For more details and registration, go to this link: Creation Care 5k (Virtual).
The Creation Care team of the Wisconsin Conference UCC invites all of our congregations to start planning NOW for Earth Day: April 22, 2026, or use these ideas to help honor our earthly home throughout the year. Earth Day can be everyday!
We are hoping at least half of our churches will participate in Creation Care activities this year. Please let us know what you plan to do, and send your photos and stories to us afterward for sharing and celebrating in the Kairos Newsletter.
Here is a menu of ideas of simple, positive steps:
In the nation and the world:
Heifer International “Caring for the Earth” gifts: Help impoverished families and reduce climate impacts through these options and more on the Heifer International website:
- Biogas Stoves for a Village ($1000)
- Gift of Clean Water ($300):
- Community Solar Kit ($5000)
- Earth Gift Basket (hive of bees and tree seedlings $60)
- Family Solar Kit ($250)
- Chicks and a Solar Hatchery ($350)
Donations can be made directly from congregations to Heifer International, or can be sent to the Wisconsin Conference Foundation to be combined with other donations toward the more expensive options like the Community Solar Kit.
Write to members of Congress and our Governor, State Senate and Assembly in support of maintaining and reinforcing environmental protections and measures to reduce the impacts of climate change. Here’s a link to find a list of national, state, and local legislators.
Sunday School students and youth: Enter your artwork in the UCC 2026 Climate Hope post card contest. Art submissions will be accepted from February 6th to March 20th. This year’s theme “A Future with Hope.” Postcards to be sent to legislators will be available this fall with the winning artwork on the front. Here’s a link for more details.
At your church:
Creation Care Covenant: Have the congregation make a pledge to protect the Earth (more details are on our team’s webpage: https://wcucc.org/kairos-call-to-action/).
Form a “Green Team” at your church (if there isn’t one already) to find ways to lessen the impact of activities at your church, church grounds, and beyond.
Attend the Wis. Conference “Sustainability Saves” retreat at the Daycholah Center in Ripon (May 1-2) for church Green Teams and building and grounds staff or anyone interested. Registration is on-line here.
Design a native plant flowerbed for pollinators or tree plantings on the church grounds, and do the planting when weather allows later in the spring.
Hold an Earth Day service: we have several service liturgies on our webpage here.
Prepare a church and campus-wide Energy Audit. Here’s a very good resource for help through the Focus on Energy and Faith in Place.
Encourage members of your congregation to subscribe to the Wisconsin Conference Kairos Newsletter for more information on how to care for our planet all through the year!
Reduce the amount of plastic and styrofoam entering your home or church. These materials are costly and difficult to recycle and are fossil-fuel based. Wherever possible, choose reusable containers, cloth or paper bags, etc.
In your community:
Organize or participate in a local Earth Day event. There may be a nearby high school or middle school environmental club that would welcome support. Read about the “Earth Day Everyday at Middleton Community Church UCC” in the June/July 2025 issue of the Kairos newsletter for ideas. Carol Phelps from the Creation Care Team and the Middleton Church can be contacted for ideas and more information about that congregation’s annual event.
Keep the Earth Day Momentum Going: Organize a Team for the Creation Care Virtual 5k Run/Walk. For more details and registration, go to this link: Creation Care 5k (Virtual). Pledges from the walk will go to benefit the Wisconsin Conference Creation Care Team for events and grants.
Litter picking is always needed, unfortunately. Litter can swept into storm sewers by rain, and into our streams, wetland, lakes and rivers, harming water quality and habitat. Public landings on streams, rivers and lakes are often places where litter accumulates. Be sure to work safely near traffic and in remote areas. We encourage our churches to find ways to adopt, improve, and protect a local water body. Cleaning up litter is a good way to start.
Adopt a Highway: become an official highway clean-up team or just or pick a stretch to monitor periodically. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation website has details on their official program, and they supply safety training videos and equipment.
Become a citizen-scientist: There are many volunteer opportunities to gather data about streams, lakes, birds, rare species, butterflies, etc. for our resource professionals. There is a fairly comprehensive on the Wisconsin DNR website.
There are many more resources and further ideas for throughout the rest of the year at https://wcucc.org/kairos-call-to-action/. Contact our team members (John Helt, or Bob Ullman, co-chairs) for more information, ideas, or advice.