Inside…

  • Reflection
  • Prince George’s County Workshops
  • Baltimore Gathering
  • Upcoming Events
  • Maryland Legislative Update
  • Your Fingerprints on the Chesapeake Bay Agreement
  • Earth Day Ideas
  • Find us on Facebook 

Grace envelopes us in so many ways! Last Wednesday, hundreds of students from Washington Adventist University participated in the university’s Day of Service. One of their projects was to plant nearly 60 trees through the Trees for Sacred Places program, in collaboration with Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Washington Adventist Hospital, and Friends of Sligo Creek. How invigorating it was to see so many students take time from their classes (not that anyone had to twist their arm!) to contribute to a healing of their local watershed. Photos of this exciting day can be seen on our Facebook page. And this was a no-brainer for these young people because they get it: we each have to do our part to renew the Earth!

We are continually renewed by the goodness of Creation - particularly after this long winter which the burgeoning spring is quickly turning into a memory. Renewal awaits each one of us - in nature and in our spiritual life. Our loving creator invites us to prayerfully consider our footsteps, our impacts, our daily choices and how these can all give glory to life and beauty around us. Many people of faith are celebrating Easter, Passover, Baisakhi/Vaisakhi (start of the harvest season) and other holidays that celebrate and signal renewal. And millions around the world will honor Earth Day this month. May we all find new energy and hope in the renewal of the season!

Here at IPC - we are rejuvenated each week by the blessing of being able to work with people who honor the sanctity of Creation. We are excited to share with you this map identifying hundreds of individuals and communities of faith who have taken some sort of action to help heal the Earth. And there’s many more doing great work that we’re not directly connected to. In this season of hope, celebrate the collective impact that you’re contributing to!

Wishing you blessings in this season of hope,
The IPC Team

Prince George’s County Workshops “Faithful Stewards Restoring Creation”

Calling all congregations in Prince George’s County! Come learn about stormwater, how it is impacting our watershed community and what congregations can do about it. Also hear from County representatives about the stormwater utility fee and the Alternative Compliance Program which can help you reduce - or eliminate - your fee! Workshops are free, but please register so we can prepare. Helps us spread the word to your neighbors so that no one misses out on this important opportunity to reduce their fees. Details and registration here. The first of 3 workshops will take place on Sunday April 18th at Turner Memorial AME Church, Hyattsville.

Walk the Talk Event in Baltimore

Calling all Baltimore Congregations! Come learn about the Blue Water Congregations program, which offers technical and grant-writing support to assist congregations in Baltimore manage their polluted runoff (and even reduce their stormwater utility fee!). If you’re in the Blue Water Baltimore region (click here for a map of the watershed), don’t miss this opportunity to enroll in this program that has already helped dozens of congregations plan out projects for their grounds. Informational gathering April 26th 3-5 pm at Cathedral of the Incarnation, Baltimore. Details and registration here. Keynote Speaker: Rev. Dr. Angela Shepherd (photo at right). Click HERE for a downloadable flyer you can use to invite people of faith who might be interested to attend.

Montgomery County “Sacred Grounds” Program

Calling all Montgomery County Congregations! Come learn about National Wildlife Federation’s new Sacred Grounds program which certifies places of worship as wildlife habitats. Informational workshop is free, April 19th at Adat Shalom, Bethesda. Click here for more details.

