General Synod Resolutions Regarding Environmental Justice

2009 Twenty-seventh General Synod–Grand Rapids

  • On the Urgency for Action on Climate Change.  Resolution of Witness.  The Executive Council recommends referral of the resolution, “On the Urgency for Action on Climate Change,” submitted by the Connecticut Conference, to the implementing bodies named in “A Resolution on Climate Change” as voted by the Twenty-Sixth General Synod (07-GS-16). 
  • Earthwise Congregation: On Mediating Climate Change.  Prudential Resolution.  The Executive Council recommends referral of the resolution, “Earthwise Congregation: On Mediating Climate Change,” submitted by the Minnesota Conference, to the implementing bodies named in “A Resolution on Climate Change” as voted by the Twenty-Sixth General Synod (07-GS-16).

2007 Twenty-Sixth General Synod in Hartford

2005 Twenty-Fifth General Synod in Atlanta

  • Call for Environmental Education and Action This Resolution calls on all expressions of the United Church of Christ to implement programs for education and action to address issues of environmental protection, environmental justice and sustainable development. It establishes an Environmental Steering Committee to implement this Resolution in close coordination with Justice and Witness Ministries.
  • Resolution on Supporting Congregations and Providing Guidance for Leadership  This resolution is offered to initiate exploration by the United Church of Christ of the role of the Church in meeting economic, ecological, and consequent spiritual challenges associated with predicted declines in future oil and natural gas supplies. The UCC is asked to begin a long term program to support faith based actions to create conditions that will foster a movement to sustainable conditions at the individual church, conference, UCC, and broader societal levels.  

2001 Twenty-third General Synod

  • Call For Staffing to Address EcoJustice Concerns  This resolution urges each of the four Covenanted Ministries of the United Church of Christ to designate staff to deal with ecojustice issues and themes and to work cooperatively with the other ministries to ensure that the spiritual, theological, moral. and social dimensions of ecojustice are addressed across the life of the whole church.

Task Force

Formed in 2005 from a combination of two prudential resolutions Call for Environmental Education and Action and Resolution on Supporting Congregations and Providing Guidance for Stewardship of God’s Creation During the Coming Period of Declining Fossil Fuels at General Synod 25 in Atlanta, the Environmental and Energy Task Force (EETF) operates through Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM) to help provide resources, networking and guidance for environmental programming in the congregations and conferences of the United Church of Christ

EETF has issued The United Church of Christ: Toward a National Environmental Focus.  Its subcommittee, the Energy and Climate Work Group, has issued The next 50 years: sustaining our faith and promoting Peace and justice while using resources wisely to care for creation.  Both were reports prepared for General Synod 26 in Hartford in 2007.

In February 2009 a covenant was written between JWM and EETF’s Organizing Work Group to further define the partnership of this dedicated team of individuals—environmental leaders across the nation—with the traditional environmental justice work of JWM