For the past five years I have had the pleasure of organizing Mount Olivet United Methodist Church’s Bike to Church Day.  Our “Caretakers of God’s Creation” group encourages church members to use environmentally friendly modes of transportation for travel not just to church but for shopping, commuting and running errands. To this end our church even won a 2016 Green Church award designation! Mount Olivet has a bike rack near the church entrance at North Glebe Road and 16th Street N. Our church is lucky to be close to the Custis Trail and on an ART bus route and near a Metro bus stop.

During the Fall each year, Mount Olivet celebrates the beauty of the season by hosting Bike to Church Day. BikeArlington has been very helpful in providing bike maps, Capital Bikeshare coupons, and other literature, as well as some fun reflective giveaways and lights to keep our members safe. The kids even get stickers, coloring books and tattoos.  All I have to do is promote the event with posters, in the church bulletin and the email newsletter and set out a table to give away the stuff on the morning of!

I encourage any congregation in Arlington interested in starting their own Bike to Church Day. Over the years I’ve noticed more and more bikes at the church bike rack, so I think consistent promotion makes a difference.