Creation Care Team

Since its inception in 2016, the Creation Care Team has been encouraging the congregation in all efforts related to creation care. We are an action team often partnering with other teams as we work in key priority areas:

  • Advocating for renewable energy use and energy conservation
  • Creating and managing refugia (refuges) for native plants, insects, birds, and wildlife on our property
  • Modeling practices that reduce stormwater runoff and pollution problems in our watershed
  • Providing educational materials that inspire hope and action in response to environmental crises
  • Highlighting opportunities and encouraging better creation care in everyday activities such as meals transportation recreation and spending or investing
  • Facilitating development of worship materials for the liturgical season of creation
  • Advocating for effective individual and collective action in response to the climate crisis
  • Partnering with local regional and national organizations to promote better creation care policies and practices

To get a sense of the work we are currently doing, we invite you to walk the COS Nature Trail. Then visit this webpage to learn about the native trees and perennials we have recently planted throughout our landscape in partnership with Plaster Creek Stewards.

Along COS’s east entrance, look for a sign that designates our “bioswale” as a wildlife habitat certified by the National Wildlife Federation as part of their Sacred Grounds initiative. Visit our solar array dashboard to see how COS is reducing carbon emissions and learn about our climate advocacy partnerships at the Grand Rapids Climate Coalition and Climate Witness Project. Finally, learn about Organicycle, our recycling and composting partner.

And what about all your other e-waste? Yes, as we all know, tech and electronic gifts rank near the top on American’s Christmas wish lists. We gleefully unbox the new phone or speaker or laptop or batteries, and then… we throw away the old ones. But e-waste does not go away. These items join a global e-waste stream. According to the World Health Organization, 66 million tonnes of e-waste is generated globally each year and only 22% of this is formally collected and recycled. Most of the rest makes its way to poor countries where women and child laborers informally recycle it, exposing them and their ecosystems to health hazards like lead, mercury, and dioxins. 

There is a better way, and the nonprofit Comprenew is actively participating in it. In the coming months, watch for opportunities when we will collect other types of e-waste at church and then bring the items to Comprenew. Can’t wait that long? You can also bring your e-waste to one of Comprenew’s two drop-off centers/resale shops. Click here for a complete list of accepted items and pricing. 

Our support of Comprenew by recycling and purchasing of refurbished goods helps to ensure a safer and healthier planet.

We welcome ideas and participation from all ages. Our team meets at 7:30-9:00 PM on the third Monday of each month. You can join us in-person at church or online via Zoom. For more information contact our team leader: David Koetje.

For posts and updates from the Creation Care Team, please visit: https://www.churchoftheservantcrc.org/category/creationcare/

Over the last couple of years, the creation care team has replaced the grass in the parking lot islands with native plants. Use this map to help identify some of the native species planted in the COS islands.