Began in 2010, this PC(USA) national program is celebrating 15 years of certifying churches and celebrating environmental ministry across four major areas of a congregation’s life: worship, education, facilities, and outreach in the community. It recognizes churches that make the commitment to take seriously God’s charge to “till and keep” the garden.
ELPC is just one of the 361 congregations in 41 states that chose to dedicate themselves to intentional care of God’s Earth in 2024. This is the fifth consecutive year that ELPC has been certified.
Earth Care Congregations exist as strong community partners in their own areas, as well as models for Presbyterian congregations across the country. One of the goals of this program is to inspire churches to care for God’s Earth in a holistic way, through integrating Earth care into all aspects of their church life. By the time a church has recertified for several years, the Earth care ethic becomes ingrained in a congregation’s culture, spreads to the surrounding community, and impacts the personal lives of individual church members.