The church likes to perceive Athe world@ as the astronauts have seen itCa dazzling, distant blue marble planet abstracted from the darkness. But Athe world@ for which Jesus died (Cf. John 3:16, best translated as AFor God so loved the cosmosY@) is all around us: the air, the land, the water, the birdsY

As the rest of the culture is fixated on the count down to AY2K,@ Drew is fixing its sights on AY2L@CYears to Life. For the church to live and move and have its being in the world that is coming, it must choose life, not death. And Alife@ encompasses all of creation.

At the heart of the 1999 Tipple-Vosburgh Lectures is one simple but profound idea: a Aright@ relationship with God means a Aright@ relationship with all of creation. AGreening the Church for the Next Millennium@ is behind Drew=s new specializations in environmental ministries and eco-theology, as well as a supporting certification program for camp/retreat directorsCthe first of its kind in theological education. In a unique partnership between the University in the Forest and the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church, we are launching an initiative to educate leaders in what it means to have a Aright@ relationship with God in every sense of that term. I invite you to join us for this historic launch of one of the most important theological initiatives of the 21st century.