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First Presbyterian Church in Lowville Seeking
Certification as Earth Care Congregation
Published: December 15, 2025
at 12:00 a.m.
By: Provided by Lowville First Presbyterian Church
First Presbyterian Church in Lowville Seeking
Certification as Earth Care Congregation
The First
Presbyterian Church in Lowville has been working throughout 2025 to qualify
as an Earth Care Congregation.
Earth Care
Congregations are congregations that have committed to an “Earth Care Pledge” and have accomplished
a specific number of actions towards caring for God’s earth in four
categories: worship, education, facilities, and outreach. Congregations
earning 25 points in each of the four categories will be certified as Earth
Care Congregations.
This designation
began in 1990 when the 202nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.) adopted Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice, which calls
our denomination to engage in the tasks of restoring creation.
Members and
friends of First Presbyterian Church Lowville decided in the fall of 2024
to pursue the certification in 2025 and have been working diligently to
procure the points necessary to achieve certification.
Some of the
activities completed include the True North vacation Bible school; adult
Bible study and worship services dedicated to Earth Care; an outdoor
worship service at Whetstone Gulf State Park; purchase and use of glass
communion cups; utilizing reusable plates, cups, and silverware; and
highway cleanup and plastic collection in partnership with the Lowville
Lions Club.
The Earth Care
Team, Heidi VanZandt and Ethan Munn, will be completing and submitting the
application for certification in January. Plans are in the works for
activities to engage in during 2026 to ensure recertification.
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