Imagine that…
Congregations everywhere understand earth keeping as a key part of the Christian calling. Care of creation is named in mission and vision statements. Each congregation includes people with a passion and gifts for guiding the church in earth stewardship practices. These people are recognized and their congregations have formally blessed their gifts.
The three churches featured below are examples of congregations that have integrated caring for the earth into many aspects of their ministries.
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One Body, One Spirit Naming our Gifts
Language for the many gifts needed to care for the planet. Let’s celebrate our diversity, respect our differences, and work together for the common good!
Naming Our GiftsFrom our network Park View Mennonite Church
Park View Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Va., has given focused attention to creation care since 2009.
Visionary actions:
- Since 2015, pays annual climate change reparations to communities affected by climate change for the carbon emissions that the church generates. read more.
- Mows the lawn with carbon-neutral reel mowers.
From our network Taftsville Chapel Mennonite Fellowship
Taftsville Chapel Mennonite Fellowship, Taftsville, Vt., is a congregation of around 50 active members. They have been an active part of MCCN’s network since 2016. In 2019, they and their creation care liaison, Heather Wolfe, received MCCN’s first Art and Jocele Meyer Award.
Visionary actions:
- Installed twice the solar panels needed to power their own building and donated the rest of the energy to local nonprofits.
- Rewilded the church property with native plants and edible gardening.
From our network Albuqueque Mennonite Church
New Mexico’s Albuquerque Mennonite Church has been involved with creation care for many years and it is integrated into all they do.
Visionary actions:
- Each year, participants sign a covenant that says, Together we honor God the Creator by challenging one another to live as partners with the creation.
- A group from Albuquerque also partners with community members to publish The Mid-Rio Grande Times–environmental news about their watershed.