Montreat Conference Center

Current Conferences

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“Embracing God’s Call to be Green”

...ask the animals, and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In God’s hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being. Job 12: 7-10 (NRSV)

Read the letter from the conference chairman…

Keynote Speaker

• Howard Frumkin, Atlanta, GA; director, National Center for Environmental Health, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The center works to maintain and improve the health of the American people by promoting a healthy environment and by preventing premature death and avoidable illness and disability caused by toxic substances and other environmental hazards. He currently serves on the Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine. He was named Environmental Professional of the Year by the Georgia Environmental Council in 2004. He is the author or co-author of over 100 scientific journal articles and chapters, and has written numerous books. Dr. Frumkin received his BA from Brown University, his MD from the University of Pennsylvania, his MPH and DrPH from Harvard, his internal medicine training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Cambridge Hospital, and his occupational medicine training at Harvard. He is board-certified in both internal medicine and occupational medicine, and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Plenary Speakers

• Ellen Davis, Durham, NC; professor of Bible and Practical Theology, Duke Divinity School. Ellen is interested in theological interpretation of the Old Testament, with particular concern for Christian preaching. Her current work focuses also on developing an exegetically based response to the ecological crisis. A lay Episcopalian, she has been involved in Jewish-Christian dialogue for more than 30 years. Her previous teaching appointments were at Union Theological Seminary (New York City), Yale Divinity School, and the Virginia Theological Seminary. Ellen has an A.B. from the University of California at Berkeley. Theo., Oxford University, an M.Div. from Church Divinity School of the Pacific, and a Ph.D. from Yale University.

• Pat Watkins, Richmond, VA; ordained minister in the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church, having served churches in the Lynchburg District. He and his wife, Denise Honeycutt, served as missionaries in Nigeria with the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries. He currently serves as a Church and Community Worker (missionary inside the US) for the UMC as “Executive Director of Caretakers of God’s Creation,” a Virginia Conference creation care ministry team. This is the first time the General Board of Global Ministries has appointed a missionary to a ministry to God’s creation. He is a member of the United Methodist Women’s Division Green Team for the denomination. Pat tries to live out his passion for God’s creation by living his life in such a way as to make a smaller footprint on God’s earth. He is an avid organic, permaculture gardener. His passion is to raise the awareness, particularly among people of faith, that there is a connection between faith and a responsibility to care for and heal God’s creation. He and Denise live in Richmond.

Worship Leaders

• Sam Hamilton-Poore, San Francisco, CA; Director of the Program in Christian Spirituality and Assistant Professor in Christian Spirituality, San Francisco Theological Seminary. Prior to this, he and his wife Terry served Presbyterian, Lutheran, and U.C.C. congregations in North Carolina, Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa. When it comes to ecological issues, Sam has a special passion for prairies, wetlands, and tide pools—and for the (re)integration of prayer, action, and theology. His new book, Earth Gospel: A Guide to Prayer for God’s Creation, was released by Upper Rooms Books in January 2009. He and his wife are the parents of three teenagers.

• Nancy Corson Carter, Chapel Hill, NC; board chair, New Hope Camp and Conference Center. Nancy is a Presbyterian elder and has served as RCE of Tampa Bay Presbytery, and the immediate past Moderator of PRC (1999-2005). Now in retirement from college teaching, her continuing environmental advocacy includes facilitating an Environmental Support Group at Church of Reconciliation, PCUSA, Chapel Hill and leading “Hope Workshops” on the climate change crisis for the NC Interfaith Power and Light program. She is a member of the Shalem Society for Contemplative Leadership, and helps to lead a weekly contemplative service at her church. Nancy has just published another book of poetry, Near the End of the Rainy Season: Poems from Japan (Pudding House Press, Columbus, Ohio).

Music Leader

• Charles Pettee, Chapel Hill, NC; he delights audiences with a tasty blend of original and traditional American folk, bluegrass, and Celtic music seasoned at more than 3,500 performances throughout the US, Canada, and Europe. Wielding mandolin, guitar, mandola, or harmonica, Pettee brings virtuosity and good humor to any venue presenting family concerts.

Young Stewards Program

Young Stewards! Students in middle school, junior high, or high school, this is a program just for you! Teenagers from all over the country will join Christian scholars and leaders in the Creation Care movement to further understand and embrace their commitment to God’s creation. Through the inspirational power of youth, learn to “eco-vangelize” and lead your church to be green! Worship with hundreds of young people who want to obey God’s “eco-mmandments.” Meet experts. Share with other young stewards. Leave with new friends and a better understanding of the Bible’s teachings about living green. Take home practical and powerful applications of your faith and commitment to earth stewardship. Have fun!
The Young Stewards program is led by Hansen Wendlandt, a Presbyterian youth director in Boulder, CO. Hansen writes about faith, stewardship, and outdoor adventure, and leads workshops on eco-stewardship in Christian Education.

Workshops

Workshops will be offered on Wednesday, 2:00-4:30pm (two sessions), Thursday from 8:45am-noon, and Thursday 2:00-4:30pm (two sessions). See conference schedule for more information. Please note: Those participating in the Young Stewards Program do not sign up for workshops.

see below for detailed workshop descriptions

Program Fee

Scholarships are available for this conference.

