Date of interview: December 1, 2004
Reverend Johanna Nichols
Size of Congregation: 140
Denomination: Unitarian Universalist
Interview with Steve Maier

Activities: The Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society (CVUUS) has many earth-centered services, and they hold an annual Earth Day service, which includes earth-centered readings and service, as well as other less traditional elements. The have held an “Earth Jam” with African drumming to demonstrate the many ways that humans connect with the natural world, such as art, music, movement, and yoga. These activities may produce similar spiritual responses as walking in the woods or gardening. There are intergenerational aspects of these services as younger children are encourage to color and share their experiences related to the earth.

Additionally, many of the congregants are strong environmentalists, including several Environmental Studies professors at Middlebury College, who have led services incorporating themes of earth-care. In a recent survey of CVUUS members, many of them stated that they identified with more than one of the major religious traditions and additionally feel that they have an earth-centered spirituality (that is not necessarily pagan).

Steve Maier is also a member of the Seventh Principle Project and Green Sanctuary Program, which are national initiatives that are affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and focus on facilitating environmental actions within specific UU congregations. As part of this affiliation, Middlebury alum Lauren Aldrich ('04) conducted an energy audit of the CVUUS building during the summer of 2004. They also serve exclusively fair trade coffee during their coffee hours and other church-sponsored events.

Motivations: The national Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has taken an aggressive stance on environmental issues, including global climate change. At their most recent annual meeting, it was decided that climate change would be the UUA study action issue for the next two years. This two year commitment means that UU congregations across the United States will implement study action groups focusing on climate change and at the end of the two-year time period, there will be a Declaration of Conscience by the UUA on the subject of climate change.

Challenges: The primary challenges that CVUUS is currently facing are a lack of leadership and financial constraints. Although Lauren Aldrich was able to conduct the energy audit, there are currently no congregants working on the Green Sanctuary Program, despite general enthusiasm about the issues of energy efficiency and conservation. Another project that has been prevented by leadership and financial restraints is the installation of a bike rack for congregants who wish to ride their bikes to church on Sundays.

Despite financial constraints, most congregants agree that it is essential to take environmentally-friendly measures when it comes to the renovations and expansions that the congregation is currently planning. In a recent survey of congregants, there was an overwhelmingly positive response to the incoporation of green architecture and building for this upcoming project, despite the potentially higher cost of these technologies.

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