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Watch the Pulse for notices about our next meetings, which are in-person and on Zoom. Meetings are held quarterly (January, April, July, and October) on the 3rd Tuesday of that month, with additional meetings as necessary. Contact our office manager at [email protected] for more information or to sign up for the weekly Pulse newsletter.

Purpose

The McFarland UCC Creation Care Ministry uses action and education to create a sustainable and just environment for this generation and for generations to come.”​

Creation Care Covenant

“We affirm the divine gifts of all of creation and our interconnectedness with one another and with our environment. We commit ourselves to education, and to action to care for all of God’s creation, especially where there is inequity, suffering, and environmental degradation. We acknowledge that the task is great but that no action is too small. For the sake of generations to come, it is vital that we take responsibility to protect the only home God has given to us.”

Accomplishments and Goals

The bluebird is a symbol of joy, rejuvenation, and divine connection. According to Native American culture, seeing a bluebird means looking forward to new harmony soon. The message is simple - peace is coming. In today's chaotic world, installing bluebird nest boxes provides a great opportunity for our church to reinforce harmony and peace. Two bluebird nests were installed and are monitored on our property. Watch the video to learn more from Mary Sobol with the Bluebird Restoration Association of WI (BRAW).
Member of Sustain Dane, the sustainability organization of Dane County and Madison,WI, connecting businesses, organizations, schools, local governments, and individuals to the sustainability movement and providing the support to generate change.
Collaborated with the Village of McFarland to create a large-scale Community Garden on church property, which in turn provides fresh vegetables to the McFarland Food Pantry.
Collaborated with other church committees to place solar panels on the church roof to meet 85% of our annual electrical requirements and reduce our carbon footprint.
Collected seed of native plants to establish an area dedicated to a prairie area that supports native insects and birds, and reduces the amount of lawn maintained by the church. The prairie plots were expanded in fall 2024 and 2025. How many butterflies do you see?
Educate and promote sustainable practices within the church by eliminating paper, plastic, and Styrofoam products, composting, recycling, and using Fair Trade coffee. A Styrofoam collection bin is located inside the church fellowship area.
Employed Good Oak Ecological Services to establish a native pollinator garden adjacent to the building to educate members on the value of native plants. Serviceberry trees were added to replace non-native decorative trees. 
In spring 2026, a crew from Good Oak Ecological Services conducted a controlled burn of our pollinator garden and the oak guilds around the three oak trees along Broadhead. The goal is to reduce excess vegetation, improve plant diversity, and promote new growth without endangering the surrounding environment. They sprayed water on the trees and building to protect them during the burn. 
Planted Bur oak trees on church grounds to begin the process of establishing a savannah-like environment that encourages native insects and birds and reduces lawn maintenance.

Helpful Links

Learn ways to care for God's creation and sign up for the UCC Creation Justice newsletter.
Creation Justice Ministries represents the creation care and environmental justice policies of major Christian denominations throughout the US. Click the This is their home page.
This is a cool website where you can put in your zipcode and learn how to take care of native plants in your area.
Check out info on standardized labeling for recycling and how to locate/support brands that are committed to making a difference.