October 8, 2007

Journeying in green discipleship

Project Green Church, Maroubra Junction Uniting Church’s grass roots sustainability project, has come along in leaps and bounds since it started 18 months ago.

The church has switched to GreenPower, is installing a grey water treatment system, is involved in car sharing and community gardening, and runs an “eco-mowing” service for the local community.

Miriam Pepper recently returned to Maroubra Junction after three years abroad studying for her PhD. With the support of the 2% for Development Fund, she is employed part-time as the Project Green Church Coordinator.

“I was delighted to see what had been happening at the church, and I want to share the good news. I’m really keen to build stronger links with the local community and with other churches, especially those in the Sydney Presbytery, and to encourage them to take similar action,” she said.

But taking action on sustainability is much more than the label “green”. Sharing possessions reduces resource use and pollution, but it’s also about living generously as a community of people.

“ Project Green Church is fundamentally an outworking of our discipleship journey. It’s about life in all its fullness, about the multiplication that results when a small boy gives his loaves and his fishes,” said Miriam.

It is fitting, then, that the theme of Maroubra Junction Uniting’s upcoming Community Fun Day is “abundant life” (John 10:10). The church invites you to come and share in its hospitality on Saturday November 3, 9 am to 2 pm. The day will feature Project Green Church, and will include a variety of skills-sharing workshops.

The church will also be serving refreshments and lunch, running activities for kids, and entertaining you with a soiree. So go along and be inspired! See www.mjuniting.org.au for more details.

“The story of Project Green Church is one that can happen in many different ways in many different contexts”, says Miriam. To make a start on your own church’s green discipleship journey, she encourages you to:

• Include prayers for the planet in your church’s worship life, and make use of some of the great liturgical resources that are available, e.g. the Season of Creation (www.seasonofcreation.com).

• Make the switch to green power. See the Synod green church pages (www.nsw.uca.org.au/greenchurch.htm) for information to support you in doing this. If you’re in the Sydney Presbytery, your treasurer would have recently received a short questionnaire from Miriam about this.

• Contact Miriam (projectgreenchurch@gmail.com) with your thoughts and ideas for your congregation. If you are in the Sydney area, she is also available to speak at your church.

• Let Emma Halgren (emmah@nsw.uca.org.au) in the Communications Unit know what you’re doing, so the good news can be shared with others on the Synod’s green church website.