February Colleague of the Month

Each month, Earth Ministry honors a stand-out representative from one of our Greening Congregations for their great work on behalf of creation. This February, we recognize Earth Ministry colleagues Joyce Erickson and Abby Brockway for their inspiring contributions at Woodland Park Presbyeterian Church in Seattle.

Woodland Park Presbyterian Church, Seattle, WA
By: Joyce Erickson

Woodland Park Presbyterian Church believes its efforts to care for the creation is a response to the biblical mandate to do justice and love mercy and, ultimately, to follow Christ’s command to love one another.

Therefore, the congregation’s efforts to sustain that creation include the activities typical of others’ efforts:

• Using washable cups and plates for coffee hour and potlucks or compostable tableware
• Recycling all paper materials
• Gleaning produce from local grocery stores for the weekly soup kitchen
• Composting food waste, landscape waste, and seasonal plants
• Recycling candles at L'Arche Noah Sealth
• Using eco-palms on Palm Sunday
• On a Sunday near Earth Day, congregants who are able walk to take public transportation to church

Recently, a major remodeling project incorporated green features in the building, from automated light switches and thermostats to increased insulation in the new roof.

But the effort that deserves the most notice is a project undertaken by the youth of the church to create a forest garden through permaculture at Soundview Camp on Puget Sound.  This effort was spearheaded by WPPC member Max Denby, whose death in an accident at Soundview last year continues to be mourned by the congregation.   The memory of his efforts and his joy in creation sustain us in our efforts, just as his efforts sustain the earth.

Because of his work, campers will continue to plant seedlings and cuttings, maintain a garden of annual vegetables, clear garden plots that follow the natural watershed and seasonal streams, plant trees, bushes and other woody perennials before winter, and maintain the garden and trails.

Max’s own words about this effort best illustrate his commitment and ours to carry out the commandment to love the earth and its people:

What has spurred this passion on in me for the last few years is the idea that--Biblically speaking--the first place humanity experienced God was in a garden. Most depictions of this garden highly resemble a food forest, and edible forest design is one of the main studies in permaculture.

Permaculture is a way of life that celebrates our dependence on God and our interdependence with each other. As a way of life, permaculture encourages accepting our roles as tenders of God's garden and shepherds of the earth. Where the wild forest uses an abundant variety of plants and animals to all serve the common purpose of abundance and health of the forest at large, the food forest mimics the same system but produces an abundance of life-sustaining food and materials. And while the wild forest is tended by God, the food forest is tended by both God and humans bringing a crucial state of mind into present reality.

Thank you to Joyce, Max, Abby and the rest of Woodland Park Presbyterian for your dedication to God's creation and your inspiring leadership.