LEAF, the Lindquist Environmental Appalachian Fellowship, invites all Tennesseans to join us in 40 Days of Prayer for the Mountains, November 30, 2012 – January 5, 2013.
During the next six weeks, we’ll share the prayers of Tennessee faith leaders, highlight creation care Scriptures, and offer earth-care reflections from the writings of Christian theologians ranging from Billy Graham to Martin Luther.This year’s vigil will be shared in 6 weekly e-mails, each containing a week’s worth of prayers and reflections. If you are already on LEAF’s e-mail list you will receive them automatically, if not, you may register here.
The 40 Days of Prayer is an annual event sponsored by LEAF to unite and focus Tennessee Christians in prayerful support of political action on behalf of our mountains. Last year, thousands of Christians across Tennessee participated in this interdenominational vigil, among them, Baptist, Catholic, Church of Christ, Evangelical, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Nazarene, Presbyterian, Quaker and United Church of Christ congregations.
LEAF’s ongoing mission is to raise awareness of the scriptural call to care for God’s creation, while expressing special concern for the fate of Tennessee’s mountains that are endangered by mountain top removal mining.The Holy Scriptures, as well as the writing of the early church fathers, are filled with admonitions to care for creation out of respect for the Creator. Indeed, it was Martin Luther who declared: “God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” Sadly, over time this view of creation was lost, replaced with the belief that the earth is merely a resource to be exploited, rather than a revelation of the Divine.
Our deepest hope is that the 40 Days of Prayer renews Tennesseans’ gratitude for the Divine gifts that surround them, and offers both inspiration and courage to all of us as we seek to protect the mountains for future generations.
Please join us,
Patricia Hudson
LEAF, Executive Director
40 Days of Prayer 2012-13: Week 1
For a listing of the 40 Days of Prayer – Dec. 2011 – Jan. 2012 Leaders
www.tnleaf.org/40-days-of-prayer-for-the-mountains/40-days-of-prayer-leadership/
For the Prayer Book
www.tnleaf.org/church-outreach/service-materials/
For Denominational Statements
www.tnleaf.org/church-outreach/resolutions-of-faith/