Whole Earth Covenant, Adopted 2002
We, as members of the First Congregational Church (UCC) in Boulder, Colorado, and the Earth community in which God’s Spirit is incarnate, in response to God’s love for us, pledge to love and care for everything in God’s ongoing Creation.
We will practice humility in our relationships to Earth and all its systems. We will actively work toward harmonious relationships among all members of the global ecosystem.
We will strive to deal humanely with population issues so that all humans can live at or above some minimum comfort level within the limits of space on our finite planet. We will strive to live within the limits of our renewable resources so that there is potable water, adequate food, and reasonable shelter for all. We will actively work to free ourselves as quickly as possible from dependence on non-renewable resources for our short-term economic well-being and from the culture of limitless consumption. We will, with God’s guidance, embrace our responsibility to care for the earth.
Creation Justice Covenant, Adopted November 7, 2021
We the people of First Congregational Church UCC, Boulder, Colorado, commit to be a Creation Justice Church of the United Church of Christ. We affirm creation as a divine gift from God and that, as God’s children, we are intimately bound to God, each other, the earth and every living creature. Creation Justice involves a movement towards right relationships among all of God’s creation.
Therefore, we commit ourselves, as individuals and as a congregation, to the intertwined responsibilities of caring for creation and seeking justice for the oppressed.
As our planet faces potentially irrevocable harm, with an urgent sense of calling, we commit ourselves to become aware of how the abuses of and to creation inevitably cause suffering, and that factors such as race, poverty and global inequality cause some to suffer more than others.
We recognize that environmental exploitation, degradation and global climate change disproportionately impact historically marginalized communities. Therefore, we will stand in solidarity with and work together with all who face social injustice and oppression, even as we seek to heal, tend and restore God’s creation, seeking to protect God’s planet, and all life on it, from exploitation.
We pledge that these commitments will be reflected in all dimensions of our congregational life and actions. As a church and individuals, we will reach beyond ourselves as we seek to remain faithful to the God who has entrusted us with this task.
Theology, Worship, and Spiritual Life
Present and future plans:
- CAT creates the annual Earth Day Service, with testimonials, music, videos and prayers
- Sunday worship services are live-streamed
- Associate Minister and Music Director are members of the Climate Action Team
Future ideas:
- Address climate change in sermons and services
- Address climate grief in worship
- Create monthly “Earthcare Minute” in worship
- Publish weekly devotionals devoted to climate, environmental, and justice issues
- Host Mackenzie lecturers related to climate, environmental and justice issues
Arts and Music
Future idea for Arts:
- Create banner art for Creation Justice Covenant
Future idea for Music:
- Continue singing anthems related to caring for the earth and social justice
Adult and Youth Education
Future ideas for Adult Education:
General:
- Write monthly piece for Friday newsletter about climate change
- Host Sunday forum about climate change
- Host book or movie groups about climate change
- Present UN climate simulator to congregation
- Host book group about environmental justice
- Host forum on environmental issues related to burial
- Host show of electric vehicles owned by church members
- Host EcoTour of Boulder County sites (farming, solar, etc)
- Host Creation Justice Fair after a Sunday service
- Educate congregation about socially-responsible investing
- Study and discuss the impact of climate change on Colorado Native Americans
Future ideas for Youth Education:
- Invite youth activists in to speak and work with youth
- Present UN Climate Simulator
- Plan environmental projects for Earth Day
- Take field trips relating to the climate and the environment
- Participate in summer work trips devoted to environmental education and service
Mission and Advocacy
Future plans:
- Connect smaller, local environmental non-profits with our benevolence grant-making process
- Continue supporting groups such as Boulder Food Rescue and NAACP
- Interview organizations to support through volunteers and possibly donations:
- Colorado Rising
- 350.org
- Earth Guardians
- Sierra Club
- Citizens’ Climate Lobby
- NAACP
- Sunrise Movement
- Together Colorado
- International Rescue Committee
- MAD Agriculture
- Plant Pure Communities
- Colorado People’s Alliance
- UU Service Committee
Future ideas:
- Encourage congregants to volunteer with partner non-profits
- Encourage congregants to join events sponsored by non-profits and faith groups
- Host forums with non-profits and faith groups
- Encourage congregants to support environmental legislation and candidates
- Connect non-profits to church benevolence grant application
- Coordinate with Board of Missions and Christian Social Action
Environmental Justice
- Partner with a Black-led environmental group
- Support Native American efforts to address the impact of climate change
- Support victims of energy pollution (coal, fracking, oil, etc.) in minority communities
- Work with Together Colorado on environmental justice issues
Climate Refugees
- Provide assistance for asylum-seeking climate refugee families to resettle in Colorado
- Provide sanctuary to protect immigrants from deportation
- Sponsor a family of Central American immigrants moving to Boulder County
Legislation
- Support climate and environmental legislation
- Provide environmental voter cards in the pews
- Support carbon tax and dividend legislation through Citizens’ Climate Lobby
- Get environmental voters to vote with the Environmental Voters Project
Voters Project
- Work with Boulder churches on environmental advocacy
- Write op-eds
- Request interviews with local radio stations
Other
- Host adult work camps devoted to climate needs
- Provide free or reduced-cost meeting space to local environmental groups
- Support reform of and alternatives to industrial farming
- Support Habitat for Humanity with zero-carbon building
- Support victims of climate change in Colorado (e.g. wildfires, floods, drought)
Working with other Faith Communities
Future ideas:
- Extend climate change activities to interfaith groups in the community
- Work on conference-wide initiatives with other Creation Justice Churches
Community Life
Current and future plans:
- Continue using reusable and compostable dishes and utensils during events
Future ideas:
- Create carpool program for church members
- Create carpool program for Frasier Meadows retirement community
- Include plant-based food and beverages in church social events
Investment, Finance, Personnel, Facilities, and Endowment
Personnel
Present and future plans:
- Support telecommuting for staff
Future ideas:
- Support later hour for opening church so staff can avoid rush hour
- Provide RTD bus passes for staff
- Support board and other group meetings on Zoom
Facilities
Present:
- Use LED lights outside and inside of building
- Heat building with geothermal energy
- Purchase wind energy credits
Future plans:
- Install LEDs in all rooms
- Make improvements to geothermal heating system
- Install fixed-pane storm windows on lower level of historic building
Future ideas:
- Turn down thermostat in church buildings
Investment
Present and future:
- Invest in socially-responsible funds (Currently 93% of stock holdings are in such investments.)
Finance
Future ideas:
- Determine how to use the Renewable Energy Designated Fund (from real estate proceeds donated to the church)
Endowment
Future ideas:
- Explore idea of a fund that supports the church’s environmental activities