They say it's just a drop in the ocean

As if that's a reason to stop

But maybe the've forgotten the ocean

is entirely dependent on drops (Harry and Chris)

We are so please to share our Silver Eco Church award 🥈 

What is Eco Church?

This is an award scheme by A Rocha UK. Practically, is is a huge survey including the worship and teaching, church buildings, land, community and global engagement, and lifestyle of the church and church members. The more eco friendly we are in each of these areas the more points we gain, we are already at a gold level in our teaching and worship and land use (though we are still looking to improve these all the time!) 

Forest Church 

If you want to learn about how the bible connects to the world around us, Forest Church is a great way to connect with the local environment and biblical stories through practical activities. Have a look at our Facebook page here to find out more. 

Stannington Green Fair

As part of Stannington Garden Party, Christ Church Stannington hosted a Green Fair.

A Green Fair is a place where you can find simple ways to make your life more ecologically friendly from reusing and recycling to writing to your MP or supporting local conservation groups. Changing your life style in small simple ways can have huge impacts, buying food that has been grown or produced locally reduces the travel distance of your food. It often supports small businesses that have tighter budgets and so produce less waste, creating a chain of events which help protect our environment from climate change. Other impacts could be to use eco friendly cleaning and personal hygiene products, simply reusing plastic bottles or mending clothes rather than buying new. While these can be more expensive options for our budgets, the expense is payed by the environment for the cheeper or easier options and this is not sustainable.

Recycling  

Many things claim to be recyclable but often can’t go in your brown bin. So what are you meant to do with them? https://nomorebindays.co.uk is a website that will tell you where your local collection points are for all your recycling needs! Hopefully you can really reduce what goes in your black bin and look to recycle as much as possible.  

Churchyard 

We are working towards increasing the wildlife in the churchyard so please visit the churchyard. In spring and summer our wildflower meadow is full of different wildflowers and busy insects, including some cowslips we planted as part of forest church. 

In January we completed our third annual RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. The results for this were very positive, a total of 63 birds were spotted in the hour and the diversity of species has increased from our initial count. We hope this trend continues! Have a look at the results at the bottom of this page.

How can I Engage with Eco Church?

You can help by looking at your own lifestyle, do you bank with an ethical bank? Or use food which is LOAF (Locally grown, Organic, Animal friendly, Fairtrade)? You can measure your own carbon footprint here or undertake an environmental lifestyle audit here. Or you can simply remember to switch off the lights or reduce, re-use, recycle as much as possible. As Harry and Chris say at the top, it may only be a drop in the ocean, but the ocean is entirely dependent on drops. 

We would love you to cycle, walk or lift share if you are coming up to church (have you seen our new bike racks?).

If you want to know more, have ideas or want to help then please do get in contact with Peggy.