Although winter has us in its grips, spring is just around the corner, and with it installation of the Children’s Pollinator Garden! In honor and celebration of Earth Day 2018, we will be planting a pollinator garden on the grounds here at St. Matthew, dedicated to the youth of our church.
Church gardens are a wonderful physical manifestation of many spiritual themes that we encounter in scripture: nourishment, oneness with God’s Creation, renewal and the cycle of life. They also represent an ideal, “hands-on” opportunity to connect children to these Biblical teachings while fostering appreciation for environmental stewardship. Our garden will provide important habitat for butterflies, honeybees, and other pollinator species who are critical to our food supply, and whose numbers are in dramatic decline.
The Green Team kicked off preparations for the garden in January, with educational activities during Sunday school classes and youth group meetings. This month the children will be planting wildflower seeds from varieties that attract various pollinators. In March and April, we will be preparing and planting the garden, in time for a congregation-wide dedication and celebration ceremony on Earth Day, Sunday April 22.
We are asking all families with children from grades 1 to high school (as well as congregation members with strong backs or green thumbs!) to volunteer for one of the garden installation work days, April 14 and April 21. Please contact Brian Lestini. A signup sheet will be posted on our bulletin board, where you can also check out plans for the garden (with thanks to Carla Elberson)!
In addition, please join us for Adult Forum on February 25, where Wayne Becker will lead a discussion of how the ELCA views environment from a Biblical, theological, and moral perspective. We will also provide additional Green Team updates.