Truckee Lutheran Presbyterian Church in Truckee, California, has worked hard to keep their congregation green. This story was submitted by Edie Lott, Social Justice and Outreach Team Leader of Truckee Lutheran Presbyterian Church, as part of the Church Earth Care Stories.
Truckee Lutheran Presbyterian Church is a church of both the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). We started 17 years ago with a vision for a new expression of the ELCA in Truckee and later joined with the PC (U.S.A.) to be the liturgical, eucharistic expression of Christ’s church in Truckee, California. We have a ½ time (tent-making) pastor, Ed Hilton, who is also a full time teacher. As a community of faith that recognizes the interconnectedness of all God’s creation, we try hard to make sure our environmental stewardship practices are reflective of our faith commitments. We have cut our paper use and use recycled paper whenever possible. We have a recycling collection program and use the funds to benefit needs in Africa. Not owning a building really reduces our impact on the environment. We rent from the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District 3 hours a week and hold other events in homes or community rooms. We are constantly looking for ways to reduce our impact on this fragile planet.. We are the only church recognized as a partner in the Keep Sierra Green Program! Keep the Sierra Green (KSG) is a voluntary green business program that was founded in April 2009. Its mission is to provide a viable and legitimate forum in which local businesses can promote their sustainable practices.