Green Chalice is exploring new “Heights” after generous donation. 

It has been just over a year since Heights Christian Church, Houston, TX offered a generous donation to Green Chalice. We are offering deep gratitude for this generosity and for the gifts they have given to so many ministries including Green Chalice. As a result Green Chalice has been able to deepen, expand, and imagine Green Chalice Ministry Initiatives in new ways.  We are grateful for the leadership and collaboration of the Disciples Home Missions Leadership and Staff and the many co-conspirators.   You can find regular updates on our work at www.greenchalice.org.   

Take a look at the legacy of this gift so far.  

• Hosted a Green Chalice Visioning and Planning retreat: in collaboration with Week of Compassion, DHM, Christmount, and several DOC clergy and lay leaders. Details 

• Justice and Creation Summer Fellowship Grants: 10 ministry sites, 10 youth interns learning and leading climate and justice efforts this summer.  Details 

Ministry Sites Include 

First Christian Church 
Madisonville, KY

QC Family Tree
Charlotte, NC 

Foothills Christian Church
Glendale, AZ

Heart of the Rockies Christian Church
Fort Collins, CO

First Christian Church Princeton
Princeton, KY 

Harmony Springs Christian Church
Uniontown, OH 

Be the Neighbor
Ministry Sites In Denver and Chicago

Bethany Beach Christian Church 
Bethany Beach, DE

Camp Caroline
Arapahoe, NC

Ridglea Christian Church
Fort Worth, TX 

• Creation Care Ambassadors: Green Chalice is partnering with Obra Hispana to support a part-time staff person focused on climate justice and creation care efforts within the communities served by Obra Hispana. This is a year-long pilot ministry.  Green Chalice is working with NAPAD and National Convocation to explore collaborative opportunities in the future as well.

• Support for Creation Care efforts: GC has supported a Creation Justice Ministry Retreat and Camp Caroline Creation Care Retreat. We will offer training and support Climate Change ministries with Be the Neighbor Ministries and service learning at Christmount this summer.

• National Convocation Biennial Gathering: Climate Ambassador and pastor Apostle Sharyn Cosby will be offering a Creation Justice Workshop and will represent Green Chalice. 

• Obra Hispana and NAPAD: Green Chalice staff will be present at Obra Hispana and will offer a workship at the NAPAD Convocation.   

• General Assembly 2023: Heights support allowed for the following

• • • Opening Session of GA 2023 – Thanks to Rev. Dr. Don Gillett, Regional Minister of KY, Chris Dorsey, President of Disciples Home Missions, and Andy Beshear, Governor of KY for shout outs to Green Chalice!
    • Exhibit Hall- Thanks to KY pastor Rev. Carl Wagoner for creating the beautiful GC mugs and ALL who stopped by the Green Chalice booth to chat.
    • Outdoor Sacred Hike Event – Thanks to Rev. Lee Payne for being our incredible Bird Guide!
    • Workshop – Thanks to the 110 people who participated in the workshop – On Earth As it is in Heaven: Cultivating Joy in a Time of Climate Injustice
    • Worship- Thanks to Rev. Scott Hardin-Nieri and Central Christian Church, Albany, IN for a powerfully moving worship service on Sunday morning.
    • Celebrating 16 years through Stories- Thanks to the Food Literacy Project, storytellers Alison Lanza, Monique Crain Spells, musician Willie Huston and all who gathered to celebrate Green Chalice and support this important food justice work in Louisville. Collectively we raised over $600 for FLP. 

• Increased staff time and responsibility- GC has more staff time available now to engage in the ministries above and ongoing ministries serving clergy, churches, communities and creation.

A little history about the gift. 

In 2023 Heights Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Houston, Texas offered a generous donation to Green Chalice Ministries for climate change, creation care and justice work. Their difficult decision to join First Christian Church, Houston, after closing their doors allowed them to allocate resources from their legacy to support vital ministries like ours.  With resources from generations of ministry they sought to support national and local ministries and organizations important to them, including Green Chalice. The 

Heights members described praying for Green Chalice each Sunday eventually adding resources to their prayers. 

After conversations with Rev. Devine and Rev. Hardin-Nieri, the Heights leadership reviewed an unfunded Green Chalice Congregational Resilience grant application as part of their decision making process stating “We love the pioneering spirit in which Green Chalice and Week of Compassion partnered to address climate change from a preventative angle that also addresses creating a more equitable path for all God’s people to flourish.” 

The Heights board appreciated elements of collaboration among Green Chalice, Week of Compassion, Christian Church in Kentucky, Christmount, and other ministries and nonprofits. H

eights saw an opportunity to extend their legacy and ministry through Green Chalice as they sought a more viable, just, and beautiful future for people, communities, and all of God’s Creation. 

Green Chalice was founded in 2007 under the leadership of Rev. Devine as a grassroots movement in Kentucky, it now serves nearly 250 congregations within our denomination and extends its reach beyond, promoting resilience, innovation, and spiritual grounding in environmental justice, creation care, and climate action.

The partnership with Heights Christian Church arrived at a critical time as Green Chalice and DHM strengthen their presence amidst the challenges of climate change, racism, and oppression. Together with First Christian Church, we planted a tree near their sanctuary, symbolizing the enduring legacy and commitment to a just and sustainable future. 

Green Chalice remains committed to strategic dreaming and sustaining our ministry that has supported congregations, clergy, and communities for sixteen years. We will continue to seek justice, dream big, reach out to others, be curious, walk with humility and lead with compassion. Heights Christian Church built a legacy of love. We are so Grateful.  Learn more at greenchalice.org.