Your Congregation | Colleagues | Colleague Sharing 2008

Colleague Sharing 2008: 
 Trinity United Methodist Church, Seattle
March 29, 2008
 

Jessie Dye, Earth Ministry Program and Outreach Director, began by welcoming the almost 30 colleagues who came together on this morning for congregational sharing.  She introduced the staff of Earth Ministry and thanked all for attending.

Marcy Lagerloef, Earth Ministry Board Member and Colleague at Grace Episcopal, led the group in a meditation on birds.  She played a lovely CD with songbirds while the group listened in silence.  Marcy reflected on the book, “Silence of the Songbirds” and discussed the drop in population of songbirds due to deforestation and habitat fragmentation.  Then she shared a poem by Mary Oliver.

 

Congregation Sharing

Rev. Leroy Hedman, Georgetown Gospel Chapel

  • Gave great reminder of how God’s work continues even during low spots
  • Shared the book, Ignition: What you Can Do to Fight Global Warming and Spark a Movement by Jonathan Isham, Sissel Waage, and Bill McKibben
  • Told story of starfish being thrown into the ocean.  Saving each starfish makes a difference for that one even though miles of beaches of starfish would never be reached.
  • Shared how it is important to make the difference where you are
  • Described the gardens of the Georgetown Gospel Chapel.  Leroy gives tours of these gardens and mentioned the energy star appliances that he helped to install.
     

Mary Ellen Smith, Sacred Earth Group--University Congregational UCC (www.universityucc.org)

  • Kevin Raymond came and presented the “Inconvenient Truth” slide show to 60 people from the congregation
  • Presentation served as catalyst for their Sacred Earth Group with an addition of 7-8 new members
  • Conducted congregational survey on global warming—most responses were to increase in-depth knowledge of global warming and get more energy saving tips
  • 30 people involved in the NW Earth Institute’s course, “Global Warming—Changing Course”
  • Did Lenten series on the book, Field Notes from a Catastrophe
  • Plan to tour wind farm
  • Host Superfluity Rummage Sale on April 10-12
     

Neve Norton, Lynda Wickline, and Bob Wickline, Fox Island, UCC

  • Took part in NW Earth Institute’s course, “Global Warming—Changing Course”
  • Working to develop VBS curriculum on earth care and children’s gardening
  • Involved with puppet ministry
  • This summer will host, “God’s Big Backyard,” an environmental summer camp
     

Lois Harrison, Richmond Beach UCC (www.rbccucc.org)

  • Publicized the locations of where “An Inconvenient Truth” was being shown, which inspired those who attended to raise environmental concerns with pastor
  • Serve Fair Trade coffee and have recycling program
  • Have online quarterly newsletter focusing on environmental concerns
  • Hosted gentle giving fair which also featured Fair Trade items
  • Host yearly work parties for vegetable garden
  • Became Greening Congregation in fall 2007
     

Judy Stone, Creations Stewards--Trinity Lutheran in Lynnwood (www.trinitylutheranchurch.com)

  • Put up environmental displays for Earth Sunday
  • Serve Fair Trade coffee and sell Fair Trade coffee, chocolate, and tea
  • Hosted green-belt clean-up last year
  • Will host Health and Greenliving fair in May--give out canvas bags that they are painting logos on 
  • Working to get church leadership and congregants to evaluate their decisions
     

Rev. Mary Brown, Snoqualmie United Methodist

  • Have caring for creation theme for VBS
  • Part of Faith in Action--social justice and environmental email network
  • Publish a simpler living article in church newsletter
  • Involved with Awakening the Dreamer Symposium as part of the Pachamama Alliance (http://www.awakeningthedreamer.org/)
     

Brian Maschhoff, University Lutheran

  • Serve Fair Trade coffee and recycle
  • Working with many churches in U-district on building project.  Plan to sell existing facility and build single space to be used by many denominations of churches in district
  • Weighing the benefits of investing money into old building versus building a shared space
  • Looking into growing local food in the form of a p-patch instead of having grass lawn
     

Abby Brockway, Woodland Park Presbyterian

  • Struggle with managing large facility with a small congregation
  • Working on replacing roof
  • Use reusable dishes instead of Styrofoam
     

Ann Erickson, Immanuel Lutheran and Church Council of Greater Seattle

  • Currently have no environmental group, but looking to start one
  • Church Council is starting partnership with Earth Ministry on caring for creation
     

