Minute for Mission: Earth Day Sunday

April 22, 2018

The dishwashing team of New Life Presbyterian Church in Roseville, Minnesota, is also known as the “Bubble Brigade.”
Photo credit: Carole Rust

Earth Care Congregation Certification is one of the many ways that the Presbyterian Hunger Program seeks to be faithful to our responsibility to care for creation. The goal of the ECC program is to inspire churches to care for God’s earth in a holistic way, through integrating earth care into all of church life.

New Life Presbyterian Church in Roseville, Minnesota, is just one of the 207 ECC churches that were certified in 2018.

Nine years ago, after their initial certification as an Earth Care Congregation, New Life decided that they wanted to change their fellowship time and meals to be as “green” as possible. This was done in a variety of ways, including the usage of fair trade coffee and locally sourced foods. They also decided to try to follow a 2008 General Assembly resolution that dealt with not using disposable food service products or plastics.

Carole Rust from New Life’s Earth Care Team shared that in order to accomplish that task, they knew they’d need lots of willing hands. “We developed a dishwashing team which is called the ‘Bubble Brigade.’ We give people the chance to join the brigade when the church kicks off activities in the fall and then when we celebrate Earth Day Sunday in the spring. Some dishwashers are regulars and help almost every Sunday while others do special events like potlucks or funerals. Still others are on call for part-time, special-requested duty. Brigade members are a fun bunch that usually work in groups of two and cover the spectrum from an expectant mom-to-be, young couples, a family with youth, singles and people in their 70s!”

Last Earth Day Sunday, New Life recognized all of the members of the Bubble Brigade and even gave bottles of bubble-blowing solution to the two most faithful members.

The Bubble Brigade is a simple way to help with creation care and it gives people a chance to provide a meaningful gift of service to support their church community.

Jessica Maudlin, Associate for Sustainable Living and Earth Care Concerns, Presbyterian Hunger Program

Today’s Focus:  Earth Day Sunday

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

James Kirk, PMA
Mike Kirk, PMA

Let us pray:

Creator God, may we be ever mindful of all of the ways you’ve called us to be good stewards of this marvelous Earth. May you make our hearts and hands be ever willing to set to tasks great and small to serve your creation.    

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, April 22, 2018, the Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year B)

First Reading Acts 4:5-12
Psalm 23:1-6
Second Reading 1 John 3:16-24
Gospel John 10:11-18