GET INVOLVED: CELEBRATING EARTH DAY SUNDAY IN YOUR CONGREGATION
Celebrating a Vibrant Earth Day Sunday in Your Church
Earth Day falls on April 22 each year. It is an opportunity to reflect on the wonders of God's Creation. Many churches choose a Sunday close to April 22 to celebrate.
With a little planning and a lot of passion you can do much to have an Earth Day Sunday you'll remember for years to come. You can use any of these ideas to get your congregation fired up about caring for God's creation. If you're planning something, don't forget to let us know so that others in your area can find you!
Links and Resources
Earth Day falls on April 22 each year. It is an opportunity to reflect on the wonders of God's Creation. Many churches choose a Sunday close to April 22 to celebrate.
With a little planning and a lot of passion you can do much to have an Earth Day Sunday you'll remember for years to come. You can use any of these ideas to get your congregation fired up about caring for God's creation. If you're planning something, don't forget to let us know so that others in your area can find you!
Links and Resources
- Plan an Earth Day themed worship service. Find a wealth of Earth Day Sunday resources at www.creationjustice.org/educational-resources.
- Have bulletin inserts or handouts for congregation members. For instance, "Ten Steps to Green Your Home" or "Products to Green Your Home" - include compact fluorescent light bulbs, environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, low-flow faucets and shower heads, information on energy efficient appliances, 100% post consumer waste recycled printer paper, and more.
- Host a special "Green Fellowship." Serve organic, fair-trade coffee and treats from a local organic bakery; use re-useable plates, cups, silverware, and napkins, or if that isn't possible, recycled or biodegradable disposables; and post big, easy-to-read signs to educate people about what makes your fellowship "Green."
- Invite a guest speaker to your church for after worship to talk about your Earth Day theme with a local focus
- Plan a community service project like a Clean-Up in a local park, along a local body of water, or near a highway.
- Have a Green Church workday to set up rain barrels, do native landscaping on church grounds, replace incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs.
- Examine your church's energy use by performing an energy audit and present your findings on Earth Day Sunday. Hold a "town hall" discussion about how your church can reduce energy use
- Organize a hike at a local trail, park, or natural area. Make sure you organize carpools for transportation to and from the site.
- Plan an Earth Day festival. Ask local environmental groups to set up informational booths. Invite local growers/food producers and artisans to set up booths to showcase and/or sell their products. Arrange for a variety of brief informational or practical workshops where people can to go learn about Eco-Justice issues (especially your Earth Day theme) or learn how to do something (like make an effective call to an elected official, "Green" their office, or start a compost pile at home)
