“The whole Earth is a living icon of the face of God.”
--St. John of Damascus (675-749), Treatise

We are in our second week of Earth Month, a time when people of faith and others throughout Maryland and across the nation celebrate the wonderful gifts in our natural world.  It is also a time when we all can renew our commitment to being good stewards of the environment. It's exciting to see that each year, more and more congregations are taking the lead and organizing tree plantings, cleanups, educational events,  Creation focused worship services and more.

If your congregation does not yet have any activities scheduled, and you are wondering how to get involved in efforts to sustain our Earth, we have a few suggestions for you.

Participate in a stream cleanup

There are a myriad of stream cleanups taking place this month. IPC will be hosting one on April 13th in partnership with the City of Gaithersburg.  If you live in the area, please join us by registering at this link. Or you can check out the Potomac River Watershed Cleanups for additional opportunities.

Participate in an educational event

There are several films that can educate us about the health of the Chesapeake Bay and our local environment.  If you live close to Baltimore, join one of our partners, Homewood Friends, for a screening of the film ”High Tide in Dorchester” . Or you could attend a special lecture on urban forests, at Memorial Episcopal on April 8th, featuring Jill Jonnes and our Executive Director, Jodi Rose (RSVP on the events page here)

Plant a tree (or many)

Many jurisdictions in Maryland have tree giveaways.  Check with your local county department of the environment to find out whether they will be holding a giveaway this month.

Commit to shifting to more sustainable travel this month (and beyond)

In recognition of Earth Month, make a pledge to walk, bike, or take public transportation whenever possible.  If you are planning a trip, consider purchasing carbon offsets for your travel-related carbon emissions or you can do so here.

Spend more time outdoors

Go outside and undertake a spiritual practice in nature.  You can find some ideas in our guide to Spiritual Walk Reflections and Activities.

And if your congregation is looking for other ideas on how to celebrate Earth Day on Monday, April 22nd, IPC has compiled several worship resources.  Check out what we have available on our website.