institutional life

As people of faith grow in their appreciation of the sacredness of God’s creation, they often feel led to carefully steward their own sacred spaces – including their congregation’s buildings and grounds – in ways that reduce negative impacts. The following is a series of eight dimensions of institutional life in which congregations can reduce their ecological footprint. We begin this “Institutional Life” portion with getting started ideas that may apply to any of the eight dimensions. Under each dimension, you’ll first find resources for learning more about related ecological issues. Then you’ll find examples of resources for assessing ecological impacts and taking steps toward greater ecological well-being.

One congregation’s experience …
“Caring for Creation Through a Stewardship Committee”

Julia Lakey is an Earth Ministry Colleague from Church of the Holy Spirit Episcopal, on Vashon Island (WA). Once, at a gathering with other Colleagues, she offered a very helpful piece of advice: “For those people who feel alone in their environmental concerns, in their congregations, look at how congregational decisions are made and then consider joining a church committee that may have the authority to help promote an environmental focus. For example, I joined the Stewardship Committee in my church in order to expand its notion of stewardship to the rest of creation – not just financial concerns.” With Julia’s input this Stewardship Committee has consulted with a landscape designer who is helping the church to develop a more sustainable grounds plan that will “unite and enhance [their] outdoor space more effectively with the sanctuary.” To help pay for this project, Julia is encouraging the Committee to consider different creation-friendly fundraisers: for example, hosting a plant sale from the excess in members’ gardens. With Julia’s help, the Committee now also makes recommendations to the Education Committee on curricula that help others to consider ecological stewardship.

Getting Started

· Assess what aspects of the congregation’s physical plant, grounds, and financial life may require the most immediate attention. For example, perhaps your congregation is about to undertake a major remodel or construction project. If this is the case, you may want to go directly to the Green Building dimension.

Also consider what ecological concerns might be priorities to you and/or your creation-awareness/care group. It’s important to engage in those efforts that are of immediate concern to you and others – efforts that will feel like a good use of your time and energy. For example, if you and several others in your congregation have deep concerns about global warming, you may want to focus first on the Transportation Choices and Energy Conservation dimensions.

· Explore some of the resources below to discover approaches to meeting the concerns you’ve listed as priorities. Also, the Web of Creation has an excellent introductory page on “Congregational Lifestyle." This page includes information on an overall environmental audit, “getting started” articles, and other excellent tips.

· You may then want to set up meetings with people who oversee building maintenance, development and stewardship, purchasing, etc., and present the ideas that you identified (you may already sit on one of these committees). Explore their openness to viewing typical stewardship pathways (e.g., congregational spending, maintenance of buildings) as opportunities to also care for God’s creation. If they don’t share your views, take time to explain why you value this broader view of stewardship. You can also present them with creation-care statements from your denomination or other materials that you feel voice a call to care for God’s creation. If they express openness, you can share a variety of the resources listed below.

Links to Institutional Life Dimensions

Click on any of the following to go directly to the dimension on which you’d like to focus:

Your Congregation | Greening Resources | Institutional Life

Greening Ideas

Getting Started

Links to Institutional Life Dimensions

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