• Before June 6, 2009: $175 – adults; $100 – college students/seminary students/young adults 18-25
• After June 6, 2009: add $25 to fees above
• Young Stewards Program (for Jr./Sr. high students): $75

Cost for Housing & Meals

PLEASE NOTE: Assembly Inn, Winsborough, Glen Rock Inn, and our Guest Lodges are now full. Please see other housing options available in Montreat…

Rates for Assembly Inn & Winsborough are per person and include all room and meal charges for the entire conference (Tuesday supper-Saturday breakfast). No adjustments to package will be made except for extended stay. Meals for children ages 5-11: $53.25; under 5: no charge. No room charge for children under 12 years of age in the same room with parent(s).

Assembly Inn

• Single, Private Bath: $461
• Single, Connecting Bath: $385
• Double, Private Bath: $305 per person
• Double, Connecting Bath: $285 per person

Winsborough

• Single, Connecting Bath: $305
• Double, Connecting Bath: $205 per person

Learn more about these and other housing options available in Montreat…

Registration/Child Care Information

Scholarships are available for this conference.

Conference begins Tuesday, July 7, with registration from 3 – 5 p.m. in Anderson Auditorium. Conference ends Saturday, July 11 with breakfast. See the complete conference schedule for more details.

• Register Online Now!
• Download Registration information

Childcare is available for this conference, but PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. LIMITED ENROLLMENT.

Questions about registration? Email the registrar at susana[at]montreat.org.
If you would like conference information mailed to you via U.S. mail, please email carolo[at]montreat.org.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations must be received by June 6 in order to receive a full refund less a $25 service charge. Cancellations received after June 6 but on or before June 22 will receive a 50% refund of the conference fee and payments made toward room and meal charges (if applicable), less $40. No refunds will be issued after June 22. All requests must be made in writing and received via email, fax, or U.S. mail.

Planning Team

Tracy Bailey, Black Mountain, NC
Merri Bass, Montreat, NC
Phillip Gibson, Candler, NC
Janie Faucette Moore, Black Mountain, NC
Tom Pakurar, Midlothian, VA
Bob Remsburg, Locust, NC
Dennis Testerman, Concord, NC
Kate Mosley, Atlanta, GA

Co-sponsored by Presbyterians for Restoring Creation and Montreat Conference Center

Detailed Workshop Descriptions

Please choose two 1-hour workshops OR one 2 ½ hour workshop on Wednesday afternoon:

Wednesday, 2:00–3:00 p.m. (1-hour)

• WA1 – Stream Ecology, Brian Joyce, Montreat, NC. We will focus on stream ecology and watershed management from an environmental stewardship perspective. Come explore the unique ecological role of headwater streams and discuss the major factors that impact them. After a brief lecture, participants will conduct a “hands-on” water quality sampling exercise in Flat Creek. Participants will also learn how they can begin a water quality monitoring program in their local communities. Brian is a Professor of Ecology at Montreat College and has been studying the diverse ecosystems surrounding the Montreat cove for the past 12 years. Brian received a Ph.D. in Ecology from Penn State University and he is currently conducting research in the following areas: restoration ecology of brook trout, ecology of the American chestnut, the current status of cougars in the eastern US.

• WA2 – Glorifying Nature and Protecting the Environment Through the Power of Photography, Perrin Todd, Black Mountain, NC. The use of visual imagery is a very powerful medium for raising awareness for environmental concerns as well as a great motivator to take pro-environmental action. To be effective such communication should show the beauty or necessity of what we must protect, communicate the ugliness and danger of what we should avoid and be presented where the message will be seen and have the proper impact. Knowing what to look for, and possessing the proper equipment and technical skills to find and produce dramatic images that tell your story and get your message across are both necessary to promote your cause. Perrin is an unabashed nature lover who feels that humanity should always maintain a proper balance between enjoying the bounty of the Earth that God has provided for us without exploiting or destroying His creation. With a Business Administration degree and a B.A in Photography, he has studied both sides of this issue and is convinced that a harmonious and perpetually sustainable balance is possible and is, in fact, what God asks of us as proper stewards of His creation. He makes his living as a professional photographer.

• WA3 – Conservation Easements – CANCELLED

• WA4 – My Planet, Myself (Health as related to our Environment), Dr. John Brock, Swannanoa, NC. Discuss the connections between Earth and our health. Explore choices we can make to reduce our health risks and improve the environment. Dr. Brock is an award-winning toxicologist with over 55 publications in peer-reviewed journals on the effects of pollution on human health. He formerly worked at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and has many years of experience studying various cancers, birth defects, and adverse neurological effects. He is also a professor at Warren Wilson College and member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ.

• WA5 – Church Communications – Telling Our Story, Ken Garfield, Charlotte, NC. Discuss how best to share news of environmental stewardship with your congregation and the community beyond. What are the most effective ways to educate church members and get them involved in going green? How do you “brag” to the community about what is going on? What are the best ways to generate excitement? Garfield will explore all those facets, plus encourage Q&A on what works best for your house of worship. Ken Garfield, former religion editor of The Charlotte Observer; is now Director of Communications at Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, N.C. Ken spent 31-plus years in newspapers before leaving to direct communications at the 5,000-member Charlotte church, where he oversees the newsletter, web site, church magazine and more. At The Observer, he spent 12-plus years supervising coverage of faith in the Carolinas. He started and edited a weekly religion section, wrote a weekly syndicated column and appeared frequently on radio and TV in addition to speaking frequently to church groups. Among his published books: So Go On And Sing, a collection of his columns celebrating faith.

