Eco-Congregation Award
In August 2007 two independent assessors to see if our Church meets the criteria for the award visited us. They were impressed with what they saw and heard. The assessors were particularly impressed with:
The Church premises and garden being energy efficient and attractive
The planned Autumn workshops “I’m dreaming of a green Christmas”
Local radio discussion on climate change.
‘What on earth are we doing’ follow up raising over £600.00 for solar panels in Malawi.
Following their recommendation we have received the Eco-Congregation Award. There were three criteria that we had to achieve for this award to be granted. They are listed below in bald italics with our responses.
Have we made the link between the Christian faith and our environmental concerns?
‘Towards a Simpler Lifestyle’ – This was the title of a booklet written in 2003 by a retired minister at Crediton Methodist Church. The booklet has four Bible Studies:
Love is about doing
Giving at the right moment
Possessed by Possessions
Discipleship – Joy or Burden
All the Bible studies include plenty of resource material, stories, case studies and a section on Wesley and Wealth. This course booklet was studied by the fellowship groups of the church as well as providing the theme for a series of Sunday services. The course concluded with a challenge for members and the church to adopt a simpler lifestyle and members were invited to sign the following Covenant:
To be generous
To do what I can for the poor and excluded, by giving, support and advocacy
To avoid waste and needless spending on myself
To be careful of the environment – the beautiful heritage given by God in trust
In all this I will seek to live with joy, enjoying the good things God has given in simple and glad celebration
This course enabled many within the congregation to understand environmental care as part of Christian discipleship.
Church worship Since 2003 praising God as creator, stewards of God’s creation, the impact of our lifestyles on the poorest of the world, ‘live simply so that others may simply live’, have been regular themes of our worship – preaching and prayers. The importance the Church Council has attached to forming an environmental policy for the church – and the action taken would indicate that there is a good level of understanding and commitment.
Lent course ‘What on Earth are we doing?’ Lent 2007 The minister, at a Christians Together in Crediton meeting persuaded/encouraged the churches in Crediton to adopt the ecumenical Lent course ‘What on earth are we doing?’ as our course for Lenten study 2007. The first session was held at our church when the course was introduced by the minister through worship and prayer and
A Lenten Challenge to Lifestyle presented - An initiative to promote “planet-loving lifestyles” as part of our Christian ministry. The minister also challenged the people of the churches in Crediton to raise £600 for solar panels for Malawi (a Christian Aid initiative). At the last meeting £620 had been raised. The last session of the Lent course was led by a woman from one of the other churches in Crediton who had not thought of the issues raised in the course before – Climate change – waste, energy, water, recycling –links of our lifestyle to the poorest in the world but now her whole outlook had been changed and she had everyone at her place of work now supporting fair-trade, recycling, low energy light bulbs etc.
Have we taken practical action in the church and/or church grounds?
Church Environmental policy. This was drawn up by the environmental church group and adopted by the whole church council in 2006. It is on public display around the premises. Those who were originally a little sceptical have now come to see the importance of it. All groups hiring our premises are aware of our environmental policy and encouraged to abide by it – e.g. recycling, economical use of heating, lighting, using rooms already warm, low light bulb etc. We also discourage the use of cars and encourage, walking, cycling, car sharing, public transport.
Recycling – organic matter, paper towels etc all recycled.
Recycling of plastic This is not done by the council so our church became a depot for plastic recycling. Church members and the wider community brought their plastic to us and then when a large quantity collected it was taken to the recycling centre – about once very two months. Unfortunately we have had to suspend this service temporarily as the Methodist Insurers felt there was a fire risk with so much plastic being stored close to the premises. We are looking at ways around this problem.
Water conservation. Hippos have been placed in the cisterns and made available for home use. A water butt has been installed to collect rainwater off the church roof and is used for the flowers and the church garden.
Energy – all bulbs are now low energy. Heating is carefully monitored and rooms used which are already warm.
Green energy supplier
Paper – PowerPoint is now used in church services and church meetings. This has greatly reduced the use of handouts. Our monthly church newsletter is also available on line and people are encouraged to have it in this form.
Church garden This is carefully managed with a high degree of commitment and understanding from our gardeners. All waste is composted.
Pre school group We are looking at ways of working together as the pre school group who meet on our premises are very keen to develop the children’s interest in environmental matters. The children use the church garden and the minister goes into the pre school groups and sometimes her talks are about the environment. The pre school group are very good at recycling their waste and keeping it to a minimum.
Have we had a positive impact on and/or worked with their local or the global community?
Presentation at Talkback May 2006) – ecumenical Sunday evening service) on our Environmental policy. This resulted in other churches in the town seeking advice on how to set up their own ‘green groups’ and two now have their own.
Flower Festival (September 2006) – theme ‘Swords into Ploughshares: Stories of Hope from around the world’. The flower displays were inspired by stories from Christian Aid of people in poorest countries combating climate change e.g. water pumps, water conservation.
Environmental exhibition, which included local sculptor and his papier-mache sculptures and coffins, made from old newspapers.
Local schools invited to make models out of recycled rubbish and these were exhibited as part of the festival.
Fair-trade stall
One World café using fair-trade and local produce.
The festival attracted lots of press publicity/coverage and was visited by over 500 people.
Regular articles, written by the Minister and others, in the church magazine (available on the website) and in the Parish magazines of the surrounding villages reflecting on the environment and our responsibilities.
Green Box – ‘green’ hint each month in the church magazine.
Radio interview – Radio Devon – about our churches environmental policy. Part of a climate change panel discussion taking place on Radio Devon in September.
‘What on earth are we doing?’ Lent course prepared by Devon Churches action on climate change. The minister encouraged this course to be selected for our ecumenical Lent groups. First session presented to all the groups together (about 70 people) and included an environmental exhibition and challenge to raise £600 for solar panels for Malawi through Christian Aid’s Present Aid scheme. (Result - £620 was raised.)
Visit the eco-congregation website www.ecocongregation.org/englandwales
