The Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee became a certified Green Sanctuary in May 2006. View our official certification here.

Our congregation has a strong commitment to environmental issues. The vision of ecospirituality of the UU Ministry for Earth (formerly the Seventh Principle Project) inspired us to become a Green Sanctuary.

In the fall of 2000, the Ministry for Earth launched the Green Sanctuary Program. To obtain recognition as a Green Sanctuary, a church must follow through on five goals, outlined below.

Goal 1. Build awareness of societal environmental issues among UUs.
Goal 2. Encourage personal lifestyle changes.
Goal 3. Motivate UUs to community action on environmental issues.
Goal 4. Build a connection between spiritual practice and environmental consciousness.
Goal 5. To challenge and work to heal environmental injustices.

A church that undertakes to become a Green Sanctuary examines every area of church life—outreach, social concerns, religious education, buildings and grounds, social events, church communication and church administration—to see that its activities reflect respect for the interdependent web. It's walking the talk in a big way, and it gives the church a real sense of following through on its commitments in tangible, outwardly visible ways. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee has taken major actions in the aforementioned goals and the following areas to fulfill its commitment to ecospirituality:

Energy Efficiencies
Grounds
Conservation Projects
Church Services
Adult Religious Education
Youth Religious Education
Education of Congregation and Community

The most important benefit our congregation has gained as a result of our participation in the Green Sanctuary Program is an expanded understanding of the intricacies of webs— webs of life systems working together in balance, webs of disruptions to these systems, and webs of alliances to protect Earth and heal injustices. We have found there are rarely simple environmental problems, nor easy straightforward answers. The Buildings & Grounds Committee knows that it takes time to find, purchase, and install the most appropriate compact fluorescent lightbulb, or timer, or heating unit for our church. Members are continually engaged in this work. After months of study and dialogue, we and other citizens of our area understand there is no single solution that will solve our city’s energy needs or stop the decline of Wakulla Springs’ ecosystems. The more complex the problem, the more complex the answers. Tackling webs is humbling work. But working within a web also makes things happen quickly and powerfully. It’s amazing to watch webs work. We believe in them.

We have been able to discern positive changes in our congregation’s culture as a result of the goals we have accomplished through various activities. We are energized, motivated, and committed to change and action, as individuals, as a Green Sanctuary committee, as a UU congregation, and beyond our church boundaries, working together as stewards of Earth.

We commissioned a haiku poem to commemorate our process of reaching for and becoming a Green Sanctuary congregation at UUCT. The inspiration? We discovered a small green weed growing in the parking lot flower bed one Saturday workday in late summer. Instead of hastily pulling this young weed, we decided to watch it grow, just like we patiently observed our own growth toward becoming a Green Sanctuary congregation. We had faith that both the plant and our program would blossom given time.

A weed, just a weed
why not pull it out right now
oh, let's wait a bit

Suddenly how lush
hearty green and vibrant bush
reaching for the sky

Bright flowers emerge
orange as the sun in summer
glorious surprise

Butterfly arrives
to sip nourishing nectar
plant's mission fulfilled

Green sanctuary
continuing saga of
earth's love in action

— Katya Sabaroff Taylor, UUCT member and poet, January 2006

Read current information on “Green” happenings at UUCT in the current issue of The Meridian, under the heading, Green Corner.

Select a link below to learn more about our Green Sanctuary journey and Green information:

A UUCT Resolution to Meet Green Sanctuary Requirements
1-2-3 Response to Global Warming
Food for Thought (and Action!)
Application for Green Sanctuary Candidacy
UUCT Endorsement of the Earth Charter
Letter to the Committee Soliciting Support for the Earth Charter
Green Links