witek / Brittany BennettWRITERS Gretchen Peck / Curtis Witek / Brittany Bennett / Becca JensenEDITORS Kendra Langdon Juskus / Becca Jensen / Tyler Amy / Chris Elisara, Ph.D. / Adam ArditiDESIGN & PRODUCTION Elizabeth Gin

RENEWAL Christ-centered stewardship

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Renewal is a student-led creation care movement active on campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Together, we are mobilizing as the student generation to lead our communities in the Christ-centered stewardship of all God’s creation.We do this by:INSPIRING / Communicating awareness around the biblical call to care for creation, current environmental concerns, success stories and testimonies of Renewal, and other stirring dispatches to keep the movement vibrant and growing.CONNECTING / Organizing webinars, job and internship boards, regional retreats, student conferences, and other accessible opportunities for you and others to build community and network around creation care concerns.EQUIPPING / Providing hands-on training, personal mentoring, leadership opportunities, project toolkits, and other vital resources to empower the next generation of Christian leaders.WORKING TOGETHER / As part of Christians for Environmental Stewardship (CES), Renewal shares resources and maximizes synergies with the Center for Environmental Leadership (CEL), the Creation Care Study Program (CCSP), and Restoring Eden.

For us, creation care isn’t just a burden and a responsibility — it’s a blessing and an invitation to live in right relationship with our Creator. This means taking care of everything that God so lovingly creates and sustains — the earth and each other. With a heart for the poor and a commitment to following Jesus’ call to “love your neighbor as yourself,” we seek practical ways to care for the earth so that all God’s creatures, as well as future generations, can have a healthy environment in which to live.Access resources, check out Renewal, get involved, connect with our staff, and more at renewingcreation.org or by emailing info@renewingcreation.org.

PARTNER PROGRAMSworking together

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THE CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP (CEL) / www.center4eleadership.orgThe Center for Environmental Leadership is devoted to two things: educating the next generation of Christian environmental leaders; and helping individuals, institutions, and communities act on their convictions to care for creation with particular emphasis on sustainability, food, and the built environment.

THE CREATION CARE STUDY PROGRAM (CCSP) / www.creationcsp.orgWith campuses in Belize and New Zealand, the Creation Care Study Program (CCSP) is a high-caliber undergraduate study abroad program exploring the intersection of Christian faith and today’s most complex and urgent global sustainability issues.

RESTORING EDEN / www.restoringeden.orgRestoring Eden is a national Christian ministry that encourages Christians to love, serve, and protect God’s creation and all those who depend on it.

Access resources, check out Renewal, get involved, connect with our staff, and more at renewingcreation.org or by emailing info@renewingcreation.org.

SUPPORTERSthank you!