Community Garden

On May 22, 2016 we gathered to plant our first raised bed garden and to bless it.  By 2019 the garden had grown to nearly a quarter acre.  Since 2018 the yield has averaged roughly 1,000 pounds for the Perry County Food Bank.  

For the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day (2020) we planted native trees and shrubs along the church yard's back fence to create a habitat for wildlife.

(2020 season) First trip to Food Bank.

 




Planting native trees and pollinator hedgerows along church’s back fence bordering the alley. (May 2020)

 

 

Children Preparing the Garden 
(April 2019)

 

Blessing of the Garden
(May 2016)

 Environmental Stewardship

Working Towards a Carbon Free Parish 

Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen acknowledges the sacredness of the Earth and recognizes our responsibility to honor and protect God's holy creation.  When we formed the Environmental Stewardship Committee in late 2016 our first major goal was lowering the church's carbon footprint.  Proudly, Nativity was one of the 5 congregations nationwide to win in the 2017 Energy Saver category of the Cool Congregations Challenge put forth by Interfaith Power & Light, a network of organizations from across the US "Working on a faithful response to climate change."


Nativity continues to make strides in reducing our carbon footprint. Click here for a list of our many initiatives.    

 

Nativity offers to parishioners and friends Equal Exchange products sourced from small farmers and sustainably harvested.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Living Lightly on God's Earth

On Sunday, April 22, 2018, Nativity kicked off this campaign. Members are encouraged to calculate their carbon footprint and then pledge to take actions to reduce your footprint by 10%.  A copy of the introductory information, as well as a pledge form is available here:   
//nativityandststephen.diocpa.org/living-lightly-on-gods-earth.html 
 
 Calculate your household's Carbon Footprint here.