November Green Tip
 
Fall is a great time of year. The air is cooler and more comfortable. The month rewards us with Thanksgiving at the end of the month, and we also get to see the end of fall foliage season in many parts of the world. As the leaves fall, we often have to use new resources to stay warm, cook foods, or give gifts. This November, why not try to implement a few of these energy saving and resource saving techniques to help curb your spending and help the environment at the same time?
 
Tip1: Shred your junk mail and use it for packing away your breakables & glass decorations & ornaments.You can also use in a nice gift box for Christmas.
 
Tip 2: Double up on your baking! Make double batches to conserve oven heat and save energy.
 
Tip 3: After Thanksgiving dinner is over remember to add the food scraps to your compost pile & for fresh dirt in the spring!

One area that we believe we should not ignore is in respect to the environment and our Creation Mandate. The stewardship of our planetary home has become a big issue globally, and one that should not be ignored by the Church. The earth was given to us by God. He commanded us to take care of it because everything He created was very good! Genesis 1:27-31 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over … (everything) … And God said, Behold, I have given you every (thing) … And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good…. " (KJV).

As stewards we have a responsibility to 'look after' God's creation, and by setting a good example we will be paving the way for others, to want to follow. He gave us free will, he gave us the responsibility for looking after the earth, and in doing so, he gave us the power to turn our backs on our duty if we wish. One day we will all be accountable to God, and he might just ask us what we did with His creation. He, as Creator, has a right and the freedom to build up and tear down, to create and to terminate; we as the Creation do not! Our mandate is to protect, to nurture, to care for, and to love what the Lord has given to us (read the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 in this context!). Nobody will think of harming or destroying their own body, yet many think nothing of destroying their planet. Everyone looks after their small individual houses; few take care of our bigger corporate home.