Washington, March 23, 2009 -- The National Council of Churches' Eco-Justice Programs have released the Mindful Living Gathering Guide, a step-by-step process for facilitating adult Christian education on the issues of health, pollution and toxic substances.

The guide has been paired with the programs' flagship environmental resource, Mindful Living: Human Health, Pollution, and Toxics.

"Recent studies have found over 200 industrial chemicals in umbilical cord blood in U.S. fetuses, and nearly 300 chemicals in most adults," said Carl Magruder of the NCC Eco-Justice Office.

"Cancer rates have increased 48 percent in the last 50 years, excluding cancers of the lung and stomach and adjusted for an aging population, according to the National Cancer Institute," according to Magruder.

"Governmental environmental health policy is anemic, and the agencies that enforce it dysfunctional, albeit improving recently. Genetic distortion, birth defects, diabetes, early onset of puberty, ADHD, cancer, asthma, obesity, and myriad other health problems are associated with toxic industrial chemicals in everyday products.  Women, children, people of color, industrial workers, and the poor are most vulnerable to these conditions.  God’s Creation has no voice to protest its contamination except ours."

Magruder said the guide raises and discusses such questions as, How can we protect ourselves? What is our witness as people of faith who believe in God’s care for all Creation? How can we express our witness to the broader society, including government and industry? What changes can we make in our homes, schools, and churches to protect the most vulnerable among us? These, and perhaps Creation itself, are those Jesus referred to when he said, 'Just as you did it to one of the least of these ... you did it unto me.' (Mt 25:40)."          

Magruder said, "I hope that churches and individuals will add the Mindful Living resources to their libraries and discover how people of faith are helping to lead the way towards a healthier future. Download these resources, or request a hard copy to learn about living abundantly, chemicals of concern, current legislative initiatives, Bible studies, sermon starters, and personal actions you can integrate into your home and house of worship.  Offer a Mindful Living Gathering to your community.  Then get in touch with us and tell us what you learned, changes that you made, and how your faith sustains you as you act in the world." 

For more information, please contact:
Carl Magruder, 110 Maryland Avenue, NE Suite 108, Washington, D.C. 20002, 202-481-6683, www.nccecojustice.org

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office), 646-853-4212 (cell) , pjenks@ncccusa.org