Learn from Others
Real stories from congregations caring for creation — find ideas your community can borrow.
Every story here came from a congregation like yours. Browse by theme, borrow ideas, and when you’re ready, share what your church is doing.
Our Savior’s Lutheran — Rockford, IL
Decades deep in creation care
Solar panels, LED lighting, recycled pew cushions, and an Earth Day film festival on four screens ... Read the story →
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church — South Hadley, MA
From coffee cups to pollinator meadows
A congregation grows pollinator meadows, a food-pantry garden, and a habit of using less throwaway stuff ... Read the story →
Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church — Alexandria, VA
Part of a regional climate alliance
Webinars, grant help for congregations, and local climate advocacy — through an alliance of faith communities ... Read the story →
St. Paul — Lititz, PA
The Sacred Grounds of St. Paul
A green space in the middle of Lititz, with walking paths, a growing garden, and room to worship outdoors ... Read the story →
Trinity Lutheran + 301 Ecumenical Faith Partners — Fort Collins, CO
Replanting a burned camp
When wildfire hit a Lutheran camp, members went and replanted trees ... Read the story →
University Lutheran Church Norman — Norman, OK
A styrofoam drop-off for the whole town
Styrofoam is out of the church kitchen — and the congregation takes the neighborhood's, too ... Read the story →
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church — Rockford, IL
Vegetarians in Motion, Becca’s Closet, and a cleanup crew
Decades of monthly Vegetarians in Motion meetings, free prom dresses for students, and teams out for the Great American Cleanup ... Read the story →
St. Andrew's Lutheran Church — Columbia, MO
Honoring Our Sacred Trust – Gardening (MO)
Forty-eight people planted native Missouri shrubs in the church's rain garden for Earth Week ... Read the story →
Tree of Life Lutheran Church — Harrisburg, PA
Solar Panel Installation – Harrisburg PA
A donated solar installation expected to cover 103% of the campus's energy needs ... Read the story →
The Community Church — Babcock Ranch, FL
Babcock Ranch, Florida – Babcock Ranch
A second annual Earth Day Fair brought 19 local nonprofits together to share how they protect Southwest Florida's ecosystem ... Read the story →
Trinity Lutheran (and 301 Ecumenical Faith Partners) — Fort Collins, CO
Bike racks, a trail, and a day to ride to church
Bike racks, a trail across the property, and a regular day for riding to church ... Read the story →
Good Shepherd — Decorah, IA
All Electric, Carbon Neutral, Net Zero
Good Shepherd's decade-long journey to an all-electric, carbon-neutral, net-zero building: solar panels, LED lighting, geothermal heat pumps, and a $23 ... Read the story →
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church — Outing, MN
Bags to Benches
Five hundred pounds of plastic film becomes a park bench. They're working on their tenth ... Read the story →
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church — Port Angeles, WA
A Video Devotion Every Month, and a Pier Full of Neighbors on Earth Day
Every month, a video devotion on trees, migration, or winter creation spirituality — plus a shared Earth Day celebration with ... Read the story →
Peace Lutheran Church — Tacoma, WA
Garden Table in Washington State
Master gardeners set up a weekly "garden table" to help members start their own gardens ... Read the story →
Calvary Lutheran Church — Willmar, MN
A drop-off site and a booth at the EcoFair
Plastic film, used dental products, and a shared booth with two other ELCA congregations ... Read the story →
Edmonds Lutheran Church — Edmonds, WA
Edmonds Lutheran Church is Going Solar
A donated solar system, installed with a local solar company and a community award process ... Read the story →
Augustana Lutheran Church — Denver, CO
An Earth Day table and a no-waste plan
An Earth Day table with ideas members could take home, and a no-waste plan for the whole congregation ... Read the story →
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church — Ardmore, PA
Recycling beyond the blue bin
A compost bucket exchange, a scrap-yard recycling corner, and two Sundays a year when people walk or bike to church ... Read the story →
Immanuel Lutheran — Evanston, IL
An advocacy table at the winter farmers market
The congregation hosts the winter farmers market — and puts a climate justice table in it ... Read the story →
Hope Lutheran Church — River Falls, WI
A mainstay at the town’s eco-events
Partnering on community-wide eco-events, and meatless options when the congregation hosts ... Read the story →
Carmel Lutheran Church — MN
Caring for Creation at Carmel
Three families built insulated bee hives to support pollinators, following the synod's new Pollinator Synod resolution ... Read the story →
St. John's Lutheran Church — Stamford, CT
A “Gold Star” Cool Congregation: Solar, LED, and Big Energy Savings
Solar power, LED lighting, and efficient systems earned St. John's a "Gold Star" Cool Congregation award — and over $70,000 ... Read the story →
Good Soil Lutheran Ministries — Rocky River, OH
Bins now, gardens next
Recycling and donation bins on site now — a butterfly garden and a vegetable garden still on the list ... Read the story →
