2011 Sermon Contest Winners!
Read this year's four amazing creation care sermons and find out who were our 2011 winners!
2011 Finalists from left: Gil Waldkoenig, Bill Scarvie, Rev. Stephanie Johnson, Rev. Paul Graves
On October 1, 2011, members and friends of Earth Ministry celebrated the Feast of St. Francis with a celebratory evening of worship featuring a sermon contest at Keystone United Church of Christ. In this year's contest, four finalists were selected to present their inspired messages calling the Christian community to action on behalf of God's good creation. Each sermon presented was unique and provided a different perspective on the ways we can be called to care for creation through our faith traditions.
The winners of this year's sermon contest were selected by the attendees of the event who voted with their dollars. Two awards were presented, the Franciscan Philanthropist Award, to the contestant whose sermon raised the most money in support of Earth Ministry's work and mission, and the People's Choice Award, to the contestant who received the most number of votes regardless of the amount of money donated. The two winning sermons will be published in the Winter Issue of Earth Letter and all four sermons can be read or viewed here.
Congratulations to Rev. Stephanie Johnson, winner of the Franciscan Philanthropist Award, and Dr. Gilson Waldkoenig, winner of the People's Choice Award!
Thank you to each of our participants for sharing your insightful and thought-provoking creation care sermons!
We were blessed that all four of them could join us to honor the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. And many thanks to all who entered the contest this year. The judges had a difficult time narrowing their choices to just four finalists and the final votes were very close as the audience determined the winners.
Thanks to all who attended and supported Earth Ministry. We raised over $3000 in support of religious environmental stewardship!
