Green Sanctuary Program

Green Sanctuary Chalice

Our church participates in the UUA Green Sanctuary Program, which the UUA describes as "Congregations and congregants working together to restore Earth and renew Spirit."

The Green Sanctuary Program, originally nurtured and managed by the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth, was designed to give roots and wings to the vision that, together, we can create a world in which all people make reverence, gratitude, and care for the living Earth that is central to our lives.

Voluntary participation in the Green Sanctuary Program provides a framework for congregations and congregants to proclaim and live out their commitment to the Earth. The program:

• Provides the framework for congregations to begin specific projects and activities that lead to recognition as a Green Sanctuary through candidacy and then accreditation.

• Invites congregations to embark on an exploration of what it means to live today within a religious community on an imperiled Earth.

• Is a way for all Unitarian Universalists to join our efforts, both symbolically and explicitly, in becoming stewards of the Earth.

A Green Sanctuary is a Congregation that:

• Has received official recognition for completing the Green Sanctuary Program.

• Lives out its commitment to the Earth by creating sustainable lifestyles for its members as individuals and as a faith community.

• Is committed towards creating a religious community that has a fundamental, bottom-line, commitment to living in harmony with the Earth.

Greg Baka is 2011-12 chair of our Green Sanctuary Committee. The committee's stated mission is to integrate earth-friendly practices into our church's spiritual and physical realms. Among the many projects and activities promoted by the Committee include:

• Environmental awareness and recycling in our facility

• Movie nights

• Fair Trade Coffee, Tea and Chocolate Sales

• Meditation in Nature

• Participation in Earth Day activities in conjunction with our church's Social Action Committee.

A current initiative in keeping with the Green Sanctuary program is preliminary dreaming and planning by a group of church members to place solar panels on the roof of our church to generate a substantial portion of our electricity needs.

Our UU Church booth at Earth Day