Stories and News from Congregations
Challenges in Congregations

We hope that this sharing will inspire you as you envision and carry out creation-honoring efforts in your own congregation.  If you have questions and/or comments for these Colleagues, please contact Tanya at Earth Ministry (tmbarnett@earthministry.org or [206] 632-2426) for their contact information.
Note: an * indicates Greening Congregation Partners.

Stories and News from Congregations
Colleagues went around the room and shared stories, resources, and news that was helpful to other Colleagues.

*St. Andrews Episcopal Church (Seattle)/ Diocesan Committee on the Environment, Sharon Wilson
For several years, Colleagues at St. Andrews tried to get a group going and now they have done so (they’ve built a “critical mass”).  This group went before their church vestry (governing board) in October 2002 to approve of the church becoming a Greening Congregation; the vestry approved.  At the same meeting, they asked the vestry to start underwriting the cost of fair-trade/organic/shade-grown coffee for coffee hour starting in 2003.  The vestry liked the idea so much that they decided to start providing this financial support immediately, and not just for coffee at coffee hour, but at all church functions.  Sharon commented that this was very much an affirmation of the work their group is trying to do.  Last week, they had a tree walk around Greenlake – exploring “God’s creation in their own backyard.
Sharon also mentioned “Ministry Resource Day” coming on April 5^th that will feature five workshops (e.g., greening liturgy, Celtic Christian look at environmental issues, “green housekeeping,” the Earth Charter, and a review of the state’s environmental, legislative activity this year) sponsored by the Diocesan Committee on the Environment.

Christ Episcopal Church (Tacoma), Bill Giddings
A few months back, the Episcopal Voice (the Diocesan newsletter) had a piece on green power possibilities available through various utilities – including Tacoma Power, which serves their church.  Bill brought it to the vestry and they asked him to explore the idea for the church.  He discovered that for a few dollars a month (in addition to their regular power bill charges), the church will be able to make a “positive statement toward purchasing energy from less environmentally destructive sources.”  For example, Tacoma Power invests in wind power generated on the east side of the state.  Shortly after the Colleague Consultation, the vestry voted to approve the extra spending for green energy.  (For more information on purchasing green power, inquire with your local energy utility or go to Bonneville Environmental Foundation’s “Green Tags” web site at www.greentagsusa.org/GreenTags/index.cfm.)

*Georgetown Gospel Chapel (Seattle), Rev. Leroy Hedman
Currently the Chapel is reaching out to the neighborhood children (over fifty), and each Thursday they welcome over twenty-five of them to an after-school program.  Recently, a representative from the Department of Ecology (Shelia Hossner) came to visit with the children and provided them with colorful “soil safety” handouts, which contained information particularly important in this area that sees much toxic soil contamination (arsenic and lead).  The handouts teach children about properly washing their hands, removing their shoes as a way to prevent bringing additional toxins into the house, etc.  (For information on soil safety, go to www.metrokc.gov/health/childcare/soilsafety.htm.)  The children give these sheets to their parents – and thus the they help to educate their entire households. 
In addition to reaching out to their neighborhood through the children, the Chapel now hosts an Hispanic congregation, and continues (each Sunday) to distribute compact florescent lightbulbs to neighbors/members who need them.  As a result of the latter, some homes that are in need have been able to trim their energy usage and costs.  They also started a green garden program (on the church grounds) for the children, and are germinating vegetable seeds right now.

*St. Pauls Episcopal Church (Seattle), Frank and Christie Hammond
Last fall, the vestry approved of congregation as a Greening Congregation.  The church decided to purchase fair-trade/organic/shade-grown coffee, but they decided that they needed to do more: get rid of the disposable cups, plates, and cutlery.  They got the dishwasher in their kitchen up and running and they now do all the washing (coffee hour volunteers take turns washing each week).  At their coffee hour, they only use cloth napkins (no paper!).  Christie said that two parishioners made the napkins and another one volunteers to take them home and wash them every week.
Now they’re currently working with Seattle City Light (SCL) on their energy audit (performed for free by SCL) and they’re waiting on contractor bids for doing the suggested energy-efficient retrofits.  They expect about a four-year payback time for funding these one-time retrofits.  They will probably borrow these funds from the endowment and pay it back monthly with the funds that they’ll save on their electricity bills.  SCL also offered $3,100 in rebates on energy-efficient products/installation.  (To learn more about getting an audit from SCL, go to www.ci.seattle.wa.us/light/conserve/business/cv5_ora.htm. Outside of Seattle, please check with your local utility.) 
They’ve done quite a bit of work in their gardens and they are currently considering the removal of a building on the site (the old Episcopal Bookstore) and replacing it with more gardens, and a community park/green space – and possibly a labyrinth.  They may go to the Seattle Parks Department to seek funding, and certain people in the congregation have also expressed a desire to make a special donation to this effort.  They are hoping that this can happen within the calendar year.

