Jill Rios, director of NC Interfaith Power & Light, will speak at an upcoming DCPC program.
News from Davidson churches this week includes a two-night series on faith and the environment that will be held at 
Davidson College Presbyterian Church Aug. 10-11 (registration ends Thursday, Aug. 6), a study series in advance of a visit to Charlotte by the noted Christian theologian John Shelby Spong, and a new adoption support group forming this fall at Davidson United Methodist Church.
See below for all the details.
JUST AND SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Davidson College Presbyterian Church will present “Just and Sustainable Living: Faith and the Environment,” a two-night summer series for adults and youth, scheduled for Monday, Aug. 10, and Tuesday, Aug. 11, in the Congregation House, 218 Concord Rd.
All are welcome to attend as DCPC explores the connection between faith, justice, the environment and everyday life. Being “green” is popular right now, but what does it really mean for people of faith? Each evening will begin at 5:45 p.m. with a catered supper, and the program will end at 8:15 p.m. each evening.
On Monday, August 10, Jill Rios, the director of the North Carolina Council of Churches’ Interfaith Power and Light, an environmental education and advocacy group, will speak on the environment and justice. Jill will lead a session on the connection between the Biblical call for social justice and the urgent need for better stewardship of the earth. Jill has served as an environmental educator and advocate in Mexico and North Carolina.
The program for Tuesday, August 11, is titled “Living in a Just and Sustainable Way: A Night of Hands-On Approaches the Environment.” Adults and youth will rotate among the following four areas:
- Eating Locally Year-Round: Kealy Devoy, DCPC member, Sustainability Fellow at Davidson College, and Davidson’s Farmer’s Market volunteer, will lead this session on canning and preserving tips.
- How Can I Live in a Sustainable Way? Holly Emerson, DCPC member and Manager for Corporate Environmental Sustainability Strategy at Ingersoll Rand, will discuss finding balance between us and the environment.
- Cool Congregations: Dennis Testerman, Stewardship of Creation Mission Team Enabler for Presbytery of Charlotte Resource and Conservation Specialist for Cabarrus County Soil and Water Conservation District, will lead a session on living justly and sustainably as a community and supporting and showing others how to do the same.
- Where Has All the Green Space Gone? Roy Alexander, Director of the Davidson Lands Conservancy, will discuss land trusts and conservation for all.
Special activities for children in kindergarten through fifth grade will be led by Tama Eller, a Certified Presbyterian Educator who is working on her Doctorate of Educational Ministry in Education at Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta. Child care will be provided for younger children.
Fees (including supper, program, and child care) are $20 per adult and youth ages sixth grade and up for both nights. The fees for children in kindergarten through fifth grade are $14 per child and $5 per child for children ages four and under. The cost for a family is capped at $75.
Please register by Thursday, Aug. 6, at www.dcpc.org. For more information or if you would like to attend only one night or do not plan to dine with the group, contact the church office at 704-892-5641.
August Spong Study Series to begin in Davidson.
Beginning Tuesday, Aug. 4, a discussion series titled “Visioning the Future Jesus Faith Tradition” will begin in Davidson. Classes will meet each Tuesday in August from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Ada Jenkins Center, 212 Gamble St. A complimentary fruit, cheese, dessert and iced tea will be offered at 6:15. The series is free and open to the public.
Bishop John Shelby Spong
The series will be a presentation and discussion of the ideas of Bishop John Shelby Spong, a liberal Christian theologian and author. Spong was born in Charlotte and is the retired American bishop of the Episcopal Church Diocese of Newark. His most recent book is “Jesus for the Non-Religious” (2007), which has just come out in paperback. More information about his views and books is available on his website.
Bishop Spong will be the featured lecturer Oct. 16-18 at “Jesus in the 21st Century Seminar Series,” to be held at Myers Park Baptist Church.
The August series in Davidson will be presented by Dan Carrigan of Cornelius who has just completed a similar 7 week presentation in Charlotte to a class of 146 participants representing 21 churches. The Davidson series is co-sponsored by Lake Progressive Christians and Unitarian Fellowship of Lake Norman.
For details or questions contact: lakeprogressivechristians@yahoo.com.
DUMC TO LAUNCH NEW ADOPTION SUPPORT GROUP
Davidson United Methodist Church will host a new adoption support group beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the church, which is located at 233 South Main Street in Davidson.
The group will meet twice a month on Tuesday evenings to offer education, fellowship, support, and family fun for anyone who is considering, in the process of, or already at home with their adopted children.
Register and request childcare by calling the church office, 704-892-8277. For more information, contact Cheryl Mahoney at 704-895-8043.
