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Churches of Restoration​

A yearlong creation care journey in local communities.

We inspire, equip, and connect regional cohorts of church leaders to love their places through spiritual formation and practical action projects.

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The Challenge

Christians are not always known for caring for creation. But God calls us into reconciliation with all things, including the community of creation. 

The Churches of Restoration (CoR) program helps churches integrate care for God’s creation more deeply into their life together as part of their faithful discipleship and witness. During the 12-month experience, participants learn from A Rocha staff, partners, and each other as they engage in meaningful earthkeeping in their context.

Our program welcomes Christian communities who affirm the Nicene Creed and our Commitment to Creation Care to apply to join our regional cohorts.

We are still accepting churches to our 2026-27 cohorts in Grand Rapids, Tennessee, and Chicagoland. If you’re not in this area, you can still fill out the inquiry form below to be informed of future opportunities.

Upon completing the program, participants can become an A Rocha USA Church Partner to stay connected and supported in ongoing creation care action and formation.

This program is generously funded by a Lilly Endowment Thriving Congregations grant. 

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Churches of Restoration 4-Pager
what a CoR Year looks like
“It was great to meet other churches and other folks who are trying to integrate creation care into their practice of faith. It gave more clarity to why this subject matters, ways to converse about creation care, and how the church’s witness is affected when we do and don’t care for creation.”
Nathan HaleMadison Church of Christ, 2024-25 Nashville Cohort
Our church has a very active Care of Creation Team and the Churches of Restoration program has helped us to focus on two areas in more depth. We celebrated a Season of Creation for the first time and have really gotten members interested in our new waste management program with emphasis on composting and recycling.
Mary HalaneyTriumphant Love Lutheran Church, 2024-25 Austin Cohort
Learning from the Churches of Restoration leaders and presenters has changed me spiritually. I am ever more ‘on fire’ to be God's hands-and-feet for a cleaner earth. A Rocha has given me a theological understanding of what we're trying to do, and not just a political or social justice understanding.
Geri CardSt. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 2024-25 Central Florida Cohort

Church Projects

Spiritual Formation

Creation Care Book Study

Holy Trinity Church in Chicago, IL, completed a book study of Creation Care: A Biblical Theology, by Douglas and Jonathan Moo.

Nature Prayer Walks

Christ Our Advocate church in Wheaton, IL, started monthly walks for their church community in the local forest preserves, including prayers and hymns at stops along the trail.

Creation Theology Class

Church of the Redeemer in Nashville, TN, presented creation care through biblically and theologically clear teaching, building awareness and community around the issue as a congregation.

Refugia Faith Book Study

McKendree United Methodist Church in Nashville, TN, read Refugia Faith by Debra Rienstra to generate conversation on creation care and how it connects to their life as a congregation

Wild Wonder Kids VBS Camp

Church of the Cross in Austin, TX, has used multiple years of A Rocha USA's four-year kids creation care curriculum as part of their children's ministry.

Earth Day Sunday Service

LaSalle Street Church in Chicago, IL, focused on creation themes during their Sunday morning worship service to observe Earth Day, including a guest sermon by another CoR church leader, creation-attuned worship songs and children’s art, and a seed-starting activity after the service.

Season of Creation

Jacob’s Well in Normal, IL, is highlighting the Season of Creation in their observance of the liturgical seasons with an intentional sermon series and making creation care resources available to their community.

Worship with the Ocean & Beach Cleanup

St. Luke’s United Methodist in Orlando, FL,worked with A Rocha USA’s lead marine scientist, Dr. Bob Sluka, to clean litter from a local beach, learn about marine environments, and worship in community with all creation.

Creation Care Small Group

Evanston Christian Vineyard Church in Chicago, IL, established a small group that meets twice monthly to explore biblical principles of environmental stewardship and engage in one community-based eco-action project each quarter, supporting members in living out creation care in their daily lives.
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Practical Action

Greenhouse Feeding Unhoused Neighbors

Madison Church of Christ in Nashville, IL, added a greenhouse to their sustainable farm, increasing the amount of produce they could share with the homeless through their church’s Meals on Wheels program.

St. Francis Fest

Resurrection South Austin in Texas hosted a public “St. Francis Fest” to bless pets, give out wildflower seeds, and spread the word about local organizations serving animals and the environment.

Invasive Plant Removal

Emmanuel Presbyterian in Nashville, IL, partnered with Weed Wrangle to remove invasive honeysuckle and privet as part of a plan to install native plants along a border of the church grounds.

Community Tools Library

Antioch Church in Bend, OR, spearheaded a church-wide community tools and materials library called “The Commons.” By having congregants share construction tools, home improvement items, and childcare supplies, they reduced their waste output.

Church Composting

Servants of Christ in Gainesville, FL, started church composting bins where food scraps and coffee grounds from their Sunday service, as well as congregants’ household compost scraps, can be dropped off.

Adopt-a-Drain

Eastern Avenue Church in Grand Rapids, MI, adopted six storm drains to keep them clear of pollution and promote watershed awareness and caretaking. They also had fun voting on silly names for the drains, including Grate Expectations, Faithful Flow, and How Grate Thou Art.

Native Plant Swap

Church of the Servant in Grand Rapids, MI, set up QR codes for people who have native plants they want to get rid of, another for people to make requests, and another for people who want to "shop,” encouraging native gardening in their congregation.

Community Wildlife Journal

St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Elgin, IL, encouraged their congregants to download the Seek species identification app and kicked off a community wildlife journal for their church property.

Solar Panel Installation & Native Garden Extension

Sherman Street Church in Grand Rapids, MI, installed solar panels on their church roof. After filling every available plot on their church grounds for native gardens, they are now extending gardens into their congregants’ backyards!

Reusable Coffee Mugs

Life Church in Wheaton, IL, bought a set of reusable coffee mugs with the church’s logo for use during coffee hour, replacing their disposable cups.

Clothing Swap

Church of the Redeemer in Nashville, TN, organized a clothing swap to facilitate members’ ability to reduce and reuse, addressing the huge clothing waste issue as a form of discipleship.

Energy Audit

All Saints Episcopal Church in Orlando, FL, worked with Energy for Purpose to do an audit on their church building, learning many no- and low-cost energy-saving practices to reduce their carbon footprint.
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Our Impact

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Explore more stories about our Pilot Year Churches of Restoration using our Year of Restoration StoryMap!

Read More About Churches of Restoration on Our Blog

Back Meadow During Storm_Triumphant Love

Churches of Restoration in Austin: Hearing Creation’s Call

by Churches of Restoration

By Noah Guthrie. What can it look like, in practice, to treat creation as “sacred”? Part of what it may look like is entering a conversation with our landscapes and their species. It may look like asking, “What does the Living God – the Source, Redeemer, and Sustainer of this place – invite us to hear? And once we have listened, how might God invite us to respond?”

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