The Episcopal Church of the Ascension (ECA), a Gaithersburg Environmental Award winner held a dedication ceremony for its "Piscataway Rain Garden" last month. It was a glorious day of celebration and renewal after the tornado that recently ripped through the City on June 5, tearing down several branches from nearby trees. Luckily the garden was unscathed!

The rain garden project represents resilience in the true sense of the word. After developing the design and drafting a grant proposal to help raise funds for its installation, the ECA green team was forced to put everything on pause during the pandemic – but they did not give up. When business started back up again, they revived the proposal, received a mini-grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust and completed the garden in 2023.

If you walk around their grounds you will notice other signs of their efforts to restore the local watershed. They have installed a rain barrel, encouraged their community to plant native plants at their homes, and recently planted several native trees to help control stormwater on the church property. To learn more about the dedication and ECA's work, check out this clip from NBC-4 News:

"This represents new beginnings and reinforces that each of us can make a difference."
~ Mayor Jud Ashman, City of Gaithersburg

ECA has taken much pride in caring for their grounds. Their Green Team has played an integral role in Creation care at the congregation, all inspired by their Rector, Rev. Javier Garcia Ocampo. Father Javier has been the catalyst in getting the Green Team to move beyond purpose and towards impact. Their Green Team completed IPC's Faithful Green Leaders Training before signing the Partner Congregation Pledge, equipping them with knowledge, skills, tools, and support to take action.