Office of Economic and Environmental Affairs
Eco-Palms and Lenten Resources: Creation Care Connected Ideas for Lent
Every Palm Sunday Christians joyfully wave palm fronds to reenact Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. Unfortunately, for many communities where palms are harvested, palm fronds do not represent the same jubilation.
Most palms are harvested in rainforests that serve as critical habitats for migrating birds. Usually, harvesters are paid based on volume. The more fronds they cut, the more income they generate, encouraging over-harvesting and threatening the rainforest.
Eco-Palms harvesters, however, gather only quality palm fronds in a way that allows the plant to keep growing. Additionally, five cents of every Eco-Palm sold for Palm Sunday directly support projects that improve the lives of all community members. This money provides scholarships for students, pays a teacher’s salary, and supports elderly members of the community.
This year, share the jubilation of Palm Sunday with the people who harvested the palms you wave. Celebrate justice with Eco-Palms. For ordering information and to learn more, visit www.ecopalms.org.
Four Lenten Resources
This five-week course, created by the Anglican Communion’s Bible in the Life of the Church project, engages individuals and groups with scriptural passages that speak of our responsibilities in relation to the environment. It offers reflections on how Anglicans in different parts of the Communion engage with the Bible, and discussion questions that challenge our thinking and behavior. The course can be downloaded for free, or print copies can be purchased for $1.60 plus postage.
2012 Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast
During Lent, join Episcopalians and other denominations in fasting from carbon! Beginning on Ash Wednesday, participants will receive a daily email throughout Lent with a suggested carbon-reducing activity, as well as weekly focus for your congregation. Activities will range from the very simple (unplug electrical devices) to the moderately challenging (reduce your driving speed, ride a bike, carpool or take public transportation) to a few which require a longer term commitment (getting involved in a community garden).
Lent 4.5: Christian Simplicity
Lent 4.5 is a seven-week faith formation program which inspires and informs Christian communities on how to use the traditional Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving to protect God’s creation, embrace Gospel justice and nurture spiritual fulfillment. It offers practical opportunities for people of faith to apply the values of Christian Simplicity to their everyday lives.
Seven Weeks of Water 2012: The Economy of Water
The World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Water Network has developed a Lenten course that focuses on the role of water as the lifeblood of the economy. Weekly meditations raise awareness of water and justice.