Eco Church

At All Saints we recognise that care of the environment is fundamental to Christian faith and that the climate emergency we are facing requires positive action from all of us. In 2020 we formally became an Eco church as a way of helping us collectively make decisions that are good news for the whole of creation.

What is an Eco church?

Eco Church is a project of A Rocha UK and helps churches take steps to improve their care of God's earth. To become an Eco Church, churches complete an online Eco Survey, explaining how they are actively caring for God’s earth in different areas of their life and work. The answers a church provides collect points towards an Eco Church Award – the more your church does, the more points you get! We are currently a Bronze Eco Church but hope to soon achieve our Silver Eco Church status.

Being an Eco Church

Committing to being an Eco Church effects our decision making across the whole of church life. To help us do this, in 2020 the Church Council (PCC) adopted an environmental policy with areas of work for us to focus on to develop.

Over the last few years we have created change through a number of events, learning opportunities and ongoing long term changes in how we operate. As with any change this has been a process and there is still a lot more work to do but here are some things we have been doing to implement change:

• Lent course in 2020 based on 'Saying Yes to Life' by Ruth Valerio with small groups and a sermon series based on the days of creation
• Reduced our waste by encouraging reuse of service sheets or using our own electronic devices for viewing online service sheets.
• Changed to using refillable and more environmentally friendly cleaning products in the church building
• Encouraged individuals to walk or cycle to church with a bicycle blessing service
• Explored green energy providers for our heating and utilities.
• Promoted the Creation Care App to help individuals make choices to live more sustainably
• Taken an active approach to care for the Parish Green including installing bird feeders and regularly clearing and cultivating the land for the flourishing wildlife.
• Partnered with other local group to develop the Rectory Wildlife Garden
• Since early 2021 along with other local Christians supported a Climate Vigil outside our MP's office on Friday mornings, a peaceful demonstration to encourage the government to take action to address the climate emergency
• Declared a Climate Emergency in September 2021 as part of a whole series of services and events making Creationtide and to coincide with COP26
• Individuals have taken part in and promoted a Carbon Literacy Course
• Networked with other Christians across the Diocese and county with an online gathering called Green Christian