By Crys Zinkiewicz

I was excited. Off to the Chicago area for my EarthKeepers training, I wondered why Euclid Avenue UMC in the suburb of Oak Park had been chosen. As I approached the building, I got my first inkling. The usual church sign paled in the presence of the large banner proclaiming “Jesus Was Radically Inclusive.” Two other smaller signs joined the chorus: “Hate Has No Home Here” and “This Congregation Is Powered by Solar, Geothermal, and God’s Love.”

I was surprised to see bike racks in front of the church. Having them means that people are encouraged to come to church—and can do so without emissions.
Walking to the entrance, I passed the rain garden, which not only captures water and lets it soak naturally into the earth but also creates a welcoming space for newcomers. This congregation definitely cares for creation, I thought. Later, on a tour, I learned their choice of the porous walkway pavers reduces stormwater runoff. 
On that tour, the church member leading it pointed to the parking lot. Joni Mitchell would have loved this church! Instead of paving “paradise to put up a parking lot,” they tore it up to make it work for geothermal capture. Sure, they paved it again, but underneath is a system that brings a steady supply of warmth and cooling from the earth and uses no fossil fuels.
To round out their energy needs, the congregation went after grants and added solar panels to their roof. Now all their electricity, heating, and cooling are powered naturally by the earth and sun. The dollars saved go into ministry—not building maintenance.

No conference is complete without the “housekeeping” instructions of where the restrooms are. Even there, the care for God’s creation was evident. The toilet paper was wrapped in green paper—not plastic—and declared that the paper was made “using environmentally and socially responsible processes.” The bottom line on the package stated, “Atlas Tissue asks that you think green and recycle this wrapper.”

The kitchen and dining room had barrels that taught, reminded, and made possible thoughtful choices: RECYCLE, COMPOST, or LANDFILL. The clear wording and graphics on each made it easy to do the right thing.

Hallway bulletin board notices about Food Waste Awareness Week clearly showed that the congregation is also a catalyst in the community for green living.

With the consistency of messaging—from bike racks and solar panels to rain gardens and recycling bins to toilet paper and community advocacy—the church building speaks loud and clear for caring for God’s creation. I was excited!

Crys Zinkiewicz became an EarthKeeper in October 2019. She currently serves locally as the chair of her congregation’s Creation Care Committee, in her annual conference on the Creation Care Ministry Team, and nationally as a member of the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement’s Communications Team. She is also the writer of the Creation Justice Tips.