"For some the issue of Climate Change is considered “political” and thus controversial, and therefore not to be addressed by the Church. However, my faith in Jesus Christ tells me otherwise. Through my many years of service to the Church and my fervent desire for God’s reign on earth, I believe scripture calls Christians to be caretakers of the creation we have been blessed to live in for all of human history.

That creation is in grave danger due to the broad expanse of climate change. For too long the Church and the political structure have ignored the increasingly severe symptoms of climate change such as significant 20th and 21st century increases in CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere, the ongoing global temperature increases, the melting of glaciers, rising sea levels, the extinction of species, the destruction of rain forests and so much more. Worse yet, the Church is saying little about the impending crisis and doing even less.
We are not speaking out and acting to protect the only home that God has given us—planet earth. Clearly, to date, world leaders are failing to address the greatest challenge we have ever faced as a species. I believe it is time that the Church and faithful Christians do what political and economic structures are failing to do.

This Task Team has been organized by the Southern Ohio/Kentucky District to begin to address this most pressing concern of Climate Change. My prayer is that others in the District will bring the same passion that God has placed on my heart to preserve our planet as a bountiful home for my children and grandchildren and the children and grandchildren of all."--Pastor Mark Lancaster, Task Team Chair