Public witness

Eco-justice/environmental ministries

Programs available to help Disciples "green" their congregations

With Earth Stewardship Sunday taking place each April, Disciples of Christ congregations can observe this day, and every day, by launching an initiative to "go green." Two programs are available for congregations that want to move toward a more environmentally-friendly sanctuary, building, and theology.

One of the programs, known as the Green Sanctuary program, is administered through the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth. A congregation that has met certain standards is accredited for its efforts and certified as a Green Sanctuary. Disciples congregations can participate in the Unitarian initiative, according to the Rev. Katherine Jesch, director of Environmental Ministry.

"We would be pleased to certify non-UU churches as Green Sanctuaries," said Jesch. "The program is broad enough that theological differences between faith communities won't matter." If Disciples congregations pursue the accreditation, they would be the first non-UU churches to participate in the program. (There is a nominal cost to participate in this program.)

Meanwhile, for congregations looking for more theological grounding in their environmental efforts, Seattle-based Earth Ministry offers the Greening Congregations program that is solidly grounded in Christian theology.

Congregations could easily work through both programs so that the structured step-by-step actions called for in the Green Sanctuary program would be balanced with the theological and worship resources offered by Earth Ministry.

About Earth Ministry's Greening Congregation's program

As people within congregations work to foster an awareness of the value of God's creation, and develop acts of care that reflect this awareness, Earth Ministry provides helpful tools for this important work. The Greening Congregations Partners process offers a partnership with Earth Ministry and a flexible strategy for engaging congregation members in creation-care efforts. The process also provides means for envisioning and celebrating the "greening" of a variety of congregational dimensions.

For more information about Earth Ministry's Greening Congregations program, visit www.earthministry.org/Congregations/greening_ resources.htm.

About the Unitarian Universalist Green Sanctuary program

A Green Sanctuary is a congregation that lives out its commitment to the Earth by creating a sustainable life style for its members as individuals and as a faith community. Sustainable living is not about our material comfort (though these choices are an important part of the overall life style); it is about choosing to live in a way that nurtures life, builds relationships, and rejects material consumption as the sole determinant of happiness. The Green Sanctuary Program includes a total of twelve activities in four program areas which are explained in detail in the Manual which is available for $25.

To learn more, visit uuministryforearth.org/grs_overview.htm.

Congregations that decide to pursue one or both programs should contact Angela Herrmann so DHM can recognize their efforts. Contact her at (888) 346-2631.

(The Earth Ministry and Green Sanctuary information was taken from each program's Web site.)