Environmental Stewardship Ministry

Meets on the 4th Sunday of the month after the 10:00 Service

The Spring, 2018 viewing of the documentary, “A Plastic Ocean” jump started the creation of Saint Mary’s Environmental Stewardship Ministry (ESM), holding its inaugural meeting on June 18, 2018.

Initiatives included:

The development of teams: 

  1. Spiritual Team - spiritual guidance, connecting spirituality with stewardship

  2. Green Team - energy and water conservation.  Knowledge of new HVAC/Lighting equipment.  Benchmark energy use (check utility bills)

  3. Communications – parish notes, Facebook, flyers, contact with Ocean Star, outreach to other faith communities;

  • The identification of conservation goals for Saint Mary’s congregation, ministries and self-help groups to recycle, reduce and reuse resources and raising awareness about plastic pollution and adopting alternatives to single use plastic;

  • The establishment of ministry liaisons to facilitate communication between Saint Mary’s ministries and the ESM regarding adoption of intentional stewardship practices;

  • The collaboration with the Point Pleasant Beach Environmental Commission to hold a public screening and discussion of “A Plastic Ocean”;

  • Development and sale of Eco-kits that includes single-use plastic alternatives;

  • The collaboration with the Manasquan Quaker Meetinghouse Friends on Plastic Night;

  • The presence of ESM at the annual Seafood Festival to raise awareness about plastic pollution;

  • Development of Sunday School initiatives;

  • Held Surf Taco Fundraiser;

  • Participated in semi-annual Clean Ocean Action Beach Sweeps;

  • Spring, 2020, collaboration with Jenkinson’s Aquarium, Perky the Penguin and The Plastic Talk (cancelled due to Covid)

 

With COVID restrictions lifting, the ESM will be reconvening meetings with special focus on continuing to raise awareness regarding plastic pollution and following the National Church Creation Care initiatives regarding the global climate emergency.

Contact information: 

Lynn Schambach, Chair

lynnschambach@optonline.net

 

 

 

 

Environmental Stewardship Ministry

The Episcopal Fifth Mark of Mission emboldens Saint Mary’s Environmental Stewardship Ministry, “To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth; ” and

Each Sunday we pray from The Book of Common Prayer, “For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it.”

From a place of love for God and all of His creation, the Environmental Stewardship Ministry leads the effort to educate and motivate our church and wider community to respond to environmental degradation by promoting specific actions that everyone can practice in dedication to the care and protection of God’s beautiful and increasingly fragile planet Earth

Contact: Lynn Schambach