MTPC Memorial Trees

When I first started working on the Eagle Scout  rank, I thought about several possible projects but I couldn’t get them off the ground.  

Then I heard that for a number of years the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA has supported restoring God’s creation through ecological measures.  During a conversation at church I heard someone mention the idea of planting additional trees on the church property.  I decided that planting trees would  help protect the ozone and the environment and doing it in the memory of specific people would make it even more special for the church.  So I started the process and met with the Building and Grounds committee and then the Session and finally it was approved by the Boy Scouts of America so I developed a plan and eventually planted the trees. 

I am extremely grateful to our Church and those who donated.  I want to give a special thanks to the Session, Building and Grounds Committee, Rev Karen McDonald Smith and the McCartys for being especially helpful during this journey.  I also want to thank the Scouts who helped me clean around the church grounds, my parents, Dave Powell, Jason Meyer, Dr Rudolph, and my other Scout leaders for all their support.  I’m also grateful to Jack Mulnix and Jan Mewhirter who are my mom’s first cousins for creating and contributing the beautiful plaque that we now have in the church which names those who are memorialized. 

Although this process was made somewhat difficult by the global pandemic, I feel good about the project and pray that God and our loved ones have been honored with the memorial gifts.

Alex Utz 

Summer 2020