Environmental Action and Social Justice
Advocacy Within Our Church
To increase Morningside's effectiveness and build on past endeavors, the Advocacy Committee and the Environmental Action committees recently reorganized as Environmental Action and Social Justice, to emphasize caring for both our neighbors and our planet.
We've offered environmental programs around the annual commemoration of Earth Day, made positive steps toward reducing electrical and water consumption on our property, involved our young people in both educational and program activities — such as making compact fluorescent light-bulb kits for Advent, establishing a recycling program for cell phones and for paper and cardboard waste as well as plastics and metel, and presenting numerous speaker events and film showings on topics of concern. A grant from Georgia Interfaith Power & Light helped fund our conservation efforts.
Toward social justice, we've beome involved in a number of groups and causes, plus participating in the annual Presbyterian Day at the Georgia state capitol.
Morningside's Partner Groups:
In our larger community, Morningside has long been a Partner Congregation to Earth Covenant Ministry, a ministry assisting churches in the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, and also sponsors Georgia Interfaith Power & Light (GIPL). These two environmental ministries are merging, expanding the outreach of both organizations. GIPL is an inter-faith, statewide non-profit that engages communities of faith in stewardship of creation. The two groups have worked together for years in offering creative programs to Presbyterian churches. Under the new configuration, partner congregations such as MPC receive an increased level of resources, programs and opportunities — plus contributions to EMC are now tax-deductible under the GIPL umbrella.
The Covenant Network of Presbyterians is a broad-based, national group of clergy and lay leaders working for a church that is simultaneously faithful, just and whole. MPC joins the Covenant community in "envisioning a graceful and inviting church — a church reaching out; offering the gospel to a world in need and gratefully welcoming the gifts of all whom God calls to ministry and service."
Interfaith Disability Network educates and engages faith communities in cultivating mutually beneficial relationships with people with disabilities. Morningside supports the Network. Our recent capital campaign, A Time of Promise, and the renovations it funded had as one of its main goals making our facilities accessible to all.
The Interfaith Children's Movement (ICM) is founded upon the conviction that people of all faiths can and must work together to improve the lives and well-being of all children. Through its Faith in Action program, ICM focuses on eight areas that affect children's well-being: Poverty, Education, Health Care, Juvenile Justice, ChildCare/Child Protection, Parental Nurture, Child Advocacy (Public Policy) and Immigration. In each of these work areas, ICM advocates on behalf of Georgia's children at both the services and policy levels.
The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta seeks to develop relationships, foster dialogue, and advocate collaboration among all Christians throughout the 20-county metro area. At its core, the Council's work is about justice for all of God's people.
The Presbyterian Campus Ministry at Emory is a faith community devoted to nurturing the spiritual growth of college students through fellowship, prayer, Bible study, music, worship and mission. Morningside has a partnership with this program through our Minister for Young Adtuls and Adult Education, Rev. Drew Stockstill, who currently serves as Emory's Presbyterian campus minister.
How You Can Get Involved:
Become a member of this group to help with planning activities to involve our church community, or pick an area that is close to your heart.
Support our recycling efforts by putting paper, metal, glass and plastic items in the receptacles located for them in the Session Room, Parlor Kitchen and main kitchen, rather than in the trash containers. Let us recycle your old cell phones.
Sign up for the Georgia Power Credit Program, which uses peak-hour setbacks on home air-conditioners to reduce demands on the electrical grid. Participants receive $20 for signing up, plus a $2 credit every time the system is activated. In addition, Morningside PC also receives $20 and $5 goes to GIPL. Click here to get a copy of the application form.
Sign up for email updates from the the public policy advocate from the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, Wendell Phillips, to learn about state legislative action and Presbyterian Day at the capitol.
Learn more about the Compassion, Peace and Justice Ministries of our denomination and how you can get involved.
