Cultivating an Environmental Cultivating an Environmental Ethic Within the United Ethic Within the United Methodist ChurchMethodist Church

Team Members:Team Members:Hal Gunder, Justin Schott, Jesse TurnerHal Gunder, Justin Schott, Jesse Turner

Advisor: Mike WileyAdvisor: Mike Wiley

Client Contact: John Hill, Program Director Client Contact: John Hill, Program Director of Environmental Concerns of Environmental Concerns

Outline:Outline:

Research questions & project goalsResearch questions & project goals Structure of The United Methodist Structure of The United Methodist

Church (UMC)Church (UMC) Study site: Holston ConferenceStudy site: Holston Conference MethodologyMethodology DeliverablesDeliverables Timeline & BudgetTimeline & Budget

Research Questions:Research Questions:

What role can Christianity play in resolving What role can Christianity play in resolving the environmental crisis?the environmental crisis?

How does UMC address environmental issues How does UMC address environmental issues throughout different levels of the throughout different levels of the organization?organization?

How do religious beliefs of UMC members How do religious beliefs of UMC members affect their environmental attitudes and affect their environmental attitudes and behaviors?behaviors?

Project Goals:Project Goals:

Analyze the status of Christian-Analyze the status of Christian-environmental research and activismenvironmental research and activism

Build the capacity of the Church to deal Build the capacity of the Church to deal with environmental issues with environmental issues

Assess the attitudes and behaviors in Assess the attitudes and behaviors in Holston Conference congregations and Holston Conference congregations and clergyclergy

Clarify and promote relationship between Clarify and promote relationship between Christians and environmental groupsChristians and environmental groups

Contribute some type of resource to both Contribute some type of resource to both individual churches and UMC as a wholeindividual churches and UMC as a whole

Structure of UMC:Structure of UMC: 8.5 million members (1997)8.5 million members (1997)

- 2- 2ndnd largest Protestant church in the U.S. largest Protestant church in the U.S. 5 jurisdictions; 14 conferences in SE Jurisdiction5 jurisdictions; 14 conferences in SE Jurisdiction Research conducted in Holston ConferenceResearch conducted in Holston Conference

General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) addresses six areas of social concern, including the addresses six areas of social concern, including the

“Natural World”“Natural World”

Site Selection: Site Selection:

Input from John Hill Input from John Hill Existing connections Existing connections Bishop’s supportBishop’s support Characteristics:Characteristics:

- rural and urban diversity- rural and urban diversity

- working with potentially - working with potentially

resistant populationresistant population

Methodology:Methodology:

Preface:Preface: Action Research Action Research

““aims to contribute both to the practical concerns of people in anaims to contribute both to the practical concerns of people in an immediate problematic situation and to the goals of socialimmediate problematic situation and to the goals of socialscience by joint collaboration within a mutually acceptable ethicalscience by joint collaboration within a mutually acceptable ethical

framework.” (Rapoport, 1985)framework.” (Rapoport, 1985)

I) I) Recruitment:Recruitment: - local contacts and recommendations- local contacts and recommendations- letters from the Bishop- letters from the Bishop

- attend Holston Annual Conference in June- attend Holston Annual Conference in June- church attendance- church attendance

Methodology Cont’d:Methodology Cont’d:

II) II) AssessmentAssessment of attitudes and behaviors: of attitudes and behaviors:

- develop theological and env. measures - develop theological and env. measures

- congregational survey- congregational survey

- sub-sample interviews- sub-sample interviews

- focus groups- focus groups

III) III) Analysis:Analysis:

- stats, comparison to other studies - stats, comparison to other studies

- interviews as qualitative support- interviews as qualitative support

- focus groups as brainstorms for deliverables- focus groups as brainstorms for deliverables

Deliverables:Deliverables:

Potential Church Resources:Potential Church Resources:

EducationalEducational: website, educational needs : website, educational needs

assessment, Sunday school lessons, sermons, assessment, Sunday school lessons, sermons,

worksheetsworksheets

StewardshipStewardship: individual commitments, church : individual commitments, church

greening, retreats, local volunteer projectsgreening, retreats, local volunteer projects

Report and presentation to GBCSReport and presentation to GBCS Conference presentationConference presentation

Budget:Budget:

Timeline:

MarchMarch AprilApril MayMay JuneJune JulyJuly Aug.Aug. Sept.Sept. Oct.Oct. Nov.Nov. Dec.Dec. Jan.Jan. Feb.Feb. MarchMarch AprilApril

IRBIRB                                          

FundingFunding                                          

Literature Literature ReviewReview                                          

Focus Groups Focus Groups (Thesis)(Thesis)                                          

Focus Group Focus Group (Product)(Product)

Survey and Survey and InterviewInterview                                          

Thesis Thesis WritingWriting                                          

Product Product DevelopmentDevelopment                                          

Edit Thesis Edit Thesis and Productand Product

Present Present Thesis and Thesis and ProductProduct

Maggie Schneider reacts to being named this year's National Cherry Queen: