Go Green!!!               

God created us—people—in God’s image and dedicated us to keep watch over, to guard, to protect, and to have charge of planet earth, God’s good creation. We re-imagine our discipleship journey to do that!

 

Serve God with us by participating in these annual and on-going creation-respecting events.

​

Apr 14 (Sun)—Screen documentary, Common Ground, with lite no-meat snack lunch before, noon-2:15 p.m./room 203

• This new documentary film probes the potential of regenerating the world’s soils to rapidly stabilize Earth’s climate, restore lost ecosystems, and create abundant food supplies. It explains why transitioning to regenerative agriculture could be key in rehabilitating the planet, while simultaneously invigorating a new sense of hope and inspiration in viewers. View the trailer.​

 

Apr 20 (Sat)—12th Annual Electronics and Appliances Recycling Drive, 8:30-11:30 a.m./SUMC Parking Lot

• Collect all kinds of electronics, appliances, rechargeable battery packs, small batteries, cords, CDs/DVDs, and pristine EPS foam packaging blocks and coolers. Meredith Recycling, Montrose, Mo., picks up most items; we deliver some items to Computer Recycling Center in Springfield and Foam Fabricators in El Dorado Springs. 

​

Apr 21 (Sun)—Share Creation Care Ministry vision during worship, 10:45-11:45 a.m./Sanctuary

​

May 1-4 (Wed-Sat)—United Women of Faith Rummage Sale, hours vary/Family Life Center

• Collect and recycle or reuse: corrugated cardboard boxes, paper, glass, wire, and metal; unsold electronics, DVDs; clean plastic bags, compost coffee grounds.

​​

Aug 2 (Fri)—SAMA Back-to-School Fair Set-up Recycling, 9:30 a.m.-noon/Middle School Cafeteria

• Collect school supply packaging waste for recycling.

 

Aug 3 (Sat)—SAMA Back-to-School Fair Recycling, 9-11 a.m./Middle School Cafeteria

• Collect school supply packaging waste and plastic water bottles for recycling, deliver recyclables to city recycling center and wherever else they need to go.

​

Aug 14 (Wed)—Stockton R-1 Schools Appreciation Breakfast, 7:30-9 a.m./Family Life Center

• Serve full breakfast using our re-usable plates, bowls, glasses, cups, and silverware to make this a near-zero-waste event.

 

Sep 26-28 (Thu-Sat)—Black Walnut Festival Recycling, times vary/Stockton City Park

• Set out 20 recycling units, monitor units, collect and sort plastic and aluminum beverage bottles, clean and store 20 units.

​

Oct 3-5 (Wed-Sat)—United Women of Faith Rummage Sale, hours vary/Family Life Center

• Collect and recycle or reuse: corrugated cardboard boxes, paper, glass, wire, and metal; unsold electronics, DVDs; clean plastic bags, compost coffee grounds.

​

Feb 16 and 19 (Sun and Wed)—Annual Light Bulb Recycling Drive, 9:15-9:40 a.m. and 9:30-11:30 a.m./SUMC Portico on east side of building

• Accept Christmas lights and all other kinds of light bulbs/tubes; we deliver them to Computer Recycling Center and Lowe's in Springfield.

​

Ongoing—Maintain “green” church and church kitchen practices

• SUMC, Proud to be “Styrofoam Free!”

• With a goal of low-waste (ideally zero-waste) SUMC meals, prioritize serving eat-in meals on our re-usable plates, bowls, glasses, cups, silverware

• Serve carry-out meals in Eco-friendly disposable, compostable clamshells made from renewable wheat straw fiber or sugarcane bagasse; no PFAS added. Vender:  https://greenpaperproducts.com/

• Wash Sunday morning fellowship coffee cups and water glasses

• Collect and compost food waste, including coffee grounds

• Turn lights off when not in use

• Replacing light bulbs with LEDs

• Collect and recycle or reuse

  • Crayons, markers, highlighters, pens, and pencils

  • Clean, untorn single-use plastic bags

  • SUMC-generated paper, paper board, and corrugated cardboard

  • SUMC-generated aluminum pans and foil

  • Capped-pill bottles (all sizes)

  • Bread wire twist-ties

  • Printer ink/toner cartridges (all sizes)

  • Aluminum cans

  • Christmas lights (collect December-January)

 

Ongoing—Pollinator Victory Garden on south church grounds in-progress

 

Ongoing—Facilitate recycling beverage bottles and cans by loaning our portable recycling units for community events. Call the church office at (417) 276-4717.

​

Learn more about Creation Care Ministry Here. Read our 2023 Creation Care Ministry Annual Report.

​

We welcome new creation care ideas, projects, and events that help us change our way of being in the world.

​

Creation Care Ministry Leader: Cheryl Y. Marcum, commissioned United Methodist EarthKeeper | renew.creation@gmail.com| (417) 955-2885 (m)