United Churches of Olympia, Yvonne Wilhelmsen
On the subject of cloth napkins (which her church also plans on using), Yvonne mentioned that thrift stores and garage sales are great sources for nice, inexpensive napkins.
The church also plans to purchase fifty-gallon rain barrels to help with summer irrigation.  (The City of Seattle will be selling rain barrels on Saturday, April 12 for $32 each – they regularly sell for $70.  To learn more, go to www.seattle.gov/util/rainbarrel/ or call (206) 633-0224.)

Presbytery of Seattle, Rev. Mark Duntley
Mark mentioned that their Social Justice and Peacemaking Committee is hosting a workshop on March 29 with Rev. Rodney Romeny speaking on “Making Peace with the Earth” at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church.

*Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ (Seattle), Judy Raymer and Bruce Shilling
Judy and Bruce started a monthly column (entitled “Crocuses in the Snow”) in their church’s newsletter.  It serves as a reminder for people to think about creation awareness and care.  In it they celebrate Plymouth’s accomplishments (e.g., replacing all of the church’s toilets from the 6 gallon to the 1.3 gallon models – saving more than 96,706 gallons of water each year) and making simple household suggestions (e.g., “remember clothespins”).  A group comes together every month to brainstorm these suggestions – this is a “bonding moment” for their group.

University Temple United Methodist Church (Seattle), Al Ferkovich, Tom Yelin, and Rev. Sharon Moe
Tom recommended the Consumers Guide to Effective Environmental Choices (by Michael Brower and Warren Leon) put out by the Union of Concerned Scientists (1999).  It explores the question “what are the most effective things that humans can do to tread lightly on the earth?” and arrives at clear priorities for personal action (transportation choices, food choices, and household operations).  (To learn more about this book, go to www.ucsusa.org/publication.cfm?publicationID=308#general.)
Sharon mentioned the congregation’s support of the Maasai Environmental Resources Coalition (MERC) in Kenya, and a feeling that this is very much a part of the congregation’s ministry (MERC’s founder is a political refugee from Kenya and is a member of the church).  This work in Kenya is helping to promote legislation for protecting elephants (e.g., keeping ivory from being a market commodity) and precious forest habitat.  Eighteen people from the congregation will go to Kenya to work with MERC on environmental concerns.
The United Methodist Women’s group in the church also sell fair-trade coffee.

*Fairwood Community United Methodist Church, Renton Sharon Kenyon
Their committee recently hosted a green cleaning products display after church.  Committee members brought in their favorite greening cleaning products and placed particular emphasis on products and devices (e.g., air filters) that help people who struggle with allergies and chemical sensitivities.  (Sharon mentioned that her allergy office told her that the frequency of asthma in school-aged children has increased by 80% in the last ten years.)
Their committee also does tree planting – almost every month – in an old gravel pit that’s down by the Cedar River (which is close to the church).  This area is especially important to salmon that spawn in the area.
Sharon also encouraged Puget Sound Energy (utility company) to start a “give green at Christmas Time” gift certificate program (i.e., gifting people with green energy).  Customers can now purchase gift certificates with different kilowatt denominations for any occasion (go to www.pse.com/yourhome/greenpower/give.html to learn more). 
The church serves and sells Equal Exchange coffee (www.equalexchange.org) and has purchased their inexpensive, cardboard cupboard to help effectively display the coffees. 
Every year the Renton area participates in Church World Service’s Crop Walk.  This year, the Walk will help to support sustainable development in Africa, hunger and AIDS relief.
For Lent the church will be studying Earth Ministry’s Simpler Living, Compassionate Life. 

