OUR COMMITMENT AND JOURNEY TO CARE FOR GOD’S CREATION
For many years, our church has had an unwritten covenant to be a “green church” as a way to express our respect and reverence for God’s creation and to preserve it. To help us establish this identity, we have put these opportunities into place:
- Offered gardeners plots in a community garden
- Designed and led Peace with Justice and Earth Day worship services
- Used china and silverware at our social events rather than paper and plastic
- Advocated for preparing and eating plant-based meals providing recipes
- Installed LED lighting throughout the building
- Signed up for renewable energy with MG&E
- Outfitted the south side of our church roof with solar panels, and transferred our unused renewable energy to MG&E
- Established a food forest with help from Emily Steinwehe, who works with the Wisconsin Food Forests Project in Madison
- Planted a variety of plants this summer in a 60 x 10-foot rain garden to prevent flooding and reduce toxic run-off from our property
- Highlighted how to appropriately recycle plastics, including water bottles
- Hosted and led environmentally focused events for adults and children
- Written climate justice articles for our newsletter
Guided by the United Methodist Social Principles, we have been establishing our identity as a church that has committed to care for God’s creation in what may be small, but are nevertheless determined, ways. We believe that small steps matter and can lead us to larger ones.
One of our hopes is that the community of Monona will recognize our congregation’s commitment to creation care, will celebrate these small steps with us, and may even join us in some of this work.
Before elections, we advocate for voting for candidates who share the Christian values that are important to us including care of creation. Information about a fall 2024 forum will be coming soon.
2024 Focus
As our social justice work moves forward in 2024, we are focusing on two themes in particular this year: Care of Creation and First Nation Peoples, especially the Ho-Chunk and other Indian nations in Madison and Monona.
We hope you had a chance to see the international woodcarvers who came to the Monona festival honoring Harry Whitehorse. What amazing work they created in the rainy, stormy week they were here in Wisconsin. Although the woodcarvers were not necessarily Native Americans, their subject matter had native themes. Those carvings have been moved from the San Damiano property to another site.
Upcoming Programming
During the months of July and August, we will continue our discussions of books and documentaries that describe the history and mistreatment of Indigenous people in our country.
Over the summer and into the fall, we plan to share additional videos, have book discussions, and perhaps enjoy a trip to view nearby mounds and historical sites of the Ho-Chunk people as we continue examining the First Nation Peoples theme in greater depth. We hope you will look forward to the various opportunities we will have as a congregation to increase our understanding of this critical issue.
In early fall, we will shift from our thematic focus in anticipation of the upcoming election and once again offer a presentation about the importance of voting, using the values of our United Methodist faith to guide us. Please join us for an eye-opening uncovering of our history and heritage as Christians and as Wisconsinites who care for all of God’s creation.
Summer Patio Discussions: Native American Peoples
In July we will consider information from documentaries about native peoples. Please view any that appeal to you and come on Wednesday, July 24 at 1:30 ready to share and respond to what you learned. We may look at a film in Fellowship Hall before adjourning to our pleasant patio (weather permitting) for our discussion.
There are several series of CBS and PBS documentaries about Native Peoples that have been produced in recent years including Native America, The West, The American Buffalo, First Peoples, The Warrior Tradition, and many more. You can access these films on your computer or your cell phone. August Event of Note:
On August 22nd at 1:30 pm, we will revisit chapters 3 and 4 of Stephen Kantrowitz’s book “Citizens of a Stolen Land” which examines the history of Native Peoples, specifically the Ho-chunk tribe, in Wisconsin. Dr. Kantrowitz, who spoke at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church last spring, has done in-depth research about the resourcefulness of the Ho-Chunk people as they attempted to retain their lands here. Again, weather permitting, we will gather on the patio for this discussion, but if it is too hot or raining, we will meet in Fellowship Hall.
