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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
"We must protect the earth in the present to sustain life in the future," says the Reverend Bruce Davidson, Director of the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministries in New Jersey. "The earth is a gift and we must respect and care for it.” The New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ECLA) has made exemplary efforts to integrate environmental stewardship into its work as a denominational judicatory. These efforts began in 2000 when, with help from GreenFaith, the Synod passed a resolution calling on its congregations and member agencies to reduce their energy use in order to fight climate change. That was just the beginning. With further GreenFaith support, the Synod then conducted an energy audit at its Hamilton Square headquarters, installing energy efficient lighting and an energy efficient furnace. And when GreenFaith launched its Lighting the Way campaign to place solar arrays on religious buildings, the first congregation to come on board was the Lutheran church in Mendham – Grace Church. Pastor Davidson then partnered with the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia to produce an educational video on this work. The Synod featured this video at its annual Synod Assembly in 2004, and 8 further Lutheran institutions “went solar,” with many others conducting energy audits. GreenFaith also produced a discussion guide on a Lutheran denominational statement on the environment which the Synod distributed to its 192 congregations. In the winter of 2005-6, in response to rising energy costs and the threat of global warming, the ELCA worked with GreenFaith to organize three energy conservation workshops at congregations around the state. In recognition of its extraordinary efforts, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities presented the Synod with a New Jersey Clean Energy Leader Award in 2005. Davidson also represents the Synod as chair of GreenFaith’s Advocacy Committee. The Committee has supported legislative efforts to improve emissions standards for autos sold in New Jersey, and to reduce diesel emissions in the state. << Back to GreenFaith Members in Action 
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