During coffee hours between Earth Day April 20 and Flower Communion June 1, many First Church members and friends helped our “tree” sprout leaves by naming commitments to take climate action. Following the Climate Revival on Oct. 5 and Jennifer’s inspired Earth Day/Easter sermon, our Earth Justice Ministry (EJM) asked people to commit to an action that helps mitigate climate change.
EJM posted information about some 50 big and small actions people could take along with a poster of a tree hung in the Leenhouts Common Room. EJMers helped people identify possible actions to take. For example, transportation possibilities included reducing greenhouse gas emissions by taking the bus more or biking or walking more. Planting trees and “no mow May” were options. Others included taking political action to influence government policy and building community that might alleviate suffering after disastrous storms.
When people decided on an action, they put their initials and a number or abbreviation for the action on a leaf and stuck it to the poster. Our tree sprouted many leaves! Names were then entered into a raffle to win plants that will help clean the air. People and commitments were recognized during the June 1 service.
Bruce Wiggins, Co-Chair Earth Justice Ministry