Eco-Justice Council
Our mission is to work together to build a just and sustainable ecological ethic that informs our actions every day, based on: cooperation, mindfulness, simplicity, temperance and respect for nature. Join us in strengthening our parish’s commitment to environmental consciousness and working with the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, other faith communities and business and government advocates.
2024 Eco-Justice Actions / Events
EXCITING OPPORTUNITY!
St. Peter’s has been offered the opportunity to participate in a new and exciting program — An Episcopal Path to Creation Justice — currently being developed in Massachusetts to help parishes amplify and accelerate our responses to the climate emergency. We will connect with other parishes and be assigned a trained Companion to “walk with us” as we discern how to deepen our commitment to caring for creation. This is a unique and well-timed opportunity for us to engage more members as we reset, re-spark and refocus our efforts. Please join us.
Learn more at the program’s website: An Episcopal Path to Creation Justice
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Plastic Free July 2024
For one month your Eco-Justice Council asks you to eliminate (or minimize) your use of plastics: REFUSE, REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE.
Access the Plastic Footprint Calculator to see your yearly plastic usage.
Link to take the Plastic Free July Challenge and access resources for change.
Commit to these 3 changes NOW:
- NO bottled water — use refillable water bottles always.
- No plastic produce bags in the supermarket — bring your own bags or purchase loose.
- Use your Sustain&Contain container for restaurant leftovers.
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Our 2024 Forums
(Link to learn about our 2023 forums)
Jim O’Brien, with the support of eco-justice council members, continues to lead the planning of informational forums for the St. Peter’s community and beyond. We welcome suggestions for forum topics at communications@stpeterscheshire.org.
Solutions to the Food Waste Crisis in CT
Wednesday, May 15 at 7 pm
Presenter: Sherill Baldwin of CT DEEP
Link to view presentation
Offering a broad perspective on this important issue, Sherill described the scope of the crisis and then outlined innovative municipal pilots and what schools and businesses cn do to reduce, reuse and recycle the organic portion of our municipal solid waste. She offered steps you can take to participate in food waste prevention and food recovery solutions.
EV’s. Plug-In’s Hybrids . . .Oh My
Sunday, March 17 at 11 am
Link to view PowerPoint
Four St. Peter’s parishioners, Peter Festa, Scott Gadwa, Eric Preudhomme, and Michaela Hauser-Wagner, shared their experiences researching, buying, and driving their vehicles. Each told a unique story, and attendees benefitted from the variety of approaches and solutions they offered.
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Earth Day/Week/Month 2024
Earth Sunday — April 21, The Fourth Sunday after Easter
- 8 am Rite I Morning Prayer — Beryl Lyons officiating
- 10 am Rite II Morning Prayer — Michaela Hauser-Wagner officiating at a Children’s Service, with our young people participating in prayers and readings.
- 11 am Eco-Justice Forum: Cultivating Connections Between Our Faith, Our Food and the Climate, featuring brief film shorts, discussion, and introduction of St. Peter’s Eco-Justice Council’s 2024 growing project: Cheshire Youth Pizza Garden. On Earth Sunday, we will close out our morning festivities with cheese and veggie pizzas for all to share.
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Our 2024 Forums
(Link to learn about our 2023 forums)
Jim O’Brien, with the support of eco-justice council members, continues to lead the planning of informational forums for the St. Peter’s community and beyond. We welcome suggestions for forum topics at communications@stpeterscheshire.org.
EV’s. Plug-In’s Hybrids . . .Oh My
Sunday, March 17 at 11 am
Link to view PowerPoint
Four St. Peter’s parishioners, Peter Festa, Scott Gadwa, Eric Preudhomme, and Michaela Hauser-Wagner, shared their experiences researching, buying, and driving their vehicles. Each told a unique story, and attendees benefitted from the variety of approaches and solutions they offered.
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St. Peter’s Garden Plot at Boulder Knoll Community Farm
Parishioner-volunteers help prepare, plant, weed, water and feed our vegetables. We share the garden’s bounty with our parish community and GWIM and are always looking for more help – no expertise required. Come dig with us.
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The Active Hope Action Team
We’re a sub-set of the Eco-Justice Council that started as a book club, exploring Joanna Macy’s book, Active Hope, and took action in 2023 sponsoring Contain&Sustain — a campaign to educate and change behavior around single-use plastic and food waste.
In 2024, we’re focusing on sharing information and education about protecting birds from window strikes and light pollution. The Active Hope Action Team welcome new team members. Join us on alternate Thursday evenings at 7 pm in the parish library to share our commitment to making a difference.
Link to learn more about 2023 actions.
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Annual Actions
- In April, we organize and partner on local Earth Day activities.
- In May we promote No-Mow May, reminding folks that May flowers – dandelions, clover, violets and more – are essential to bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects.
- In July, the council oversees a Plastics-Free July awareness campaign.
- Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 is The Season of Creation, celebrated by Christians around the world as a time for renewing, repairing and restoring our relationship to God, one another, and all of creation.
- Look for our ongoing deposit-bottle/can recycling effort’s repository in the St. Peter’s kitchen.
Collaboration with Community Partners
Cheshire Creation Care: St. Peter’s Eco-Justice Council is a founding member of this interfaith group committed to explore, discover, and restore life-affirming relationships with all of creation. Our member partners are: Cheshire United Methodist Church, First Congregational Church of Cheshire, and Temple Beth David of Cheshire.
Additional Community Partners:
Coalition for a Sustainable Cheshire
Cheshire Pollinator Pathway
Suburban Garden Club of Cheshire
Boulder Knoll Community Farm
Green Houses of Worship
The Council is working, with others at St. Peter’s, toward the certification of our parish as a “Green House of Worship.” This program is sponsored by the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network. We have completed Level 1 of the 3-tiered system. See the Green Houses of Worship requirements.
Links to Online Resources
- Creation Care (National Episcopal Church)
- Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations Environment Resources
- ECCT Climate and Environmental Stewardship Ministry
- Interreligious Eco-Justice Network
- Episcopal News Service
- Sustainable CT
- Green Houses of Worship
- Save the Sound
- Prevent Stormwater Pollution
- Save Our Water, CT
- Yale Climate Connections
Sunday Services
8:00 am Rite I Worship in the Sanctuary
10:00 am Rite II Worship in the Sanctuary
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Keeping Everyone Healthy and Safe at St. Peter's
Wearing masks during worship services is optional for all. There is a designated mask-wearing quadrant in the sanctuary for those who want to continue to wear masks.
Masks are optional in all other areas of the building and campus, except the parish office where masks are required.
St. Peter's Episcopal Church
59 Main Street
Cheshire, CT 06410
203.272.4041
office@stpeterscheshire.org
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communications@stpeterscheshire.org