Saint Andrews is a Green Church

“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it…”  Psalm 24:1 NRSV

The scriptures are full of references to God’s creation and to humanity’s relationship with it. As more and more Christians are realizing the divine call to care for creation, we find increased desire to take action for a cleaner, greener world through the work of our churches.

In 2019, Saint Andrews signed the Green Church Initiative Congregational Covenant. We were one of the first two Certified Green Churches in the NC Conference of The United Methodist Church. This movement is an active and practical way to encourage environmental responsibility through ecologically-sustainable practices.

The Green Church Initiative is a covenant congregation program that empowers Saint Andrews to live out our faith and to care for and be good stewards of all that God has created. Being A Green Church means that we continuously work on improving our creation stewardship which includes water and energy consumption, waste production, education, food and agriculture, landscaping, and more. Here are some of the many things we are doing at Saint Andrews to care for our environment:

• Utilize programmable thermostats.
• Use LED lighting. Replace fixtures where possible.
• Ensure that leftovers from meals are distributed or taken home.
• Compost food waste when practicable.
• Recycle material such as paper, cardboard, bottles, and cans.
• Switch to reusable dishware, coffee cups, and silverware.
• Eliminate use of single use plastic when practicable.
• Use environmentally friendly cleaning products.
• Plant native plants and flowers.
• Provide education and resources to church members.

In the Spring of 2022, we also received a Wildlife Habitat Certification from the National Wildlife Foundation. Wildlife habitat gardens are a haven for local birds, butterflies, and animals; and every garden is a step toward replenishing resources for the wildlife in our local area. We grow native plants, flowers (such as Butterfly Bushes), and use sustainable practices as much as we can to control weeds.

This means that as a church, we constantly work on improving our creation stewardship which includes water and energy consumption, waste production, education, food and agriculture, landscaping, and more. Here are some of the many things we are doing as a church to care for our environment