One congregation’s experience …
“An Urban Refuge”

The Reverend Leroy Hedman is an Earth Ministry Colleague at Georgetown Gospel Chapel – a small congregation that sits in the heart of Seattle’s most industrial area.  Though financially strapped, the Chapel offers many gifts to its neighbors – human and non-human.  For example, the Chapel has done away with most of its lawn (and an accompanying $2000, non-functioning sprinkler system) and replaced it with vegetable and flower gardens.  Even the parking lot hosts containers filled to the brims with vegetables and herbs in the summertime.  Pastor Hedman has taken extensive composting and gardening training and helps others to learn about sustainable gardening right in the church’s own gardens.  Neighborhood children have a place to experience the wonders of a garden in this urban setting, and Chapel members and neighbors frequently come together to care for the gardens.  Pastor Hedman says that this work has fostered cohesion during times of difficulty and change in the community.  The garden is open to all who need the physical and spiritual nourishment.  Its free produce helps people who often must decide between paying rent, paying for utilities, and buying food.  Even birds, rarely seen in this industrial core, find refuge and nourishment here.

One congregation’s experience …
“Nature Lane”

Alice McGregor, an Earth Ministry Colleague from Normandy Park United Church of Christ, recently told other Colleagues about the church’s backyard “Nature Lane.”  The church owns the equivalent of three city lots, and in the mid-1990’s tried to sell this wooded area for home construction.  At that time, Alice said, “One lone voice in the church, an Elder, said ‘we should hold onto it for its natural beauty’.”  After considerable time, the church was unable to sell the lots, and this lone voice began to take on greater volume and support.  After receiving a memorial gift from Mrs. Gay Lane, and hearing the desire of two Eagle Scout candidates to help conserve these lots, the congregation decided to hold onto the beautiful natural area and make it part of the church.  (In doing so, they were able to take the land off of the “tax rolls” – this was financially beneficial for them.)

One Eagle Scout candidate cleared a meandering path through the lush, native vegetation and a place for outdoor worship.  The other Scout created interpretive signs describing the habitat and its creatures, and signs with scripture verses for meditative walks.  Now, Nature Lane (named after Mrs. Lane) continues to be home to several large, old trees and numerous birds and other small creatures (including children on many Sundays).  It’s a pocket of intact habitat in a growing suburban area.  For church members, it’s a place for individual meditation as well as outdoor worship services.  Alice herself takes the Sunday school children into this area, where she leads activities that help them to pay closer attention to God’s creation.