Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake’s Annual Report reflects on an year of renewing our spirit of stewardship.

If you’re reading this, you likely know that getting a project in the ground at your congregation can feel slow. Most often it takes months or even years of talking with your green team, getting the approval of your faith leader, working with technical partners (hopefully through the One Water Partnership), applying for grant funding, and waiting to hear if your application was selected. Sometimes, it can feel like we’re making progress one inch at a time.

In the end, it's always worth it to steadily ensure that we are caring for Creation, while also doing to those downstream as we would want those upstream to do unto us. It renews our spirit to know that we are doing the work that we are called to do as faithful stewards of the Earth.

That's why the end of 2023 felt especially exciting for IPC's board and staff, our Partner Congregations, green teams, and volunteers. We had just hosted our third Chesapeake Champions event as an Interfaith Breakfast to bring together advocates across the region, were planning for our first-ever Faith & Waters Restoration Summit to energize green teams, and heard that we had helped congregations secure  over $4.3 million for in the ground projects.

As we celebrate the successes of 2023 and look ahead to the opportunities awaiting us for the rest of this year, it's clear that our collective efforts are making a significant impact.

This annual report is a chance for us to reflect on the accomplishments you helped us achieve in the last year. And to remind ourselves that the days can feel slow, but the years go by fast.

There's still much more to be done, but we are so glad you're here to help us get it done! We are hoping to raise $20,000 by the end of the month to continue to support congregations, mobilize green teams, and implement crucial projects that benefit both our communities and Creation.

Your support makes a tangible difference in our ability to make meaningful change, one step at a time. We are so grateful for your support and partnership as we work together to protect the sacred spaces we all love. We simply couldn't do it without you.

Click here to check it out and see what you helped accomplish.