by Patti Loughridge and Sandy Drescher-Lehman
While some folks may suffer from long-COVID, our congregation, Methacton Mennonite Church (Norristown, PA), wondered how we could practice long-haul goodness.
From a congregational conversation in the summer of 2021, a group of us began to talk about forming what we called a “Green Team.” We soon created a mission statement to inform our efforts:
We honor our responsibility to faithfully steward God’s creation, by guiding the community of Methacton Mennonite Church on a path to greater environmental care, both corporately and individually, through education and ecologically sustainable practices.
The Green Team began to share some of our life-long practices with each other and the congregation, such as ways to reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose. We also brainstormed together to think of new initiatives we could do individually and together.
Eventually, an idea emerged from our prayers and dreaming. As good Mennonites, our initial impetus was both practical and financial. We wanted to have less lawn to mow, which would save us money and reduce our carbon emissions. We decided we should focus on a small section of our church property.
Besides the practical and financial benefits, the team soon realized other benefits for this emerging idea of an outdoor sanctuary, such as taller grass that would enhance pollinating habitats for bees, butterflies and ladybugs, opportunities for nesting for certain bird species, and the insurance of water retention to slow down the effects of run-off and erosion.
Then the dream of planting trees was added to our outdoor sanctuary, for many reasons. Trees are beautiful and sacred, they provide a food source and shelter for wildlife, they help cool our planet, they absorb carbon dioxide and give off clean oxygen, and they help keep rainwater in place, re-charging the ground’s water supply. To create this forest-like outdoor sanctuary, our church community was invited to “sponsor a tree,” in memory or honor of a loved one or for their own tending in the years to come.
After two years, our dreaming and planning became a reality. The anticipated weekend finally arrived in October. Together, we dug holes, planted, mulched, and placed a wire cage around each young tree, 25 in all, to protect it from the plethora of deer that visit our church property.
Now, 25 native trees’ leaves are turning colors on the edge of our lawn, giving glory to their Creator, with thanks to the people who had the vision, funds and sweat equity to inspire us. We stand in awe of the increased greening of the earth as we watch the young maples, redbuds, oaks, sweetgums, and walnuts bless the world for years to come.
All photos provided by Sandy Drescher Lehman.
Patti Loughridge
Patti Loughridge received a degree in landscape design from Temple University and has enjoyed her lifelong career as a Horticulturist. Even when not at work, Patti enjoys puttering in her garden, growing vegetables, cooking, and finding new ways to make the earth a greener place. Patti attends Methacton Mennonite Church and serves there both as team lead for the Green Team and as a member-at-large on the Core Ministry Council.
Sandy Drescher-Lehman
Sandy Drescher-Lehman enjoys reading, writing, eating good food with people who also love to do that, pastoring at Methacton Mennonite Church, and riding tandem with her husband, John. Together they find joy in making beautiful spaces, and hosting Hipcampers, Wild Church, and retreatants on the land they tend, called FernRock Retreat.
