By Karlah Burton
On Saturday, October 5, 2024, the Creation Care Ministry at Saint Matthews UMC, hosted a fall festival—an Earth advocacy/healthy eating based fair. In 2023, SMUMC became a commissioned “Green Church” as designated by the Western NC Conference. The Green Church Initiative of the Western NC Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church suggests (Item B-7, Discipleship) that participating churches host a creation care fair inviting outside organizations to do displays and booths that help raise awareness.
This year the list of vendors:
- Greensboro Beautiful
- NC Clean Energy Technology Center
- North Carolina Cooperative Extension
- Citizens’ Climate Lobby
- Sarah Taber for Agriculture Commissioner
- NC A & T State University/Try Healthy
- United Women in Faith/ Just Energy for All
The event took place during National Drive Electric Week (September 27–October 6), a nationwide celebration to raise awareness of the many benefits of electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more. Its sponsors include Plug In America, Sierra Club, Nissan, Kelly Blue Book, Drive Electric USA, Electric Vehicle Association, EV Hybrid Noire, and Wells Fargo.
A representative from the NC Cooperative Extension, Stanly County Center, provided apple crisp samples, plus information on autumn meal nutrition and recipes. Members of the SMUMC Creation Care Ministry prepared a drink, Pumpkin Pie Punch, that was actually delicious!
This event had previously been supported by the Partners in Health and Wholeness Collaborative and NC Council of Churches. However, their funding this year went toward programs aimed at Opioid Addiction/Overdose Response. We were grateful for church ministries and volunteers who assisted with planning, donated financial support, organized a gently-used clothes drive, and staffed a clothing “upcycling” station at the event! Yay, Jesus!
Highlights of this year’s fall celebration were a garden tour and tree planting ceremony (Item A-13, Worship, WNCC Green Church Initiative). There was also a brief presentation on behalf of Sarah Taber, Democratic Candidate for Agriculture Commissioner. A vegetable give-a-way included sweet potatoes (donated by a local farmer) along with tomatoes and okra contributed from our community garden. The Creation Care Ministry was also pleased to welcome Kim Richmond, Chairperson, WNCC UMC Creation Care Ministry and member of the WNCC UMC Mission Engagement Team.
By the date of the October festival the Samaritan Garden at Saint Matthews UMC had already contributed close to 130 pounds of fresh produce and flowers to church food pantry patrons, Share the Harvest of Guilford County, Greensboro Urban Ministry, church members, and visitors in 2024! The Samaritan Garden is my General Board of Global Ministries Earthkeepers’ Project undertaken in 2020. Overall, the garden has contributed close to 500–750 pounds of fresh produce and flowers.
Karlah Y. Burton is Chairperson of the Creation Care Ministry and Samaritan Garden of Saint Matthews United Methodist Church in Greensboro, a North Carolina Earthkeeper, and a member of the Western NC Conference Creation Care Ministry Team.
Pumpkin Pie Punch
1 cup pumpkin puree
4 cups apple cider
2 cups pear nectar
1 cup ginger ale
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions: In a punch bowl or large serving container combine all ingredients and stir well. Serve chilled. Modify recipe by using zero sugar and lite fruit products.
For more information on the WNCC Green Church Initiative and WNCC Creation Care Ministry please visit, https://wnc.brtapp.com/files/websites/www/creation+care/wncc+green+church+initiative.pdf
https://www.wnccumc.org/wncc-creation-care-ministry
