Care for Creation

Faith Leaders Rally on the Mall - Gloria and David there for NOVA

Partner Organizations

Elders Climate Action

Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions

Franciscan Action Network

Ways to Reduce and Recycle Plastic

Sustainable Shopping

Composting

Care for creation team plan 2022

Education:

2 Film & Discussion Events, winter-spring and fall, preferably in-person with soup supper (Judy Christofferson). Judy & Gloria to look for latest and best environmental films and set dates
Alert Community to webinars, special lectures, films, specials on environmental issues (all Team Members)
Direct Community to educational efforts sponsored by our partner groups: Elders Climate Action, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, Interfaith Power & Light.
Combine with PAX Community to co-sponsor educational events. (Gloria)
Utilize the resources of Paul Hawken’s Regeneration Project (www.regeneration.org) for information, priority-setting, goals, etc. (all)
Integrate our work with Peace & Social Justice team and all social justice issues. (Markie)

Advocacy:

Partner with FACS (Fairfax – Kathy Scheimer; Arlington – Carmela and David), VAIPL (Markie), and Citizens Climate Lobby & Friends Committee on National Legislation (David) and join their efforts for legislative advocacy locally, state-wide and nationally.
Expand partnership with Elders Climate Action by attending monthly Chapter meetings and supporting efforts to form a Northern Virginia Chapter. Encourage all NOVA members to join ECA, donate and get involved with any activities that interest them. (Gloria)
Inform Community of advocacy actions individuals can take as they arise. (all)

Actions – Individual and Community

Maintain Nova’s Care for Creation website pages adding information and resources as they arise. (Markie and Carolyn)
Gather information for the website and educate the Community about home composting (Richard and David)
Publish a cookbook of Nova recipes for a plant-based diet. (Carolyn)
Work to understand Dominion Energy Green Power Programs to offset their carbon footprint and, if appropriate, encourage Nova members to sign up. (David)

Prayer and Inspiration:

Earth Day Liturgy in April (Kate Doherty)
Season of Creation – 5 liturgies 9/1-10/2. Ask Community to approve this new liturgical season as part of yearly calendar (Richard Urban)
Include prayers for the earth and environment in Prayers of the Faithful frequently (all)
Begin each Care for Creation activity with prayers for the environment. (all)

NOVA Care for Creation Team: Gloria Mog, Coordinator, Carmela Ormando, Jeanne Clarkson, Rosemarie Annunziata, Richard Urban, David Mog, Cathy Showalter, Kathy Scheimer, Scott Spaine, Judy Christofferson, Markie Harwood, Carolyn Miller.

NOVA'S LITURGIES CELEBRATED THE SEASON OF CREATION
2021 Theme: A Home for All? Renewing the Oikos of God
The Season of Creation this year comes at a critical time as the global community struggles to answer many questions. From October 11th to 24th, the Committee of Parties to the United Nations Biodiversity Convention will meet in Kunming, China for what is known as COP 15 of the UN Biodiversity Convention. It will review and evaluate the work on biodiversity of the last decade and is expected to finalize the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, capacity building, and resource mobilization.
In his World Environment Day Message for 2021, Pope Francis calls attention to this UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. He underlines the need for a sense of urgency and for strong ten-year commitments to restore the global ecosystems that nurture biodiversity and constitute the household of God’s creation on Earth. The prayer, discussions, advocacy, and actions of this year’s Season of Creation, with its focus on all God’s vastly diverse creatures that make their home on Earth, will hopefully support and strengthen the commitments of nations at this crucial UN meeting.