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Conference, state team up to bring ‘ReLeaf’ to urban areas
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September, 2003
The Massachusetts Conference and the state Department of Conservation and Recreation have teamed up for a unique ministry to bring trees to urban areas.
The Mass ReLeaf Ministry is designed to bring volunteers from urban churches, their communities and the state together on improving the environment.
A pilot program of the ministry culminated in June when 22 people from the First Congregational Church of Somerville UCC, the Wellesley Congregational Church, Tufts University and the City of Somerville joined together to plant 15 mature trees along an urban boulevard.
The pilot program was such a success that the Conference Commission for Mission and Justice Ministries will ask the Board of Directors for approval to dedicate $10,000 from donated funds to continue the project in other urban settings. The money will come from a $150,000 grant given to the Conference by the Wellesley church dedicated to evangelism, mission and justice projects, and will be matched by $10,000 from the state’s Mass ReLeaf trust fund. The Wellesley church is also considering an additional commitment.
“This program is about environmental justice. Trees make a huge difference on the environment in terms of aesthetics, providing cooling shade and cleaning the air,” said Paul Nickerson, Acting Associate Conference Minister for Evangelism, Mission and Justice.
The pilot program began in March when state officials trained seven
volunteers at the Wellesley church to serve as program trainers.
They will now support
other churches interested in doing their own ReLeaf ministries.
“People in our church have been thrilled to see this kind of unique
relationship between the Conference and the state government,” said
Neal Seaborn of
the Wellesley church.
In May, the Wellesley volunteers held a training session at the Somerville church. That was followed by the larger tree planting effort in June, when the 15 20-foot trees, which weighed 350 pounds each, were planted.
Marlayna Schmidt, the Somerville church’s interim pastor, said it turned out to be a special day.
“We started the day with a prayer, and we talked about taking care of God’s environment, about how God created not just us but all the animals and trees around us,” she said. “We talked about how God calls us to be good stewards of creation. We’re all part of this web of life.”
Schmidt said volunteers from the church ranged in age from 12 to 80, with everyone helping in whatever way they could.
“As they gathered around the trees, people shared stories about themselves – it was a really good time for sharing and fellowship,” she said. “It was also great working with the Wellesley church – it’s good for folks to see our congregation isn’t alone, that we’re connected with a wider church family.”
Schmidt said it was also wonderful to be out in the community working, and said it felt good to tell inquiring passersby that they were there on behalf of the church.
The church’s commitment to the project did not end with the planting. Due to budget cutbacks in Somerville, the church must water the trees weekly during the summer months for the next three years. And, they will help another church to get started in their own ReLeaf effort.
The state has given the Conference a list of priority
urban areas, and if the Board of Directors approves
the program,
the Mission
and Justice
commission
members and Wellesley trainers will work at contacting
churches in those areas.
Seaborn said he has already heard from a number of
churches that would be interested.
“If we ever wanted to have an environmental impact from a Christian perspective, we’ve started that with this,” he said.