Community Presbyterian Church-East County Shared Ministry in Pittsburg has officially been certified as an Earth Care Congregation by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Presbyterian Hunger Program. The certification is effective through February 2027. This certification is designed to recognize churches that take seriously God’s charge to “till and keep” the garden, that is our shared common home.
Since 2010, this PC (USA) program certifies and celebrates environmental ministry across four major areas of a congregation’s life: worship, education, facilities, and outreach in the community. The program currently has 4.5 percent of all PC (USA) congregations and continues to grow each year.
Earth Care Congregations exist as important examples for congregations across the country. One of the program’s goals is to inspire churches to care for God’s earth in a holistic way, through integrating earth care into all aspects of church life. By the time a church has recertified for several years, the earth care ethic becomes ingrained in a congregation’s culture, spreads to the surrounding community, and impacts the personal lives of individual church members. Obtaining this status speaks to the serious commitment that Community Presbyterian Church-ECSM has made to care for God’s earth.
“The Earth Care team was formed last July, feeling called to support the objective to help the earth, thereby honoring God’s creation,” commented Cherie Persing, team member. “Becoming an Earth Care Congregation is an honor, a blessing and a challenge for our entire congregation.”
“Community Presbyterian Church-ECSM is just one of the 373 congregations in 42 states that chose to dedicate themselves to intentional care of God’s earth this year. It is one of 24 congregations that are certifying for the first time in 2026. This denominational program for churches has lasted longer and been more successful than most other models, and the individual churches deserve all the credit for the success of the program,” says Jessica Maudlin, Associate for Sustainable Living and Earth Care Concerns for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
“Our Earth Care Congregations are vital parts of their communities and inspirational witnesses to caring for God’s creation and we are so grateful for their presence in the world,”
For more information about Community Presbyterian Church’s earth care program contact Cherie Persing at ecsmoffice@gmail.com or 925.439.9361.
For more information on the Earth Care Congregations program visit http://www.pcusa.org/earthcarecongregations.
