Hello St. Lukers, and Happy Earth Month!
Did you know that Earth Day is coming up on Monday, April 22! As St. Lukers, we believe that a relationship with God’s creation, and a ministry of caring for and healing the earth, is integral to being a Christian. Our natural world is to be valued and conserved because God has called humanity to be its caretakers (Genesis 1:26-31). In our 24 & More Vision, we voted to prioritize addressing the climate crisis and are making strides toward a “greener,” more environmentally conscious St. Luke’s community.
To Restore Hope for our neighbors locally and globally, we must actively be involved in Creation Care. In the words of Michael S. Regan, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “The impacts of climate change that we are feeling today, from extreme heat to flooding to severe storms, are expected to get worse, and people least able to prepare and cope are disproportionately exposed.” As United Methodists, we believe that all of creation is God’s and that we are responsible for how we use and abuse it.
You’re invited to join St. Luke’s Creation Care Green Team in exploring the ways we can care for and love all of creation this Saturday (April 20) at Central Florida Earth Day! This festival at Lake Eola promises a day filled with educational exhibits, engaging activities, great food, and opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals and organizations dedicated to sustainability. And fun fact, it is the largest and longest-running Earth Day festival in Central Florida.
But Central Florida Earth Day isn’t just a festival; it’s a catalyst for positive change. From inspiring sustainable practices to fostering creative expression, this event offers something for everyone, including presentations, food demonstrations, environmental education, an Earth Kid Zone, Artist’s Corner, Animal Haven, music, lots of activities, and many Earth-friendly sponsors and vendors. Plus, admission is FREE, and the festival is inclusive for all ages, families, and even our furry friends! We encourage you to immerse yourself in the festivities, explore the various attractions, and discover the myriad of ways we can collectively contribute to a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable world.
Click here for more information about this event and to join us on this journey of environmental stewardship.
Blessings,
Saniye Kazan
St. Luke’s Director of Mission Engagement
Click here to read the full Weekly Update
General Conference Update
One of the ways we are unified and connected in the Body of Christ is through our global denomination of the United Methodist Church. For the first time since the special called General Conference of 2019, we will be gathering as a General Conference in Charlotte, NC from April 23 through May 3. After COVID cancelled our regular meeting of General Conference in 2020, much has happened in our denomination. A new Traditionalist denomination was begun, and 30% of churches or clergy left to live into a separate gathering who serve a more literal view of Scripture. This is the first gathering of 862 delegates, half clergy and half laity, given the task of working toward a new understanding of the United Methodist Church (click here for a helpful infographic).
We want you to be informed as much as possible before the sessions begin. We want to provide ways to engage in prayer for all the delegates, including those from Florida, which includes our own Alice Williams, and even offer ways of watching worship and the plenary session (which take place during week 2 of the Conference). We have great interviews with Florida Conference Lay leaders Alice Williams and Derrick Scott chatting about what General Conference is, what happened in 2019, and what we HOPE will happen in 2024 (click here to see videos of those conversations or listen to the “Your Week with St. Luke’s” podcast episodes wherever you get your podcasts).
Florida Bishop Tom Berlin also hosted a webinar with our top clergy and lay delegates sharing more information that you can watch by clicking here. This webinar explains our structure, how General Conference works, and the three R’s that many have been working for to create a more inclusive UMC: Regionalization, Revision of Social Principles, and the Removal of exclusive language.
We have also put together a page on our website that includes some extremely helpful resources (click here to view the page). Stay tuned for more updates.