Green   Chalice   News 

Green Chalice News
A monthly e-newsletter from Green Chalice, a ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
In This Issue
GC goes International
Go Green
Plaque
Ecopalms
Carbon Fast
Earth Sunday
Fair Trade?
Smartphone
GC Congregations
Gardens
Green Chalice?
Green Chalice is a partnership Creation Care ministry of Disciples Home Missions and the Christian Church in Kentucky.
Our mission is to connect Christian faith, spiritual practice and creation consciousness in order to demonstrate the fullness of God's shalom. 
Disciples Home Missions
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Christian Church in Kentucky


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March 2014
Green Chalice Goes International
Sugarbush Christian Church in Guelp, Ontario CANADA became the FIRST Green Chalice Congregation outside of the United States. 
Become a GC Congregation!
Many congregations already qualify to be a GC Congregation and simply need to apply.

STEPS: 

1. Have an active Green Team.

2. Sign the Alverna Covenant as a team or as a congregation. 

3. Make at least 3 changes that demonstrate your congregation's commitment to caring for God's creation. 

 

THEN e-mail the following information :  

1. Congregation name, City, State, address and phone number; 

2. the date the Alverna Covenant was signed;

3. and the changes made by your congregation to walk more gently on God's creation.

 

Certified Congregation
Howard Fallis, David Brown, Rev. Vicki Rae and Larry Stopher of Salvisa Christian Church in Kentucky posed for a photo before displaying their Certified Green Chalice Plaque prominently on the wall of the church. 
Ecopalms

Only 36 DOC churches have ordered Ecopalms this year. Compare that to 735 orders by our Presbyterian brothers and sister. This is an easy way to support and promote sustainable agriculture. Order today!

 

  • At least half of the farmers in the Central Peten of Guatemala earn an additional income from harvesting fronds, and more than a quarter of household heads support themselves exclusively by collecting fronds.
  • Each palm plant produces 2 to 5 harvestable leaves over a 2 to 4 month period.
  • Palm purchases for Palm Sunday may be worth up to 4.5 million dollars/year.
The deadline is fast approaching so order your palm fronds from our a Green Chalice partner today!

Lenten Carbon Fast

It is not too late to commit to fasting from carbon during Lent. Participants receive a daily email with a suggested carbon-reducing activity. The intention is to provide do-able actions which can make a difference and empower people so they can challenge themselves to do more.

 

Sign up here!

Carbon Fast Suggestion for 3.17.2014:
The prophet Isaiah asks a question that must be asked anew by each generation:"Is not this the fast that I choose...?" (Isaiah 58:6)  And for our generation, keeping carbon in the ground - not just a personal fast from carbon but ending society's dependency on coal, oil and gas - this is the "fast" our generation must affirm.  In less than two years, the worldwide movement to divest from fossil fuel companies has grown to include over 470 colleges, universities, towns, cities, states and yes, even denominations. Read this overview from GreenFaith.org.
Earth Sunday 2014 
Choose: Easter Sunday OR April 27th
Get your resources from Creation Justice Ministries
Fair Trade Confusion
It seems that there is a multitude of "Fair Trade" logos. Unfortunately these logos were not created equal. There are some that can be trusted and some that only look cute. The following are Good Choices:
 
Good Choice
Good Choice
 
Good Choice
 
Rain Forrest Alliance, Fair Trade Certified, Fair Trade America and UTZ certified do not meet the standards of the World Trade Project. Be skeptical. If there is a fair trade logo on a product made by a large corporation that also sells soda products or junk food, trust your instinct. 
 
When we are careful with our dollars and support Fair Trade that supports small farmers and sustainable practices, it will make a difference. The big companies are already paying attention or they would not have come up with their cute logos to try to fool us. 
 
Be Smart with your Smartphone
droid_smartphone.jpg

Despite their small size, smartphones are expensive, resource-hungry goods, and they deserve a better life cycle than two years of use followed by an eternity in a forgotten desk drawer.

Follow these simple suggestions:
1. Use your phone for at least 3 years.
2. Trade your old phone in or donate to a worthy charity 
3. Buy a refurbished or used phone
 

GC Recognitions
Congrats to our newest GC Congregation:

Sugarbush Christian Church, Guelp, Ontario
 
Central Woodward Christian Church, Troy, MI 

Green Chalice Congregations
Arlington Christian Church, Lexington, KY
Bridgeport Christian Church, Frankfort, KY

Butler Christian Church, Butler, KY
Central Christian Church, Lexington, KY

Central Christian Church, Marshalltown, IA

Central Woodward Christian Church, Troy, MI

Community Christian Church, Tempe, AZ  

Crestwood Christian Church, Lexington, KY

Desert Dove Christian Church, Tucson, AZ  

Disciples Christian Church, Bartlesville, OK

Downey Avenue Christian Church, Indianapolis, IN

Edmond Trinity Christian Church, Edmond, OK.

Evergreen Christian Church, Athens, GA  

First Christian Church, Bardstown, KY  

Green Chalice Logo

First Christian Church, Beaumont, TX 

First Christian Church, Bellingham, WA

First Christian Church, Carbondale, IL    

First Christian Church, Danville, KY  

First Christian Church, Frankfort, KY  

First Christian Church, Glasgow, KY  

First Christian Church, Henderson, KY

First Christian Church, Leavenworth, KS

First Christian Church, Little Rock, AR  

First Christian Church, Lynchburg, VA

First Christian Church, Mount Vernon, WA

First Christian Church, Ocala, FL 

First Christian Church, Owensboro, KY

First Christian Church, Paducah, KY 

First Christian Church, Paris, KY

First Christian Church, Pasadena, TX 

First Christian Church, West Palm Beach, FL  

Florence Christian Church/Harmony Place, KY 

Heights Christian Church, Shaker Heights, OH

Journey of Faith, Ann Arbor, MI  

Lake Washington Christian Church, Kirkland, WA

Lakewood Christian Church, Lakewood, OH   

Lee's Summit Christian Church, MO 

Midway Christian Church, Midway, KY

Mt. Zion Christian Church, Richmond, KY

Nicholasville Christian Church, Nicholasville, KY 

Northside Christian Church, Knoxville, TN  

Norwalk Christian Church, Norwalk, IA

Ridglea Christian Church, Ft. Worth, TX
Salvisa Christian Church, Salvisa, KY

Southern Hills Christian Church, Edmond, OK

Southside Christian Church, Kokomo, IN

Sugarbush Christian Church, Guelp, Ontario

Valley Christian Church, Birmingham, AL 

White Oak Pond, Richmond, KY 

Woodland Christian Church, Lexington, KY

15th Avenue Christian Church, Rock Island, IL

 

Green Chalice Ministries  

Christmount Retreat and Conference Center

Black Mountain, NC  

 

Green Chalice Regional Offices

Christian Church Capital Area 

 

CERTIFIED Green Chalice Congregations

Christ Church Uniting, Kailua, Hawaii

Cynthiana Christian Church, Cynthiana Kentucky  

Salvisa Christian Church, Salvisa, Kentucky   

Church Garden
Go to the Return to the Garden page and tell us about your garden. 

Let us add your congregation to our map!

Happy Spring!
Blessings on your Lenten Season!

 

Rev. Carol Devine               

[email protected]

Minister for Green Chalice

Contemplative Image by Rev. Chuck Summers

Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach.

Clarissa Pinkola Estes