For 11 years, the Rev. Christy Waltersdorff has been the pastor of York Center Church of the Brethren in Lombard. Although she never planned to live in Illinois, she’s enjoyed her time here and looks forward to more years of shepherding her flock.

One recent activity Waltersdorff has led the congregation in was a Green Fair that took place Saturday.

“This congregation is very involved in a lot of environmental issues,” she said. “If we believe God created the world and gave us stewardship of it, I can’t imagine why people would not be out taking a stand.”

The Green Fair featured presentations on various environmental topics and also highlighted the church’s commitment to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050, said Loren Habegger, a church member and the person Waltersdorff credits with coming up with the idea of a Green Fair.

Habegger said Waltersdorff helped with the plans.

“She’s very supportive,” he said.

Waltersdorff followed the fair with a “Ride your bike to church day Sunday,” something she took part in.

“It’s a way of life in the congregation,” she said. “It helps that there’s a lot of awareness in the world now.”

Waltersdorff began her pastoral career in Maryland, where she led a church in Westminster for five and a half years.

“I never thought I wanted to live in Illinois,” she said. “I really felt called by God.”

She and her two dogs moved here 11 years ago after she interviewed for the job and felt called to the congregation, but she’d be happier if Lombard were a rural town.

“I’m not really big on the suburbs and traffic,” she said.

But she is big on what Church of the Brethren stands for.

“It’s a Protestant denomination,” she said. “It’s a very strong peace church. Peace is a very important foundation for us. We’re also very big on service.

“Children are very much a part of our congregation. They know that they’re loved here.”
Unlike some churches, pastors with Church of the Brethren aren’t moved around and she hopes to stay in Lombard, where “growing a green church” is an important part of her ministry.

“I would like other people to come and be part of it,” she said. “I’d love to welcome other people.”