Great Green Congregations In 2008, the Eco-Justice Program invited congregations to send in their stories, telling us what they were doing to protect God's Creation. The stories we recieved are listed below: All Peoples Church (ELCA) of Milwaukee, WI, is reclaiming a garden, forming partnerships with local urban farming organizations and offering education in order to provide healthy, fresh food sources to all people. Beach Lake UMC in Beach Lake, PA, tills a community garden - for the good of neighbors near and far. At Saint James Cathedral, the cathedral for the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle, WA, stewardship begins with catholic social teaching. Earth Ministry and Healthy Washington have teamed up in Seattle, WA, to select and advocate for 4 environmental issues each year. Englewood Presbyterian Church in Homewood, AL, works with the city to promote curbside recycling. The Episcopal Diocese of Ohio is changing attitudes about global warming by helping churches change light bulbs. The 20s/30s group at the Episcopal Church of St. Paul and St. James in New Haven, CT are growing organic tomatoes as well as organic basil in pots in the church parking lot. First Grace UMC in New Orleans, LA, a merger of two churches damaged by Katrina, unite to fight climat change. First Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, NY, has formed an Urban Green Team to, among other activites, create a community garden. A one-time Carless Sunday event at Grace Episcopal Church in Bainbridge Island, WA has grown into a long-term program that is raising awareness about global warming. Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Durham, NC, hosts an Earth Day Environmental Fair. An interfaith coalition of more than 90 congregations is greening low-income housing in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Kern Road Mennonite Church in South Bend, IN, builds the tradition of biking to church. Madison Christian Community, in Madison, WI, works with a correctional facility for a restorative justice garden. Manassas Church of the Brethren starts kids green program. Maryland Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, MD, works on restoring a nature trail, and focuses all their ministries on Eco-Justice. Northaven UMC in Dallas, TX, hosts a different kind of car show. Leaders of the Quaker Center in Philadelphia, PA are pursuing LEED Platinum certification for the renovation of the center’s 34-year-old office building, and are using LEED Platinum standards as they renovate its 1856 Meeting House. Reverend Michael McClain is working with the National Council of Churches (NCC) to reach out to historic black churches, explain the ways in which climate change is impacting poor people and people of color, and invite them to sign the National Council of Churches’ Faith Principles on Global Warming. Second Presbyterian Church in Carlisle, PA, helps form the Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania. St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Woodstock, IL, works on stormwater management. St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Sacramento, CA, focuses on water issues. St. Mark Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, CA, is delcared the "Greenest in the country" by Audubon Int'l. St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Stevens Point, WI is restoring prairie land on its own site and is teaching its congregation and community about environmental stewardship in the process. St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Harper Woods, MI, Stewards of the Earth group works for healthy products. Sylvania UCC in Sylvania, OH, saves 84,000 lbs of CO2 emissions through conservation efforts. Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Cleveland, OH expanded its buildings using green building principles and became an example of urban revitalization as well as sustainable development. United Methodist Church of Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, CA, is working toward a building with Platinum LEED certification. Wesley UMC in Yakima, WA, keeps 5 million pounds of trash out of the landfill. West Gloucester Trinitarian Congregational Church, in Glouchester, MA, launches a movement by switching to recycled cups. Zion Episcopal Church in Charlestown, WV, is raising money for community outreach through energy savings. Click here to find out more about Great Green Congregations!