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Church
Goes Green
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An increasing number of churches are feeling the winds of change. 180 United Methodist churches in north Texas have joined forces to buy “green” electricity generated by windmills. But, as Kim Riemland reports, one congregation is doing more to empower the environment. |
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SCRIPT:
(Locator: Cedar Park, Texas)
At The Rock United Methodist Church in Texas, they’re not just interested in
saving souls but also in preserving the planet.
The Rev. Kristina Carter, The Rock United Methodist Church: “This
congregation sees ours neighbors not just as the people who live across
the street from us, but also as the deer who live on this property.”
The Rock’s earth-friendly values are due in part to the Reverend
Kristina Carter – a second-career pastor. Carter previously was an
environmental scientist.
The Rev. Kristina Carter, The Rock United Methodist Church: “I’ve had a
lot of kind of boots-on-the-ground experience with cleaning up some of our
messes in terms of pollution.”
The congregation has embraced Carter’s views.
Shelley Lisle, Member, The Rock United Methodist Church: “We need to be
aware of how our actions affect what’s happening to the world.”
The new sanctuary was designed with nature in mind.
The Rev. Kristina Carter, The Rock United Methodist Church:
“It’s not landscaped the way you see a normal church; we’ve left a lot
of green space.”
The inside boasts fluorescent lights, carpet-free floors and many
ceramic mugs – although not everyone is compliant.
The Rev. Kristina Carter, The Rock United Methodist Church:
“When I ask those folks, ‘Hmm, Styrofoam, that’s so interesting,’ some
of them will say, ‘Yeah, but it’s the third time I’ve used the same
Styrofoam cup.’”
Even the cross is made from cypress that washed up on the beach.
Will Davies, Member, The Rock United Methodist Church: “We’ve started
composting; we use our air conditioning less; and we certainly are much
more aware of what we’ve got out there than we were before we started
coming here.”
And the church Web site shares green tips like what to do with kitchen
grease and how to decrease car emissions.
The Rev. Kristina Carter, The Rock United Methodist Church: “We might
not be able to do everything, but we can do something, and I think
that’s the biggest lesson we’ve learned.”
TAG:
The Rock is also equipped with rain collection
pillars, and hopes to add storage tanks for rain water collection this
year. In addition, members plan to start a composting site, and plant a
community garden.
For more details, contact
The Rock United Methodist Church
at 512-259-1805.