CA Events - Fall 2026
Collecting native seeds @ Merry Lea
25 pts participating in any one of the six times available
Help Merry Lea collect native seeds for use in restoration projects throughout the property! No experience necessary. We'll go over how to tell when seeds are ripe and what we'll do with them after collection.
Registration required. Meeting location will be determined a few days before this event based on where the greatest need is at that time. Freya will contact you via email with those details. Clippers, buckets, and gloves will be available for volunteers to use.
We will be working off trail, so please wear sturdy shoes and long pants. Insect/tick repellent, long sleeves, and work/garden gloves are recommended.
Dates/Time:
- Sept. 8, 2p-4p
- Sept. 9, 5:30p-7:30p
- Sept. 16, 2p-4p
- Sept. 17, 5:30p-7:30p
- Sept. 22, 2p-4p
- Sept. 29, 2p-4p
To sign up for any of these events, email Freya at freyakb@goshen.edu or visit: doubleknot, look for Stewardship Volunteering
[Merry Lea is a ~40 minute drive from Goshen.]
The next leap in solar cells
10 pts
Monday, September 14, 2026
10 am in SC 106
This is a science lecture by GC alum (class of 1994) Joe Berry about how solar cells work. And then specifically, the next generation of perovskite-based solar cells, which will be flexible, cheaper, and with greater efficiency of solar energy conversion. See people.goshen.edu/~paulmr/events.php.
Community Engagement Day
10 pts
Monday, September 21, 2026
various locations and times.
All first-year students take part in Community Engagement Day. Though this is an all-day event, first years are already expected to participate: 10 CA points anyway for participants who turn in a reflection.
Recycling and composting at the Relief Sale
20 pts for a 2 hour shift
September 25-26, 2026
Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds
Each fall at the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale local Mennonite churches sell plants, serve breakfast, offer food, organize a 5K run and donate quilts to raise money for Mennonite Central Committee, an organization that supports development and peace work. You should go and eat something!
But for the purposes of our class, this is an opportunity to volunteer to help with the trash! Their Composting and Recycling Committee is looking for people willing to work two hour shifts during the sale. Contact Jennifer Schrock, jhschrock9@gmail.com, to volunteer.
Getting there. Lots of people will be driving to and parking at the Sale, which is about 3 miles from GC. The best way to get yourself and your friends there is by bicycle. Cross U.S. 33 at Goshen High School and take the bike path along Monroe street that leads to the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds, and you'll likely be passing a bunch of the cars!
Environment and Spirituality Summit
10 pts for each session (choose any 2 of the 4 sessions in all).
September 28-29, 2026
Remote conference or local 'watch party'
Faith in Place--an organization that works with churches to foster action and awareness about environmental issues--organizes an annual Environment and Spirituality Summit. There are four sessions. You can earn 10 points for any 2 sessions[*] (maximum of 20 points) that you "attend" and write a reflection about.
[* Go out and get your hands dirty instead of getting all 40 possible CA points by sitting on zoom!]
The keynote speaker this year is Bill McKibben. He's the activist founder of 350.org and author of 'Here Comes the Sun', and he talked at Goshen College in 2009.
Register here. You may choose the \$0 'Community Member' registration. The sessions will be online, and/or receive info during registration about a watch party happening at Assembly Mennonite Church, here in Goshen: 4 blocks North of GC at New York and 10th Street.
All the times on the faithinplace.org website are in Central Standard (Chicago) time! Add 1 hour to CST times to get the time in Goshen.