Minute for Mission.1 – Christmas Offering
In 2007, by the invitation of our Regional Minister, Greg Alexander, a group of disciples who were concerned about the environment came together for pizza. Disciples came from all over Kentucky, from far East and far west and many places in between, to discuss how we as followers of Christ are called to live out of faith in response to the climate crisis. This group of passionate volunteers led workshops and retreats and continued to come together in Jesus’ name to exchange ideas and to give and receive support. Green Chalice was born and soon after the Green Chalice Program. In 2011, Green Chalice became an official ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) through a partnership of CCK and Disciples Home Missions (DHM) and Rev. Carol Devine was called as the minister. Seven years later, there are now two part-time ministers for Green Chalice. Rev. Scott Hardin-Nieri was called in 2015 with the funds from a grant from Blessed Tomorrow. Green Chalice has authored two important resolutions that were both unanimously passed by the General Assemblies. Over 150 congregations and ministries have become Green Chalice congregations, 27 of them are part of CCK. They have led several webinars, given many workshops, preached many sermons, facilitated 3 videos and journeyed with countless individuals and creation care teams as they heard God’s call to walk more gently on the earth.
Disciples from Hawaii to Canada to Florida are caring for God’s creation in courageous and creative ways. And yet climate data continues to be grim and the effects of climate change are being experienced in larger and more dangerous forest fires, in more frequent and powerful hurricanes and superstorms. For these reasons, General Assembly 2017 in Indianapolis called all Disciple’s congregations and ministries to go Carbon Neutral by 2030. This requires for churches and ministries to lower their energy use and raise their efficiency, to add renewable energy (geothermal, solar or wind) to their portfolios, and to purchase carbon offsets by supporting the planting of trees or other programs that take carbon out of the atmosphere. Kentucky’s own Midway Christian Church was the first to accept the challenge to go carbon neutral by 2030. This summer, they added 2 solar panels to their roof and are not getting part of their electricity from the sun. Other congregations are following suit and are well on their way to being carbon neutral.
It started with an open invitation from our Regional Minister. It grew with the passion and hard work of many Kentucky Disciples. All along the way, it has been funded by the Christian Church in Kentucky. When you give to the Christmas Offering, you are supporting all the amazing ministries of this region, including Green Chalice. Thank you for your support.