Bothell United Methodist Church, Joe Arnett
The church has a garden, which was described in Earth Ministry’s Food, Faith, and Sustainability.  The garden produces more than 900 pounds of produce a year, and the church donates the produce to a local foodbank.  Many people participate in the garden, but it is largely supported through the efforts of one person (“Farmer Brown”), who is there almost every day.  The church has a huge piece of land, and Joe envisions having a wildlife sanctuary and/or community garden in which people could grow food both for themselves and for the foodbank.  Joe envisions this as a community-building experience.
At the end of April, the church will have a gathering around food production and choices, and they’ll explore the use of the land. 

*St. Marks Episcopal Cathedral (Seattle)/Diocesan Committee on the Environment, Ruth Mulligan
Ruth made a special announcement about the upcoming National Council of Churches Environmental Justice Conference, entitled “Enough for All: Sustainable Living in a Global World.”  It will take place June 20-23 at Seattle University, and is perhaps the most important nation-wide gathering for creation-care, congregational organizers and activists.  Ruth mentioned that Diocesan Committee members are volunteering to provide home-stays for out-of-town conference participants who may need a bit of financial support.  (If you would like to host an out-of-town participant, please contact Ruth.)  All are welcome and encouraged to attend this event – visit www.webofcreation.org/ncc for more information and to register.

St. Barnabas Episcopal (Bainbridge), Jere Sheldon
Jere talked about feeling inspired as she came away from the Colleague Consultation in October 2002 to approach her church’s Outreach Commission to begin working towards being a Greening Congregation.  They endorsed and supported this idea, and Jere is trying to find ways to make this idea “catch” in the parish.  One thing that she’s doing is writing up stories, from various people, on their own environmental accomplishments.  The then puts the stories in the church’s newsletter.  This serves to celebrate their efforts, and raise their awareness as well as that of other members.

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Challenges in Congregations

Some Colleagues took time to talk about the challenges that they’re currently facing, and then other brainstormed possible responses.  The challenges are summarized and listed below, as well as several responses.

1)      How can we effectively engage others in our congregation … especially when so many of the active people are already engaged in other important efforts?

·        Need to have as much “face-to-face” time as possible with others in the congregation – coffee hour is a perfect time for sharing your environmental concerns and opportunities (e.g., writing to legislators) with others.

·        Consider having a small gathering with others in the church, and perhaps show a practical/inspiring video like “More Fun, Less Stuff” (www.newdream.org/publications/video.html).

·        Be sure to engage youth groups.

·        Getting clergy “on board” can help creation awareness/care to gain visibility and broader congregational support.

·        Look for members’ special interests (e.g., hiking, gardening) and build on them so that individuals feel nourished and the work of creation care is getting done.

·        Host “small, baby-step projects.”

·        For elderly congregation members, consider outings that would accommodate older people (e.g., the salmon hatchery in Issaquah, the arboretum in Seattle).

2)      How do we get inspiring speakers at our church who can address very practical issues (e.g., gardening with native plants)?

·        Earth Ministry has a speakers network with people who can speak broadly on creation awareness/care and others who can speak on very specific topics (e.g., gardening, global warming, etc.). 

·        For gardening, consider Master Gardeners/Master Composters (who are required to volunteer their time) as speakers (http://mastergardener.wsu.edu/).

3)      What resources are available for green building/remodeling and how to get “the powers that be” within the church to even consider green building?

·        Northwest EcoBuilding Guild is an association of builders, designers, homeowners, tradespeople, manufacturers, etc: www.ecobuilding.org or (206) 575-2222.

·        Seattle University’s green building efforts: www.seattleu.edu.

·        Also go to www.earthministry.org/Congregations/green_building.htm.

4)      In a congregation overwhelmed by peace activism, how do we still continue to engage in creation awareness/care?

·        Help the congregation to realize the inextricable links between peace humankind and all of creation – make this link part of the language of the church and part of the larger “justice issues” about which we’re concerned.

·        Point out ecological issues of war (e.g., depleted uranium).  For helpful websites that make this link, go to www.ucsusa.org/news.cfm?newsID=333 (Union of Concerned Scientists) and www.oriononline.org/pages/os/media/ThoughtsInitiative.html (Orion Society).