Have a Plan: It is important to have a plan for greening your seminary. Otherwise, the process will be scattered-shot and haphazard. It is also important for the plan to be comprehensive. Otherwise the actions will be quite limited. We recommend the following model to use when making an action plan. It has five areas: Worship, Education, Building and Grounds, Discipleship, and Public Ministry. Be visionary!
Be a Catalyst We remind you that it is not the work of the planning committee to carry out all of the actions. Rather, it is the goal of the “Green Team” to be a catalyst for the whole community to become engaged. Work with the various people responsible in different areas of seminary life—provide ideas, resources, and support—so that they incorporate care for creation into their arena of responsibilities. This way, the work is shared and many people take ownership for the greening of the seminary.
Make it policy: Institutionalize and regularlize the actions as quickly as possible. This way, it will not depend on the committee to suggest them anew each year. For example, if you celebrate Earth Week one year, seek to make it a regular part of the worship schedule for every year. Do not reinvent the wheel each year!
Do not try to do it all at once: Do not be overwhelmed by all that there is to do or all that could be done. The idea is to choose projects that are manageable and that have a good chance of coming to fruition. You cannot do all of them at once. So pick and choose. You will find that there are good starter projects. Then, as you reach a threshold of interest and support, other more ambitious projects will be possible. Celebrate what you get done without worrying about what does not get done. You can only do what you can do!
Revisit the model: We encourage you to keep coming back to this action plan so that you keep the larger picture before you and that you keep the process of brainstorming and planning as an ongoing part of your work. Keep the vision alive!
Check out the action plans in each of these areas:
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