Earth Stewardship

Fall Planting Party - October 24

All are welcome to participate in our fall planting party, 9:30-11:30 am. Bring a trowel and shovel to plant bulbs and perennials in key locations. Questions? Email Karla Lynch.

Recycling That “Other Plastic” - October 25

FVPC recycles various types of plastic, both through our monthly collection and the recycling bin available in the vestibule. The Trex bench near the front entrance is one result of that recycling program.

But what about the other kinds of plastic food packaging that we encounter every day in our purchases, such as cereal and chip bags, dried fruit and nut bags?  These items are termed multi-layered plastics and can be diverted from the waste stream as well and turned into other useful products through a mail-in program.

 On Sunday, October 25, there will be a display in the Lower Gathering Space where you can learn more about recycling multi-layered plastics.  Check it out!  Be prepared to be blown away! Questions? Email Linda Sonner.

Sunday Morning Worship in Nature

On Sunday, June 28, 2026, Fox Valley Presbyterian Church met for morning worship at Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve in Elburn. This annual service is planned and led by the Earth Stewardship Committee.

During this service, we were reminded of our responsibilities for caring for God’s creation. South Shore Drill Team alum Stella Natufe and her daughter Charity Smith came and shared their experiences on the Team.

A special thanks to Jay Griswold for going home and bringing back a generator so there was electricity for John Stombres to play the keyboard!

Styrofoam, Plastic Bag and Bubble Wrap Recycling

STYROFOAM RECYCLING INFORMATION

Our Earth Stewardship team sponsors a monthly Styrofoam, plastic bag and bubble wrap recycling event at FVPC on the first weekend of the month.

Clean plastic bags and bubble wrap are recycled. Please turn the bags inside out, to assure there are no receipts, etc., in the bag. Place smaller bags inside a larger bag. Remove any plastic shipping tape from bubble wrap.

Hard Styrofoam packing material (#6) and clean foam food containers are welcome. As the #6 Styrofoam breaks up easily, please break it down to make more space in the collection bin. No straws, plastic, paper, soft flexible packing foam, packing peanuts, or other materials, please. If you have questions about our monthly recycling, contact Jeff Mengler.

To see the monthly recycling dates, click on the calendar button at the top of this page.

PLASTIC BAG AND BUBBLE WRAP RECYCLING INFORMATION

The container just inside the front entrance vestibule for continuous plastic recycling is accessible whenever the church building is open. Check the poster on the front of the container for instructions. Questions? Contact Harrison Schneider.

Yew Renewal Pruning for Church Landscape

We are experimenting with the yews that were quite overgrown along the east side of the church office wing. Yews and boxwoods have dormant buds on their old wood. Typically, the older wood is shaded by the new growth so nothing grows there. However, when you cut back the shrubs and expose the old wood to light, the dormant buds may start to grow new branches.  Of course, this takes time….

The yews have been cut hard to their bases and fertilized.  They may be too old to sprout new growth, but we will see. We hope to see aa haze of green from tiny branchlets by the end of fall. Next year, those branchlets will grow into rejuvenated shrubs. If this doesn’t work, we will remove the stumps and plant this bed with locally native shrubs.  (Ornamental yews are primarily native to Europe and Asia.)

Developing Our Gardens

Check out the video of our spring workday to see our emerging front garden. If you are interested in helping with the church gardens, email Karla Lynch.

Landscaping Plan

Our congregation is moving toward a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to the care of the church landscape. We are working on a five-year plan for landscape care that will reduce maintenance costs over time as well as be more eco-friendly.

Some of our landscaping plan changes have already taken place, both subtle and more obvious. Click here to read more about this and see photos of our progress!

Questions? Contact Karla Lynch.

Pollinator Garden

Have you visited our Pollinator Garden yet? It’s adjacent to the Great Hall, at the east end of the building.

Begun in Fall 2023, our Pollinator Garden is a work in progress, with FVPC members, friends, children and youth making it happen. Pollinator insect populations are declining globally, so our Pollinator Garden plays an essential part by providing food sources for pollinators.

The Pollinator Garden was recently expanded, with children reseeding the garden during Sunday School. Watch them in action!

Click here to read more about our Pollinator Garden and what you can do to help our vital pollinators. Questions about our Pollinator Garden? Contact Jeff Mengler.

Green Tip

The Earth Stewardship Team regularly publishes a Green Tip e-newsletter full of helpful information. To be added to the mailing list for the Green Tip, along with other FVPC e-newsletters, please email the church office.