Green Chalice Recognizes Federated Church

Weatherford Federated Church is celebrating its recent designation as a Certified Green Chalice Ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Green Chalice recognizes that this church community is living out its faith by caring for God’s creation and leading the denomination and its community in authentic ways.

The Federated Church (Weatherford, OK) began the process by forming a Green Team, consisting of Rev. Kelsey Cobbs, board president Holly Clanahan, Tim and Sara Marie Bodenstein, Gaylene Perry and Marcie Grant. The Green Team then signed the Green Chalice covenant, a promise to make meaningful changes toward sustainability.

Working with the local utility company, the church had an energy audit conducted that identified a number of ways that the Federated Church could become more energy efficient. The most pressing need was to replace an antiquated HVAC unit, which the church was able to do almost completely through denominational grants. Very soon after installation of the new unit, the church’s utility bills were cut dramatically.

Lastly, in April, Rev. Cobbs led the congregation through a month-long sermon series titled “We Are Standing on Holy Ground: A worship series on the creator and a creation in peril.”

This trifecta of awareness, action and prayerful contemplation about how to walk more gently on the earth are worthy of celebration, and the Federated Church pledges to continue working toward better environmental stewardship, one green step at a time.

Weatherford Federated Church sings along with the Psalmist who wrote, “the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” (Psalm 24) They invite other congregations to join in caring for God’s creation. Learn more about Green Chalice Ministry.