Dubuque continues to be a hotbed of faith-based climate action. One of the leading congregations not only in the city but in the country is Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Last month, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) certified Westminster as an “Earth Care Congregation.” This honor speaks to the great commitment that the church has made to caring for God’s creation.
The congregation affirmed an Earth Care Pledge to integrate environmental practices and thinking into their worship, education, facilities, and outreach. The nomination for the designation was submitted by Westminster’s Green Team with approval of the church’s Session (governing body). The Earth Care Congregation certification is designed to recognize churches that make the commitment to take seriously God’s charge to “till and keep” the garden.
“It’s exciting that Westminster is one of the 264 churches that chose to dedicate themselves to intentional care of God’s earth this year. In a time of much uncertainty and worry about the future, this congregation’s activities and commitment brings hope to their community. Westminster and its Green Team will inspire others to respond intentionally to God’s call to care for the earth,” says Jessica Maudlin, Associate for Sustainable Living and Earth Care Concerns for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Our board member Elder Tom Stoval and his wife Linda are founding members of Westminster’s Green Team. They are also founding members of the Dubuque Interfaith Green Coalition, a group of Iowa IPL supporters who regularly meet and organize faith-based climate actions in Greater Dubuque.
“I am truly proud of the leadership of our Westminster Green Team and the engagement of our entire congregation in putting our faith in action,” says Stoval, Moderator of the Westminster Green Team. “We are caring for God’s creation and being good stewards of His gift of the earth.”
The photo is from March 2019 at Westminster, when the Dubuque Interfaith Green Coalition hosted the advocacy workshop to defend solar energy in the state. That advocacy helped pave the way for the passage of the legislation that protects investments in solar energy by congregations, home owners, small business owners, farmers, cities and schools. That bill was signed into law by the governor last month.
For more information about Westminster Presbyterian’s earth care program contact Tom Stovall, WPC Green Team Moderator, at tomstov@aol.com or (563) 581-7220.
For more information on the Earth Care Congregations program visit www.pcusa.org/earthcarecongregations.