Environmental Justice Ministries

From the birth of the environmental justice movement in the 1980s to the local ministries of churches throughout the country today, the United Church of Christ has been making a profound difference in caring for God’s creation. Learn more about our history, the Creation Justice Church program, Earth Day resources, the Pollinator newsletter, Creation Justice Webinars, and the work of the UCC Council for Climate Justice.

Learn more about the call for prophetic action today. We have the power to bring about the change the world needs now.

Creation Justice

As one of the UCC’s eight Just World Covenant programs, Creation Justice Churches guides congregations in discerning how they can best embody a commitment to care for God’s creation.

Become a Creation Justice Church

Creation Justice Church List

Earth Sunday Resources

Creation Justice Webinars

2nd WEDNESDAYS, 1:00 PM ET

The UCC’s Creation Justice Webinar series brings leaders in the field of environmental justice into conversation with an interfaith audience seeking to put their values into action as caretakers and protectors of God’s creation.

Did you know?

During a six week campaign of civil disobedience in 1982, a movement was born that made national headlines and introduced the world to the issue of environmental racism. Learn more about this inspiring movement in which the UCC became the driving organizational force.

In 1987, the UCC’s Commission for Racial Justice published the first report to comprehensively demonstrate environmental racism across the nation with its report Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States. A 20th anniversary report took that research further in demonstrating that when facilities were clustered together in an area the likelihood of racial and economic disparities increased. In 2020, a report entitled “Breath to the People: Sacred Air and Toxic Pollution” added another dimension of research by focusing on the children who live near polluting facilities and are particularly vulnerable to toxic emissions.

In 2013, the UCC was the first denomination to pass a resolution calling for divestment from fossil fuel companies. In 2019, the UCC was the first Christian denomination to endorse the Green New Deal. In 2021, the UCC became the first mainline Protestant denomination to publicly affirm and proclaim that nature has rights.

The Pollinator is a digital platform of the UCC for the sharing of ideas and inspiration, so that we might become more fruitful in the pursuit of environmental justice. Its focus is the building of a faith-filled and faith-rooted movement for the care of creation. Read the Pollinator blog and sign-up for its newsletter.

Whether it is taking on climate change or addressing the lead poisoning of children, environmental justice ministries could not have a higher purpose or calling than they do now. Join the movement and become a Creation Justice Church. Learn about the five steps for doing just that.

The latest from The Pollinator Blog

Planning for Earth Month: Resources for Congregations

April is Earth Month, and for congregations, it can be a great time to further discern how…

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Getting to Know Sue Mueller, Lead Climate Hope Campaign Organizer

Sue Mueller is an accomplished leader and advocate with a passion for driving positive…

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Resources for Creation Justice Churches

The Creation Justice Churches program of the United Church of Christ guides congregations in…

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The Pollinator: UCC Environmental Justice Blog

The Pollinator is a digital platform of the UCC for the sharing of ideas and inspiration, so that we might become more fruitful in the pursuit of environmental justice. Its focus is the building of a faith-filled and faith-rooted movement for the care of creation. Read the Pollinator blog and sign-up for its newsletter.

 
 

Climate Crisis Handbook

The urgency of the climate crisis requires that we act as if our cathedrals and churches are on fire. Indeed, God’s creation can be seen as one grand cathedral on fire with burning forests and rising temperatures. Amid this dire situation, Brooks Berndt focuses our attention on the unique and vitally needed gifts that churches can offer through this handbook for the climate crisis.

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Questions?

Please contact The Rev. Brooks Berndt, Minister of Environmental Justice. 216.736.3722 berndtb@ucc.org
Learn more about Brooks here.