ecc_logoEarth Care Congregation

We are one of 130 congregations in the country certified as an Earth Care Congregation by the Environmental Ministries of our denomination. We celebrate and care for God’s good earth in many ways:

  • Beautiful and large community vegetable garden
  • Outside worship services; four scheduled each year
  • Very high efficient and zoned heating and cooling systems
  • Programmable thermostats
  • On-demand (tankless) hot water heating system
  • White heat-reflecting and energy efficient flat roofing material
  • Five acres of green landscape and abundant trees
  • Recycling of all paper, plastic, and glass products
  • Recycling of ink jet cartridges, household batteries, CFL light bulbs, cell phones
  • Earth care component on youth mission trips
  • Long time participant in Illinois’ Adopt-a-Highway program
  • Use of environmentally friendly Eco Palms on Palm Sunday
  • Double pane windows and well sealed doors throughout church
  • Well insulated walls and ceilings throughout church
  • Recognize Earth Day, April 22
  • Theology of Earth Care practiced in our hymns, sermons, prayers, liturgy
  • Outside cross with bench for reflection and meditation
  • Glass communion cups, not plastic throw away type
  • Minimal use of Styrofoam products
  • Variety of earth care themes used in VBS, Sunday School, adult seminars, and preschool program
  • High efficient lighting systems: T8s and CFLs throughout church
  • LED emergency exit signs
  • Use of Fair Trade coffee; Fair Trade Greater Gifts sale
  • Use of double sided copies and electronic file storage

 Our Earth Care Pledge

Peace and justice is God’s plan for all creation. The earth and all creation are God’s. God calls us to be careful, humble stewards of this earth, and to protect and restore it for its own sake, and for the future use and enjoyment of the human family. As God offers all people the special gift of peace through Jesus Christ, and through Christ reconciles all to God, we are called to deal justly with one another and the earth.

Our worship and discipleship will celebrate God’s grace and glory in creation and declare that God calls us to cherish, protect and restore this earth.

In education, we will seek learning and teaching opportunities to know and understand the threats to God’s creation and the damage already inflicted. We will encourage and support each other in finding ways of keeping and healing the creation in response to God’s call to earth-keeping, justice and community.

Our facilities will be managed, maintained and upgraded in a manner that respects and cherishes all creation, human and non-human, while meeting equitably the needs of all people. In our buildings and on our grounds we will use energy efficiently, conserve resources, and share what we have in abundance so that God’s holy creation will be sustainable for all life and future generations.

Our outreach will encourage public policy and community involvement that protects and restores the vulnerable and degraded earth as well as oppressed and neglected people. We will be mindful that our personal and collective actions can positively or negatively affect our neighborhood, region, nation and world. We will seek to achieve environmental justice through coalitions and ecumenical partnerships.