Green Team spearheads Bethel’s environmental ministry of caring for creation. Bethel submitted its Green Team Action Plan and was certified as a Green Congregation in summer, 2010; we reaffirmed our commitment as a Creation Care Congregation in 2018. As a result we strive to respect all of life as sacred. We accept our vocation as Earth-keepers who care for creation. We accept our responsibility to live justly in relation to our fellow human beings in ways that all creatures may mutually thrive together. Our work is focused in 5 areas:
- Worship: Annual outdoor May Center Celebration, October Blessing of the Animals, Season of Creation Lectionary.
- Education: Adult Forum presentations on a variety of topics. In addition, we separately studied: Our Kairos Moment with Lutherans Restoring Creation. In June 2024, the ELCA released “Our Kairos Moment: A Study Guide on Earth’s Climate Crisis.
- Building and Grounds: Bethel was Energy Star certified in 2017; solar panels were installed in 2014; we continue to monitor our energy usage, strive to increase our energy efficiency and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
- Discipleship at Home & Work: Through education and service, we aim for our members to make lifestyle choices at home and work that support their care for creation.
- Public Ministry: We strive to work with other organizations committed to creation care and addressing systems which foster degradation of creation and environmental injustice: Creation Care for Congregations 2022 in collaboration with Atonement Lutheran Church and Lutheran Church of the Living Christ; Sierra Club Eastern Missouri Group – Beyond Coal Campaign; Interfaith Power and Light, Lutherans Restoring Creation
Upcoming St. Louis Region Creation Care Learning and Volunteer Opportunities
- April 12: Open Nursery Potting Day
April 12 @ 9:00 am – 11:00 am
April Open Nursery Potting Day
Forest ReLeaf Nursery and Arboretum, 2194 Creve Couer Mill Road, Maryland Heights, MO, United States
- April 29
April 29, 3:45 to 5 pm @ T-Rex Downtown
St. Louis Regional Climate Action Plan
Save the date for the next Sustainability Lab on April 29 at 3:45pm, where we plan to have an interactive input session for the St. Louis Regional Climate Action Plan. Click here for details, or here to save this event to your calendar.
Green Team members: Brenda Light Bredemeier, Linda & Christian Bristol, Wayne Flesch, Cindy Gross (chair), Deb Grupe, Irvin Hamilton, Peter Kennedy, Steve Poplawski, Malinda Walter, Ann Wilson
Bethel Installs Solar Panels – 2014