• WA6 – Resource Wars: The Ties Between the Control of Extractives/Natural Resources and Conflict, Mark Koenig, Louisville, KY. Natural resources (timber, diamonds, water, oil, and coca) play key roles in conflicts around the world. Opposing sides seek to control resources in some instances. In other instances, the control and sale of resources provides funds that allow the purchase of weapons that extend the conflict. This workshop will educate participants about this current trend using case studies as examples and will discuss possible action. The Rev. W. Mark Koenig serves as the Coordinator for the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He leads workshops on various issues related to peace and justice, writes and edits print and electronic publications and resources, preaches, and provides the content for the program’s Web page. Mark has served as the Peacemaking Program’s Associate for Resources and Education. Prior to joining the Peacemaking Program staff, he served as the Associate for Antiracism Training. He remains involved with antiracism ministry on behalf of the Peacemaking Program. He has served on the staff of the Presbytery of the Western Reserve, working in the areas of hunger, peacemaking and justice and been co-pastor of churches in Iowa and Ohio.

• WA7 – Food and Faith: The Ethics of Eating the Western Diet, Jean Franklin, Black Mountain, NC. Using Barbara Kingsolver’s “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” and Michael Pollan’s “In Defense of Food” as a starting point, we will discuss problems in our industrial food system and ways that individual eaters can reverse these problems. Looking at the local, organic, and “slow food” movements, we will be very specific in discussing how to avoid eating foods our grandparents wouldn’t recognize, which are processed and packaged in factories and travel through many hands, over many hundreds of miles, to get to our tables. Finally, we will discuss moral questions surrounding this food story, including injuries to those producing and eating it, and injuries to the planet. Dr. Jean Franklin and her husband, both retired teachers, now own Black Mountain Books in Black Mountain, where they installed solar (PV) panels last spring. They are avid supporters of everything local and have lectured in this area on climate change and sustainable living. They are active Community Gardeners and supporters of local farmers. Last winter Jean taught a class on problems with the Western diet and solutions to be found in the young alternative food movement.

• WA8 – Soul of Soil—Environmental Education for Communities of Faith – CANCELLED (see TB5)

Wednesday, 3:30–4:30 p.m. (1-hour)

• WB1 – Native Plant Identification Walk, Joe Standaert, Montreat, NC. Enjoy a short and slow walk up the lower part of Lookout Trail in Montreat to discuss the native plants in the Montreat cove. Emphasis will be on identification of native wildflowers, trees, and shrubs of the Southern Appalachians and suggested wildflower field guides and techniques. Also will include discussions of the history of the wilderness and trail programs in Montreat and the 2004 Conservation Easement. Joe has a Bachelors in the Biological Sciences from Rutgers University; a Masters in ecology from the Yale School of Forestry; and is retired from a career in data processing with GTE / Verizon. He enjoys Botany, wildflower identification and photography as a hobby. Joe is a member of the following clubs and committees: Montreat Trail Club, the Town of Montreat Parks and Recreation; Open Space; and Landcare committees; a member of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy; Swannanoa Valley Museum hike committee; and the Carolina Mountain Club.

• WB2 – Glorifying and Protecting Through the Arts (Watercolor), Sara LeVan, Black Mountain, NC. In the quiet beauty of Montreat, each of us will explore the watercolor possibilities of a blank page. The instructor will start several pieces and discuss her methods. You will help her complete one. Sara’s vibrant paintings are enjoyed in numerous private and corporate collections in LA, MS, TX and NC. Her work has been included in regional juried shows and several one, two or three person exhibits. Her impressionistic painting emphasizes strong composition and careful choice of color to enhance each motif. She approaches her chosen subject with a distinguishing mark of optimism.

• WB3 – Greening Your Facility, Julie Lehman, Swannanoa, NC. “Inspired by Less” We will explore how creation care and conservation can be a spiritual discipline that leads to a more profound faith and a renewed soul. When practiced together as a church family, even more can be inspired through the public witness of unity and sacrifice by a community of faith. Julie works with the Office of Advancement to actively support the relationship between Warren Wilson College and the Presbyterian Church (USA) by engaging churches, presbyteries and friends in an ongoing partnership in the ministry of higher education. She is a graduate of Davidson College and Columbia Theological Seminary and has provided leadership, education and consulting for churches interested in incorporating ecology into their theology and practice since 1992.

• WB4 – Global Food Crisis: Solutions Bring Environmental Benefits The Big Goal: Getting from where we are to a sustainable, just and joy-filled food system – in other words, back to the Garden. We will tell stories of where we see the seeds of this holy food vision sprouting. If you dare to join us, you will become more conscious of beliefs and fears you may harbor about self and reality that preclude doing and being the change we want to see in the world. If you survive, you may emerge with a way forward. Andrew Kang Bartlett, Louisville, KY; is the national associate for the Presbyterian Hunger Program of the PC(USA). With a graduate degree in international relations, he has worked in the U.S. and Asia addressing community development, rural poverty, environmental justice, and human rights. Kang Bartlett lives in Kentucky with his wife and two sons. He is a seeker who loves beauty, justice, fellowship and food.

