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Massachusetts Conference Edition
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MassReLeaf Ministry: planting trees for human justice and survivalby Neal Seaborn, MassReLeaf Ministry Director October/November 2008
The Jesse Tree. The Joshua Tree. The Tree of Life. Trees – which of course are vital to everyday living – have played significant roles throughout religious history, and are still important to local religious ministries. Besides the life-sustaining task of absorbing carbon dioxide while releasing oxygen, trees nourish communities in many other ways. Trees also reduce levels of toxic gases and solid particle pollutants in the air that can negatively impact human physical, mental and emotional health. Trees reduce heating and cooling needs for residential buildings, reduce rainfall runoff and consequent erosion, return clean drinking water to local wells, function as habitat for wildlife and reduce global warming. However, the benefits of trees reach beyond ecology. Planted within municipalities, they are visible signs that a community has a sense of pride and that the community is highly valued by its residents. Forested streets and public parks help define the character of communities and offer the functional benefits of noise reduction, cooling shade, visual screening, enhanced property values, economic growth, community pride, reduction of crime and recovery from illnesses. It is for these reasons that a direct-hands-on ministry for local religious organizations was born. As a result of a successful tree-planting pilot project in 2003 by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the Wellesley Congregational Church and the First Congregational Church of Somerville, UCC, the Massachusetts Conference and the DCR established a joint social action partnership. The aim of this partnership – the ‘MassReLeaf Ministry’ – is to help revive the practice of environmental theology within local religious organizations and to bring a doable environmental justice ministry to the forefront of congregational experience in the worship, life and witness of these organizations, their communities and the wider world. Since that seed was planted, the MassReLeaf Ministry has provided local religious organizations with facilitation resources they need, including: money to pay for trees, education, connections with appropriate local municipal counterparts, project management guidance, tree-planting and maintenance training, and technical support to ensure success of their respective projects. The results so far: 23 tree-planting projects led by local religious organizations in communities across Massachusetts. Twenty-nine local religious organizations have participated in these projects (along with their local municipal counterparts and other community organizations) and planted 541 trees (200-400 pounds each). Those trees have made an impact in many different communities. Reverend Ann Suzedell, Senior Pastor of the Quincy Point Congregational Church, UCC, said: “Planting trees among the 45 buildings of Riverview Housing that house 180 low-income families, was a very meaningful experience for our church. Especially at the end of the first day of planting when the residents, many of whom were formerly homeless, came out of their housing to admire and fondly touch some of the 33 large trees that we planted.” Cristina Cabrera, Andover-Newton Theological Seminary (ANTS) Student and ANTS Ecology Minister reported that: “The experience of working with the City of Newton, Hebrew College, Eliot Church of Newton (UCC), Newton Highlands Congregational Church, UCC and other local volunteer organizations to conduct a Mass-ReLeaf Ministry project to plant 64 trees throughout Newton … went a long way to help draw our community together.” I invite your local church to lead a MassReLeaf Ministry local project or participate in a hands-on or financial way. Your involvement will benefit tens of thousands of the neediest people in Massachusetts for many years to come.
This MassReLeaf Ministry planting was led by the Quincy Point Congregational Church, UCC at the Quincy Riverside Housing Development and supported by the Quincy Housing Authority, City of Quincy officials, and Riverside Housing Residents.
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