Dennis Testerman, Stewardship of Creation Enabler
Email: dtesterm@vt.edu or 980-521-4871
Dennis Testerman, comes to us well-qualified. Dennis’ ministry of environmental stewardship has spanned three decades of chaplaincy, global and student missions and public service. He was a consultant to the PCUSA Eco-justice Task Force that produced the report, “Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice,” adopted by General Assembly in 1990 that gave rise to the group that started PEC. Currently, Dennis serves as the Stewardship of Creation Enabler with the Presbytery of Charlotte, is a novice with the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans, a fellow with both GreenFaith and the Natural Resources Leadership Institute at North Carolina State University, and is certified as an environmental educator by the State of North Carolina.
PRESBYTERY OF CHARLOTTE “EARTH CARE CONGREGATIONS”
The following churches have been certified as Earth Care Congregations by the PCUSA Environmental Ministries:
Davidson College Presbyterian Church, Davidson, NC (September 1, 2010)
Providence Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC (February 1, 2012)
First Presbyterian Church of Concord, NC (February 15, 2017)
Caldwell Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC (February 2021)
Sardis Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC (April 2023)
This honor speaks to the great commitment that these congregations have to caring for God’s earth.
To become an Earth Care Congregation, these churches affirmed the Earth Care Pledge to integrate environmental practices and thinking into all facets of their church life. They also completed projects and activities in the fields of worship, education, facilities, and outreach.
The Earth Care Congregation certification is designed to recognize churches that have made the commitment to take seriously God’s charge to “till and keep” the garden.
The Earth Care Congregations program was started in 2010 by PC(USA) Environmental Ministries. The goal of the program is to inspire churches to care for God’s earth in a holistic way, through integrating earth care into all of church life. The Earth Care Congregation certification honors churches that made that commitment, and encourages others to follow their lead.
For more information on the Earth Care Congregations program go to www.pcusa.org/earth-care-congregations.