Service Hours: 9:00 AM Sunday Morning

EARTH CARE

Earth Care is committed to establishing practices that will positively impact our interaction with the environment and its inhabitants. Taking care of what we have now helps to promote nurturing behaviors for the overall health of our planet.

About Earth Care

Why should we as a congregation care for the Earth?
We are utterly dependent on earth at every moment of our lives, for everything—air, water, food, materials, and energy. In Genesis after the creation of the Garden, God charges us to be caretakers of the earth by defending and healing creation while working to assure justice for all of creation and the human beings who live in it.  God's power, creativity, and more are displayed through the creation of the earth, the heavens, and each plant and creature. God is revealed to us in scripture, yes, but also in the created world! We can see God's handiwork all around us and we should take care of it.
 
What is Second Presbyterian doing to care for the Earth?
The Earth Care team is exploring ways our congregation can participate in more sustainable practices in our Worship, for our facilities, in our education of children through adults and our outreach to others. They will help us be deliberate with our actions and not casual bystanders. We recognize there are actions we can take as a church as well as individuals.

Local Earth Care Events

Learn more about events held this month below!
Some events may have a fee.
Master Gardeners Help Desk
Ongoing
Various time by County
309-663-8306
(Sponsored by U of Illinois Extension)
Online form available and some walk in clinics

Wildlife from Wildlife Prairie Park
July 8, 2025
10:00 - 10:45 AM
Kingsley Junior High 303 Kingsley St Normal
(Sponsored by Normal Public Library)
For Kids 5-12 Registration Required for all in your party
Amazing Alliums - Ellen Culver
July 10, 2025
10:00 - 11:30 AM
Town of Normal Activity Center 1110 Douglas St., Normal
(Sponsored by BN Garden Club)
Registration Required

Glorious Garden Festival
July 11 & 12, 2025
1:00 - 7:00 PM (Friday), 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM (Saturday)
Buy tickets to get garden locations. There are some free events on the lawn of David Davis Mansion.
(Sponsored by David Davis Mansion)
Tickets for sale at https://daviddavismansion.org/garden-walk-tickets
Birding at Maxwell Park
July 12, 2025
7:30 AM
Maxwell Park 305 Parkside Rd. Normal
(Sponsored by Grand Prairie Bird Alliance)
Free
Rain Barrel Workshop
July 12, 2025
9:00 - 10:00 AM
1606 W Oakland Bloomington
(Sponsored by Ecology Action Center)
$5 Registration Required
Backyard Composting
July 12, 2025
10:30 - 11:30 AM
1606 W Oakland Bloomington
(Sponsored by Ecology Action Center)
$5 Registration required


Vermicompsting
July 12, 2025
12:00 - 1:00 PM
1606 W Oakland Bloomington
(Sponsored by Ecology Action Center)
$5 Registration Required
Storm Drain Stenciling
July 12, 2025
2:00 - 4:00 PM
Location provided after presentation
(Sponsored by Ecology Action Center)
Registration Required 

Parklands Bike Ride
July 12, 2025
7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Keller Park Pavilion 699 N Elm St, Lexington, IL
(Sponsored by Parklands Foundation)
$40 Members/$45 Non-Members - Registration Required

Rain Barrel Workshop
July 15, 2025
5:30 - 6:30 PM
1606 W Oakland Bloomington
(Sponsored by Ecology Action Center)
$55 Registration Required

Yard Smart Garden Walk
July 19, 2025
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Register to get location
(Sponsored by Ecology Action Center)
Free registration required
Petals and Poses Yoga, Garden Sensory Walk and tour of Yost House
July 19, 2025
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Catherine Yost House and Gardens 298 W. Water St, Pontiac
(Sponsored by  U of Illinois Extension)
Free registration required
Birding at Hidden Creek
July 19, 2025
7:30 AM
Hidden Creek Nature Preserve 100 W Sycamore St Normal
(Sponsored by Grand Prairie Bird Alliance)
Free
BNCARE Air Quality Training
July 21, 2025
5:30 - 7:00 PM
202 W College Normal
(Sponsored by Ecology Action Center)
Free Registration Required
Night Bugs at Underwood Park
July 26, 2025
9:00 - 10:30 PM
Underwood Park 200 Jersey Ave Normal
(Sponsored by Town of Normal Parks and Rec)
Free
Star Gazing on the Prairie
July 26, 2025
8:30 - 10:30 PM
Fugate Woods Nature Preserve, 23150 E 1000 North Rd, Fairbury
(Sponsored by U of Illinois Extension)
Registration Required
Storm Drain Stenciling
August 1, 2025
3:30 - 5:30 PM
Register to get location
(Sponsored by Ecology Action Center)
Registration Required
Pollinator Palooza
August 2, 2025
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Illinois Art Station 101 E Vernon Ave Normal
(Sponsored by U of Illinois Extenion and Illinois Art Station)
Free - no registration
Deadline to Register for U of I Extension Master Naturalist Training
August 3, 2025
Register to get location
(Sponsored by U of Illinois Extension)
$250 Registration required
Prairie Plants
August 5, 2025
8:30 - 10:30 AM
Comlara Park 13001 Recreation Area Dr, Hudson
(Sponsored by Master Naturalists at Comlara Park)
Registration Required
Trees and Shrubs of Central Illinois
August 11, 2025
7:00 PM
Mennonite Church of Normal, 805 S Cottage Ave, Normal, IL 61761
(Sponsored by Wild Ones Illinois Prairie)
Free Registration Required
Jessica Chambers - ISU Hort Center Autumnal Festival
August 14, 2025
10:00 AM
Town of Normal Activity Center 1110 Douglas St, Normal
(Sponsored by BN Garden Club)
Registration Required - Link to come!
Musseling in the Mackinaw
August 16, 2025
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Register to get location
(Sponsored by Parklands Foundation)
Registration Required

Green Fund Grant

The funding helped provide resources needed to help fulfill the vision of the garden.

Besides all the faithful volunteers who have planted, weeded, watered, and constructed the gazebo,  many thanks to the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation for the grant from the Green fund! It was put to good use!

About the Illinois Prairie Green Endowment
(Environment)

For more information, please visit the Illinois Prairie Community Green Endowment, please click below.

WORSHIP

TIP: Recycle your bulletins. As a church we have recycling bins and use a recycling vendor for paper and containers.

EDUCATION

TIP: Our church leadership works closely with people to educate them in different ways they can be proactive in their 'green' efforts.

OUTREACH

TIP: Our church Group Sale is a huge reuse activity as is the Glad Tidings clothing ministry, both are a blessing to our community.

FACILITY

TIP: We are reducing consumption of electricity by installing LED lights and motion sensing in all bathrooms to turn on/off the lights. 

Our Nature Partners

Alter Metal Recycling

Bloomington-Normal Garden Club

Central Illinois Beekeepers Association

Ecology Action Center

Faith in Place

FriendsFirst Garden

Hedge Apple Woods at Ewing Park

Illinois Prairie Wild Ones

Illinois State University Office of Sustainability

Grand Prairie Bird Alliance

Master Gardeners

Master Natrualists

McLean County Soil and Water Conservation District

ParkLands Foundation

Second Pres Group Sale

St. Luke Union Church

Scout Troops 9903 and 3905