Faith in action: St Stephen’s journey of caring for creation
At St Stephen’s Uniting Church, caring for creation is woven into worship and practical decisions that strengthen both environmental and financial sustainability
September 14, 2026
By Emily Murray, Environmental Sustainability Specialist, Queensland Synod
At St Stephen’s Uniting Church in Toowoomba, care for creation is not a standalone project but an expression of faith lived out in practical, communal ways.
Under the leadership of Minister Rev Dylan Miegel, St Stephen’s has implemented a range of sustainability initiatives that have reduced its environmental footprint while strengthening long-term financial resilience. Chief among them is the installation of solar panels on the church hall.
Since the system was installed, St Stephen’s has effectively eliminated its electricity bills, despite running large spaces, air conditioning and multiple office tenants throughout the week. Previously, power costs were around $1,000 a month. A battery system, already purchased and awaiting installation, will further support evening use, including the congregation’s Winter Shelter program for people experiencing homelessness.
The solar installation followed an intentional, collaborative process involving conversations at presbytery, church council discernment and congregational approval. When the proposal was presented, it received unanimous support.
“That happened because we brought people along,” Dylan says. “Some people are motivated by environmental concerns, some by finances – but when both are addressed together, people can feel confident about the decision. It’s good stewardship on both fronts.”
While the decision was locally owned, Dylan says broader Uniting Church commitments helped prompt the conversation. Reading the Queensland Synod’s A Flourishing Creation Action and Advocacy Plan and the Assembly’s emissions reduction commitments led him to consider what these might mean at congregational level.
“I saw those documents and thought, ‘We actually need to do something about this,’” he says.
“In earlier Christian eras, the relationship between humanity and nature was often seen as – us on one side, with the earth here to serve us. Today, we understand ourselves as an integral part of creation.”
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then subscribe to our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox.
Alongside large-scale energy upgrades, St Stephen’s has tackled smaller everyday practices. The congregation has moved away from disposable plastic communion cups introduced during COVID, replacing them with a compostable alternative.
“I didn’t know compostable communion cups existed until I saw the Caring for Creation through Communion Guide,” Dylan says. “The fact these were already being used elsewhere made it easy to suggest trialling them.”
The sturdy, affordable cups have removed more than 1,300 plastic cups from landfill each year. After worship, Dylan collects them and composts them – sometimes with help from inquisitive chickens at his family home.
“These are small actions,” Dylan says, “but they help people realise that even the ordinary practices of worship have an impact on creation.”
For Dylan, these practical changes are grounded in an evolving theology that is deeply relational.
“In earlier Christian eras, the relationship between humanity and nature was often seen as – us on one side, with the earth here to serve us,” he says. “Today, we understand ourselves as an integral part of creation.”
This understanding shapes worship at St Stephen’s through prayer, preaching and participation in the Season of Creation during September. Environmental themes are not treated simply as political issues, but as expressions of discipleship.
“Caring for creation is part of the ongoing ministry of God’s re-creation,” Dylan says. “It’s just as important as caring for the poor or welcoming the vulnerable. It’s another way of living faithfully.”
Care for land and community also comes together in the church grounds. Adjacent to a youth justice facility serving primarily First Nations young people, St Stephen’s gardens have become a shared outdoor space. Young people have contributed artwork and helped with gardening, including planting native species to support local biodiversity.
At St Stephen’s, sustainability is not an add-on. It is a lived theology – expressed through solar panels on the roof, compost behind the scenes, gardens at the front gate, and a congregation learning to see itself as part of God’s beloved creation.
More news from the Assembly
COP31: A Call to Prayer for Climate Justice
COP31: A Call to Prayer for Climate Justice Uniting Church congregations invited to pray for a just outcome at COP31 By Paul Wallbank As world leaders gather for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, the Uniting Church in Australia invites congregations to pray for a just and meaningful outcome to…
Prayer & Pacific leadership for Climate Justice at COP31
Prayer & Pacific leadership for climate justice at COP31Following visits to Tuvalu and Fiji, Uniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli led morning prayers with Pacific partners at the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion as COP31 opened in Antalya.“Are we genuinely listening to First Peoples, respecting their leadership and supporting their right to determine their own futures?”…
Defence chaplains find space for reflection, renewal and fellowship
Defence Force Chaplains retreat 2026Finding time to pause, reflect and reconnect is important in any ministry, particularly one shaped by the demands and complexities of military life. For Uniting Church Defence Force chaplains, the annual Faith Group Spiritual Conference held at Holsworthy Barracks’ All Saints’ Chapel last week provided such an opportunity, bringing colleagues together…
CFTL prepares for discernment on theological education
CFTL prepares for discernment on theological educationSubscribe to our newsletterIf you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then subscribe to our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox.The Commission for Theology, Formation and Leadership (CFTL) met online on 29 October. Since its previous meeting, the Admission of Ministers Working Group…
New book on the life of Walter Lawry
New book on Walter Lawry, pioneer Wesleyan missionary to TongaA new book exploring the life and legacy of the first Wesleyan missionary to Tonga has been released, bringing fresh insight into an important chapter of the Uniting Church’s shared Methodist heritage and its enduring relationships with the Pacific. Walter Lawry: The First Wesleyan Missionary to…
2027 Calendar of Dates
2027 Assembly Calendar of Dates Official Uniting Church commemorations, key liturgical dates, ecumenical dates and events, social and cultural celebrations On this page you will find the 2027 dates for the key days we mark together as a national Uniting Church, events held around the Uniting Church that are open to all, key liturgical dates,…
2026-2027 Uniting Church Lectionary
2026-2027 Uniting Church Lectionary available now The Assembly has released the 2026-2027 Uniting Church Lectionary (Year B), a key resource for preaching and worship leading in the ‘Year of Mark’ The 2026-2027 Uniting Church Lectionary is now available to download from the Assembly. This year’s Year B lectionary continues with the new-look poster format…
Filipino National Conference 2026: Weaving a future together
Filipino National Conference 2026: Weaving a future Generations of Filipino Uniting Church members gathered to celebrate faith, culture and community, while weaving a shared vision for an intercultural future Three days of worship, storytelling, cultural celebration and discernment have brought together generations of Filipino members of the Uniting Church, as the Filipino National Conference…