The Environmental Commission of the Diocese of Louisiana is a group of lay and clergy leaders of the diocese who focus on environmental issues from the perspective of a people of faith.

Mission

• To inspire the Diocese of Louisiana to celebrate the beauty, mystery, sacredness, and generosity of God’s creation.
• To raise awareness both within and outside the Church on the urgency and importance of caring for the environment
• To educate the members of the Episcopal Church in Louisiana about current environmental issues, and how those issues affect the continued livability of our region and our world.
• To emphasize models of ministry that incorporate protection, preservation, and sustainable use of God’s creation.

As environmental stewards, we recognize:

• We are disciples of Jesus Christ, and recognize that the earth is the Lord’s (Psalm 24).
• The earth has been made in and through Christ (John 1) and we are placed in it as a garden planet (Genesis 2:7-9, 15).
• Baptized Christians in our tradition vow to respect the dignity of every human being and a key mark of mission in the Episcopal Church is safeguarding the integrity of God’s creation. That means stopping environmental racism and finding new ways to empower people to follow Jesus to participate in the difficult work of environmental justice, including protecting families, water, and air.

Molly Blackwell, Co-Chair (St. Margaret’s, Baton Rouge)

Janie Braud (St. Luke’s, Baton Rouge)

The Rev. Dr. Fred Devall (St. Martin’s Church, Metairie)

Tamika Gerhardt, Missioner

Wade Hammett (St. Martin’s Church, Metairie)

The Rev. Harry Jenkins, Co-Chair (St. Michael’s, Mandeville)

The Rev. Deacon Charmaine Kathmann (All Saints’, River Ridge)

Bart Reilly (St. George’s, New Orleans)

Meghan Weaver (St. Martin’s Church, Metairie)

Andrew Wilson (All Saints’, River Ridge)