An Ohio church has plans to plant 1,500 trees in 5 years in a ‘restoring creation’ effort.
John Weigand is coordinating the project or First Presbyterian Church of Granville. He told the Newark Advocate that he didn’t think the goal was insurmountable adding, “In fact, I suspect we might exceed that number if the community is energized by this gentle act of environmental stewardship.”
The church, which is in the PCUSA denomination and located approximately 30 miles northwest of Columbus, has been recognized as an “Earth Care Congregation,” one of six churches in the state to earn the distinction.
To become certified and receive an Earth Care Congregation designation within the denomination, a church fills out a pledge and “tracks its commitments to earth care in the areas of worship, education, facilities, and outreach,” according to the denomination’s mission page.
Designating Earth Care congregations is part of a long-term effort within the denomination.
Last summer, some parishioners at the Granville church read and discussed The Gospel According to the Earth: Why The Good Book is a Green Book by Dr. Matthew Sleeth, which outlines the benefits of planting trees.
The church began its five-year tree-planting initiative at a November 24 service, where Sleeth preached, by planting 25 young maple trees that had been donated by a local nursery.