• WB5 – Church Communications – Telling Our Story, Ken Garfield, Charlotte, NC. Discuss how best to share news of environmental stewardship with your congregation and the community beyond. What are the most effective ways to educate church members and get them involved in going green? How do you “brag” to the community about what is going on? What are the best ways to generate excitement? Garfield will explore all those facets, plus encourage Q&A on what works best for your house of worship. Ken Garfield, former religion editor of The Charlotte Observer; is now Director of Communications at Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, N.C. Ken spent 31-plus years in newspapers before leaving to direct communications at the 5,000-member Charlotte church, where he oversees the newsletter, web site, church magazine and more. At The Observer, he spent 12-plus years supervising coverage of faith in the Carolinas. He started and edited a weekly religion section, wrote a weekly syndicated column and appeared frequently on radio and TV in addition to speaking frequently to church groups. Among his published books: So Go On And Sing, a collection of his columns celebrating faith.

• WB6 – INSULATE! Your Community – CANCELLED

• WB7 – Resource Wars: The Ties Between the Control of Extractives/Natural Resources and Conflict, Mark Koenig, Louisville, KY. Natural resources (timber, diamonds, water, oil, and coca) play key roles in conflicts around the world. Opposing sides seek to control resources in some instances. In other instances, the control and sale of resources provides funds that allow the purchase of weapons that extend the conflict. This workshop will educate participants about this current trend using case studies as examples and will discuss possible action. The Rev. W. Mark Koenig serves as the Coordinator for the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He leads workshops on various issues related to peace and justice, writes and edits print and electronic publications and resources, preaches, and provides the content for the program’s Web page. Mark has served as the Peacemaking Program’s Associate for Resources and Education. Prior to joining the Peacemaking Program staff, he served as the Associate for Antiracism Training. He remains involved with antiracism ministry on behalf of the Peacemaking Program. He has served on the staff of the Presbytery of the Western Reserve, working in the areas of hunger, peacemaking and justice and been co-pastor of churches in Iowa and Ohio.

• WB8 – Chemicals in the Environment – The Ones You Don’t Want to Be There! John H. Koon, Atlanta, GA. The lists of potentially harmful chemicals in the environment seem to grow faster than our ability to understand what these chemicals are; and what they may mean to our health and that of our children: “pharmaceutical active ingredients” (PAIs), “listed carcinogens,” “emerging contaminants,” “pharmaceuticals and personal care products” (PPCPs), trace contaminants, “endocrine disruptors.” This workshop will take a look at these classes of chemicals, how they enter the environment, how they are or might be regulated, and the real and potential adverse effects they may pose to us and our families. By understanding what these chemicals are (in layperson’s terms), how they may move through the environment, and the adverse effects they can have on the human body , we can begin to influence how these chemicals are regulated. John H. Koon, PhD, PE will serve as workshop leader. He is a board-certified environmental engineer. He has spent his 37-year career working with manufacturing industry in the United States and 21 other countries to solve water problems. He has worked with over 400 industries, municipalities, and government agencies in this capacity. He is a Presbyterian and has served as an elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN and Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. He also is a member of the Trinity Sustainability Committee. He has authored more than fifty papers and presentations on environmental subjects and has taught a number of continuing education seminars. He received his bachelors and masters degrees in environmental engineering at Vanderbilt University; and his PhD at University of California – Berkeley. John spends as much time in Black Mountain as he can (on Allen Mountain) where he enjoys the poetry of Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver.

• WB9 – Food and Faith: The Ethics of Eating the Western Diet, Jean Franklin, Black Mountain, NC. Using Barbara Kingsolver’s “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” and Michael Pollan’s “In Defense of Food” as a starting point, we will discuss problems in our industrial food system and ways that individual eaters can reverse these problems. Looking at the local, organic, and “slow food” movements, we will be very specific in discussing how to avoid eating foods our grandparents wouldn’t recognize, which are processed and packaged in factories and travel through many hands, over many hundreds of miles, to get to our tables. Finally, we will discuss moral questions surrounding this food story, including injuries to those producing and eating it, and injuries to the planet. Dr. Jean Franklin and her husband, both retired teachers, now own Black Mountain Books in Black Mountain, where they installed solar (PV) panels last spring. They are avid supporters of everything local and have lectured in this area on climate change and sustainable living. They are active Community Gardeners and supporters of local farmers. Last winter Jean taught a class on problems with the Western diet and solutions to be found in the young alternative food movement.

Wednesday, 2:00–4:30 p.m. (2 ½ hour)

• WC1 – Wilderness Walks – CANCELLED (see TA1 or TD1)

• WC2 – Praying For and With the Creation, Sam Hamilton-Poore. Christian love-in-action on behalf of the earth is needed, and there’s no end to what needs doing—but our action needs to include the “work” of Christian prayer, for prayer is itself a way of taking action. Prayer and action are not two separate things for Christians; how we live is informed and shaped by how we pray and how we pray is informed and shaped by how we live. Through prayer we seek to align ourselves—heart, mind, soul, body, strength—with what God is doing in and through our lives, our communities, and the creation itself. This interactive workshop will offer multiple examples of ways in which to pray both for and with the creation. Sam Hamilton-Poore is Director of the Program in Christian Spirituality and Assistant Professor of Christian Spirituality at San Francisco Theological Seminary. He is a Presbyterian minister, spiritual director, and author of Earth Gospel: A Guide to Prayer for God’s Creation.

• WC3 – A Faithful Response to Global Warming – CANCELLED (see TD3)

• WC4 – The Poverty of Global Climate Change: Impacts on the Church Ministries – CANCELLED

Please choose one workshop on Thursday morning:

Thursday, 8:45–noon

• TA1 – Wilderness Walks, Rusty Frank, Montreat, NC. Montreat Conference Center is surrounded by a 2,500-acre wilderness placed under a permanent conservation easement in 2004. Take a “walking workshop” in this wilderness and learn the historic sense of stewardship dating back to 1897 – a lasting change that took place due to the active engagement of a community of faith. Thursday morning, we’ll explore Greybeard Trail following Flat Creek to Pot Cove Gap, taking in the old railroad bed that ran to Mt Mitchell from 1912 to 1922, the Old Mitchell Toll Road, and a small quarry used in the construction of the road. The walk is five miles round-trip with continual gain in elevation, involves two creek crossings, considered moderate difficulty with one brief steep climb. Wear appropriate hiking gear and bring water. Rusty retired to the Montreat valley eight years ago with Peggy Ann, his bride of 43 years (without whom there is no Rusty Frank). He now serves on the Wilderness Committee, Memorial Garden Committee, the Session of Montreat PCUSA, swims and hikes, plays trombone in the local Tarnished Brass, hangs out with incomparable friends, and would enjoy taking you on a “Walk in the Wilderness.”

• TA2 – Landcare and Green Infrastructure: Changing Landscapes, Lifestyles, and Livelihoods in Appalachia and Beyond (a panel discussion), Jim Stokoe, Asheville, NC; Ron Nalley, Montreat, NC. One of the greatest challenges faced by Americans today is unprecedented patterns of urbanization, especially exurban residential development of rural lands resulting in significant loss of working farms and forest lands. Other challenges include economic restructuring and the implications for local communities of global competition for natural resources. In general, the challenge for Americans, and people worldwide, is to develop landcare management systems for the sustainable production and consumption of quality food, fiber, water, and energy to meet the needs and desires of a growing human population. Landcare practices maintain and improve green infrastructure, ecosystem services, and the public benefits that flow from private lands. In this panel, we will describe the landcare movement and industry in the United States, especially western North Carolina and Virginia where landcare has been especially active in recent years. From our point of view, landcare is the next generation of land conservation and development. It is citizen-led, community-based, civic-minded, state-supported sustainable land management for the 21st Century. It is local people working together to improve local economic, social, and environmental conditions. It is citizens and their communities collaborating with government agencies, businesses, and other key partners to achieve shared goals and common objectives that no one can accomplish alone. As such, it is appropriate for today’s increasingly urban and global society. Landcare is land management for the future. Jim Stokoe, Senior Planner in the Local Government Services group at Land-of-Sky Regional Council in Asheville, North Carolina. The Council is one of 17 multi-county planning and economic development commissions or “Councils of Government” in the state. It serves 19 local governments in a region of about 350,000 people in the mountains of western NC. Jim’s work group provides a range of regional planning services, including air quality, water quality, waste reduction, recycling, brownfields, land conservation, transportation, land use, energy planning and economic development. Jim has worked to promote the Australian landcare organizing model for local conservation groups, including the Montreat Landcare Committee. Jim also worked with the National Association of Regional Councils and the USDA Forest Service from 2001 – 2007 to promote the concept of “green infrastructure” among local governments nationwide. He is currently co-facilitating a four-county green infrastructure planning process for his planning region that will become a model for the 25-county Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. Jim holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Geology from Michigan State University, and currently is enrolled in the Master of Liberal Arts program at UNC Asheville, focusing upon sustainable development issues. Ron Nalley, Town Administrator, Town of Montreat. Prior to that he worked as the Assistant Town Manager for the Town of Black Mountain, as the Town Administrator with the Town of Woodfin and as the Assistant to the County Manager with McDowell County. Ron has helped advocate the principles and philosophies of Landcare in Montreat by helping the Town create the first Landcare Group in North Carolina in January of 2007. The group has brainstormed a list of about twenty potential projects ranging from erosion control to environmental education to electric vehicles to a website with a scientific database of projects. The Town has the distinction of also being named the first Community Wildlife Habitat in North Carolina. Ron holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with a concentration in Town and County Management from Appalachian State University, is a Credentialed Manager with the International City/County Manager’s Association and has completed additional coursework at the North Carolina School of Government in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

