Green Team News
Summer 2022 

WATERWAY CLEANUP Saturday, July 16 Pinecliff Park 9:00 – 11:00 am

Did you know that the Monocacy River is Maryland’s largest tributary of the Potomac River? Now’s your chance to do your part on behalf of our beloved Monocacy, the Potomac, and the Chesapeake Bay beyond. Green team member Scott Harris is a volunteer team lead with the Potomac Conservancy, hosting waterway cleanups throughout the Potomac watershed. Now, for the first time, the Conservancy will have a cleanup here in Frederick County! Sign up below to join us July 16 at Pinecliff Park in Frederick from 9-11 am. A good turnout will help convince them to do more cleanups here in the future! Sign up: tinyurl.com/5cwbyh4f

COMMUNITY GARDEN Select dates through August 6 8:00 – 10:00 am

Our Green Team is offering the opportunity to work in the Community Garden near the Frederick News Post building on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings. This is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise, enjoy the company of other volunteers, and help get food to folks in our community who need access to fresh vegetables. Sign up: bit.ly/3LtuBB

 

Being a Creation Justice Church 

We here at ERUCC have long taken seriously the issues of social justice and environmental stewardship. Our green team is now looking to take that to a new level by becoming a UCC Creation Justice Church.

So, what does this mean, and how can you get involved.

First, here’s a review of some of the initiatives undertaken in the past two years:

  • Encouraging the use of sustainable products,
  • Reducing waste including the elimination of disposal cups, plates and utensils,
  • Adopting a program to compost food waste
  • Educational forums and classes on topics ranging from recycling to climate change.
  • Collaborating with other groups to plant trees
  • Participation with the Frederick Food Security Network to grow fresh vegetables for people in need
  • Advocacy for the Frederick Climate Emergency Resolution and two forest preservation bills
  • Signing up to use community solar at ERUCC and in some of our homes

Being a Creation Justice Church, we have designate our entire community as a “green” church. As a congregation, we will consider environmental and justice issues in all our actions and decisions. Every committee and team will have a part to play. Whether it is looking at green investments, using energy-efficient practices, or considering the environment in our worship and education, we have an opportunity to demonstrate our dedication to Creation. In doing so, we witness to the Frederick community that we are committed to being the church and living out our faith.

At the May 2021 annual meeting of the congregation, we voted to become a Creation Justice Church and the UCC has recognized our commitment to consider environmental and justice issues in all our actions and decisions. The Green Team has been working with every committee and group of the church to consider their practices and activities through the lends of creation justice.

What has that meant? Using glass cups for communion and yes, that means washing them, thereby reducing our use of plastic. Reducing waste including the elimination of disposal cups, plates and utensils. We have started to use the real plates, glasses, cups, and utensils at fellowship events again. We have teams of members who work in the community garden as part of the efforts of the Frederick Food Security Network. We spend time outside gathering for walks and other activities to acknowledge the gifts of air, water, trees, and plants.

These are just a few of the tangible efforts we have made, and are making, to recognize the gifts of creation and our responsibility in caring for the planet.

We have adopted this language as part of our larger Creation Justice statement:

“We, the members of this congregation, realize that God has given us an amazing planet on which to live. This planet is shared by the rest of humanity and will be shared with future generations as well. As such, it is our responsibility to care for this precious gift and keep it healthy for those who will come after us. Being good stewards of our environment will be at the forefront of our thinking as we plan for, and carry out, our ministries”