The Hamblen Earth Care Team began 1 ½ years ago as the outgrowth of an Adult Ed class that offered a more thorough understanding of the environmental crises we are facing as a society. As people of faith we are committed to the biblical mandate to care for God’s creation, particularly in Genesis 1:27-28. Our team was formed to raise awareness in the congregation of the things we can do individually and collectively to fulfill God’s intention for us. We hope the 2027 calendar will be one way of providing resources and helpful ideas for the congregation to contribute to care for creation. The team has also provided a “hydration station” in the Skylight Room to encourage everyone to eliminate plastic water bottles from the church and the earth. We also offered Hamblen logo water bottles to help with that same goal. We have started a movement toward use of china and compostables for our church activities, eliminating single use plastics. We have participated in Earth Day events and other community environmental activities, such as tree planting. We welcome others to join us in these efforts and to practice responsible stewardship of the earth as part of their Christian life.