renovo

mugs

Renovo, a creation stewardship ministry of Imago Dei, is encouraging the use of travel mugs for Sunday morning coffee, to help reduce the waste generated by our worship services. If you partake of the coffee service at Franklin, please bring your own travel mug and any extras that you can donate. Donated travel mugs and "Got mug?" reminder stickers will be available at the end of the coffee tables in the hallway. Contact for more information.

 

history and introduction

Renovo (Latin for "renewal") began a few years ago as a new ministry at Imago Dei dealing with our responsibilities as stewards of God's Creation. This ministry was inspired by various elements of church life and relationships at Imago Dei. One of these elements was the Worship Learning Experience led by Tim and Anna Czuk. This alternative worship service provided many spiritually enriching opportunities to commune with God and with one another in the beauty of nature, heightening our awareness and appreciation for the various wonders of creation that God has blessed us with right here in the Portland area.

Another element is the ongoing work of Peter Illyn with Restoring Eden, a Christian environmental ministry that has been involved in building solidarity with indigenous tribal Christians in Papua New Guinea and northern Alaska; establishing student chapters on Christian college campuses across the US; and meeting with congressional representatives to discuss the importance of protecting God's creation.

In addition, classes at the Imago Dei School of Theology have examined Biblical teaching concerning the importance of creation in God's plan of salvation and our responsibility as God's representatives in the created order.

The main goal of Renovo has been to find ways that we as a church body can put these Biblical principles into practice, in order to deepen our spiritual lives and to further reflect the healing power of the gospel in our community. Though the Renovo ministry lay dormant for several months, a core team has regrouped in an effort to revive this vital aspect of Kingdom life within our church family.

purpose and vision

Renovo's guiding biblical values include community; simplicity; social justice; God's love for and ownership of all he has made; servant-leadership as exemplified by Jesus; and the redemption of all creation in the coming Kingdom of God. We believe it is important that we, as members of this Kingdom, seek not to simply slow down the tide of environmental destruction, but to be proactive in reconciling with God all parts of creation, including both humanity and elements of nature. We believe that this is the Kingdom that has been set in motion by Christ.

Toward this end, we recently met to discuss practical ways in which our lives together as a local body of believers can testify in a holistic manner to the restorative work of Christ. Some possibilities that we discussed include:

  • Carpool Registry - The idea is to match potential carpool partners who live in the same part of town and attend the same service. This idea seems especially practical for the many single people who drive to church alone. In addition to reducing fossil fuel emissions and gas consumption, it could potentially foster new relationships and reduce the impact of our numbers on the surrounding neighborhood each Sunday.

  • Coffee Mug Crew - We could drastically reduce our paper (tree) consumption and solid waste generation by using real coffee mugs instead of disposable paper cups. This would require that mugs be donated to the church and a rotating team of volunteers to collect, wash, and replace the mugs after each service. Members and regular attendees would be encouraged to bring their own travel mugs from home.

  • "Fair Trade" Organic Coffee - Celebrate and educate the congregation about Imago Dei's use of coffee grown and harvested in environmentally and socially responsible ways.

  • Recycled and/or "Tree Free" Paper - Most paper is made from virgin wood fiber and heavily bleached with chlorine, resulting in deforestation and dioxin production. There are now alternatives available, including paper made from 100% post-consumer recycled content or renewable fiber sources such as hemp or kenaf. We hope to investigate prospects for environmentally friendly paper purchasing for bulletins, napkins, etc.  Related to this idea is the opportunity to research the actual usage of the bulletins printed each week in an attempt to decrease waste.

  • Water bottles - We want to explore methods for collecting recyclable plastic bottles, while encouraging church staff and volunteers to bring reusable bottles.

  • Partnerships and event-based projects - We intend to partner with local governments and non-profit groups on cleanup, restoration, and educational events, while pursuing a sustainable relational presence and contribution within various eco-initiatives sourced outside the church. We will lead with a relational, educational, and invitational approach in order to bring this mission of stewardship to people inside and outside of the church.

  • School of Theology - We plan to create an updated curriculum for a class to be offered in the fall of 2008.

  • Movie/discussion nights - Host regular gatherings at Evangel Baptist to watch and discuss movies dealing with environmental concerns.

These are just a few beginning steps we plan to take to live more faithfully as compassionate stewards of the creation that God has entrusted to our care. We don't want to approach this as a legalistic set of tasks, but as a joyful opportunity to more deeply encounter and reflect the breadth of God's love manifest in creation. We understand that these ideas can only be successful if they are incorporated into the culture of Imago Dei and therefore we need your help to make these things happen. 

If you would like to learn more or get involved, please call Mike Nacrelli or Jonah Paisner.

TEAM LEADERS:
Michael Nacrelli

(looking for other team members)

CONTACT:

971-327-8922 (Michael)

LINKS:
Renovo Web Forum
Renovo Wiki
Restoring Eden
Peter Illyn Sermons