In an attempt to help their church become more environmentally friendly, Emmanuel Mennonite Church has done some environmental audits and proposals. The ideas proposed have became a basis for a Mennonite Church B.C. environmental stewardship initiative.
When Pastor April Yamasaki called on interested church members to participate in a meeting on Nov. 1 to brainstorm ideas for the church to take the ideas of environmental stewardship to a practical level, people of all ages participated.
We ranged in age from grade 12 to 20-something to middle-aged and retired and there was great energy in the group,” she said.
The ideas put forth ranged from putting safe battery disposal containers in the foyer, which they have already installed, to having a Advent children’s feature about green Christmas wrapping, Yamasaki said.
Some members of the “green team” even represent Emmanuel on Mennonite Central Committee B.C.’s Service Peace and Justice committee.
According to Henry Krause, pastor of Langley Mennonite Fellowship in B.C. and chair of Mennonite Church B.C.’s Service Peace and Justice committee, the area church is just in the beginning stages of working on this environmental agenda, but they are optimistic about the future.
“We’re hoping to put together a team or group that can work on this agenda on behalf of the Service Peace and Justice committee,” he said.
Mennonite Church B.C. is currently working on connections with congregations to invite them to do energy audits of their buildings. They are also connecting more with A Rocha, an international Christian organization that engages in research, environmental education, and community-based conservation projects and the Mennonite Creation Care Network.
The committee is meeting on Nov. 20 to connect with more people and to find ways of empowering them to take the next steps.
“This is obviously a very important issue because it impacts our lives and the environment we live in, as well as a call to take good care of it. It impacts my children, my future grandchildren and it’s what we’re called to do,” Krause said.
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