St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church
Diocese of Trenton
Colts Neck, New Jersey

Since 1994, St. Mary’s has boasted one of the most active environmental ministries in New Jersey’s Catholic community.

It recently joined GreenFaith’s Sustainable Sanctuaries Program. Father Ed Griswold, St. Mary’s ordained leader during much of the time that GreenFaith has worked with St. Mary’s, said, "As a parish pastor it has been most satisfying to see the effect that our involvement with GreenFaith has had on our community and our awareness of contemporary environmental concerns. As never before we are wrestling with the issues and ways in which we can implement new practices and programs that are both environmentally smart and doable."

Here are some of the projects St. Mary’s has undertaken in recent years:

• The parish Environmental Committee published newsletter reflections linking faith and the environment during Lent and Advent, and placed items in the worship bulletin with tips on green consumption.
• GreenFaith conducted a detailed energy audit at St. Mary’s, identifying conservation measures to reduce the church’s energy use by 10%, saving over $4,000/year and preventing 37,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.
• Church members have conducted monthly water-pollution testing of 12 sites in the Colts Neck area as part of a County program, and have taken part in annual beach clean-ups.
• In 2006, the Committee will present their 13 th annual Environmental EXPO, a weekend full of environment-related activities at St. Mary’s, including the use of an environmental liturgy in worship services.
• The church Youth Group stenciled area storm drains with anti-dumping advisories.
• The parish has used an environmental liturgy as part of its worship life.
• The church is exploring working with a GreenFaith-referred waste management group to recycle a large percentage of the construction waste from its ongoing building project.
• The church is collaborating with the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Monmouth County in nearby Lincroft to raise awareness about religious environmentalism among houses of worship in the region.

“The environment, for me, is the place where I live, work, and connect with the Creator Spirit who dwells in the depths of my being and in all that surrounds me,” said Marie Savoie, one of the founders of the parish Environmental Committee. “GreenFaith nourishes me with its message of care for the Earth as a behavior central to all faith communities.”

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Institutional Profiles:
- St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church
- Reformed Church of Highland Park
- Temple B'nai Abraham
- Caldwell Dominican Sisters
- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- St. Anthony's Orthodox Church

Individual Profiles:
- Marie Savoie
- Rabbi Elliott Tepperman
- Pastor Jeff Elliott
- Kathy Abbott
- Paul Kaufman
- Sr Jeanne Goyette, OP