Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) semifinalist for American Climate Leadership Awards
Honor from ecoAmerica recognizes the success of PHP’s Earth Care Congregations program
LOUISVILLE — A program that lifts up the work of Earth Care Congregations (ECCs) across the country has earned the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) the chance to proceed to the final round of the American Climate Leadership Awards 2025.
PC(USA) is a semi-finalist in ecoAmerica’s competition, which recognizes individuals and organizations for outstanding climate advocacy and engagement. The awards are accompanied by prizes, ranging from $1,000 to $50,000.
PC(USA) has earned $1,000, so far, thanks to its entry highlighting the Presbyterian Hunger Program’s ECC program, which certifies and celebrates environmental ministry across four major areas of congregational life: worship, education, facilities and community outreach, said the Rev. Rebecca Barnes, who manages PHP.
“One of the key purposes of the Earth Care Congregations program, since its pilot project in 2009 and its launching churchwide in 2010, was to celebrate, resource and support congregations that are demonstrating a commitment to caring for God’s Creation,” according to PHP.
Churches come up with their own projects, which include protecting wetlands to reduce residential flooding, adopting solar panels to offset electric bills of low-income neighbors, creating habitat projects to protect local biodiversity and hosting outdoor animal blessing services, said Jessica Maudlin, Associate for Sustainable Living and Earth Care Concerns for PHP.
“Each year for the past 15 years, we’ve had new congregations joining the certification program and others who’ve now been at this work for well over a decade,” PHP explained. “We want to celebrate these Presbyterian congregations even more broadly, to thank them for their hard work and witness, and to reflect back to them our gratitude for all the ways they are being transformed and transforming their communities.”
By highlighting the work of Earth Care Congregations, PC(USA) and ecoAmerica give aspiring ECCs inspiration and ideas about how to do environmental ministry work of their own.
“Our Earth Care Congregations are vital parts of their communities and unrivaled witnesses to caring for God’s Creation and we are so thankful for their work in the world,” PHP noted. “By receiving recognition from ecoAmerica, it allows these diverse models of ministry to be shared more widely — even beyond our denomination — so that additional worshiping communities of any affiliation might feel encouraged to begin their own ministry projects.”
Since 2019, more than 150 local and national leaders have received the American Climate Leadership Awards, earning more than $1 million.
With signs of climate change ever-present, it’s more important than ever for various corners of society to work together to be good stewards of the Earth and to answer Jesus’ challenge to care for ‘the least of these” — those people who are the most vulnerable.
“We know that environmental issues, particularly the climate crisis, have had a greater effect on people living in poverty,” PHP notes. “Therefore, when we are at work with intentionality to care for the Earth, we are also working for the least of these. This is especially true with the current and coming impacts of climate change.”
For more information about Earth Care Congregations, go here. To learn more about the American Climate Leadership Awards, go here.
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