Get out into a park!
For the month of September, I visited 16 Ann Arbor city parks as part of the parks challenge. One of my highlights was seeing wild turkeys!
I encourage you to explore and enjoy parks in your neighborhood, close to your work, or near other places you visit. There are really some small and pretty hidden parks which are not easy to find – see parkfinder.
There are many volunteer opportunities, too! FUMC volunteers regularly at Buhr Park (our last workdays were on Sept. 22 and Oct. 27). If you see something that needs fixing while you are at a park, contact the city to let them know via Report a Problem – A2 Fix It. If there is something you’d like to see added to a park such as a trash can, a water fountain, a volleyball net etc., you can use the same link to suggest this. If there is trash, how about picking up a few pieces? My observation from visiting the parks is that people visiting the parks and the city are doing a good job cleaning up; they are clean and trash free in general. Parks with a bus stop or a through pass where people pass by often tend to have the most trash.
Turkeys! Redbud Nature Area on the SE side of Ann Arbor
Workday at Buhr Park, Sep 22, 2026
Events
Vote on Nov 3! Vote for candidates who protect the environment.
From the UMC Book of Discipline: In Genesis 1, we read that God declares creation good (Gen. 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 25, 31), and we read in Genesis 2 that God “took the human and settled him in the garden of Eden to farm it and to take care of it” (Gen. 2:15). The goodness of God’s creation, and the value given to every part of it, call people to respect, protect, and care for the creation and all interrelated aspects of it.
Walk Bike Washtenaw
You’re invited to Walk Bike Washtenaw’s Annual Meeting. On Tuesday, Nov. 10 from 7-9 we’ll meet at Conor O’Neill’s (virtual option available) to discuss ideas that can help Washtenaw become more pedestrian and bike-friendly in 2027 and beyond. We will also vote for our board members, hear from some great speakers, learn about great new bike rides, upcoming events in the area and innovative transportation projects planned for Washtenaw County.
A2ZERO Clothing Swaps
Join the City of Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability and Innovations Clothing Swaps to get free new-to-you clothing, donate items that you no longer want, learn new skills, and participate in the local circular economy! These are held once a month at City Hall; the next one is on Thursday Nov. 19.
Creation Care Tips
Try taking the Michigan Flyer bus to Michigan State/East Lansing (many of us have kids there) or to the airport (DTW). From personal experience, it is reasonably priced, it is super dependable and on time, and has the added benefit of reducing our carbon footprint!
- According to research, just two hours a week in nature have a positive effect on health and psychological wellbeing—and the benefit holds regardless of age, income, or chronic illness. Build nature time into your routine and your family’s. Take a 10-minute nature break, eat lunch outside, talk and walk. Love yourself and your loved ones.
- Green space is critical infrastructure for health and wellbeing. And like all infrastructure, access to it isn’t equally distributed. Lower-income neighborhoods consistently have less tree canopy, hotter temperatures, more pollution, and worse health outcomes. Speak up for parks and trees to be placed so that all neighbors benefit.
- Who pays for pollution? Not the polluters! Challenge government to shift the cost back to where it belongs. As citizens and people of faith, follow Jesus’ story of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8), who stuck to her mission and finally convinced the unjust judge. Keep bringing injustice to planet and people to the attention of the powers that be. Write letters, sign petitions, make calls.
- Put your money to work for justice. When you buy organic, you guarantee more farmers can grow healthy, safe food. When you buy fair trade, you provide living wages and fight poverty. When you bank with a community bank or credit union, you are investing locally and likely not funding fossil fuel projects. Choose justice.
- Persist in the “little things” you do to help the planet—recycling, composting, planting, thrifting, ride sharing, consuming less, using alternatives to plastic—and talk about what you are doing and why. People pay attention to the practices and words of people they know. You make a difference.
- When something proposed is harmful, raise your voice to connect the dots for people and officials of how the results are injurious. Encourage others to listen and act. Go after change. Turn your private frustration into public pressure.
- Love for the next generation is the number one reason why people care about climate change. Keep in mind your children, grands, greats, and future generations as you make choices for your lifestyle and for how you spend your energy addressing the environmental and justice issues of today. Be proactive for their sake.
- In the face of fast-tracked, hyperscale data centers, join the community demanding transparency, truth, time, and guardrails. Learn about the inherent creation justice issues, and raise your voice along with your neighbors’. Sing out like the canary in the coal mine.
- The gifts of God—sun and wind—are free and renewable. Using them rather than continuing with fossil fuels will save our planet. A crucial benefit from the switch is less incentive to go to war over limited fossil resources. Join with others and use your power—your voice, your actions, your advocacy—to love Earth.
Bulleted tips: United Methodist Creation Justice Movement, October 2026 Tips: Raise Your Voice | UMC Creation Justice