Presbyterians for Earth Care is a program of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Its goal – to inspire churches to care for God’s earth in a holistic way, through integrating earth care into all of church life.

In April 2017 we received our First Year Certification from PC(USA).

To become an Earth Care Congregation, churches affirm the Earth Care Pledge to integrate environmental practices into all facets of congregational life including the four categories of worship, education, facilities and outreach. The certification is renewed annually.

The Earth Care Congregation program is part of the Presbyterian Hunger Program. The PC(USA) believes that hunger, poverty, and environmental destruction are linked areas of concern. In 1990 the General Assembly of the PCUSA adopted Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice, which calls our denomination to engage in the tasks of restoring God’s creation. This is a long-term effort – for cherishing God’s creation enhances the ability of the church to achieve its other goals.

Some examples of MCPC’s ongoing Earth Care efforts include:
▪ Worship: Pastor Diane has included Earth Care concepts in her selection of hymns, scriptures, sermon emphasis, and the use of Eco-palms for Palm Sunday.
▪ Education: Our children’s ministries (Church School & Bright Start) intentionally include Earth Care teachings and practices (e.g. the Bright Start garden, composter, outside lessons, & nature-walks.)
▪ Facilities: Maximizing LED lighting & motion sensor lights, recycling, minimizing the use of paper products or disposable plastic silverware and new washable cotton tablecloths.
▪ Outreach: carpooling for regional events, having a presence at the local Farmers’ Market, modeling our Earth Care actions for those who use our building; installing a new water fountain – with a bottle filler; and donating our left-over pumpkins to area pig and goat farmers.

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.

PC(USA)