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Creation Care

Who We Are

We are a group of Christians at Brentwood United Methodist Church who believe that all creation is sacred and that as Christians we are called to be stewards of and to take actions to restore God’s creation. We are concerned that humankind often uses the earth’s air, water, and land in destructive ways, and those actions – while harmful to all – have a disproportionate impact on those who did the least to harm God’s creation and who are least able to adapt to a changing environment. We observe results of humanity’s failure to be good stewards including localized pollution and a warming climate.

Through the creation care ministry, we hope to create awareness and enhance the desire to be better stewards of God’s creation. We believe that as Christians we are called to help mitigate the impacts of poor stewardship including climate change and that together, we can make a difference.

Our Baptismal Vow

When we are baptized into Christian community, we promise to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves​. As the body of Christ, ​ we believe that God created and is creating, and that we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse God’s creation.

As noted in The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church (2016); Social Principles; The Natural World: “God has granted us stewardship of creation. We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect. … Therefore, let us recognize the responsibility of the church and its members to place a high priority on changes in economic, political, social, and technological lifestyles to support a more ecologically equitable and sustainable world leading to a higher quality of life for all of God’s creation.” The 2009 Pastoral Letter titled "God's Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action” from the Council of Bishops of The United Methodists includes that "[w]e must begin the work of renewing creation by being renewed in our own hearts and minds. We cannot help the world until we change our way of being in it.” To read the full vow, click the button below.

Our Baptismal Vow

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How Can I Get Involved?

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Blessing of the Animals

Animals are integral to God’s creation, and pets are often important parts of our lives. One Sunday afternoon in October we thank God for animals and the blessings pets provide us and bless them.

Green Interchange

Plant a Bigger Tree in Tennessee

We partner with Green Interchange throughout the year for their Plant a Tree for Tennessee initiative. Trees are available for purchase and planting by Green Interchange for varying prices.

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Help Divert BUMC Coffee Grounds from the Landfill

Sign up to beneficially use BUMC café Sunday morning coffee grounds -- thereby diverting these coffee grounds from the landfill.

  • More About Recycling Coffee Grounds

    The BUMC Creation Care Ministry (CCM) has a sign-up genius and supplies a 5-gallon bucket for congregants of the church to sign up to take coffee grounds home to beneficially  use in gardens or compost. Organic material, such as spent coffee grounds, disposed of in landfills that decompose anaerobically generate methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Diverting roughly 20 pounds of spent wet coffee grounds from the BUMC Café each week diverts approximately 1,000 pounds of wet coffee grounds per year from the landfill reducing methane production.  To participate:

    1. Schedule a Sunday you want to pick up the coffee grounds on the Sign-Up Genius.
    2. A reminder notification will be sent about Friday (2 days before the scheduled pickup.)
    3. On the scheduled Sunday, pick up the coffee grounds after Sunday school or late church, empty and clean the bucket, and return the clean bucket and lid sometime during the following week or the following Sunday morning for use another Sunday.
    4. Several uses for used coffee grounds include mild fertilizer, soil conditioner, compost booster, natural pest repellent, etc. (See Popular Science for examples).

recycling

Participate in the Interdenominational Recycling Day

The TWK UMC Conference Creation Care Steering Committee and West End United Methodist Church jointly sponsor an interdenominational recycling day.

  • Recycling Day 2025

    The BUMC Creation Care Ministry (CCM) provides the participation fee necessary for BUMC congregants to participate in this recycling day. In the past, this event included responsible disposal of electronic waste and electronic data, Metro Nashville Police Department collecting unneeded and unwanted prescription and nonprescription drugs, collecting gently used items and items for creative reuse, and secure paper shredding.  ThriftSmart donates gift cards to the event’s designated beneficiary based on the amount of gently used items collected.  

    The next West End UMC Recycling Day is planned for May 2025. This event is run by volunteers and volunteer opportunities are also available.

thriftsmart

Spring Cleaning for a Good Cause

Creation Care Ministry (CCM) in partnership with the Refugee and Migrant Ministry (RMM) and ThriftSmart designates one Sunday in May for Spring Cleaning for a Good Cause at BUMC benefitting Connecting Kindness.

  • More About Spring Cleaning

    For this event, BUMC congregants bring gently used items to church and drop off the items at one of the drop-off points located that Sunday morning on BUMC’s campus. ThriftSmart donates $1 in ThriftSmart gift cards to Connecting Kindness for every 10 pounds of items donated.  This event is run by volunteers and volunteer sign-up will be available.

How Else Does BUMC Participate in Creation Care?

  • ThriftSmart Donation Bin

    There is a ThriftSmart donation bin on the BUMC campus for year-round donations of gently-used items. The bin is located near the Buchanan House on the south side of our campus. As a GiveSmart member, BUMC earns $1 in ThriftSmart gift cards for every 10 pounds of donated goods. We are able to distribute these gift cards through our Benevolence Ministry and our other ministry partners.

  • Computer-controlled HVAC system

    Our computer-controlled HVAC system allows heating and cooling of only areas of the building that are going to be used, thereby reducing both BUMC energy needs and expenditures for heating and cooling.

  • LED Lighting

    Since 2024, we have replaced around 80% of fluorescent and incandescent lighting with LED lighting on our campus.

  • Campus Recycling

    We recycle paper and cardboard on our campus with designated recycling bins around the building.

  • Water Fountains

    Since 2021, we are in the process of replacing our current water fountains with fountains that have bottle-filling stations. We are doing this as the current water fountains come to the end of their lifespan.

  • Recycling at Church Events

    The Creation Care Ministry volunteers to provide recycling services at church-wide events like Harvest Jamboree to ensure plastic waste is properly recycled.

Resources

The Wesleyan Quadrilateral (with Scripture as the primary authority and tradition, reason, and experience illuminating it) provides tools for United Methodist to discern faithful responses and direction in a complex world.

Scripture and Tradition

Reason and Experience