wfn.org | NCC Eco-Justice Honors 'Green Churches"

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

>Green Churches honored by NCC

Washington, July 2, 2008 - The Manassas Church of the Brethren is
passing along the values of Creation Care to the next generation of
people of faith, while St. Marks Presbyterian Church was named the
Audubon Society's "Greenest in the Nation."

These are just two examples of winners of the Great Green Congregations
contest sponsored by the Eco-Justice Program of the National Council of
Churches.

In May, the call went out for stories to be submitted of what local
congregations were doing across the country to protect God's Creation.

The response included more than 50 submissions, covering a wide spectrum
of activities including Children's Ministry, Green Building, Food and
Faith, Energy Conservation, Alternative Transportation, Recycling,
Environmental Justice, and Comprehensive Program, with the winner of
each category receiving a $500 grant to continue their work. To view a
collection of the stories submitted, visit www.nccecojustice.org.

"Our ministry as the NCC isn't possible without the work of local
churches," says Jordan Blevins, Assistant Director of the Eco-Justice
Program.

"The witness of these congregations day in and day out give an
illustration of the faith community's ability to live in a sustainable
way with God's Creation."

The Manassas Church of the Brethren in Manassas, Virginia, is the winner
of the Children's Ministry category, with their Junior BUGS program,
imparting the message of Creation Care to the children of their
congregation.

The Madison Christian Community, an ecumenical partnership between
Advent Lutheran Church  and the Community of Hope  in Madison,
Wisconsin, won the Food and Faith category for their restorative justice
gardening, reaching out to inmates in local prisons to teach
horticulture.

In the Green Building Category, St. Marks Presbyterian Church in Newport
Beach, California, was recognized as the Audubon Society's 'Greenest in
the Nation', and built their new building with LEED standards in mind.
For the Energy Conservation category, the award goes to First Grace
United Methodist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana, for their work to
conserve energy in their rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina.

"One of the most at-risk cities for the effects of global warming is New
Orleans, and one of the biggest contributors is energy usage," says
Sarah Fleming, one of the church volunteers.

Kern Road Mennonite Church, in South Bend, Indiana, has started the
tradition of riding bikes to church, earning them the award in the
Alternative Transportation category. "When one person starts something
like this then the next thing you know you have a whole group of
people," said Deanna Waggy, a church member.

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, All People's Church has reclaimed a garden in
an urban community, earning them the award in the Environmental Justice
category.

For the Recycling category, Wesley United Methodist Church in Yakima,
Washington, has kept more than 5 million pounds of trash out of the
landfill through their community recycling program.

And in the Comprehensive Program category, Maryland Presbyterian Church
in Baltimore, Maryland, has, among other activities, reclaimed the
wooded area around the church, and named environmental stewardship as a
priority in everything the church does.

"As our reputation for creation care grows, so has our congregation,
which now attracts members from a 20-mile radius," said Bill Breaky, a
church member. The church is currently preparing to install beehives at
the rear of the woods. According to Breaky, "We look forward to the day
when we can give jars of honey to visitors."

The National Council of Churches, representing 35 communions and 100,000
congregations, has focused on creation care for more than 30 years.
Among the highlights of the Council's eco-justice work are education and
worship resources on a variety of environmental issues, available at
www.nccecojustice.org.

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228, NCCnews@ncccusa.org