Green events incorporate environmental considerations to minimize negative impacts on the environment. When Disciples talk about the "environment," the conversation covers more than practices that protect the environment "out there" (such as creating a nature preserve). The conversation is fundamental to our personal commitment to be good stewards of the Earth with which God entrusts us. As stewards of the environment where we live, work, play and worship, we want to develop an event that not only models healthy practices, but helps us learn how we can make our impact on this planet and its diverse inhabitants a positive one.
The General Assembly
The General Assembly offers a model and tools for greening our congregations, events, even our lives. We envision the greening happening in three parts:
- Greening the General Assembly itself;
- Greening the participant’s "journey" to the General Assembly; and
- Providing tools for all participants (organizers, attendees, vendors and venue managers) to take to their homes and congregations when the journey from Assembly is complete.
These steps offer Disciples an opportunity to "close the loop" and model a movement toward wholeness.
The responsibility to act lies in the hands of every event and meeting participant, including organizers, attendees, vendors and venue managers. The following information is designed to help green our gatherings by minimizing the negative impacts on the environment. Simple actions and thoughtful planning can make all Disciples events and meetings the greenest possible.
Green Theology Guide
Two study guides have been published to compliment this year’s Green Assembly: a travel guide and an offset guide. To complete our green resource offerings, a Bible study is now available, thus completing the Green Trifecta.
This Bible study is based on the Assembly’s daily Bible verses. It offers a brief overview/hermeneutic of the day’s passage as well as questions for those engaging the study to consider and discuss. Each writer contemplates the daily themes and humanity’s relationship with the Earth and with each other and our actions to undo the sins of the past. Once you’ve completed this study, you should be able to answer this question, “Are we an eschatological people with an ecological mission?”
Download The Green Theology Guide
IndyGo "Green Line"
Save the hassle and expense of renting taxis, limousines or autos at General Assembly by riding the Green Line Downtown/Airport Express once you arrive in Indianapolis. The convenient bus picks up passengers outside ground transportation at the Indianapolis International Airport every 20 minutes. The bus makes stops at several downtown locations, including all downtown hotels and the Indiana Convention Center. The cost is $7, but a special coupon offered for Assembly goers reduces the cost by $2.
Download a PowerPoint Presentation on using the IndyGo Green Line from the Indianapolis Airport (8MB)
Other Downloadable Resources