• TA3 – Stewardship of Creation Enabler Training and Sharing, Bill Somplasky-Jarman, Louisville, KY. A training session for newly appointed Stewardship of Creation Enablers, and people who are thinking about becoming one! We’ll review basic PCUSA policies, biblical and theological underpinnings for creation care, and strategies for advocacy, communication and education in presbyteries. Each participant will finish the workshop with increased knowledge and a prioritized game plan for engaging their presbyteries during the next year. Rev. William Somplatsky-Jarman is the Coordinator for Social Witness Ministries in the Compassion, Peace and Justice Unit of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He also oversees the Office of Environmental Ministries that coordinates the church’s engagement in environmental issues ranging from public policy to leadership development to congregational programs. He is the staff director of the Mission Responsibility Through Investment Committee that implements the church’s social investment policies for its over $7.5 billion of assets managed by its Foundation and Board of Pensions. He has coordinated dozens of corporate dialogues, spoken at many shareholder meetings and authored several articles and study guides on corporate responsibility and environmental issues.

• TA4 – Community Gardens, Green Walkabout. The Green Walkabout© is an informative and inspiring walking tour of Warren Wilson College’s sustainability initiatives that have earned the College recognition as a national sustainability leader. Over the past three years more than 1000 folks participated in Walkabouts. Tour participants experience principles and best practices of green building, energy use, waste management, native landscaping, sustainable agriculture and forestry, and more. Walkabout is the Australian Aboriginal ritual in which cultural narratives are recited while walking through the landscape. This place-based spiritual oral tradition provides Aboriginal culture with a deep sense of belonging to the land, to the ancestors, and the evolving story to which they belong. The Green Walkabout© seeks to emulate the wonder of this traditional practice by providing participants with a sustainability narrative rooted in the WWC landscape, but connected to the greater American cultural narratives such as industrialization, capitalism, democracy, ingenuity, equity, responsibility, justice, and freedom. Stan Cross has a BA in Psychology from Skidmore College, and is currently enrolled in the University of North Carolina at Asheville’s Masters of Liberal Arts program. Since 2000, Stan has served as Warren Wilson College Environmental Leadership Center Education Director in charge of the ELC’s The Green Walkabout© program, EcoTeam, and the Internship Program. He is a member of Warren Wilson’s Land Use Committee and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Task Force, serves as president of the Evergreen Community Charter School board, and was named 2007 North Carolina Environmental Educator of the Year.

• TA5 – Field Trip to the Wildlife Education Center and Cradle of Forestry, Janie Moore & Tracy Bailey, Montreat, NC. (extra charge of $10 to cover gas and admission fees, collected on day of trip) Join us for an adventure as we visit the Wildlife Education Center and the Cradle of Forestry. At the Pisgah Center of Wildlife Education, we’ll learn about “raising trout.” We’ll talk about the management end of the trout hatchery, from eggs to transfer to the river. We’ll even get to feed the fish! From there, we’ll venture to the Cradle of Forestry. Spanning over 100 years of forest conservation history, the Cradle of Forestry offers a snapshot of life at America’s first school of Forestry along the Biltmore Campus Trail. You can also take a picturesque walk along the Forest Festival trail, complete with a restored 1915 logging locomotive, or take a (simulated) ride with firefighters aboard a helicopter on their way to a roaring fire in the wilds of Idaho. Janie and Tracy are members of the conference planning team.

Please choose two 1-hour workshops OR one 2 ½ hour workshop on Thursday afternoon:

Thursday, 2:00–3:00 p.m. (1-hour)

• TB1 – Stream Ecology, Brian Joyce, Montreat, NC. We will focus on stream ecology and watershed management from an environmental stewardship perspective. Come explore the unique ecological role of headwater streams and discuss the major factors that impact them. After a brief lecture, participants will conduct a “hands-on” water quality sampling exercise in Flat Creek. Participants will also learn how they can begin a water quality monitoring program in their local communities. Brian is a Professor of Ecology at Montreat College and has been studying the diverse ecosystems surrounding the Montreat cove for the past 12 years. Brian received a Ph.D. in Ecology from Penn State University and he is currently conducting research in the following areas: restoration ecology of brook trout, ecology of the American chestnut, the current status of cougars in the eastern US.

• TB2 – Glorifying Nature and Protecting the Environment Through the Power of Photography, Perrin Todd, Black Mountain, NC. The use of visual imagery is a very powerful medium for raising awareness for environmental concerns as well as a great motivator to take pro-environmental action. To be effective such communication should show the beauty or necessity of what we must protect, communicate the ugliness and danger of what we should avoid and be presented where the message will be seen and have the proper impact. Knowing what to look for, and possessing the proper equipment and technical skills to find and produce dramatic images that tell your story and get your message across are both necessary to promote your cause. Perrin is an unabashed nature lover who feels that humanity should always maintain a proper balance between enjoying the bounty of the Earth that God has provided for us without exploiting or destroying His creation. With a Business Administration degree and a B.A in Photography, he has studied both sides of this issue and is convinced that a harmonious and perpetually sustainable balance is possible and is in fact what God asks of us as proper stewards of His creation. He makes his living as a professional photographer.

