In addition to enhancing the well-being of the congregation, securing a better world for future generations, and deepening a sense of Christian discipleship, Earth Care Congregations are finding ways to build up their local communities– and being noticed for it!
In February, Forest Lake Church helped create a community garden at a transition residence for homelessness recovery. Coming out of their own experience as intergenerational gardeners at their own church, they are now helping others to find food security, a connection to the earth, and an expanded sense of neighbors and care.
Intergenerational Planting at the Forest Lake Church Garden in 2012
Here is an excerpt from the February 5, 2014 article by Carolyn Click:
Forest Lake adult and youth members, aided by youth at St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church on Clemson Avenue, built most of the beds last month, said Tommy Stallings, a real estate agent and Forest Lake member who spearheaded the effort. Fort Jackson non-commissioned officers participating in a leadership course completed the final two 4-by-8 beds.
Stallings said the beds could each yield about 80 pounds of nutritious food for the Transitions kitchen.
The vegetable project began out of a caring gesture. Forest Lake donates leftovers from its Wednesday night suppers to Transitions each week. Stallings’ wife, Cindy Welborn, is the church’s kitchen coordinator and would make those deliveries to the center operated by the not-for-profit Midlands Housing Alliance Inc. Her husband usually accompanied her.
“We were walking through the courtyard and we were noticing they had some raised beds for flowers,” Stallings said. “It just hit us that there is a lot of sunlight; we could plant some vegetables. I guess you could say we were called to it.”
Click here to see photos and read the story in The State newspaper.