Creation Care Study Guides

Need some resources to help you learn more and spread the word about the faith community's role in Creation stewardship? Check out these study guides for more information!

Group Study Guides

Dirt Wise: A Gardening Guide for Congregations - GIPL's Dirt Wise Guide includes 10 education classes for use in small group study. These sessions examine the intersection of faith and food, and they are appropriate for high school youth or adults. Each session is about an hour long and includes scripture reflections, discussion questions, readings that are included in the curriculum, and take home suggestions for group members.

Waste Wise Study Sessions - GIPL's Waste Wise Guide includes two study sessions for use in small group settings. These discuss the connection between our faith and our trash, and help congregants examine the waste stream of your congregation.

Buy Wise Study Sessions - GIPL's Buy Wise Guide includes four study sessions for use in small groups that draws connections between our faith and the way we spend our money in our congregations.

Water Wise Study Sessions - GIPL's Water Wise program includes two educational resources: an intergenerational curriculum and a lesson plan specifically for children who want to learn about the sacredness of water in our faith traditions. Contact us for more details about these resources.

High School Creation Care Curriculum (with separate Workbook) - This ten session curriculum is designed for high school youth. The curriculum is adaptable to different groups and faith traditions. Each session centers around one environmental issue and uses readings and videos relevant to that issue.

Middle School Creation Care Curriculum - This fourteen session curriculum is designed for middle school youth but the content is easily adaptable to all age groups. Each lesson reflects on a day of creation as told in Genesis 1 and connects God's actions on that day with our present environmental situation and responsibility.

It's God's World: Christians, Care for Creation, and Global Warming - This is a five week study put together by the Eco-Justice Working Group of the National Council of Churches of Christ. It can be used by a Sunday school class, Bible study, retreat group, or even for individual study.

Cry of Creation: A Call for Climate Justice - This is a three to four week study guide on global warming put together by the Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign. It is suitable for groups of all faiths and includes articles on climate change, activitties, and topics for discussion.

Lenten Study Guides

Experiencing God’s Presence: A Lenten Environmental Practice - Developed by Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC.

Caring for Creation: A Prayer/Action Guide for a Lenten "Fast from Carbon" - From Joanne Kennedy Frazer of North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light.

Powering Down: A Less is More Proposal - From Tennessee Interfaith Power & Light.

Advent and Hannukah

One for Each Night - Hanukkah Guide - This is the original CFL holiday study guide. The guide outlines reasons for switching to CFLs, the environmental impacts of electricity generation, and the Jewish community's responsibility to care for Creation. Each night of Hanukkah, switch out one of your regular incandescent bulbs with a CFL, then read the study guide entry, which includes information, a prayer, and even a light bulb joke! Use it as a fundraiser with your congregation, including the guide with a pack of 8 CFLs!

Preparing for a New Light - Advent Guide - Based on the "One for Each Night" guide, this guide helps the Christian community prepare for Christmas by replacing incandescent bulbs with CFLs on the Sundays of Advent. Each entry includes information on the environmental advantages of CFLs, relevant scripture passages, and a prayer. Use it as a fundraiser with your congregation, including the guide with a pack of 5 CFLs!

Other Resources

CFL - Incandescent Comparison Sheet - Want to know just how much energy you are saving when you switch to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs? Have some questions about when and where to use CFLs? This comparison sheet will give you the lowdown on all things lightbulb!

Organ Temperature and Humidity Guidelines - Is your congregation spending energy and money to cool your sanctuary just to keep your pipe organ happy? Check out this Information about organ care from the American Institute of Organbuilders to get the low-down on how to take care of your organ while saving energy!

Energy Star for Congregations - A specific, downloadable guide with instructions for a Do-It-Yourself energy audit at your house of worship.

Green Power Flyer - Learn more about Green Power

Honorariums

Georgia IPL is a non-profit that depends on the generosity of congregations and individuals like you. Our classes, presentations and sermons are led by highly skilled individuals. We would love to come to your community and share our knowledge. If these honorariums are a hindrance to your community, please let us know. Our goal is to Care for Creation and to spread this knowledge far and wide.

Single Service with Preaching/Homily-$100
Single Education Class - $50
Education Series - $50 per class
Download and use of - $25
Film Screening with Presentation - $75

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