It was a day of excitement, laughter and sunshine alongside the Mid-Atlantic Community Church garden ministry!

Recently the newly formed “Garden Ministry'' at the Mid-Atlantic Community Church’s (MACC)  put together an exciting event in collaboration with a multitude of different faith-based partners to galvanize their community, engage youth, and celebrate creation with an afternoon of service projects and revitalization. In total, more than 100 individuals, of all ages, came to the MACC campus to lend a hand, shovel, or saw to the garden ministry in effort to expand the production capabilities and natural health of their community garden.  

Under the guide of Garden Ministry leader, Gregg Jones, teams worked tirelessly through the morning to support the rapidly growing community garden.  With time, the Garden Ministry hopes to continue expansion of their garden to help provide for the local food banks, supplement their own communities needs, and provide habitat to native wildlife. 

What made the project especially successful? Collaboration. 

When we come together it’s amazing what can be accomplished. Removal of invasive plants, crop and pollinator plantings, construction of garden bins and composting boxes (made from reclaimed wood!) were just some of the day's achievements.  Collectively these projects will all help to serve the MACC’s mission to provide support for their community, and were completed in a sustainable way.  Weeks of collective work, finished in hours thanks to the dedication of so many volunteers. 

After a morning of hard work we packed inside for a celebration of what we had accomplished.  MACC Garden Ministry, Youth Christian Leadership Conference (YCLC), Boy Scouts of America, Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, musicians, and congregations both near and far helped to fill the air with smiling faces and eager listeners! With full bellies, including a dish made entirely from the garden, we came together to hear speakers, musicians, and reflection’s rejoicing creation.

With time Gregg Jones and his fellow team members in the Garden Ministry hope to expand their efforts to include new faces, and new efforts to steward their beautiful campus. 

Looking ahead, Faithful Green Leaders Training

These efforts at the Mid-Atlantic Community Church were only possible through teamwork and collaboration.  Environmental stewardship takes on many different shapes and forms, but it is always easiest with friends!

If you’re interested in promoting environmental activism at your own congregation consider checking out our Faithful Green Leaders Training program.  This three-part training session, resuming October 13th, will help give you and fellow “green team” members the tools and skills you’ll need to recruit others, gain faith leadership support, and plan for your own environmental efforts. 

Reach out to your regional IPC coordinator today and see if Faithful Green Leaders Training is right for your congregation.  We’ll see you in October!