Upcoming Events

  • April 7th - “Compassion in Action: Buddhism and the Environment,” a livestream presentation hosted by Yale’s Himalayan Initiative. Details here
  • April 8th - Tree Planting in Rock Creek Park
  • April 11th - Alice Ferguson Foundation Cleanup  
  • April 11th - St. Luke’s Project Clean Stream 8:45 to noon 1101 Bay Ridge Avenue, Eastport
  • April 11th - Theological Reflection on Social and Environmental Justice for Curtis Bay, the location where the country’s largest trash-burning incinerator is proposed; 10 am to 2 pm St. Athanasius Roman Catholic Church - RSVP Here 
  • April 18th - Prince George's County Workshop for congregations to learn about restoring watersheds and how reduce their stormwater fees 2-5 pm. Click here to register.
  • April 18th - Howard County County Greenfest 10 am - 4 pm Click here to help IPC staff our table  
  • April 18th - Save Our Streams Workshop in Gaithersburg, 9am - 4pm 
  • April 19th - Jodi Speaking at Maryland Presbyterian Church (Towson) at morning service
  • April 19th - Kolya speaking at Towson Unitarian Universalist at morning service at 11:15
  • April 19th - Montgomery County “Sacred Grounds” workshop 2-5 pm Details and registration here.
  • April 19th - Bonnie speaking at Emmanuel Church, 101 North Cross Street, Chestertown “This Fragile Earth, Our Island” Home - 2 pm
  • April 19th - Earth Forum of Howard County 2 pm “Water Stories from Around the World”
  • April 25th – Co-sponsoring PEEK, a photo exhibit of beautiful biodiversity, at Maryland Presbyterian Church. Details here. 
  • April 26th – Annapolis Earth-Water-Faith Festival 2 - 4:30 pm Click here to help IPC staff our table 
  • April 26th - Visioning Session with The Episcopal Church of the Holy Covenant (please keep them in your prayers!)
  • April 26th - “Walk the Talk: An Interfaith Response to Polluted Runoff” 3-5 PM Cathedral of the Incarnation, Baltimore, Keynote Speaker Rev. Dr. Angela Shepherd 
  • April 26th - Kolya preaches at Accotink Unitarian Universalist, morning service 10:30 AM
  • April 26th - Visioning Session at Amazing Grace Lutheran (please keep them in your prayers!)
  • April 28th - Kolya presents a Spiritual & Environmental Workshop at West River United Methodist Retreat Center’s Day Apart

Update on the 2015 Maryland Legislative Session
Check out our Advocacy Page for updates on the ever-changing environmental legislative landscape in Maryland!

3-Year Moratorium - Legislation that would put a 3-year hold on fracking in Maryland passed in the House with a veto-proof 94-45 vote. It now heads to the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs committee. To voice your support for this legislation, contact Senator Miller and Senator Conway. 

Stormwater - A revised version of Senate Bill 863 was passed in the Senate which does not require counties to assess a stormwater utility fee, but does require them to have a financial assurance plan with dedicated funding for stormwater management projects. IPC’s position on this legislation is that with a few amendments that would strengthen the requirement for a financial assurance plan, this is a solid bill that will achieve improvements for rivers and streams and share the responsibility of polluted runoff among all property owners that have impervious surfaces. The House is now considering the bill and proposed amendments. Our coalition’s written testimony is here.

Put Your Fingerprints on the Chesapeake Bay Agreement

In an effort to invite the general public to participate in the development of the new Bay agreement, on March 16th, the Chesapeake Bay Program released the draft strategies of the agreement for a 45-day public comment period. You can find the strategies here and you have until April 30th to offer your comments. There will also be a Public Open House, with a "poster session" format, to give the public the opportunity to ask questions and learn about what is in the draft agreement. Tuesday, April 7 from noon-2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. at DNR Headquarters - Tawes Office Building, 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401.

Earth Day Ideas 

Menu for Action - Looking for something to do with your Green Team for Earth Day? Check out our Menu for Action 
for hundreds of ideas, activities, reflections, and ways to lead your congregation toward a culture of Caring for Creation. If you have an idea or activity to add to the Menu, please contact [email protected]. New listings are being added all the time!

Project Clean Stream - We are proud to help promote Project Clean Stream, a program of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. Assemble your green teams or youth groups for an outdoor cleanup experience! Visit their website for a list of possible work sites and how to enroll.

Tree Plantings throughout Baltimore - Starting March 21 and happening every weekend until May 16th, come out an help plant trees in Baltimore!