10 Steps Any Church Can Take

1. Preach a “Creation Care” sermon series. For sermon ideas and outlines, click here.

2. Adopt a formal church position statement on creation care. The  statement could empower  the church to become more energy efficient and to incorporate principles of environmental stewardship into Christian discipleship. For more information and guidance in this area, go here.

3. Create a creation care small group to study environmental stewardship and provide leadership. You will likely have several members in your congregation who are already interested and passionate about environmental issues.

- A great example of an environmentally oriented group can be found here.

4. Do a church energy audit. Your state or local government energy or weatherization office may help you identify a local company or organization that performs audits. They may also have information on how to do your own audit.

5. Where possible, switch to high efficiency fluorescent or LED lighting. Fluorescent bulbs and LEDs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Go here for more info.

6. Start a recycling program. Check with your municipality to find out what kinds of materials are recycled in your area. Set up collection bins at your church to increase recycling. More details.

7. Reduce use of paper bulletins. Provide an option for eBulletins via web or email.

- One excellent provider is Constant Contact.

8. Adopt a local park. Participate in litter pickup, planting or tending flowers, raking and other tasks to enhance your park. Contact your city or local government to apply. Click here to see some pictures from one church’s efforts.

9. Distribute or sell compact fluorescent bulbs or LEDs in church. For ideas on how to involve your church, check out the ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World Campaign.

10. Distribute reusable shopping bags with your church logo to members of the congregation. Each year billions of bags end up as litter. Eventually they break down into tiny toxic bits, polluting our soil, rivers, lakes, and oceans. This link has some suggestions on where to start.