Walking to Church

by · Published · Updated

Mary and George talking as they walk along a sidewalk with a purple rhody blooming nearby
Walking partners, Mary Mason and George Gunby. “It’s good for our hearts, our souls, our bodies and the planet. Who could ask for anything more?”

The UUC Climate Action Team invites you to get to church with a lower carbon footprint on Earth Day, Sunday, April 24.

If you live close enough and are able, walking is one of the best ways to get to church, while appreciating the outdoors. Mary Mason told us:

I have been walking to church for years, but George and I started walking together about 3–4 years ago. We met because I had written him a thank you note for the pledge drive and discovered that he was a neighbor. We live about halfway between Meadowbrook and UUC, so to either place it takes about half an hour. Since the pandemic began, we watch the service online and then walk for 3–4 miles in the neighborhood after church. We hope to return to in-person church soon.

Mary Mason
Debbie wearing a backpack and smiling as she crosses a street in a crosswalk
Debbie Maranville, frequently walks 2.5 miles to church

Debbie Maranville finds the 50-minute walk invigorating and restorative. She sometimes engages in the spiritual practice she developed in Wellspring—singing hymns she has memorized. She’s grateful to still be physically able and enjoys passing through the neighborhoods and seeing the seasons changing.

See also the Climate Action Team’s previous articles on:

A row of silhouettes of human footprints, larger to smaller