The Los Angeles Church of the Nazarene in the Costa Rica Central District recently registered in the Blue Flag Ecological Project (PBAE). The PBAE is an international recognition to institutions that commit to caring for the environment. One of the categories in the program is Ecclesiastical, which offers incentives to churches and religious groups to be a part of positive change in healthy use of water, resources, fuel, and other categories.
The pastor of the church, Andrés Fernández, said, “The Los Angeles Church of the Nazarene has understood that the call of God is integrated. As we care for the people of our church and community, we must also watch over our planet.”
The church proposes to be the first evangelical community at the national level to obtain the Blue Flag recognition. They have held different activities to benefit the environment, including promoting a new culture regarding the use of disposable plates, cups, etc., in the church´s activities. They now use reusable supplies.
The church has also motivated its members to bring recyclable material from home. Once a month a recycling company receives all of the collected material. The changes have generated a local impact, and they hope to also have an impact at the district level. They will implement new practices for the district activities help in their facilities, including a requirement that no disposable plates, cups, etc. be used on the premises. The church proposes to supply the items necessary instead of disposable items.
¨We have seen how the church has mobilized together to achieve this. The recent cleanup campaign was a success. People brought their recyclable materials, the environmental culture is saturating the church and we are gaining an essential characteristic not only within the church building but outside of it,¨ said Christopher Quinto, the local NMI president. ¨We dream that within approximately one year we will see a Blue Flag hung in our church, knowing it was the result of a joint effort, not just the work of one person or ministry.”
He added, “We invite every part of the Church of the Nazarene to look for options in their countries to be models to follow for the world and to be part of the sustainable development of our planet. This is also what it is to be the Church.”
Source: Christopher Quinto, NMI President, and Pastor Andrés Fernández, Los Angeles Church of the Nazarene
For more information in Spanish about the Blue Flag Ecological Project: https://banderaazulecologica.org/
