Earth Ministry

“The power of God is present at all places, even in the tiniest tree leaf. He is wholly present in all creation, flower, cloud, and star. . . behind you and before you.”  — Martin Luther

Acknowledging God’s presence in our environment, we are called to the following mission:
  • To care for the earth as Christ cares for his own.
  • To recognize that all people deserve the right to clean water and a healthy environment.
  • To educate by presenting programs about Earthkeeping.
  • To inspire the wonder of creation in worship.
  • To provide practical ways of caring for the Earth through such activities as recycling, energy use, and use of resources.

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Earth Ministry Focuses on Energy

LCR ministries have worked hard this year helping to focus on ways the church can operate greener with more energy efficiency.  The Hospitality Ministry has made the kitchen service more ‘green’ with replacing Styrofoams with reusable serving pieces while getting a new Energy Star dishwasher.  The Property and Grounds Committee has replaced incandescent bulbs with CFLS.  The Earth Ministry Team has worked with all groups and have had study sessions to help people better understand how to make their own homes more energy efficient to lower their demand on energy.   On Earth Sunday a special class on solar energy was given along with visuals related to energy usage was set up in the narthex. 

Earth Sunday for Children

On Earth Sunday special programs are presented to the children. Age-appropriate lessons are presented to educate our youth.  

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Community Garden

Gardeners and those who love gardens are invited to a rogation service. The annual prayer service is typically found among churches within rural communities. LCR's community garden, the Garden of Eatin', offers a rationale for a resurgence of this traditional blessing of the land and prayers for bountiful crops in suburban Anderson Township.

The Garden of Eatin' boasts a Children's Garden plus three food plots dedicated to Inter Parish Ministry food pantry as well as garden plots available for lease to residents of the surrounding community. The organic garden has proved popular enough that a waiting list was created by coordinators to keep track of hopeful participants.

Community garden enthusiasts at LCR lease plots annually for a minimal fee and volunteer their time to plant, tend, harvest and deliver food from the dedicated food pantry plots. Members of the LCR community also volunteer to enhance and maintain the garden area, which includes mulched paths, a refurbished bench, compost area and rain barrels for water collection. The Garden of Eatin' is a project of LCR's Earth Ministry Committee, which plans programs and events to promote the care and conservation of creation.

There is an annual Rogation Service. Pastor Zorn presides over the blessing of the earth, water and seeds. A seed "Swap and Trade" follows the service.

Rogation service Garden

Garden Garden

Links from the Earth Ministry Team

Rule

Reduce

Reuse

Recycle