Soup, a Desert Oasis and a Lenten Gas Tax

Emmanuel Mennonite Church, Abbotsford, BC sustained several ongoing ministries: an annual electronics recycling day, a community garden and a creation care monthly feature in church newsletter. They continue to promote recycling and composting at church and at home.

Emmaus Road Mennonite Fellowship, Berne, IN, started a Lenten Gas Tax Fund. They raised $946 for MCCN through a voluntary tax on the gas they used. The Emmaus folks also collected 13 signatures on a letter to all their federal representatives in support of a carbon tax.

Faith Mennonite Church, Minneapolis, MN, is providing garden space on its church grounds to a neighboring church so that they can grow vegetables for the “Soup for You! Cafe” – a mission to provide made-from-scratch soup lunches to members of the community, free or by donation. The cafe provides an opportunity for conversation with a diverse group of guests and group singing on Tuesdays.

San Francisco Mennonite Church, San Francisco, CA held a Walk and Bike to Worship event on Sunday, June 4th. They had upwards of 20 bikers and many walkers and/or people taking public transit. The congregation also participated in various social justice marches related to climate change and climate justice.

Shalom Mennonite Fellowship, Tucson, AZ, transformed their “baking pan flat” parking lot into what will be a desert oasis. This involved shifting the level to keep the rain water on site, digging basins and planting local trees and other plants. Shalom also has a study group working through the book Buffalo Shout, Salmon Cry, an engaging dialog between Native people and settlers.