Growing Green : One Congregation’s Story

by the Rev. Lindsay L. Fulmer, pastor

First Church of Christ in Mansfield Center

Sometimes, surprisingly, the cart does come before the horse! So it seems for First Church of Christ in
Mansfield, Connecticut’s first “Green Church.” The cart of conservation education, activities, commitments and
practices filled up first – before we ever considered hitching ourselves to the “Green” designation. Becoming
a green church was a direct consequence of grassroots growth, the seeds of which were first planted at an all
church planning retreat in the fall of 2003. In typical fashion we had given ourselves a day away together to
celebrate our strengths and share our vision for the future. During a brainstorming session, one of our members
expressed a desire to see our church evaluate and improve our energy conservation practices. It was like heating
a kettle of popcorn, ideas bounced around all over the place until as we looked at the newsprint page rapidly
filling, it was clear there was lots of energy and enthusiasm being generated around her kernel of an idea.

Following that meeting, a “Conservation Task Force” formed in January of 2004, a small group
of folks highly motivated to explore ways we might be better stewards of creation. First step? Gathering
information from a wide variety of resources – pamphlets, books, articles, etc. and making these available
by displaying them in fellowship hall. Research was done via the internet and libraries to find out what other
religious organizations were doing to be ‘green.” There was nothing yet available from the UCC website,
but we found the Unitarian Universalist web site had “Green Sanctuary” guidelines that were rigorous, but
provided a good reference point. This group then proposed environmental stewardship guidelines for the
church that were adopted by the Executive Council. With the encouragement of the Task force, the Business
committee completed an audit of conservation practices the church was already following. In like fashion,
members of the congregation were invited to participate in a survey which asked about conservation practices
in their households. Newsletter articles were published that outlined the results, offering positive feedback
for what we as a church and individuals were already doing. Ideas generated from all these sources gradually
began to be put into practice. In an ongoing effort to keep us informed, “Green Tips” became a regular feature
of weekly worship bulletins and monthly newsletters, providing helpful ideas and strategies for improving
conservation and reducing our carbon footprint.

One of the initial key decisions was to look at the whole issue of care of creation from a holistic
standpoint, asking how environmental concerns impact the way we do things in all areas of church life – from
education and worship, to business practices and investments, to fellowship time and church maintenance,
as well as our personal practices at home and in the workplace. The Task Force met the with the Business
committee regarding the church’s socially responsible investing of its funds and changes were made to include
environmentally friendly companies in our profile. Members of the congregation were given the opportunity
to purchase wind generated electricity, and the church subsequently received credit for its electricity being
generated by this alternative eco-friendly source.

Simple cleaning procedures and products for the church were adjusted to promote the use of more
environmentally friendly products and practices. We stopped using paper cups and now use ceramic mugs
during fellowship time, only serving fair trade coffee.

A commitment was made to make the environment and care of creation a theme for sermons and
worship on a regular basis, especially highlighting Earth Day. A community wide Art Festival, entitled “For the
Beauty of the Earth” was held, featuring art from all ages displayed on the church lawn. A salvaged materials
sculpture was created during the festival, featuring natural found objects. We offered a showing of Al Gore’s
“An Inconvenient Truth” to the wider community which packed our fellowship hall.
 One of the most exciting “outgrowths” of our commitment to becoming a green church was advocacy
for environmental issues and working to effect changes in public policy. A representative from CT Clean Water
and a member of our congregation facilitated meetings on Diesel Emission Retrofitting of School buses, one
with State Representative Denise Merrill, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. Rep Merrill later told
us that it was this small group of concerned citizens that compelled her to find the funds in the budget to buy
the filters necessary to solve the problem.

Along the way, the Conservation Task force looked back at the growing list of things we’d done and
were committed to do, and decided to send these to the CT Conference for consideration of designation as a
Green Church. We hadn’t set out to become a green church but found the Spirit, aided by the dedicated work
of a small group of people, generating generous energy in that direction, until here we were, hitching up our
cart, proud to be a “Green Church”. Unlike other resolutions to become Open and Affirming, and a Just Peace
Church, this one had come about by steady growth through education resulting in a blossoming transformation
of practices and evolving commitments. After being designated a Green Church, we formally adopted a
“Green Church Mission Statement” which reads:

“The members of First Church of Christ in Mansfield recognize that one of the most significant
challenges facing humanity is the achievement of a sustainable Earth. As a Green Church, we welcome
this responsibility. Being faith-filled and responsive stewards of God’s creation, we are committed, through
education and action, to the environmental well being of our planet. Imagining a brighter future, we are
committed to stepping more lightly, leaving a smaller footprint, and living more simply that others may
simply live.” The Conservation Task Force has now dissolved, having evolved into a whole congregation
charged with responsibility to live into our shared commitment.

Becoming a Green Church – it’s a growing thing, a continual process of education and new ideas
transformed into action. We’re still pruning here – having recently participated in “This Old House of
Worship” and a CL&P energy audit, we are continuing to make changes, excited and challenged by the
commitment to keep growing green. One seed, one idea, one small, significant breakthrough at a time.
Once the seeds get planted, it’s amazing to watch the growth. It’s not only a matter of good stewardship and
conservation of the environment, but faithful response to an urgent calling. With dangers of global warming
and environmental degradation reaching a tipping point, it would seem God is not only still speaking, but
earnestly calling us a people of faith to ‘grow green”. Good seeds are all there, and lots of resources available
to nurture the growth. What better time to get started “growing green” than this season of Lent!

Note: One website we found very helpful is www.webofcreation.org. You‘ll find a multitude of informative
links, and whole catalogue of very “do-able” ideas and resources there.

God is still speaking, ©