Earth Care Ministry
Earth Care Congregations are congregations that have committed to the “Earth Care Pledge” and accomplished a specific number of actions toward caring for God’s earth in four categories: worship, education, facilities, and outreach. Congregations earning 25 points in each of the four categories are certified as Earth Care Congregations.
Unity was certified as an Earth Care Congregation in 2015 and recertifies each year. To earn this recognition from the PCUSA, the church promoted and supported earth care activities in the following ways:
- Composting
- Recycling
- Community Garden to grow fresh vegetables for Lincoln County’s shelter for victims of domestic abuse
- Community clean-up projects on the lake and along roadways
- Solar Panels – watch this video from Renu Energy Solutions about this project:
We have also sponsored breakfast speakers who advocate for or practice environmentally sound lifestyles. Additionally, the members of the committee have installed motion/light detectors in bathrooms and conducted an energy audit of facilities to evaluate energy efficiency of campus buildings. Worship services, children’s worship time, vacation Bible school have all incorporated, at different times,learning activities or styles of worship that promote an attitude of caring for the earth. The Earth Care Committee meets monthly to discuss new, environmentally friendly projects and to find fresh, creative ways to educate the congregation and worship God.
Our faith urges us to strive for eco-justice: defending and healing creation while working to assure justice for all of creation and the human beings who live in it. This call is rooted in the human vocation of “tilling and keeping” the garden from Genesis 2:15, as well as Christ’s charge to work with and for the most vulnerable. Because of their love for Christ who is firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15), churches are challenged to live in a manner consistent with God’s call to not only care for creation, but commune with creation.(1)