Francie Rutherford and Lang Marsh, St. Clement’s Episcopal

  • Part of ethnically diverse church, which is most interested in the social justice aspect of environmental stewardship (used example of how Hurricane Katrina bridged the gap between social and environmental justice)
  • Just started a greening congregations committee and is searching for name and ideas
     

Barb Levy, St. Paul’s Episcopal

  • Struggled with finding leadership, but have continued many greening practices
  • Serve Fair Trade coffee with dishes, not paper
  • Have yard and food waste; use cloth napkins
  • Created garden and labyrinth on church grounds
  • Have carfree Sundays with carpooling, biking, and bussing
  • Tracy inspired by Portland friend who collects graywater
     

Marcy Lagerloef, Earth and Spirit--Grace Episcopal Church

  • Did branding of Earth and Spirit logo, which created face and name for their greening group
  • In their newsletter, included a series called “Our Energy Choices” which discussed carbon footprint and other energy topics
  • Did Earth Ministry’s “On the Road” module last April and saved 348 lbs of CO2 by congregants using alternative forms of transportation (i.e. carpools, walking, biking, etc.)
  • Inviting all churches on Bainbridge Island to plan one Carless Sunday a month from April-September
  • Divided island into zones for carpooling—great way to create community
     

Sharon Kenyon, Fairwood United Methodist Church

  • For Earth Day, will provide a take home list of green ideas for the yard, building, and recycling; also will have healthy foods for hospitality hour
  • Bought containers for recycling and yard waste
  • For Earth Month, plan on using corn-lined compostable cups
  • Have hiking, snowshoeing, and walking groups
  • Created a 100 year plan for wetlands on church property
  • Have program to salvage native plants
  • Use outdoor chapel for VBS and had children help create fern trail
  • Have supported environmental bills in Olympia
  • Collected recycled items that don’t normally get recycled such as shoes and computers
  • Hosted the Washington Toxics Coalition for a talk on toxic toys
     

Jennifer Cedar, Everett UCC

  • Became inspired by the book, Three Cups of Tea; got her thinking how to transform herself and her congregation
  • Kevin Raymond gave “An Inconvenient Truth” slide show
  • Has been doing a food and faith group which holds discussion and potluck
  • Wrote articles on food and faith for newsletter
  • Have gotten a group to purchase beef from a local farmer
  • Looking for ways to move from individuals to a group
     

Ruth Mulligan, St. Mark’s Episcopal

  • Have had active group for seven years
  • Serve fair trade coffee
  • Do green-belt restoration and partner with Seattle Green Partnership
  • Have garden ministry
  • 3 years ago did lighting retrofit of which their ecology/spirituality group raised almost half the funds needed for the project
  • Helped to host the Interfaith Creation Festival last Spring, uniting Jews, Christians, and Muslims
  • Helped in planning the “Healing our Planet Earth” convention which will include speakers such as Sally McFague, Bishop Schori, and Bishop Charleston.  Event will discuss the Genesis Covenant which calls churches to cut their carbon emissions by 50% in 10 years
     

Ron Snell, Bellevue First Congregational UCC

  • Have just started a stewardship ministry
  • Church doesn’t use recyclable cups, but group is bringing their own mugs to start discussion
  • Are engaging council in conversation to get dishwasher
  • “Stewardship involves 100% of what God gives to us”
     

Ruth Tiger, Trinity Presbyterian in Tacoma

  • Have Trinity Environmental Action Group
  • Working on an Earth Day kickoff
  • Talking to their board about environmental issues
  • Part of Peace of Justice Taskforce which distributes a newsletter and includes about 50 churches
  • Have recycling program, encourage biking to church, and use dishes
  • Talked of the Quakers involvement with social justice
  • Use adult education hour for discussing environmental concerns
  • Quaker Earth Care Witness (www.peacefortheearth.org) 
     

Kaitlin Torgerson spoke about the Greening Congregations process.  Beth Anderson followed and talked about Earth Ministry’s new work with toxics.  Jessie Dye gave a follow-up on the legislative season and gave a preview of our Earth Month activities.
 

Marcy Lagerloef closed with passing around a list of Washington songbirds, having each person in the room take turns reading the names.  This is a great example of how a local bird or plant list can be used as a substitute for one of the Bible readings on Earth Sunday.

 
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