Published: April 19, 2009 11:18 pm      

Ecumenical Earth Day focuses on 'going green'

“This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise, the morning light, the lily white, declare their maker’s praise.” ~ Maltbie D. Babcock



Along with the “privilege” of living on earth comes the responsibility to take care it, John Rossing says.

“It’s God’s creation, and it’s our responsibility to take care of it,” said Rossing, pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church on Thornton Avenue. “God created a beautiful and abundant earth. We’re not just to use the earth for our benefit, but to love and cherish it.”

That’s what the annual Ecumenical Earth Day is all about — celebrating God’s creation and learning to care for it, Rossing said. This Sunday will be the 13th Ecumenical Earth Day in Dalton. It is from 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. behind the church.

There is no charge for admission, food, plants or to participate in any of the interactive booths, such as a petting zoo or making a craft.

The theme for this year is “Our Father’s World,” which has also been the theme for the past several years. The theme was chosen as a parallel to the well-known hymn “This is My Father’s World” written by Maltbie D. Babcock.

The focus for this year is “going green.” Different organizations will have displays on how to maintain a “green” lifestyle, from reducing energy to leaving no trace behind while hiking, said Cheryl Phipps, one of the event organizers who attends Mineral Springs United Methodist Church.

Members of the Tennessee Interfaith Power and Light organization and EarthCare, based in Chattanooga, will have information on how to conserve energy. Dalton State College’s environmental club, Dalton Utilities and Keep Chatsworth-Murray County Beautiful also will have information booths.

One demonstration will compare how much energy an incandescent bulb uses to how much a florescent bulb uses, Phipps said.

The Coosa River Basin Initiative will have a booth where children can decorate T-shirts, and there will be an area for children to learn how to make crafts out of recycled items. This year children will learn to make crafts from natural items, such as pine cones, Phipps said.

“There’s going to be lots of interactive stuff,” she said. “There will be a petting zoo. The Murray County Humane Society will have animals for adoption. There will be free plants. Exhibitors will have demonstrations.”

There will also be live music throughout the afternoon, including a gospel and bluegrass band and a contemporary Christian band called Soulshine, whose members live in North Georgia, Phipps said.

The Community Based Vocational Instruction Class at Northwest High School will receive the annual Community Caretaker Award for the recycling program students started, she said. Since last year, the students have collected 32,380 pounds of recycled paper.

Several area churches of different denominations come together to organize the event each year.

There have been as many as 30 different churches represented in previous years, Phipps said.

“We’re united,” she said. “Even though we’re from different denominations, we’re all wanting to promote being good stewards for the earth.”