First C3 Certified Congregation

Greystone Baptist Church Becomes First Congregation to Earn C3 Certification for Creation Care

Charlotte, NC — Christians Caring for Creation (C3) is pleased to announce that Greystone Baptist Church of Raleigh, North Carolina has fulfilled the requirements to become a C3 Certified Congregation. While many churches across the country have done wonderful work in caring for God’s creation, Greystone is the first congregation to request certification and complete the requirements in all four areas of C3’s assessment: worship, discipleship, outreach, and facilities and grounds. The certification process is a quantitative self-assessment reviewed and approved by the C3 Board of Directors.

Nestled on a beautiful 10-acre wooded campus in North Raleigh, Greystone Baptist Church is known both for its warm hospitality and its deep respect for the natural world. The congregation embraces all of God’s creatures—welcoming deer, foxes, geese, and a variety of birds and reptiles as regular visitors. Once, when a family of geese claimed a playground as their nesting ground, the church roped off the area for their protection—an expression of Greystone’s belief that “at Greystone, all are welcome.”

Greystone’s commitment to creation care is woven throughout its life and ministries. The church has hosted multiple educational and worship events centered on environmental stewardship, including a three-part sermon series on creation care in May 2022 and an interfaith “Gratitude for Creation” service in November 2023, co-sponsored by Interfaith Creation Care of the Triangle and the Triad Interfaith Alliance.

In February 2025, Greystone devoted an entire Sunday to Creation Care, featuring Don Gordon, Executive Director of C3, as guest preacher and teacher. Gordon returned in March 2025 to meet with Greystone’s Spirit of Justice Team, an advocacy group that promotes social and eco-justice initiatives within the congregation and community.

Greystone’s work extends to the next generation as well. Each summer, the church hosts Eco Camp, an alternative to traditional Vacation Bible School that teaches children about recycling, the environment, and the care of God’s creatures. Campers grow vegetables in the church’s community garden—donating the harvest to a local food pantry—and help maintain a pollinator garden alongside preschool students. They also learn about composting, beekeeping, and sustainable living from local experts.

Throughout the year, the church encourages responsible recycling practices by providing collection stations across the campus and by planning improvements such as installing water-bottle refill stations to reduce single-use plastics.

“Greystone Baptist Church represents what it means for a congregation to take creation care seriously—as a matter of faith, discipleship, and witness,” said Don Gordon, Executive Director of Christians Caring for Creation. “Their leadership sets a meaningful example for other churches who wish to honor God by caring for the earth and all who live upon it.”

To learn more about becoming a C3 Certified Congregation, visit www.christianscaringforcreation.org.