Our Creation Care Approach

At Bethlehem Lutheran in Brainerd, our Creation Care team uses the Stop, Look, Listen approach to guide its work and invite congregational participation.

Borrowed from the familiar railroad-crossing phrase, this approach helps create an open, welcoming environment where members feel encouraged to notice needs, share ideas, and contribute their gifts.

• Stop to notice opportunities for caring for creation.

• Look for practical ways the congregation can respond.

• Listen to members’ ideas, concerns, and willingness to help.

The examples below, drawn from our recent Pollinator Sunday, show how this approach has guided Creation Care efforts at Bethlehem Lutheran.

Pollinator Sunday June 7, 2026, at BELC

Featured two new additions.

1.    Blessing and Planting of the Second Pollinator Garden

• After the Sunday service, the congregation dedicated and blessed the second pollinator garden.

• Confirmation class students planted pollinator-friendly plants in the new garden.

• Bethlehem Sunday school students prepared painted rocks, which were blessed and placed in the garden as part of the dedication.

• The day also prompted new involvement: two church members volunteered to serve on the Creation Care team.

• Noisy offerings collected by the youth during the services in May further supported the purchase of pollinator plants for the new garden.

• Other members supported the effort by donating funds and plants for the garden.

• How the idea developed: Congregation members recommended the new garden by attending an after Sunday Creation Care forum. Although the first pollinator garden supported pollinators well, it was located in a remote area of the church property and was not easily visible or accessible to members. The congregation suggested placing a second garden near the church parking lot, where it would be easier to see, visit, and maintain.

2.    Dedication of a New Raised-Bed Vegetable Garden.

• Purpose: to donate harvested vegetables to the Baxter food shelf.

• Funding and supplies: Mary Circle donated $400 to help build the raised bed and purchase vegetable plants.

• Construction: Creation Care members helped construct the raised bed.

• Additional support: A Thrivent grant provided funds for black dirt, fertilizer, and cage poles.

• Garden care team: Congregation members were volunteered through a “Green Thumbs Needed” promotion to help weed, water, and harvest vegetables for the Baxter Food Shelf. The team organized itself. They set up a schedule for each person to tend and maintain the garden on their assigned days.

• How the idea developed: The project was recommended by congregation members during a church forum presented by the Director of the Baxter Food Shelf. Members who attended felt the Creation Care team could support the effort by helping construct and prepare a raised-bed vegetable garden. At their next meeting, the Creation care team agreed to take on the project.

• Progress so far: 70 pounds of vegetables have been harvested and donated to the Baxter food shelf.

• Plans for constructing a second raised-bed garden are underway: Due to member support we are looking at having a second vegetable garden ready for next springs planting.

At Bethlehem Lutheran in Brainerd, using the Stop, Look, Listen approach seems to be a positive approach.

Although borrowed from the familiar railroad-crossing phrase, this approach helps create an open, welcoming environment where members feel encouraged to notice needs, share ideas, and contribute their gifts.