Community Engagement

Sacred Grounds Community Engagement Ideas and Examples

Engaging the congregation

Engaging congregation members to help create wildlife habitat at the congregation as well as at their homes.

• Faith leader speaks about restoring wildlife habitat and connection to faith to full congregation.
• Use religious education programs (youth and/or adult) to educate about wildlife habitat stewardship and the environment.
• Use wildlife habitat area as a sacred space (worship service, religious school lessons, group prayer, self-guided prayer walk, celebration service, and prayer garden).
• Place an ad or banner on congregation website or social media profiles.
• Host an informational table, or create a display which highlights the project.
• Write an article about habitat work for congregation’s newsletter.
• Host a celebration/dedication or blessing for the site.
• Host a planting day.
• Host a native plant swap or sale to promote the planting of native plants and/or raise funds to support additional native plant gardens throughout the community.
• Host a workshop for members on how to create wildlife habitat at home.
• Place interpretative signs and/or native plant identification signs as resource for individuals.
• Record and post wildlife observed at the wildlife habitat area, for example as a congregation checklist or through citizen science websites.

Reaching Beyond the Congregation

Share your story and engage and inspire others in the effort to support healthier habitats and communities.

• Write an article, blog, or social media posts about your Sacred Grounds project (e.g., in a faith network publication, local newspaper, magazine, website).
• Host a garden tour.
• Host a volunteer workday to plant, sustain, and/or improve the habitat.
• Host a community workshop, in collaboration with local organizations and native plant nurseries, to educate community members on how they can create native plant gardens at home.
• Engage other organizations and individuals that use your facility (e.g. Scouts, daycares/preschools, social service organizations, food pantries, etc.) through service projects, activities and events.