How Green is Your Church? For Greening Your Corner of the CRC Ideas Projects Inspiration…

How Green is Your Church?

For Greening Your Corner of the CRC

IdeasProjects

Inspiration…

Is God green?

God is first known as creator (Gen 1) all of creation is “very good.”

“The earth is the Lord’s…” (Ps 24) God covenants with all creation (Gen 9) God intends to renew the earth – our future is

earthy (Rev 22)

YES

Should Christians be green?

Humans are made in the image of God (Gen 1:26).

We reflect that image when we are earthkeepers.

We are called to “serve” (‘abad) and “keep” (shamar [care for, guard; same root for keep commandments]) (Gen. 2:15).

But what about that dominion? (Gen 1:28)

YES

Does the CRC want to be green?

“By sovereign appointment we are earthkeepers and caretakers: loving our neighbor, tending the creation, and meeting our needs. God uses our skills in the unfolding and well-being of his world.” (Contemporary Testimony, par. 10).

YES

Does the CRC want to be green?

Article 38, Synod 2008. “[No need for] further analysis regarding the

extent and often uncritical use of the finite resources provided by God through the earth.

“…it is clear that we are only beginning to understand the consequences of maintaining the increasing consumption of finite resources and our waste disposal.”

“Through Jesus Christ, we are reconciled not only to the Father, but to our neighbor and to creation.”

Why go green?It can save

moneyIt is a good

witnessIt helps the

poor

Why go green?Your kids won’t hate

you

You’ll protect your health

You’ll draw nearer to God

http://api.ning.com/files/dZdj8ymX1YpA4Eo8RVnkGNPGefAk8Ed7lsmO7kEw5oUpZQJgOlEww07w*BH0vs97M47awJHpRQCpavLCTQo9AZy6yaz6OCLE/81405981.jpeg

Where do we begin?

Green Grant 2008 ideas…Green Grant 2008 ideas…WORSHIP

FELLOWSHIP

BUILDING and GROUNDS

OUTREACH

HABITS

EDUCATION

ADVOCACY

Worship Fellowship Buildings and Grounds Outreach Habits Education Advocacy

WORSHIP

Sermon series, liturgy, music (Campus Chapel, Ann Arbor)

Meeting outdoors, unplugged(Watershed, Traverse City)

“Green Sunday” (Monroe Community, Grand Rapids)

Worship


FELLOWSHIP

Canning (Trinity, Grandville)

EcoTeam (Friendship, Byron Center MI)

Group Posters(Watershed, Traverse City MI)

Sewing bee for cloth grocery bags (Covenant, Sioux Center IA)

Fellowship


BUILDING and GROUNDSBuildings and Grounds



• Energy audit (Eastern Ave, Grand Rapids)

Buildings and Grounds



• Energy audit • Native plants, efficient irrigation (Palm Lane,

Arizona)




• Energy audit

• Native plants, efficient irrigation • Meeting in public places (Crosswinds Community

Church)




• Energy audit

• Native plants, efficient irrigation

• Meeting in public places • Programmable thermostats (Calvary, Wyoming MI)




• Energy audit


• Meeting in public places

• Programmable thermostats • Rain garden

(Silver Spring, MD)




• Energy audit


• Meeting in public places

• Programmable thermostats

• Rain garden• Dual-flush toilets,

natural ventilation (Bellevue, Lynden)



OUTREACHOutreach


OUTREACH

• Community garden (Third CRC, Lynden WA)

Outreach


OUTREACH

• Community garden• Providing recycling service for worshippers

who can’t recycle at home (Monroe Community, Grand Rapids)

Outreach


OUTREACH

• Community garden

• Providing recycling• Lightbulbs for Epiphany (Eastern Ave, Grand Rapids)

Outreach


OUTREACH


• Providing recycling

• Lightbulbs for Epiphany • SERVE project (Friendship,

Byron Center MI)

Outreach


OUTREACH



• Lightbulbs for Epiphany

• SERVE project• VBS kids decorated coffee

mugs (Boston Square,Grand Rapids)

Outreach


OUTREACH



• Lightbulbs for Epiphany

• SERVE project

• VBS mugs • Electronics recycling

drive (Covenant, Sioux Center IA)

Outreach


HABITSHabits


HABITS

• Composting (Third, Lynden WA)

Habits


HABITS

• Composting • No more styrofoam (New Community Newaygo)



HABITS

• Composting

• No more styrofoam• Newsletters on email / facebook (Monroe

Community, Grand Rapids)

Habits


HABITS

• Composting

• No more styrofoam

• Newsletters on email / Facebook• People bring mugs, drink

fair trade coffee (Crossroads, CA)

Habits


HABITS

• Composting


• Newsletters on email / Facebook

• Mugs, fair trade • Green cleaning

products (Bellevue, WA)

Habits


HABITS

• Composting



• mugs, fair trade

• Green cleaning• Ink cartridge recycle

(Roosevelt, Grand Rapids)

Habits


HABITS

• Composting



• mugs, fair trade

• Green cleaning

• Ink cartridge recycle• Reusable shopping bag

challenge (Boston Square, Grand Rapids)

Habits


EDUCATIONEducation


EDUCATION

• Fair Trade Fair (Calvary Wyoming)

Education


EDUCATION

• Fair Trade Fair • Adult Sunday school class (Silver Spring)

Education


EDUCATION

• Fair Trade Fair

• Adult Sunday school class • Blog - www.chapelclimate.blogspot.com

(Campus Chapel, Ann Arbor)

Education

http://www.chapelclimate.blogspot.com/


EDUCATION

• Fair Trade Fair

• Adult Sunday school class

• Blog • Bulletin / newsletter tips (Crossroads)

Education


EDUCATION

• Fair Trade Fair


• Blog

• Bulletin / newsletter tips • Earthwise study (Bellevue)

Education


EDUCATION

• Fair Trade Fair


• Blog

• Bulletin / newsletter tips

• Earthwise study • Deacon’s stewardship

statement (Bellevue)

Education


EDUCATION

• Fair Trade Fair• Adult Sunday school class• Blog• Bulletin / newsletter tips • Earthwise study • Deacon’s stewardship statement• Tutorials: beekeeping,

worm composting, native planting (Covenant, Sioux Center)

Education


EDUCATION

• Fair Trade Fair • Adult Sunday school class • Blog • Bulletin / newsletter tips • Earthwise study • Deacon’s stewardship statement• Tutorials: beekeeping, worm composting, native

planting • Creation Care Camp

(Covenant, Sioux Center)

Education


ADVOCACYAdvocacy


ADVOCACY

• “Step It Up 2007” (Campus Chapel, Ann Arbor)

Advocacy


ADVOCACY

• “Step It Up 2007” • Meeting with the Mayor about wind energy

(Covenant, Sioux Center)

Advocacy


ADVOCACY

• “Step It Up 2007”

• Meeting with the Mayor • County-wide Environmental Initiatives

Committee participation (Covenant, Sioux Center)

Advocacy

So get started!

Complete the “How Green Is My Church?” worksheet.

Start a study group or teach a Sunday school class.

Participate in our Lent Meditations and Actions (stay tuned!).

Begin at home!

Need help?

www.justiceseekers.ning.com

[email protected]

www.crcjustice.org

Share ideas and support one another on our social networking site.

Get materials, ideas, and help from the Congregational Justice Mobilizer.

Check out the resources at

Documents

How Green is Your Church? For Greening Your Corner of the CRC Ideas Projects Inspiration…