Earth Day is April 22, but Pastor Gordon Stewart isn’t waiting until then to start talking about the perils planet Earth faces. His latest dialogue series, The Good Green Earth: Sustainability” will tackle just that. It kicks off on Tuesday, April 1 at Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church.

Stewart said he chose this theme because it “trumps every other concern.”

“No issue is of greater importance,” he said. “All the things we care about mean nothing if the planet itself is scorched.

“Discussions about how to better love our neighbors, discussions about terrorism, about race, gender, religion, politics, economics, world hunger, war and peace – all these other ‘critical public issues,’ as important as they all are, don’t hold a candle to the need for planetary stewardship,” he continued. “If we don’t care for the earth, God’s good gift,” all these other candles go out.”

The series will consist of four dialogues, each featuring a different speaker with varying approaches to planetary responsibility.

The first dialogue will begin on Tuesday, April 1 with former National Weather Service meteorologist Craig Edwards. Edwards will give a PowerPoint presentation reviewing the scientific evidence and arguments concerning global warming.

The series continues on April 15 with Jennifer Alexander, Ph.D. The U of M associate professor of science and technology will discuss the role religion has and should play in sustaining a healthy planet. On April 29, writer, activist and poet Richard LaForune will look at creation stories of America’s earliest people as well as biblical creation stories.

The series wraps up on May 13 with speaker Terry Gips, who among his many accomplishments once served as a presidential advisor on environmental concerns. Gips will discuss global environmental leadership, followed by a roundtable discussion with local corporate, religious and government leaders.

-Mollee Francisco, staff writer

The Good Green Earth: Sustainability

What: Dialogue series

When: 7 p.m., April 1, 15, 29 and May 13

Where:  Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church, 145 Engler Blvd., Chaska

Cost: Free and open to the public

More info: www.shepherdofthehillchurch.com 

Tuesday, April 1

Topic: “Climate Change: Nature’s Message”

Speaker: Craig Edwards, Chief meteorologist for the National Weather Service

Tuesday, April 15

Topic: “Is Environmental Exploitation Uniquely Christian?”

Speaker: Jennifer Alexander, Ph.D., science and technology associate professor at the U of M

Tuesday, April 29

Topic: “Mother Earth: Creation Stories for the Third Millennium”

Speaker: Richard LaForune, writer, activist and artist

Tuesday, May 13

Topic: “Going Green: Moving from Talk to Action”

Speaker: Terry Gips, president of Sustainability Associates, vice president of Congregations Caring for Creation