Did you know that St. Matthew has an Environmental Sustainability Plan?
In 2017, the Green Team began gathering information on how our church manages its energy use, water, and other resources. Pulling that information together, we now have a draft document that outlines all of the ways we act currently, and provides guidelines for how we can continue to “walk softly upon the earth” as a congregation (you can review the current draft here: https://bit.ly/SMLCEnvSustainabilityPlan).
The Environmental Sustainability Plan is grounded in the principle that caring for God’s creation is a core value of the Lutheran faith. In its 1993 Social Statement, “Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice,” the ELCA states:
“Christian concern for the environment is shaped by the Word of God spoken in creation, the Love of God hanging on a cross, the Breath of God daily renewing the face of the earth.”
While acknowledging that humanity is intimately related to the rest of creation, it is noted that
“Humans, in service to God, have special roles on behalf of the whole of creation. Made in the image of God, we are called to care for the earth as God cares for the earth.”
The Plan is meant to serve as a resource and practical guide for the St. Matthew Lutheran Church community, in fulfilling our call to care for creation within our congregation. Fortunately, thanks to the hard work of many congregational leaders and staff, a number of efforts have been underway in the past several years to improve the environmental footprint of the church, particularly in areas of energy efficiency and recycling. The recommendations captured in the draft plan build upon and expand this foundation.
Importantly, these goals may have overlapping benefits in terms of moral and fiscal considerations, in addition to potential tradeoffs. Maximizing environmental and financial stewardship are considered complementary rather
than competing goals. As much as possible, considerations of cost effectiveness—and where possible cost savings—are advocated.
The Green Team has provided Council with a copy of the first draft of the Plan for review and feedback, and we hope to meet with them soon to discuss.
Our team will be regrouping in the fall, with the hope of identifying new ways of growing in our ministry and serving the congregation during the ongoing challenges of COVID. In the meantime, you can find us on our website: https://stmatthew-lutheran.org/green-team/; by following the SMLC Facebook page; or by emailing me at brianlestini@yahoo.com. We are always looking for new members to join us!
Eco-Tip (provided by GreenFaith: www.greenfaith.org): The U.S. has 5% of the world’s population but uses 25% of its natural resources (Source: US EPA). How many earths would be needed if everyone on the planet used the same amount of resources as you? Find out by taking an ecological footprint quiz: www.myfootprint.org.
—Brian Lestini, chair