• TB3 – My Planet, Myself (Health as related to our Environment), Dr. John Brock, Swannanoa, NC. Discuss the connections between Earth and our health. Explore choices we can make to reduce our health risks and improve the environment. Dr. Brock is an award-winning toxicologist with over 55 publications in peer-reviewed journals on the effects of pollution on human health. He formerly worked at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and has many years of experience studying various cancers, birth defects, and adverse neurological effects. He also a professor at Warren Wilson College and member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ.

• TB4 – The Roots of Hunger in 2050, Thomas Pakurar, Midlothian, VA. An overview of world hunger is presented as a lens to examine the elements needed to grow and harvest food: land, soil, water, and energy. The contamination of these elements, the destruction of the cycles of life, and the ballooning of the world population require us to change our living and eating habits. A practical biblical solution to hunger is presented as an alternative lifestyle and element of hope for the future. The church can provide moral and ethical leadership by serving as community examples of Creation Care. Thomas Pakurar, Midlothian, VA; chaired the PRC 2007 conference “Earth Sabbath, Earth Justice: Protecting God’s Gifts of Food and Fuel;” leads hunger discussions at local churches.

• TB5 – Soul of Soil—Environmental Education for Communities of Faith, Dennis Testerman, Concord, NC. Learn how to adapt hands-on activities from Project Food, Land and People and other pre-K – 12 environmental education curricula for use in interfaith settings. Dennis has served as a commissioned agricultural missionary to Nigeria and Pakistan. Since 1990, his principal workplace has been Cabarrus Soil and Water Conservation District in Concord, where he continues his ministry of environmental stewardship as a conservationist and public servant. He is also a certified environmental educator. Dennis also serves as stewardship of creation enabler for the Presbytery of Charlotte. Currently, he is a novice with the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans.

• TB6 – Chemicals in the Environment – The Ones You Don’t Want to Be There! John H. Koon, Atlanta, GA. The lists of potentially harmful chemicals in the environment seem to grow faster than our ability to understand what these chemicals are; and what they may mean to our health and that of our children: “pharmaceutical active ingredients” (PAIs), “listed carcinogens,” “emerging contaminants,” “pharmaceuticals and personal care products” (PPCPs), trace contaminants, “endocrine disruptors.” This workshop will take a look at these classes of chemicals, how they enter the environment, how they are or might be regulated, and the real and potential adverse effects they may pose to us and our families. By understanding what these chemicals are (in layperson’s terms), how they may move through the environment, and the adverse effects they can have on the human body , we can begin to influence how these chemicals are regulated. John H. Koon, PhD, PE will serve as workshop leader. He is a board-certified environmental engineer. He has spent his 37-year career working with manufacturing industry in the United States and 21 other countries to solve water problems. He has worked with over 400 industries, municipalities, and government agencies in this capacity. He is a Presbyterian and has served as an elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN and Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. He also is a member of the Trinity Sustainability Committee. He has authored more than fifty papers and presentations on environmental subjects and has taught a number of continuing education seminars. He received his bachelors and masters degrees in environmental engineering at Vanderbilt University; and his PhD at University of California – Berkeley. John spends as much time in Black Mountain as he can (on Allen Mountain) where he enjoys the poetry of Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver.

Thursday, 3:30–4:30 p.m. (1-hour)

• TC1 – Native Plant Identification Walk, Joe Standaert, Montreat, NC. Enjoy a short and slow walk up the lower part of Lookout Trail in Montreat to discuss the native plants in the Montreat cove. Emphasis will be on identification of native wildflowers, trees, and shrubs of the Southern Appalachians and suggested wildflower field guides and techniques. Also will include discussions of the history of the wilderness and trail programs in Montreat and the 2004 Conservation Easement. Joe has a Bachelors in the Biological Sciences from Rutgers University; a Masters in ecology from the Yale School of Forestry; and is retired from a career in data processing with GTE / Verizon. He enjoys Botany, wildflower identification and photography as a hobby. Joe is a member of the following clubs and committees: Montreat Trail Club, the Town of Montreat Parks and Recreation; Open Space; and Landcare committees; a member of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy; Swannanoa Valley Museum hike committee; and the Carolina Mountain Club.

• TC2 – Glorifying and Protecting Through the Arts (Watercolor), Sara LeVan, Black Mountain, NC. In the quiet beauty of Montreat, each of us will explore the watercolor possibilities of a blank page. The instructor will start several pieces and discuss her methods. You will help her complete one. Sara’s vibrant paintings are enjoyed in numerous private and corporate collections in LA, MS, TX and NC. Her work has been included in regional juried shows and several one, two or three person exhibits. Her impressionistic painting emphasizes strong composition and careful choice of color to enhance each motif. She approaches her chosen subject with a distinguishing mark of optimism.

• TC3 – Greening Your Facility, Julie Lehman, Swannanoa, NC. “Inspired by Less” We will explore how creation care and conservation can be a spiritual discipline that leads to a more profound faith and a renewed soul. When practiced together as a church family, even more can be inspired through the public witness of unity and sacrifice by a community of faith. Julie works with the Office of Advancement to actively support the relationship between Warren Wilson College and the Presbyterian Church (USA) by engaging churches, presbyteries and friends in an ongoing partnership in the ministry of higher education. She is a graduate of Davidson College and Columbia Theological Seminary and has provided leadership, education and consulting for churches interested in incorporating ecology into their theology and practice since 1992.

