It sounds as if we’re overthrowing a bad habit: throwing out the artificial flowers, old dusty plastic arrangements in church.
Instead, we are trying to institute a new good, habit.
Our longer-term tradition has been cut flowers on the chancel. They do add a timely touch of the beauty of God’s creation to the enduring and more unchanging beauty of our sanctuary. But cut flowers are hard on the environment– both taking land away from food production and using too much fuel for transportation.
More recently, we have had potted plants, Poinsettias and Christmas cactuses. It is ecologically more responsible not to rely only on cut flowers every week. And cheaper. But dedications are harder.
As we come into the growing season, we want to introduce another new “green” habit: donating annual or perennial garden plants that can help to fill out our new front courtyard “Memory Gardens.” They can be dedicated in honor of someone living or as a memorial to someone who has died. After worship, instead of taking them to someone sick or shut-in (or when we don’t have anywhere for them to go, letting them wilt!), we will find a home for them in the new garden beds of the front courtyard. And your dedication will live on.
It’s easy:
1) Let the church office know you want to bring the flowers for a specific Sunday through October by contacting the church office. As Sundays are spoken for, we will noted them on the calendar on our website. (Click on the “News and Events” tab, and on “Calendar;” go to a Sunday, click on “Worship” and, listed after the “Liturgist, Lector & Acolyte listings, you will see the flower dedication, if any.
2) We will also create a “Worship/Memory Garden Flower Dedications” page under the “Worship” tab. It will list the plants we are currently wishing for the garden. We will update the list as plants are donated and the growing seasons progresses. (Since it will take a week or so to create this page, right now, we are looking for plants that can go in the ground very early: pansies, crocus, daffodils, tulips {and other bulbs}. You can also ask at your Garden Center.
3 ) During the week prior to the Sunday you are donating flowers, purchase and pick up at a local nursery the plant(s) you want to dedicate on the altar.
4) Arrive at church in time to get your plant(s) placed on the chancel.
For example, this early, the plants that we can take from the sanctuary to planting right away in the garden are most likely going to be the spring bulbs and cold-hardy pansies. And they’d be a welcome start for the season and additions for our garden.
If you have any questions, please speak with the pastor.