Recently The Rev. Joan Pritcher spoke to members of our Green Ministry Team about their experience in Green Ministry. What follows are their responses.

JP [The Rev. Joan Pritcher]: How did you get involved (or interested) in Green Ministry?

WB [Woody Bartlett]: I had a ‘Road To Damascus’ kind of experience about 25 years ago in the San Diego Zoo where it became clear to me that the direct and indirect presence of humanity on earth was responsible for an incredible escalation of species extinctions.

TW [Tish Wallace]: Before anyone ever talked about “Green Ministry” or Global Warming, our family was recycling as much as we could—my mother passed down to us the importance of not wasting anything as folks who lived through the depression and WWII. As a Girl Scout leader for seven years my troops got on board learning about nature and the importance of preserving the environment. We were a part of Coca-Cola’s bottle collection drives, and did our part cleaning up campgrounds.

CB [Carol Bartlett]: Woody and I were doing work to end war (another big job). The phrase we used was, “we are one.” As we worked with it, it slowly became, “all is one.” And that popped me to a new place with the Creation. Everything is connected. Humans are just one part.

JP: What is your favorite Green Ministry project?

WB: My favorite ministry is Georgia Interfaith Power & Light (GIPL) which works with faith communities throughout Georgia to decrease their use of electrical power, thereby decreasing the negative impact of power generation from coal burning power plants. GIPL, which has a staff of four and a budget of $400,000, does most of its work at present through energy audits in congregations. However, it will soon be increasing its outreach to congregations in their efforts to educate their members and do other creation care ministries. And it will be increasing its advocacy efforts to positively change public policy.

TW: When we came up with the project of recycling for our parish kitchen, I was glad to work with that ministry. It is amazing how much we carry away each week, with our preschool taking part as well! I have a schedule of four people who are each responsible for collection one Sunday per month. Our recycling is taken to either the DeKalb Farmers Market or for home pick-up. I purchased green Decatur recyling containers for placement outside the kitchen area; and I have placed containers for recycling drink cans in several areas of our building which our sexton checks to add to our collection. Although arrangements can be made for a city pick-up our committee felt it too expensive.

CB: My favorite project is whatever is happening now. So right now my favorite project is the series coming up this fall on water. Such knowledge and expertise at Holy Trinity! Working with the Presbyterian group has been a gift, and I’m looking forward to learning more about water during this educational series. (The series will be Oct. 18, 25, and Nov. 1. All are invited. There will be time for conversation and exploring new territory.) Just the other day Kate McGregor-Mosley, the director of Earth Covenant Ministries said, “We should call this Planet Water, not Planet Earth, because it’s 3/4 water. Water, water everywhere,” and my mind just popped around that. I’m always learning from whatever is happening now.

JP: Do you have stories to share about your work in Green Ministry?

WB: One of my favorite stories about Green Ministries is the installation of solar power at Holy Trinity. It seemed so effortless and was done with such grace. And there, facing us as we enter the church, is an array of solar panels that signals all who enter that we humans had better start living closer to the ways that the earth works, such as using the natural energy of the sun to power our lives.

TW: Our older daughter used to drive back from UGA Law School every two weeks with her VW bug loaded with glass and other recyclables, and as I would help her unload she would say wryly, “Mom, see what you’ve done, I can’t throw this stuff away!”

CB: The big story of GIPL is that the right people kept showing up in the right place. Web masters, lawyers, people with money, people with science. We all kept looking around and saying, “I think we’re doing the right thing.”

JP: How has it changed your life?

WB: My whole adventure into creation care has been an adventure in faith. In some incredible ways, it has been apparent to me that God is very much a part of this larger effort. Again and again the right people have appeared to do the work that must be done. And the right resources have also appeared. It has happened so often that it cannot be explained by coincidence or chance. It has to be the hand of God. And to be a part of that is a thrill beyond all thrills.

TW: As a part of our Outreach Committee, I started a volunteer group to participate in the MedShare program. This non-profit organization recycles good medical equipment and supplies for medical missions, hospitals, and clinics around the world, taking surplus that formerly went into landfills and helping people in need. Seeing the huge amount of those supplies that formerly went into landfills is really mind boggling, and knowing it is not going there makes a person feel good to be a part of that kind of win-win situation.

CB: Well the work has opened up my heart and my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined or predicted. To feel connected to the entire universe means not feeling alone ever. To have different relationships with trees, water, animals—it may sound crazy—but we are all in this together, and that is heart-shifting.

JP: How can we help?

CB: I think we can all pray together and be open to what the earth is saying in its own way, with its own voice. We can all listen to each other and be awake. Being awake is probably the biggest thing we can do together.

JP: Is there anything else you want to say?

WB: The rate of extinctions is now well over the rate of extinctions 65 million years ago when some 75% of existing species went extinct including the mighty dinosaurs. Present extinctions are being caused mainly by climate change which is caused mainly by the burning of fossil fuels. In the end this activity destroys the habitat of so many species. They are having to migrate and for many of them, there is no place to migrate. Global climate change is the main cause of these extinctions, but toxins in the earth, air and water also cause these extinctions. Look what almost happened to the Bald Eagle because of pesticides. Eagles have made an incredible rebound, but other species have not been so lucky. What concerns me is the future. If we do not make some quick adjustments, our children and grandchildren will have a very difficult time. And the poor of this world are always on the front line of exposure.