• TC4 – Global Food Crisis: Solutions Bring Environmental Benefits. The Big Goal: Getting from where we are to a sustainable, just and joy-filled food system – in other words, back to the Garden. We will tell stories of where we see the seeds of this holy food vision sprouting. If you dare to join us, you will become more conscious of beliefs and fears you may harbor about self and reality that preclude doing and being the change we want to see in the world. If you survive, you may emerge with a way forward. Andrew Kang Bartlett, Louisville, KY; is the national associate for the Presbyterian Hunger Program of the PC(USA). With a graduate degree in international relations, he has worked in the U.S. and Asia addressing community development, rural poverty, environmental justice, and human rights. Kang Bartlett lives in Kentucky with his wife and two sons. He is a seeker who loves beauty, justice, fellowship and food.

• TC5 – INSULATE! Your Community, Phillip Gibson, Swannanoa, NC – CANCELLED

• TC6 – The Earth Gets Trampled. Mark Koenig, Louisville, KY. “When elephants fight, grass gets trampled,” says an African proverb. Explore how war and the preparation for war impact the environment in various ways in various places. Through case studies, participants will explore this impact and how we might respond. The Rev. W. Mark Koenig serves as the Coordinator for the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He leads workshops on various issues related to peace and justice, writes and edits print and electronic publications and resources, preaches, and provides the content for the program’s Web page. Mark has served as the Peacemaking Program’s Associate for Resources and Education. Prior to joining the Peacemaking Program staff, he served as the Associate for Antiracism Training. He remains involved with antiracism ministry on behalf of the Peacemaking Program. He has served on the staff of the Presbytery of the Western Reserve, working in the areas of hunger, peacemaking and justice and been co-pastor of churches in Iowa and Ohio.

• TC7 – The Roots of Hunger in 2050, Thomas Pakurar, Midlothian, VA. An overview of world hunger is presented as a lens to examine the elements needed to grow and harvest food: land, soil, water, and energy. The contamination of these elements, the destruction of the cycles of life, and the ballooning of the world population require us to change our living and eating habits. A practical biblical solution to hunger is presented as an alternative lifestyle and element of hope for the future. The church can provide moral and ethical leadership by serving as community examples of Creation Care. Thomas Pakurar, Midlothian, VA; chaired the PRC 2007 conference “Earth Sabbath, Earth Justice: Protecting God’s Gifts of Food and Fuel;” leads hunger discussions at local churches.

Thursday, 2:00–4:30 p.m. (2 ½ hour)

• TD1 – Wilderness Walks, Rusty Frank, Montreat, NC. Montreat Conference Center is surrounded by a 2,500-acre wilderness placed under a permanent conservation easement in 2004. Take a “walking workshop” in this wilderness and learn the historic sense of stewardship dating back to 1897 – a lasting change that took place due to the active engagement of a community of faith. Thursday afternoon, we’ll venture to Lookout Rock, considered a must for generations of Montreaters, offering a generous view of the valley, surrounding ridges and far mountains. 3 miles. The first half-mile will be a rapid ascent ending with a short, steep climb to Lookout Rock. The balance of the trail is easy to moderate difficulty. Wear appropriate hiking gear and bring water. Rusty retired to the Montreat valley eight years ago with Peggy Ann, his bride of 43 years (without whom there is no Rusty Frank). He now serves on the Wilderness Committee, Memorial Garden Committee, the Session of Montreat PCUSA, swims and hikes, plays trombone in the local Tarnished Brass, hangs out with incomparable friends, and would enjoy taking you on a “Walk in the Wilderness.”

• TD2 – Praying For and With the Creation, Sam Hamilton-Poore. Christian love-in-action on behalf of the earth is needed, and there’s no end to what needs doing—but our action needs to include the “work” of Christian prayer, for prayer is itself a way of taking action. Prayer and action are not two separate things for Christians; how we live is informed and shaped by how we pray and how we pray is informed and shaped by how we live. Through prayer we seek to align ourselves—heart, mind, soul, body, strength—with what God is doing in and through our lives, our communities, and the creation itself. This interactive workshop will offer multiple examples of ways in which to pray both for and with the creation. Sam Hamilton-Poore is Director of the Program in Christian Spirituality and Assistant Professor of Christian Spirituality at San Francisco Theological Seminary. He is a Presbyterian minister, spiritual director, and author of Earth Gospel: A Guide to Prayer for God’s Creation.

• TD3 – A Faithful Response to Global Warming, Richard Fireman, Weaverville, NC. The accelerating pace of climate change can inspire fear, despair, or hope. The magnitude of the problem stretches our moral imagination, but practical solutions abide for our personal and communal lives. The workshop will explore concepts such as “carbon offsets” and “zero carbon economy”, and programs such as Interfaith Power & Light’s Cool Congregations as real world practices for faith communities. A practical template for congregational application that is being implemented in Western NC will be described. Richard is a retired physican. He is the Western Regional Coordinator of NC Interfaith Power & Light, a program of the NC Council of Churches. He also edits www.sustainablewnc.org.

• TD4 – The Poverty of Global Climate Change: Impacts on the Church Ministries – CANCELLED

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