"It is an ambitious effort, but if you truly believe in something, you have to give it a shot."

The ambitious effort Renee Gopal is talking about is the "Prairie Climate Stewardship Network," which aims at nothing less than connecting North Dakota's churches and people together to become good stewards of the Earth.

"Stewardship" is a word one hears a lot in churches, usually around fall fundraising time, but what it means in the larger sense is the wise and responsible caretaking of what one has been given.

Gopal, of rural Ashley, a former staff member at the North Dakota Conference of Churches, has been working on the launch of the Prairie Stewardship Network (www.prairiestewardship.org) for the past several months. Its aim is to raise awareness of what individuals, households, churches and communities can do to practice care for the Earth and its climate.

The network will reach out ecumenically to all churches, she said. Regardless of denomination, "practicing good stewardship (of the Earth) is a natural expression of our faith," Gopal said.

North Dakota is a highly churched state, and Gopal said that churches are the doorway into communities.

People looking at the PSN Web site can find out detailed information on how to conserve energy and use renewable energy:"It's about learning about concrete things that can make a church or a home more energy-efficient," she said.

The site also invites concerned individuals and groups to sign a stewardship "covenant"or pledge. The site also tells people how they can take part in aggregate purchases of renewable energy certificates - "green tags" supporting the production of renewable energy.

Working on a huge issue like climate might seem overwhelming, but, Gopal said, "We can identify simple things that we can do that are at our fingertips. We as households contribute to greenhouse emissions. Individuals can make a difference. I can make a difference, starting at home.

"The first step is to build a network to people that are interested, to begin to form a body of people and strengthen our commitment," she said.

As a state, North Dakota has so many things to offer, she said. "We can do wind energy, focus on using perennial biomass, coal gasification with carbon capture."

A survey discovered that nearly 69 percent of North Dakotas are very or somewhat concerned about global warming, she said.

"If we could just bring them together - we all carry that seed, to open ourselves to experiencing the sacredness of creation," she said.

Living near Ashley in rural North Dakota for the last seven years has been a profound experience in discovering that sacredness, Gopal said. She and her husband, Brad Crabtree, and their young daughter have built a home and a life to be as energy-efficient as possible.

"Re-establishing that connection with the natural world has been … mind-blowing," she said.

Seeing one of the family's Great Pyrenees' dogs curl itself around a newborn lamb all night to keep it warm and alive, "This is what God does for us, shelters us in the storm with even thinking,"she said.

Despite the daunting size of this effort, in the end it comes down to this for her: "Seeking not the easy life, but the good life.

"I can be accountable for my actions, accountable to my creator."

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The Prairie Stewardship Network's guiding committee include church representatives such as Bishop Deborah Kiesey, of the United Methodist Church, Catholic priest, the Rev. Paul Schuster, of Bottineau, Episcopal priest, the Rev. Bruce MacDuffie, the Rev. Chuck Traylor, of the Presbyterian Church USA, along with Joe Satrom, of Bismarck, and Rep. Jon Nelson, of Wolford.

Creating awareness is the first task of the network, Nelson said.

"Whether or not one is convinced of global warming, the (national and international) concern is an opportunity for North Dakota's agriculture and energy sectors," he said.

Our appetite for energy is not decreasing, he said. With oil, clean coal technology, wind, biomass and ethanol, "North Dakota is perfectly placed in the nation to provide clean, renewable forms of (energy) generation," he said.

"We're in an advantageous position in every part of energy development. We can be a contributor if we grasp the opportunity," Nelson said.

As an agricultural state, we know "our lives depend on nature," he said. "If we can create a cleaner world, it's the best thing to do.

"And if man's contribution to climate change is proven, isn't it our responsibility to do something about it?"

Satrom said he likes the idea of having a series of statewide conferences that lead to local discussions. Engaging people from all backgrounds to talk about responses to climate change is the grassroots element of the international and national focus on the issue right now, he said.

"In North Dakota, because we are a place where weather plays a tremendously important role, we take weather in stride, but take abundance of natural resources for granted," Satrom said.

People here are innovative and adaptive - "we should be optimistic," he said. "I have a great deal of faith in human nature to make the right decisions when they are informed."