Photo credit: Bill Devlin
Dear Beloved Earth Ministry Community,
We are writing with gratitude for your many contributions to Earth Ministry over the last thirty years and with a final update about the future of the organization.
After the board of Earth Ministry/WAIPL voted to shut down last year, a small but dedicated group of founders, friends, and long-time champions asked for the opportunity to explore options to keep the organization alive. We had hoped that a time of fallowness might allow for a new expression of the good work of faith and environment in a new time.
However, despite diligent effort to find a path forward, we found that the financial and administrative situation we inherited was more complicated than we had anticipated or had the capacity to pursue. Therefore, with deep sorrow, we made the difficult decision to continue the process to dissolve the organization. This is a poignant time for us, and we expect many of you are feeling the weight of it as well.
Nonetheless, we have an opportunity now to honor and recognize Earth Ministry, and to celebrate what we achieved together over its 33-year history. Our work was powerful, unique, and transformative thanks to you, our community.
Earth Ministry was among the first organizations in the country to bring the theology of caring for creation to the congregational level, first in Christian congregations and later in multi-faith communities. Earth Letter was an award-winning and inspiring journal. Our books and curriculums reached a wide audience. Our Greening Congregations Program was the first in the nation andencouraged over 100 faith communities and many denominations to practice environmental stewardship in their daily and institutional lives. Our Colleague Network connected members across faith traditions to share experiences and resources with each other.
Evolving the work of faith and environment, Earth Ministry launched a robust Faithful Advocacy program that connected faith communities with environmental organizations to add power and depth to legislative priorities. Through campaigns against coal, oil, and gas across the Northwest, Earth Ministry strongly supported tribal treaty rights and sacred sites of Indigenous Nations against fossil fuel incursions. We are also proud of our strong history of legislative success in limiting toxic chemicals and in supporting climate protection in Washington State.
And throughout the years, Earth Ministry has been a mentoring organization for clergy, lay leaders, and young adults, whose lives and careers were significantly shaped by Earth Ministry, our programs, and our long-time staff. Their work continues in differing expressions of faithfulness to this day – through them, the spirit of Earth Ministry continues.
You may detect a theme here: relationship-building. Earth Ministry has been, from the beginning, people. Together we fostered relationships of mutual encouragement, spiritual growth, and joy in the creation.
For your loyalty to this ministry, we heartily thank you. Thank you for your years of commitment to Earth Ministry through its many seasons. Your generosity with both money and time, talent, and heart have made our shared ministry not only possible, but fabulous and enduring – for 33 years. We hope you will join us in raising prayers of thanks for good work, by and for good people, and for a vision that was born, evolved, and endured.
With gratitude for you,
Carla Pryne and Ruth Mulligan
Co-founders (with the late Jim Mulligan) of Earth Ministry
PS: Practical matters:
- You may write to us c/o St. Mark’s Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave East, Seattle, WA 98102.
- In the fall, you may hear from us to join in celebrating Earth Ministry and our Beloved Community. Stay tuned.