The Green Team
We are called to be stewards of and care for the land for which we reside. As part of Messiah’s call to care for creation, the Green Team’s mission is to educate the congregation on eco-friendly practices and products, challenge the congregation to move to more sustainable resources, and always seek ways to better use and heal the land in our care including:
- installing solar panels to offset our carbon footprint while using our roofs sustainably.
- redeveloping portions of our grounds into prairie and rain gardens to strengthen our soil, reduce rain runoff from our parking lot, and offer a greater habitat for pollinators and birds!
- Land Acknowledgement + Care of Creation covenant
Prairie Hill
Throughout May, thanks to generous donations by members of Messiah,
we have planted a 1600 square foot prairie on the north end of our property!
With a mix of native Wisconsin plants, we will:
- Strengthen root systems and soil health
- Reduce water runoff from the parking lot, and the amount of grass that needs to be cut weekly
- provide space for pollinators (bees, birds, etc.)
- And add some beauty to the neighborhood!
Edit: "Solar Panel Dedication" to "Solar Panel Array"
Edit: "Returning to Glass.." to "We have returned to using Glass Communion Cups"
Solar Panel Array
On May 4, we dedicated our 121-panel solar array! We were joined by representatives from “Solar for Good” and “MadiSUN,” two of the organizations that we received grants from to make this project possible! And we even got on TV!
121 panels = 85,000 kWh/year = $9,000 of our electric bill saved = $9,000 we can send back into the community programs we support!
We have returned to using Glass Communion Cups to save on single use plastic
On May 10, we reintroduced glass communion cups in place of the single-use plastic cups we have been using.
A huge thank you to one of our members, Roger, for crafting the two collection tables, literally extending our communion table! This was done in memory of his wife who passed away in 2024. She was a proud advocate for the environment and a beloved member of this community.
