Date of interview: November 14, 2004
Pastor Stewart Pierson
Size of Congregation: 45
Denomination: Episcopal

Activities:
1. Held an adult forum focused on the subject of environmental spirituality in which 20 congregants and the Pastor reinterpreted passages from the Old Testament from an environmental perspective. They plan to hold another forum soon, using the New Testament.
2. Converted all light bulbs in the church building to compact fluorescents
3. Encourage carpooling

Motivations: Pastor Pierson explained that the Episcopal Diocese of New England has passed some resolutions placing an emphasis on the environment. The Diocese also provides individual congregations with educational materials focused on the environment. In his sermon on the day we visited the All Saint's Church, Pastor Pierson quoted the Book of Common Prayer where it states "this fragile earth, our island home." He told us that he is attempting to use faith-based motivations for his congregants by discussing liturgy that they are already familiar with from an environmental perspective.

Challenges: Some of the main challenges that this congregation is facing include a lack of leadership within the congregation, an abundance of issues that congregants feel are important, and a lack of knowledge about how to tackle the overwhelming environmental problems with which we are faced.

Interfaith Environmental Awareness and Action in Vermont:
A Service Learning Project with Vermont Interfaith Power & Light